30 cal Sierra Gameking hpbt 165gr, disappointment

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6point5

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I loaded some Sierra Gameking hpbt 165 gr bullets for my Grandson's T3 Tika 30/06. I have been interested in this bullet for some time. It is very accurate.I read that it is the toughest bullet Sierra makes and most often you get pass throughs.
My Grandson shot a large whitetail doe at about 50 yds. The bullet entered near the lower neck clipping the spine. The bullet copper got to the skin on the other side,no exit. Very disappointing bullet performance!
Can I expect better performance???
 
You can't really expect any cup and core bullet to hold together when hitting the spine or any other large bones. The deer died and I'm betting it died with authority as most cns shots will do. I've used those bullets from a 3006 with decent results.
 
I had a disappointing result with that same bullet several weeks ago. Let me admit first of all that my shot placement was not what it should have been. I took an off-hand shot at a whitetail doe at about 100 yards and hit the front leg bone just above the bottom of the rib cage. The bullet blew the leg apart and disintegrated but completely failed to penetrate the rib cage. It made for a long tracking job, but I did eventually get her.
The first fault is mine for not putting the bullet where it should have been. I'm sure that if I had put the bullet in the ribs, everything would have been fine. Given the choice for next year, however, I'll choose a more robust bullet (Nosler Partition, perhaps). Then again, maybe the Gameking is simply a poor choice for the 300 Wby launching them at 3,175 fps.
On the other hand, the 180 gr. Sierra ProHunter out of the .303 at 2,100 fps entered the near side ribs and exited the opposite rear quarter on the mulie doe that my wife shot at 200 yards.
 
I wouldn't use them in a 300 Weatherby, that cartridge produces too much speed for the design. As far as them breaking up on a neck vertebrae, It depends on what "clipping" the spine means. When shot from a 30-06 at 50 yds, and solidly into a vertebrae, I'd expect most any standard cup and core bullet to break up, vertebrae are hard and thick.
 
Did the jacket separate from the core? I have had that happen several times shooting the spine or behind the ear. The lead keeps going and doesn't leave much of an exit wound.
 
Just for the sake of clarity OP, you are talking about the ones on the left correct? (Ignore the fact that the ones on the right are 200 grain).

qno6j5.jpg
 
I think it wasn't bad performance at all. deer was dead. I use 200 ggn ballistic tips in a 338 06 at almost 2800 fps. at 50 yrds it will pass threw on a broadside. on one I hit the vertbre and there wasn't much bullet left but a very dead deer. at over a 100 yrds pass threws are routine. soft bullets work well on deer.
 
Ive shot the 165 Game kings in teh 308, 30-06 and 7mm-08 and the HPBT are Tougher then there SP brother. All excellent performers in my book. 2 years ago I took a doe @ 227 yards with the 7-08 and a 160HPBT launched @ 2600fps. The bullet clipped the rib going in. took out the top of the heart and bottom of the lungs, another rib on the way back out and the top of her leg/bottom of her roator cuff.(that general area) i had a 1/2" entry and a 4" exit. No fragmenting at all and the deer ran 20 yards and piled up..... In dads 308 the 165 HPBT has accounted for moose and deer with no issues. All shots within 200 yards but further then 100. Even on the moose they didnt recover the bullet there there was a 3" exit. I do Believe they are an excellent bullet even though i have swithed to 139gr GMX in the 7-08 and no longer have the 308 and 30-06.

Best regards
Josh
 
6point5 said:
I loaded some Sierra Gameking hpbt 165 gr bullets for my Grandson's T3 Tika 30/06. I have been interested in this bullet for some time. It is very accurate.I read that it is the toughest bullet Sierra makes and most often you get pass throughs.
My Grandson shot a large whitetail doe at about 50 yds. The bullet entered near the lower neck clipping the spine. The bullet copper got to the skin on the other side,no exit. Very disappointing bullet performance!
Can I expect better performance???
Click to expand...

In the -06 that has been my go to for many years. A good match IMO. They will go thru on a rib shot. Ribs will not stop these. Also penetration is less at close range, that old velocity thing. A good read is the Ballistic studies forum, it has each caliber listed. I believe the Sierra GameKing is one of those go to bullets if you are on a budget.

