I bought some dies locally a couple years ago, and the seller threw in a bunch of other stuff including a box of 30 cal. 180 gr Sierra pro hunters. Loaded some up today in 30' 06 using 55.5 gr of IMR 4831. Anybody have any performance stories to tell about the Sierras, either on the range or on game? I've never used them, but gather they are pretty conventional bullets.
Experience with Sierra Pro Hunters?
- Thread starter icedog
- Start date
A friend of mine was up earlier this fall hunting deer with me. He had a box of Federal factory loaded 30-06 shells that used the 180 Pro-hunter bullet.
On his last day he had a chance at a spike mulie and he took it at ~ 125 yards. The buck dropped at the shot which just clipped the bottom of the spine. The bullet never exited and the inside of the little buck looked like someone had stuffed a grenade up his arse. The stomach was punctured, the bowels were punctured, the diaphragm was ripped up and the heart and lungs were shredded all from that single bullet.
On his last day he had a chance at a spike mulie and he took it at ~ 125 yards. The buck dropped at the shot which just clipped the bottom of the spine. The bullet never exited and the inside of the little buck looked like someone had stuffed a grenade up his arse. The stomach was punctured, the bowels were punctured, the diaphragm was ripped up and the heart and lungs were shredded all from that single bullet.
icedog said:
Well the deer died .................
Having to take a garden hose and a brush to wash down the carcass later did not win them any brownie points with me though ..............
LoLIt is hard however to form an opinion based on a single result. Hopefully others will post their experiences with that style of bullet so that a larger viewpoint can be reached.
My somn has shot two deer with those bullets from his 270 and both came apart. In both cases well hit deer went quite far, i think bullets should hold together on the chest of a whitetail deer, I wouldn't use them on anything but paper.
I shot my first buck with a 170 gr. Pro Hunter flat point out of a 30-30 Win
Worked well, flattened the buck, but never did find the bullet (dont think it exited broadside)
ProHunters should be ok as long as you match the bullet weight and caliber to the game being hunted. Also keep muzzle velocities below 2800 fps would help alot.
Worked well, flattened the buck, but never did find the bullet (dont think it exited broadside)
ProHunters should be ok as long as you match the bullet weight and caliber to the game being hunted. Also keep muzzle velocities below 2800 fps would help alot.
I shot a 6 point this year with them bullet passed throught with good expansion about a looney sized exit behind the front shoulder, double lung.
worked well, however the 338 250 grain bullet may have been an over kill LOL wonder why it passed through.
No kidding aside I wanted to check out the performance ofthe bullet for an up comming moose trip to Quebec, and was pleased to see the bullet hed together, makingh me comfortable to take the same shot on a moose.
worked well, however the 338 250 grain bullet may have been an over kill LOL wonder why it passed through.
No kidding aside I wanted to check out the performance ofthe bullet for an up comming moose trip to Quebec, and was pleased to see the bullet hed together, makingh me comfortable to take the same shot on a moose.
- Location
- Hillbilly shack in the boonies
They work just fine if you do your part. I split a big whitetail bucks heart in 2 equal parts at 200 meters broadside. Very little if any meat loss , except the heart that is
Frank
Frank
- Location
- South Cariboo, B.C.
Sounds like a trend. I hit a real big muley with a 117 gr Pro Hunter out of my 25 06 and the core slipped from its jacket. The jacket actually came to rest against the spine after deflecting off a rib. Never found any lead just jacket. The buck did a lip stand and never took a step.
I didnt get the damage that some others did but it was a clean lung shot with only a nick to the tenderloin where the jacket cut into.
Theres a secondary story to this.
I bought a box of Federal premium loaded with 117 gr Game Kings. It wasnt til I recoverd the jacket that it was discovered to be a flat base bullet. So I assumed I was burned by either Federal or the dealer. I know the dealer, he wouldnt do this. In the end, it's possible I guess that this bullet may have even been another brand of flat base but I assumed I was given a Pro hunter instead.
I didnt get the damage that some others did but it was a clean lung shot with only a nick to the tenderloin where the jacket cut into.
Theres a secondary story to this.
I bought a box of Federal premium loaded with 117 gr Game Kings. It wasnt til I recoverd the jacket that it was discovered to be a flat base bullet. So I assumed I was burned by either Federal or the dealer. I know the dealer, he wouldnt do this. In the end, it's possible I guess that this bullet may have even been another brand of flat base but I assumed I was given a Pro hunter instead.
