Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Sierra Bullets have lost the market.

you are joking right? the bullet all others are compared to. the us govt loads them. a bulk of the hp shooters load them.

That is because Sierra was the lowest bidder.
Believe me I KNOW Gov't contract practices.

I don't think they're missing any boat.

We "convince" ourselves that we need so-called "premium" bullets to kill deer.

Millions of deer have died for many decades with simple cup and core bullets, long before Barnes (and others), solid copper, plastic tipped, etc stuff was ever even dreamed of.

Sierra recognizes that, and chooses to stay with their bread and butter designs. They do what they do very well.

As noted earlier as well, big game hunters aren't even Sierra's main focus, and the company seems to be doing just fine by leaning towards the target and varmint crowds, while still offering proven stuff to the big game guys as well.

Savage99,
You don't do much competiton shooting do you? I used to shoot with a guy who shot 1,500 168 MatchKings per month.
He doesn't shoot any more so maybe they have more to go around now.

I shoot an openmind and Sierra is way down on my list of viable candidates. There was a time when they rated much higher in my book,but they're stagnant like few others and I cain't suffer them concessions.

Tough to get giddy about a 168SMK..............

Especially if that's the performance envelope desired, then the Nosler clone can be had for far less by the thousand.

I'd be inclined to fling A-Max and groove on their terminal affects to boot.

But if really mad at paper,the 155 Scenar is a tough act to follow..............

whelennut,

While I have retired from active competition it used to be the central focus of my life! And Sierra bullets were #1 with me for centerfire rifle.

I shot smallbore gallery every Thursday night from three or four positions and the Big Bore leagues on weekends. I also competed and ran running deer shoots, bench rest and some pistol.

Sierra bullets were all that I used for the centerfire competition from my 243 and 6mm Rem. International rifles. When I saw that the shelves in a very large gunshop were filled with Hornady bullets and almost no Sierras I started this topic in, what I intended to be, a cooperative tone. I wish Sierra the very best. They helped me win many matches.

In fact I have won many high average awards in more than one league along with setting high score records and perfect scores.

The range where I did much of my shooting, the Blue Trail Range in CT is now closed on the 50 (yes 50) firing points at 200 yds due to an inadequate backstop. I stood there recently and stared down range without my rifle. It was a very sad feeling.

Unfortunately I'm limited to 300 yards most of the time. So for easy 308 playing around I save a C-note on the bulk Nosler.

I shoot the A-Max, just not in the same large quantity.

Didn't you (or maybe Pat) say the 155 Scenar was pretty good on deer?

I'm limited solely by mood.

Scenars trump SMK's in terminal affects,ugly style................

The SMK and clone Nosler are just paper, steel, and jug hitters for me.

The C-Note saved goes toward a thousand .224" V-Maxes or Bal Tips.

I savvy................

Here is that picture I took of the 200 yd range at the Lyman's Blue Trail range.

In the distance you can see the very low hills. They are not high enough these days what with more houses..............

Wow!??! 200yds.

That's cool.............

True its only 200 yds however it still takes an accurate rifle and of course the marksmanship. In fact if your second shot is too perfect it may hit the pin from the spotter on your last shot.

You get a minute a shot for the 25 shot match plus sighters. If they have to patch that hole the spotter pin makes getting shattered it takes away your time.

Anything like that can shake you up.

The rifle I shot last there, the best I used and I won the most with is a Remington 40 in 6mm Rem. International. I shot out the factory barrel and had it rebarrled with a Douglas. It came with the Marksman stock but I got a thumb hole stock for it to match my .22 gallery rifle.

I have the leather coat, slings, cuffs, mat, spotting scope, all of that.

With hundreds shooting, 50 at a time, there was competition!

Here is the 40X 6mm Int. with a test scope.

The matches were fired with irons.

So how is a Scenar better than a SMK, terminallly speaking?

Besides utter and sheer reliability? Or in broad terms?

Feel free to wax as eloquently as you dare in their regard.

I'm much lookin' forward to humor of that magnitude................

I've used the SMK's on mule deer and elk and they all died, but the bullet usually always came apart.

Never used the Scenars and just wondered how they were better.

SMK's will zook,pencil or get otherwise squirrely and often. Scenars do not.

I'd much rather 155Scenar in a 30,than 155,68,75 or anything else SMK...upon Critters..............