Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Sierra MatchKing bullets on big game.

In my last post, (They're at it again) I commented on the inadvisability of using the 168 gr. .30 cal Sierra MatchKing on big game. At one time, I was very tempted to do this. Or, at least on big varmits. In discussing this with Sierra's tech reps., I was told why this is a bad idea. First, to get expansion, you need an impact velocity of at least 2300 fps. Second, even then it may not expand. It also has a bad tendency to tip over, due to the fact it has most of it's weight in it's base. The Sierra tech rep recommended their 165 gr. HP, or soft point, boatail designs (GameKing) bullets instead. On the Shooter's board, a poster with the handle of High Master has reported excellent results with the HP GameKing design in his 30'06. He reports that it works well to a full 600 yds. on deer class animals. I've decided to use the Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet for these jobs. It's manufacturers state that it will expand at impact velocitys as low as 1600 fps. E

One thing doesn't make much sense. If the Matchkings are known for accuracy, why would they have a tendency to tip over, that tendency would ruin accuracy, doesn't sound right.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Arial" size="2">Originally posted by MN_Mojo:<BR><B>...why would they have a tendency to tip over, that tendency would ruin accuracy...</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Not so. A projectile with the center of gravity far to the rear; while certainly more susceptible for tipping over <I>after impact</I>; has better accuracy because of less violent nutation. A simple case of physics.<P>-- Mats

had a rifle that only liked the matchking bullets. Shot a smallish whitetail buck broadside, but angling slightly away, at about 20 yards.<P>The bullet seperated, the core working its way back to the back end of the near-side ham. The jacket fragmented. Deer did not go far, but I have not been foolish enough to shoot another matchking bullet at game.<BR>art<P>------------------<BR>Life is too short to hunt with an ugly gun.

I think someone just got the matchking mixed up with the gameking while typing there report. By the way, I have make many quick kills with the gameking. Good hunting bullet. 06<P>------------------<BR>Beware the one-gun man.

I knew a 1000 yard benchrest shooter from the <BR>Original Pennsylvania 1000 Yard Benchrest Club.He and alot of his friends all hunt deer from hill top to hill top every year. And almost everyone of them shoot Matchkings.None of them seem to have to many problems.The guy I knew was a former record holder and his longest shot on whittail was just under 1500 yards as measured with a Barr and Stroud rangefinder.

I have never tried them. I got the same advice from Sierra that Eremicus did. Since Sierra makes them and says don't use them for game shooting I will take their advice. <BR>BCR

I've never shot a deer with one, but I would hazard a guess that the 168 MKs terminal performance is directly correlated to its impact velocity. If it is slower, it probably has less likelihood of breaking up as it did in E's example above. And, while I am not advocating the use of them on deer, if you think about it, for use on LIGHT GAME, a bullet that is well placed, and shreds, tumbles or whatever on impact, while having a heavy lead chunk to get some penetration, is very likely to yield a dead deer.

i've personally never tried the match kings. i've HEARD they perform on deer. i will probably not know for sure as i seem to have a load w/ gamekings that show lots of promise. i've only shot one deer w/ game kings. mule deer at about 125 yards using 25-06. bullet was in and out, deer took 4 steps and tipped over.

The matchking is the bullet of choice for the ultra-long range hunters (500 yards and beyond). It works very well at extended ranges. If you talk to the sierra reps and tell them of this specialized usage they will probably say something like this,<BR> <BR>"Yes, we know it works very well for that application but that is a very small amount of the hunting community and we cannot base our advice on their style of hunting. Those hunters know what they are doing and do not need our advice for they have the facts already, but for the general hunter shooting out to 300 yards they are not reccommended." <P>If they know that you have any type of 1000 yard competition shooting experience their answer will most likely change. I know enough of ultra long range hunters to know that without hardly any exceptions, they use a heavy for caliber matchking bullet (or Berger). They do work within those parameters and quite well. They do not always expand but they will often tumble upon impact due to being rear balanced which can cause tremendous damage to an animal.<BR>When doing that type of hunting accuracy is of paramount importance. If you hit the animal in the vitals the matchking will do the rest.

I posted this on the other thread Emericus is talking about. There is a professional hunting guide (from New Mexico I believe) who posts on another hunting forum and who also advertises his services there. He swears by the Matchkings for hunting. He stated a few months ago that his last 50 or so big game animals, including bear (not sure what species) were killed using the Matchking bullet. He doesn't seem to post nearly as much now as he used to, however. I believe it's because he caught so much flack for advocating the use of the Matchkings to hunt with. I personally don't have any plans on using them. There are so many other perfectly fine bullets that are more suited to hunting, that I won't take a chance on these.

In my youthful and ignorant days the term Matchking conveyed a perception of accuracy to me. At the time it also seemed that an accurately placed projectile (be it a lug nut or rolled up sardine can)was fully capable of delivering the desired effect (nearly instant mortality). About 6 muley's and 3 elk fell to 168 gr 7mm Matchkings until I was informed that such medicine was totally inadequate. Actually the reason I stopped using them on game was that I always had to special order since they were never on the shelf. I've since gone to 140 and 145 gr Sierra's or Speers for the same critters, because I can walk in and pick up a box anytime. I still subscribe to the 3 basic premises of hunting (1. placement, 2. placement, and 3. placement) and have had no complaints from the animals. Nothing rectifies sloppy shooting. I'm not advocating Matchkings for big game, but if one can put the pill where he wants it to go.......

I use 69gr BTHP .22 Matchkings in my 22-250 on Springbok and they have never failed to drop the animal on the spot. The lungs are instantly vaporised with this bullet, and there is no exit wound. I won't use them in larger calibres, way too many better bullets available.