168 grain Seirra match king for hunting??

[albertakid]

Okay here is the deal I just picked up a .308 cz-usa 550 that has a 25.5 inch heavy barrel with a single set trigger. I have done the tigger work i can and plan to bed the action and free float the barrel.

I mounted a nikon monarch 2.5-10 bdc scope on it and I am looking for a good bullet for deer and elk and extended ranges deer-600 and elk -500 probably a 100 less in each case, but plan on practicing those as max distances. I have good success with the smk on elk out of a 7mm, but have heard since that they are not that good for shooting elk and deer.

I have quite a little bit of shooting experiance out to 750 and have shot some thousand yard matches and have had good luck with the match kings as far as accuracy goes.

Any thoughts?? Any info on good .308 loads would be appreciated as well

Jordan

 

[Dave King]

Use the search feature, key in "SMK" or 'Sierra Matchking'. You'll likely gets hundreds of threads discussing the subject of Matchkings on animals.

In short, they'll work fine for some folks, poorly for others, some folks won't try them and state they won't work. Some folks that use them have mixed feelings about the different models (calibers and weights). Some folks say shoot for bone while others say avoid bones, some folks say they pencil through while others show graphic examples of extreme exapantion and large wound channels due to fragmentation.

Best thing to do is order a pizza (or two), get a several liter bottle of soda (pop) and start your search fearure.

 

[BHP9]

Sierra states that MK bullets are not for hunting.

They aren't designed to expand.

 

[stephen newberry]

MK bullets for hunting

I live in SW Va. were most buck are 140lbs-180lbs. I have been killing a lot of deer for years with Match h.p bullets. I don't in most part shoot for the front shoulders the ribs is the best.I hunt with a 7mm rem. mag useing 162grs-175grs with a lot of slow burning powder and all brands of bullets and Have Not Lost "1" that's "0" deer. Close range 25yds -200 exit hole most of the time very big. The longest shoot was at 627yrds with a lot of damage in side drop at 40yrs.



Stephen


Stephen

 

[GREYGHOSTt]

they make 2 diffrent bullets for a good reason..
if the performance was identical they would only make one
and save a ton of money on tooling! your milage may vary..

 

[FMI]

they make 2 diffrent bullets for a good reason..
if the performance was identical they would only make one
and save a ton of money on tooling! your milage may vary..

The SMK's were not designed for hunting but seem to yeild good results. Here is my take on it...

It was designed as a match round that found it's way into Military use. Hunters (the long range sort especially) tried it for it and some found it satisfactory for game.

If Sierra were to market it as a hunting round, the Military would not be able to use it correct? That being their largest contract i think they would redesign to make a hunting round.

I could be very wrong but that is the way I see it.

 

[BHP9]

The SMK's were not designed for hunting but seem to yeild good results. Here is my take on it...

It was designed as a match round that found it's way into Military use. Hunters (the long range sort especially) tried it for it and some found it satisfactory for game.

If Sierra were to market it as a hunting round, the Military would not be able to use it correct? That being their largest contract i think they would redesign to make a hunting round.

I could be very wrong but that is the way I see it.

It is considered an FMJ by NATO due to the fact that it doesn't expand like a soft point. The hollowpoint that's there, as small as it is, is for stability.

 

[Adam Lee]

i have used them in 308 and 300 wsn they work with the same results as nosler bt's massive damage!

 

[Dave King]

albertakid

See what I mean, the various replies are like this nearly every time...

Quote: " In short, they'll work fine for some folks, poorly for others, some folks won't try them and state they won't work. Some folks that use them have mixed feelings about the different models (calibers and weights). Some folks say shoot for bone while others say avoid bones, some folks say they pencil through while others show graphic examples of extreme expansion and large wound channels due to fragmentation.
"

 

[SamSpade]

they make 2 diffrent bullets for a good reason..
..

The good reason is to sell you more bullets!

 

[SamSpade]

Sierra states that MK bullets are not for hunting.
They aren't designed to expand.

I shot 3 deer this year with the 180 gr SMKs out of a 300 WSM.

The first 2 were mule deer (200 lbs) taken at 324 lasered yards, both hit high ribcage both striking a rib on the way in. Neither bullet penetrated the skin on the opposite side but caused mass destruction of the internals.

The 3rd was a white tail (175 lbs) shot at 150 yards in the high ribcage. Bullet didn't strike any bones and exited the opposite side with a tennis ball side hole.

All 3 bucks (8, 9 and 10 pointers) dropped right in their tracks!

 

[BHP9]

The good reason is to sell you more bullets!

I believe the reason is the RIGHT BULLET FOR THE RIGHT JOB!

 

[jwp475]

It is considered an FMJ by NATO due to the fact that it doesn't expand like a soft point. The hollowpoint that's there, as small as it is, is for stability.

The Military readily admits that the SMK in-fact mushrooms..It is the US Military that has decided that the SMK meets the Legal deifinition of a FMJ and not NATO
Also I have not personaly used the SMKs on game, but have hunted with others that do and I can assure you that the ones used that I witnessed did in-fact mushroom...

A couple of good reads on the subject

BLACKFIVE: Army JAG bans Effective legal sniper round


BLACKFIVE: Army JAG bans Effective legal sniper round

 

[CPerkins]

I loaded some of the 168 gr. SMKs for my 300 WM this year and have yet to take a shot at game with them. This past weekend I did a little make shift testing and was not impressed with the performance. I only tested at 100 yards. First I shot a pumpkin. Tiny hole in and tiny hole out. I figured well it is much softer than a deer so I tried another test. I took 5 phonebooks that had been soaked in water, tied them in a bundle with 2 pieces of oak that were about 1 inch thick from left from splitting some firewood earlier. The wood was placed about 2 inches into the first phonebook. Again this was fired at 100 yrds and it pretty much penciled through the wood and first 3 books. There was some evidence of expansion starting in the 4th and 5th before the bullet exited. I tried some 165 hpbt and had an exit on a new pumpkin that was over 5 inches in diameter. I did not have enough time to try the phonebooks, but I will this weekend.

I know that these test are a long way from shooting game with these bullets, but I am alittle leary of the 168 SMK on game.