How long/far did you have to track your deer before you found it. How did the bullet on your second shot perform?
 
ackertjosh said:
Ive shot the 165 Game kings in teh 308, 30-06 and 7mm-08 and the HPBT are Tougher then there SP brother. All excellent performers in my book. 2 years ago I took a doe @ 227 yards with the 7-08 and a 160HPBT launched @ 2600fps. The bullet clipped the rib going in. took out the top of the heart and bottom of the lungs, another rib on the way back out and the top of her leg/bottom of her roator cuff.(that general area) i had a 1/2" entry and a 4" exit. No fragmenting at all and the deer ran 20 yards and piled up..... In dads 308 the 165 HPBT has accounted for moose and deer with no issues. All shots within 200 yards but further then 100. Even on the moose they didnt recover the bullet there there was a 3" exit. I do Believe they are an excellent bullet even though i have swithed to 139gr GMX in the 7-08 and no longer have the 308 and 30-06.

Best regards
Josh
Click to expand...

Interesting comment about the toughness over the Sierra spire points. I have loaded 140 hpbt's and prohunters for 7mm-08 but never used them for hunting. Thanks for sharing that.

Regards
Ronr
 
RonR said:
Interesting comment about the toughness over the Sierra spire points. I have loaded 140 hpbt's and prohunters for 7mm-08 but never used them for hunting. Thanks for sharing that.

Regards
Ronr
Click to expand...
your welcome. im a Big fan of Sierra and use them in alot of my rifles.. I shoot the 160's out to 600 yards and really have nothing bad to say about them... and bullet to bullet weight is the most consistent i have come across
 
While Sierra bullets tend to be very accurate, I have not shot any of them at game for over 45 years.
I found them to be too fragile for my liking. Early in my reloading career, I loaded that .308 diameter, 165
HPBT "hunting" bullet in my 30-06. The larger hollow point appeared to be just the ticket for the mule deer
I would be hunting.
The first couple of deer were taken inside of 100 yards, broadside shots. The exits were large and messy.
Then I got a poke at a large buck, quartering toward me at 120 yards or so. I shot, and he dropped like a stone,
but was up and heading out on 3 legs just as quickly. I managed to get another shot into him, quartering away,
but he still made it about 300 yards before laying down.
The first shot had hit the leg bone just below the knee and blew up. No solid section of it entered the body of
that deer. The second shot was a bit far back, and blew the liver to pieces, but no exit, and only pieces of the jacket were recovered.
That was it for me. I had recently become aware of Nosler partitions, and while they were not as accurate as
the Sierras, and a bit costlier, they were dependable. I still shoot quite a few Sierra bullets, but I do not hunt with them.
Too many far better game bullet choices out there. Eagleye.
 
ackertjosh said:
your welcome. im a Big fan of Sierra and use them in alot of my rifles.. I shoot the 160's out to 600 yards and really have nothing bad to say about them... and bullet to bullet weight is the most consistent i have come across
Click to expand...

One of my rifles likes them too...I mean all of the Sierra offerings in 7mm. The flat base pro hunters seem to follow themselves one after the other. Developing an accuracy load using the 150 MK's and surprising myself...just never used any Sierra for hunting. I shied away from cup and core however that fear was created by a Hornady offering a couple of years into reloading. It still bothers me today, perhaps unfairly applied to all bullets of this type.

Eagleye said:
While Sierra bullets tend to be very accurate, I have not shot any of them at game for over 45 years.
I found them to be too fragile for my liking. Early in my reloading career, I loaded that .308 diameter, 165
HPBT "hunting" bullet in my 30-06. The larger hollow point appeared to be just the ticket for the mule deer
I would be hunting.
The first couple of deer were taken inside of 100 yards, broadside shots. The exits were large and messy.
Then I got a poke at a large buck, quartering toward me at 120 yards or so. I shot, and he dropped like a stone,
but was up and heading out on 3 legs just as quickly. I managed to get another shot into him, quartering away,
but he still made it about 300 yards before laying down.
The first shot had hit the leg bone just below the knee and blew up. No solid section of it entered the body of
that deer. The second shot was a bit far back, and blew the liver to pieces, but no exit, and only pieces of the jacket were recovered.
That was it for me. I had recently become aware of Nosler partitions, and while they were not as accurate as
the Sierras, and a bit costlier, they were dependable. I still shoot quite a few Sierra bullets, but I do not hunt with them.
Too many far better game bullet choices out there. Eagleye.
Click to expand...

(I always appreciate and enjoy these objective posts EE. Seriously. Well composed.) As for the bullet composition...I've moved to the bonded Accubond and am much happier with the results. The decision was based on posts and threads like these because I had concerns much like the OP.

When AB's stop working on deer I'll consider something sturdier yet.;)

Regards
Ronr
 
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