My -06 reload performance in the field

[Lennyjoe]

Most know that I worked up a great load for my -06 using Sierra Gameking 165's and IMR 4350. Well this past week I put them thru the test and they worked great!

First load was a 165gr Sierra Gameking HPBT moving at around 2900fps. I use IMR 4350 (57.5gr) and Winchester brass/primers with an OAL .015 off of the lands in a Savage 110 bolt action rifle. It groups 3/4" @ 100yds.

I shot a doe with it at 85 yds and she ran 40 yds before she piled up. The shot was a quartering towards me and I hit her mid way up just behind the left shoulder. The bullet went completely thru the other side and left a fist size exit wound. Destroyed the lungs and dragged part of the lungs out the exit side.

Second load was a 165gr Sierra Gameking SPBT bullet and 59.0gr of IMR 4350 moving at 2940fps. OAL was .015 off the lands and it grouped 1.5" left of zero for the hollow point load listed above. 6 clicks on the scope and it was in the bull with just under an inch at 100yds. (I clicked it 4 times, shot once and adjusted 2 more with the next shot taking out the X. Next 2 shots were under 1" so I was satisfied)

I put a doe down with it a 120 yards across a field and she dropped in her tracks. The bullet entered her right shoulder broadside about 3/4 of the way up the torso. The bullet went completely thru and left about a 2" exit wound. The bullet destroyed both upper part of the lungs.

Neither bullet was recovered but the damage between the two was significant. The hollow point opened and destroyed alot of tissue. The soft point also destroyed the lungs but didnt leave as big an exit wound. I believe the energy was tranferred more to the animal cause her backbone was broke. The backbone didnt have any broken bones just alot of shock trauma.

Between the two, I think I'm most impressed with the soft points. They don't group as well as the HPBT but are both less than an inch in my hunting rifle which is acceptable to me.

I don't believe I would of gained the accuracy and power or confidence for that matter had I been using a factory round. I think reloading has had a significant impact on my hunting abilities. I have no desire to buy any factory ammo in the future for any hunting platforms I use.

Reloading rocks!

 

[P-32]

What primer? And congrats!

 

[Lennyjoe]

Winchester large rifle primers.

 

[strambo]

I've gotten 1/2" groups with 200gr Sierra Gameking SPBT bullets in my 300WM. Very accurate. Federal factory Premium ammo using the same bullet shoots .9" out of my rifle. I don't hunt, but if I did I'd choose Sierra SPBT's!

 

[WHITEY338]

The first buck I ever took was with my 300 weatherby and 150 grain game kings backed with 87.5 grains of, I think, IMR 4831. The shot was around 300 yards centered one rib on the way in jellied the lungs and broke 6 ribs on the way out (extreme angle). I was equally impressed by the accuracy, around 5/8" for 5 shots at 100 yards. Sierra makes a great deer bullet, the Game King, however they do not recommend shooting deer with the HPBT's. They say the nose will either cave in and act like a solid or it will detonate if it contacts bone, especially close up. I had a friend who learned that lesson the hard way on a B&C blacktail. That and he hasn't taken that #*@!%$ .22-250 on another deer hunt! Near as we could tell the bullet blew up on the shoulder at about 75 yards. We chased that deer for about 2 days, the sporadic blood stopped after 2 hours but we never caught up with him.

 

[Lennyjoe]

Interesting.

I didn't recover the hollow point bullet but also didn't see signs of fragmentation. No pieces of brass in the guts. I disected them pretty good to get an idea of what the bullet did.

I think I'm gonna stick with the SPBT bullets in the future.

 

[MNgoldenbear]

Sierra DOES recommend their 165 grain HPBT GameKing for deer, but not their 168 grain MatchKing, which is of different construction. The Sierra manual (4th) notes on the 165 grain SBT GameKing (spitzer boat tail = soft point boat tail) gives it an optimum hunting range of 150 to 500 yards, and effective muzzle velocities between 2600 to 3200 fps. The 165 grain HPBT GameKing is described as somewhat harder, with optimum range of 150 to 500 yards and effective muzzle velocities of 2700 to 3200 fps for hunting.

They say the nose will either cave in and act like a solid or it will detonate if it contacts bone, especially close up. I had a friend who learned that lesson the hard way on a B&C blacktail. That and he hasn't taken that #*@!%$ .22-250 on another deer hunt! Near as we could tell the bullet blew up on the shoulder at about 75 yards.

If he was shooting HPBT GameKings in a .22-250, he was shooting VARMINT bullets, DESIGNED to fragment on very small animal targets. I don't know much about big game hunting with small calibers, but I don't think anyone makes a bullet expressly for taking big game in the .22s. Those in areas where such hunting is legal can say for sure, but I don't think any of them use varmint bullets for the very reason you described, and probably don't shoot for heavy bone. (I would guess head/spine shots?)