Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only .375 250gr Sierra Gameking expansion test results

Wish it hadn't been snowing.....still no chrony on this load...its fairly mild...guesstimating its about 2700 fps @ muzzle.(shot from 375 Ruger Alaskan)
This load was shot at 25yds into (8) 1 gal milk jugs placed tightly side by side.
Bullet was recovered inside of the 7th jug...it had hit the far side of the jug, and split it, but didn't make it into the next jug, so that equals 45.5" of penetration. Recovered weight was 237.3grs.
Still, not a dangerous game bullet in my opinion, but would probably use it for elk or moose without hesitation.
Pics show recovered bullet from 25yd impact.
good shootin'
johnny

Um, that'll work.

That did better than I would have thought, thanks for posting.

Its too bad my "camera woman" messed up, or I would have had a video clip for ya's. Even with a 4 year old in the house it takes a while to save up those jugs!...First couple jugs had to go 40-50ft in the air.
johnny

I've used the bullet a bit on elk and such and would have no problemo using it again.

Dober

May have to give those a whirl one day, just because

That's some serious frontal area there.Sure looks purty!

I've found this to be pretty typical performance of the larger caliber Gamekings....this one below is a 35 cal 225gr. I forgot the end weight, but remember it came out of a 350 Rem mag at about 2880fps at 25 yds.
johnny

On a larger animal my only concern would be the shape of the deformed bullet; kind of a bulb, and would that inhibit needed penetration? on lighter game though i imagine it would be great.

bluefish I think when folks say on here and elsewhere that broad frontal areas impede penetration,it shouldn't be interpreted as meaning they don't penetrate at all....for the most part they certainly do,and lots of times as far as some of the "super penetrators" and certainly as far as they need to...

Sometimes, about the only difference is that the off side hide will stretch and catch the broad mushroom of the expanded bullet,and stop it,where a smaller frontal area may punch through.

Penetration is not the only characteristic of wounding ballistics that counts...and frequently these bullets giving large frontal areas will seem to hit game "harder",create larger wound channels and cause more trauma,have different shaped wound channel than one with smaller frontal area....not necessarily "better" but different. Some "super penetrators" have a reputation here and there for being rather "slow" killers in comparison.

In the photos above, my only concern is whether the Sierra has the construction integrity to do the same things in game that it does in water....I have not ever used those 250's on an animal but I hear good things about them from others.

I wonder what she would do at 3200 fps from my 378?

SPLAT!

But with that load you have ...it looks great!

BTW this is the older brother! 300 grain Sierra from last year




Since so far I can not get my 378 Bee to like AB's I was thinking about using this bullet. I do not really trust them with the jacket core separation so I played with it.

Out of curiosity I shot one 300 gr Sierra gameking in wet newsprint out of my 378 Bee at 3050 fps MV. Impact was at 40 yards. Opened up to 70 plus caliber and retained 214.5 grains. Now if all of them do this I am IMPRESSED! Will found out tomorrow what they shoot like.

I actually wrote to Sierra about this and they responded.

Quote

Fotis,
I�m very sorry about this extended delay in answering your e-mail.
I hope I haven�t inconvenienced you.

I think our 300 grain SBT GameKing will be perfect for elk and moose even at the high velocities of your 378 Weatherby. The big bears will not be a problem either in that this bullet has a jacket thickness at the mouth of the jacket of .018� tapering quickly from .070�. I think you can use it with confidence.
While the jacket and core may separate it won�t happen until the bullet has expended the majority of its energy and is at the end of its penetration path.

Fotis: Yes I think that extra velocity would open them up pretty good....that expanded 300 gr is also impressive.

Hard to believe those expanded 375 bullets can hit almost 3/4" across the fronts....like, .70 caliber(!) I have one expanded 375 bullet at home that is about 3/4" taken from an animal.

Now that is what I call "frontal area",in game....not in the air....and may be one reason the 375 cal holds an edge on really heavy game over the smaller mediums. You don't generally see that frontal area from 338 bullets.At least I never have.

One of the reasons I love my 378 WBY

That is one of the reasons why I switched from 338-06 to the 375 Ruger as my General purpose North American big game rifle.
Don't get me wrong...I have some overlap in the calibers I keep, but I believe you cant ever have too much gun.
Water is actually a pretty tough medium on bullets...at least if you believe "Mythbusters"....but I have noticed that the slower the bullets are travelling through the water, the deeper they penetrate....less expansion I guess.
johnny

flattop: Good thread and thanks for posting this up.....Fotis you, too. Thanks for the pics.

I love 375 threads.

