Found some older bullets

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Steve H

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I was out in my shop today and came across theses two boxes of bullets. Anybody have any idea on how old they might be? Boxes are still factory sealed but dirty.
 

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I'd guess early to mid 80's. Pops still has some floating around his reloading area from that timeframe (I was a young tot and remember slamming my hand in a Rockchucker when he had been loading a few years) and remember handing him bullets out of those familiar boxes around then.
 
I want to think a bit older but I am probably wrong. The boxes being cardboard and no zip code nor UPC label made me think that.
 
Hey Steve,

I think you are correct about them being older. I would think they look pretty much like what Sierra produced in the 1970s and maybe even the 1960s. I'm sure you know they should be perfectly fine to shoot. It says they are bench rest hollow points, and I would expect them to shoot real well even if they are not boat-tails.

If I remember correctly, these benchrest bullets were the predecessors to the Sierra MatchKings which came later in the late 1970s or 1980s. As far as I know, all MatchKing bullets are boat-tail hollowpoints. While some sources state that MatchKing bullets are not suited for hunting, I know quite a few folks who use them quite successfully for long range hunting of deer, elk, and even moose (not in .224 of course).

Unless they had some collector value which is more than the current price of Sierra MatchKing bullets, I would simply shoot them and enjoy the ride.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile
 
these benchrest bullets
It killed more coyotes and prairie dogs for me out of a custom Douglas barreled 98 Mauser 22-250 I built in the late 60's then you could haul home in a handicap short bus.
(Forgive me lord, and all the starving Pygmy's in Africa for saying that.)

THE load was 33.5 grains IMR-4895.

It would put 10 shots in the same ragged hole at 100 yards.
And it put coyotes on the ground DRT, as far as you could see them to shoot them.
Same with prairie dogs, except all that was left to show for it was a pink mist in the air.

That is one good bullet, I don't care how old they are!

rc
 
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Pre-1980 I guess because I still have a couple Sierra boxes from the early 80-s and they are older than mine.
 
Those are from the old plant on Painter Blvd, in Santa Fe Springs. I toured the plant in 1978, and still have some of the sample steps they gave me at the time. You'll probably find 101 bullets in each box. They did that for years, just so you'd have a sample of the bullets after loading 100 of them.

Those boxes are probably from the 1960's.

Hope this helps.

Fred
 
Everybody already answered it !

Good find !

I think everyone is digging trying to find good .223 bullets these days :)

I wish we all had your luck !
 
80's I find them every now and then at auctions from old time reloaded. A lot of times the older bullets are better than today's stuff.
Serrias have always been good :) I started reloading with them, and today I load more of them then all others combined. They are my go to bullets in any 30 cal, my 270s and the ONLY bullet that shoots good in my 7mm-08. Terminal performance has been nothing shy of superb with the Game Kings.
 
Those are from prior to 1978. I know because I started loading in that year and that box was not available. I would occasionally run into that box at out of the way gun shops. I'm guessing early 70's or 60's.
 
I've got some of these bullets from my dads old stash, they are from the late 60's or early 70's.
 
Not sure how old they are, but I have 5 boxes or so of them in 7mm, I think 175gr. I got pretty cheap in a yardsale a few years back.


Michael Grace
 
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