Kudos to sierra pro hunter

[docsleepy]

Took two deer over the weekend using 7 mm 08, 120 grain Sierra Pro Hunter, spire point.

In both cases, great penetration destroyed organs, broken rib or damage to muscle on exit side, but bullet never left the animal. No exit wound. All energy expended within the animal. One simply dropped right there, destroyed liver and lung, the other made it 30 or 40 yards, destroyed lung

I chose this somewhat lightweight 7 mm bullet to minimize recoil and give the best ballistics possible, while still using a easily affordable bullet. I think this has worked out great. Sierra did a great job.

 

[jwrowland77]

Awesome! Always nice when everything works out great.

 

[41 Mag]

Doc, you 'll find that penetration with some of the lighter for caliber bullets is sometimes lacking. Simply depends a lot on what they go through on their travels.

In one instance with using some 125gr reduced loads in my .308 for my then almost 4yr old grandson we got full through and through on a decent sized feral hog. The next year using the same bullets but with a bit more powder under it the same bullet failed to exit a coyote. The differences weren't as big as you think, the hog was at 40yds the yote was at 158yds, so impact velocity was roughly the same for both shots.

Anyway your right about that line of bullets. Growing up back in the late 60's through the mid 70's it's the only ones my pop used in all of our hunting loads. Worked good then and they still work good now.

 

[jstein650]

Sounds not unlike my experience with the Pro-Hunters! I chose the flat base PH's for a bit more case capacity in my 7x57 Mauser (without using a drop tube and compressing the charge so much) I used the 140 gr. ones, always had an exit wound - on some big Indiana white tails at the time - and every one dropped at the shot. Great, accurate, and inexpensive bullet.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

These days if a bullet made by a name brand manufacturer doesn't work well it is removed and replaced by something that does work. Thanks for the report on the lighter 7mm bullets, it's good information... I have been using Sierra GameKing bullets for Deer but I'm thinking of trying something different. (I use Nosler Partition or AccuBond bullets for thicker skinned tougher game)

How do the Sierra Pro Hunter bullets compare to the GameKing bullets?

 

[jstein650]

The boat tail GK's I think are more prone to having the core separate from the jacket, which I've witnessed in target media like wet paper. What impact that might have on something like a white tail is another matter - probably not much.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

The boat tail GK's I think are more prone to having the core separate from the jacket, which I've witnessed in target media like wet paper. What impact that might have on something like a white tail is another matter - probably not much.

The Sierra GK bullets are not considered premium bullets and not meant for heavy shinned game but work well on Deer. (IMO of course)

 

[travisd]

My dad shot a button buck a few weeks ago with my 7-08 shooting the 120 PH. Much like yours the bullet entered through a rib, took a 2-3" chunk out breaking the ribs on either side and disintegrated and never touched the far side. It's an great shooting accurate load, but I can't decide if I want to stick with it for next year or get something with better penetration.

 

[jstein650]

Wow... I've never had a PH NOT exit. I was shooting a 7x57, and I loaded them fairly hot with H414, but was shooting them from a very short barrel carbine, so the velocity was about on par with factory Mauser loads. Also, I always used the 140 grainers.

 

[travisd]

Cant really complain I guess as Sierra states the 120 is mainly a varmint/ small game bullet..

 

[DanTheFarmer]

Here's part of the description of the 120 gr 7mm Sierra Pro Hunter bullet taken from their website.

"When used at 7mm-08 or 7x57mm velocities, it is an exceptional performer on deer or antelope."

Where did you see that it is mainly varmint/small game?

Dan

 

[docsleepy]

Hey guys, if a bullet exits, then by definition, it did NOT deliver all its kinetic energy to the target animal.

Therefore, I was quite happy to see that mine did not -- seemed proof that the round had mushroomed or otherwise deformed sufficientlky to deliver all 2,200 ft lbs into the organs it hit.

We see this in the ICU with gunshot victims -- had an ICU colleague tell me once it was astonishing: lung that was hit LOOKED ok, but with time, it became obvious that all around the bullet channel, the tissue became necrotic (dead).

In my case, I was astonished to see the first deer drop dead right literally right where I hit it. I thought I must have severed the spine, but no -- just the liver and a lung. The other one got only a lung hit and he made it maybe 30 yards and was dead as a doorknob when I reached him (110 yard walk).

I don't push the envelope on my loadings (because I want the brass to be usable many times) so these were 42 grains of Varget and roughly 2,200 ft lbs (muzzle energy). But it was clearly adequate.

 

[docsleepy]

Note that in both my deer (roughly 110-120 lbs? Certiainly not more than 150 lbs-- took two of us to lift them onto the tailgate) the bullet made it completely to the far side of the animal and didn't exit.

Penetration: all the way to the other side of the animal. That's all there is, pretty much!

Energy Delivery: Did not exit so delivered every single joule of energy to the target.

Cant do any better than that, can you?

 

[travisd]

"hunting large varmints, small game and medium game."
Granted it did deliver all energy to the deer but i'm still not a fan of a bullet exploding that violently on impact, not reaching the other side of the chest cavity. And this was a SMALL buck that I carried around myself

 

[flipajig]

I have used the PH for years only a 30 cal and 150 grain bullet every deer and pig that has been shot with it has had a 30 cal entrance and a quarter to golf ball exit.
Even the Elk I shot this year only it was a 180 grain bullet.
I have nothing but good things to say about them.
Flip

 

[280shooter]

That's my go to bullet in 8mm.150gr.never needed a second shot.

 

[interlock]

i have also used 120gr sierra prohunters in 7mm08. loaded to a max... words of caution at higher velocity and at 100 or so yards they expand very very quickly. I went away from them to 139 gr interlocks. I have had no problems with the killing power.

 

[wayspr]

I use 130 gr Pro Hunters in a 270 Win. Extremely accurate, taken about 10 whitetails with em, all exited, all either fell where they stood or ran less than 50 yards. Currently using 100 grainers in a 243, 3/4 MOA accuracy for 5 shots, no on game experience yet.