375 is the Kahuna of the mediums.

The 250 and 300 grain photos look great!

I've got a few of those 300's loaded, and some more standing by.

Any idea how the 270 & 300 Hornady perform?

I sure was happy with the 260 gr Nosler Accubond...

I haven't loaded up any Hornady's yet, but will post when I do.
johnny

Actually, I remember running a 270 Hornady into the water jugs two years ago. I'll see if I can dig up a photo. The bullet didn't fare well. Never got around to trying the 300 gr Hornady. Maybe soon...

I did the same thing with one gallon milk jugs a couple years back with three different Noslers and one G.S.Custom. That 250 did great. Here's what I found.

.375 300 Nosler Partition (375-.416 Rem 28" barrel) 2,925 in the seventh.
One weighed 232 the other 204.

.375 260 Nosler Partition (.375-.416 Rem) 2,976 in seventh weighed 190

.375 260 Nosler Ballistic Tip (.375-.416 Fem) 2,982 in the sixth weighed 160

.375 265 G.S. Custom 3,044 out the back side of the seventh. It was laying between the seventh and eighth. The "skin" of the eight was damaged. It weighed 196. The most significant thing, though, was this one broke the new Doug Fir 2X6 which was purchased for this project. This bullet produced a spectacular photo. The jugs behind the whiteness of the exploding first few are all in a row with a little water squirting out their tops.

What makes the photo so fun is the 2X6 is gone! Like clear out of the photo! It was blasted downward by the water trying to get away from the "wound channel".

I ran a 270 Hornady in my first elk hunts in the mid 90's. 3180 fps from my 378 Bee.

I retrieved two bullets.
The one impacted at 778 yards retained 88% and looked textbook perfect.

The second impacted at 3100 fps. Found on the far side weight at 44% mostly jacket and just a little lead left.
Both bull elk. I will post pictures.

I did use the 300 Hornady SPBT and shot a nice 5x5 at 510 yards. Muzzle velocity was 3050 fps. Elk dropped at the shot but another "HUNTER" walked up to him and shot him in the head.
Essentially he stole it....
Did not get that bullet but the elk was "dead" anyway. Just could not get close to it before he did.

[quote=Ringman.

What makes the photo so fun is the 2X6 is gone! Like clear out of the photo! It was blasted downward by the water trying to get away from the "wound channel".
[/quote]

First water jug test I ran....the blast took care of a mason plank that I had under the jugs, splitting it length-wise, and breaking 2 redwood boards in the park bench below the plank....wifey was none to thrilled with me over that one!!

What I do now is use 2 2x4's parallel to each other with about a 3" gap between them.....it gives the water an escape route.
johnny

Hydraulics is fun aint they FT Johnny

Gunner

When it involves firearms; it sure is!!

flattop_johnny,



That there is some good info.

Shot the 300 gr Hornady BTSP into the jugs today from 20 yards. Used a .375 H&H Number One. Muzzle velocity was 2521 fps. Recovered the bullet from the 6th jug:



Weight was 171 grains and it measured .67" diameter.

The one common thing I see in these photos are that even at these close distances the core is staying with the jacket...I mean they are losing some lead along the way as expected, but I'm not seeing catastrophic core seperations here....Kinda makes you think.
johnny

There is also anotehr observation that can be made. I guy can shoot anything in his .375 and expect it to hold together.

All this water jug killin' is inspiring me to try a Barnes 250 TTSX plastic tip and a Barnes 270 grain TSX hollow point.

All the Barnes I have ever water jug tested have resulted in picture-perfect mushrooms.
I'd like to test the 260gr Accubond next as that bullet seems to have the highest BC/ flattest trajectory of all the .375 bullets.
I currently have my 375 scoped with a Shepherd p-2 scope that I had on a 338-06....it(260gr Accubond) actually tracks with my scopes reticles better than the 338-06, and still has 2000ft/lbs @ 500yds.
johnny

Well, speaking of the 260 gr Accubond - that's the bullet I used to take a bear at a tad over 300 yards. The bear didn't stop the bullet, but the water jugs did:





Tested at 20 yards into water jugs with a muzzle velocity of 2650 fps. Bullet recovered from the 7th jug. Retained weight was 179 grains and it expanded to .83" diameter.

That is one accurate bullet too. Three shots from 100 yards while sighting in a new 1.5-5x Leupold. Yeah, I dialed in a little more windage to center things up after shooting this group:

That looks like a meat propeller to me Guy..LOL
I remember the post about that bear over at M.O. beautiful pics you had to go with it and the accompanying story....Ah to live out west...one of these days!
johnny