2015 Shot Show: Sierra Tipped Match King Bullets and New Berger Bullets

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kombayotch

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Sierra

This year Sierra released the first few bullets in their new line of Tipped Match King (TMK) bullets. These feature a polymer tip that increases the BC over their traditional SMK bullets.

Only .224 and .308 bullets have been released at this time, but more will be coming. The .224 bullets being release this year are the 69 and 77gr. bullets. These have a profile that allows them to be seated to AR mag length. The new .308 bullets are 125, 155, 168 and 175gr.


.224 bullets: 69 SMK, 69 TMK, 77 SMK with cannelure and 77 TMK


308 bullets: 155 TMK, 155 HPBT PALMA, 168 TMK, 168 SMK, 175 SMK, 175 TMK


Berger

I spoke with Berger at the show and asked if they will be releasing any new bullets this year. They said they are finally getting caught up on production and hope to be releasing 3 new match bullets in the summer. They have held off releasing new bullets because they haven't had the capacity to keep up with the demand for their existing bullets even with adding new machines and running them 24/7. The new bullets are:

1) .264 130gr "AR Short Hybrid": This is a new bullet designed specifically for calibers like 6.5 Grendel and 6.5 Creedmore to allow them to be loaded to magazine length. They should also function well in cartridges like the 260 and 6.5x47 in boltguns

2) .277 170gr. Hybrid???: Unfortunately, Bryan Litz was not at the booth, and the Berger people who were there could not say for certain that it was a Hybrid, but they believed that it was.

3) .284 195gr. Match Hybrid EOL: Yes, they will be releasing it!
 
bear cat said:
Any new info on the .277 and .284 from berger?
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I did manage to connect with Bryan.

The .277 is indeed a Hybrid.

The .284 still presents a lot of unknowns. That isn't why it's being delayed, that's purely a capacity issue. But, this bullet has a length to diameter ratio that is greater than any other bullet produced before it. There are still questions like how this will affect fouling and barrel heating. They won't know these things until the bullet has been used in a larger number of different barrels and cartridges. So, they are anxious to get it out there, but are cautioning people about it.
 
Thanks for the report and update on the Bergers. Yes, there is as much excitement as there is caution on the new 7mm slugs.

Load data, proper twist, throats, pressures, speeds... all unknown and it will be a while before we get concrete data. Like the 338gr 300gr of a couple of years ago, it might need a tweak here and there before it "works".

But there will be no shortage of shooters willing to give it a go, even if it means a new barrel. More then likely, Berger has their beta testers using the bullets long before the first batch will be possible for consumer purchase. Someone has to get some baselines for this bullet.

The 277 is another very interesting option - that's would be a very big for cal bullet.

Very exciting

neoconfection, there are many parts of the bullet which determine its BC. The open tip is just a style of manf. It doesn't necessarily mean more or less drag. As a generalisation, 2 bullets of similar profile, the bullet with the "sharpest" nose will see the lower drag in supersonic flight.

A HP/OTM can be shaped very tight or big. Same for a plastic tip. So just saying plastic tipped bullets have higher BC can be wrong. You need more info.

The issue with poly tipped is their manf and how they handle the trip into the chamber. When all is good, they can offer some very nice benefits for a range of attributes we want in a bullet. When they go wrong, it can cause a bunch of problems.

So, the HP or OTM style continues wide spread use in match bullets. The manf process is very well established and one less step to worry about,

Jerry
 
neoconfection said:
I thought the whole point of the open tip was better ballistic performance at long ranges vs the tipped or FMJ bullet.
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We don't talk that way when we want JAG approval of the bullets...

I believe the entire line is now radiologically infused (so X-Ray can pick it up) to allow for JAG acceptance.

Having been shooting some of this stuff for the last year, the 762 and 5.56mm 77gr loads do very well in gas guns.
 
Edit -- the open tip for the SMK was a result of bullet manufacture - not terminal performance (the SMK does not have a good terminal performance track record) - the TMK is addition to better BC, is designed to increase expansion and upset in tissue.
 
KevinB said:
Edit -- the open tip for the SMK was a result of bullet manufacture - not terminal performance (the SMK does not have a good terminal performance track record) - the TMK is addition to better BC, is designed to increase expansion and upset in tissue.
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So am I better off using Hornady SSTs or GMX bullets over the Match rounds?
 
Not to take away from the Berger and Sierra news, but along the "new" bullet conversation...I met with the guys from Nosler at Shot Show and found out something new to me anyways.. This year they are making a new Accubond long range bullet for 6.5mm in the 142g weight category. The incredible thing about it is that they list the BC at .719!! I hope its not number fudging, but still looking forward to trying this in my Creedmoor and .260.
 
Father Hood said:
Not to take away from the Berger and Sierra news, but along the "new" bullet conversation...I met with the guys from Nosler at Shot Show and found out something new to me anyways.. This year they are making a new Accubond long range bullet for 6.5mm in the 142g weight category. The incredible thing about it is that they list the BC at .719!! I hope its not number fudging, but still looking forward to trying this in my Creedmoor and .260.
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Ditto for my Swedish Mauser.
 
KevinB said:
Edit -- the open tip for the SMK was a result of bullet manufacture - not terminal performance (the SMK does not have a good terminal performance track record) - the TMK is addition to better BC, is designed to increase expansion and upset in tissue.
Click to expand...

According to Sierra's website, the new TMK bullets are not recommended for hunting "anything larger than varmints". Too bad.
 
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