.308 SMK Report on Texas White Tail

[Dave King]

"A picture is worth a thousand words."

See if you can reconcile this image of an expanded matchking with the one depicted in the image above (posted by POP).

The majority of matchkings I've seek that look like the "famous & fragmented" versions displayed in the magazine articles were retrieved from berms at shooting ranges. I have not seen a bent or broken one come from a critter.

Once again were have the those who have and those who have not used matchkings posting conflicting results.


The below matchking was take from a moose (a flesh, bone and blood critter) not from a series of paper sheets soaked in water and stacked to resemble a moose.

 

[Fotis]

So if this is how they regularly work on game (and reliably) why does Sierra not reccomend them for game? Can you annswer me this?
Please leave the military and Hague Convention stuff out of this. From a marketing standpoint Sierra is screwing the pooch if they have such a winner on their hands and refuse to market it.

BTW can you not find any big game real hunting bullets that will perform like this? Is the MK the only ones?

 

[4ked Horn]

[ QUOTE ]
can you not find any big game real hunting bullets that will perform like this?

[/ QUOTE ]

This is a great question for you and everyone actually. The picture you posted shows a few dozen bullets mushrooming near perfectly. So then we might wonder why it even matters which bullet we choose.

Why do you use the bullets you choose? What makes them any better than any others on the chart that mushroomed? Dosen't this bring us back to one of the most basic points of hunting and that would be to put the bullet where it counts? Sort of the ol' "A hit in the vitals with a .243 MK beats a hit in the knee with a .375 woodleigh solid" kind of thinking.

BTW the military issue is a pretty good reason to market them the way they do. Dave might ask you to defend your position on why you shouldn't use them on game and leave out the part about the words on the box.

 

[Fotis]

I choose the bullets i choose because they work at just about any range I care to shoot.
Nosler partitions, accubonds barnes Triple shox and so on. Like I said hunting bullets not target bullets.

 

[4ked Horn]

I added another line to my post. I dont want anyone to think I was sneaking it in after you responded. You were responding as I was editing.

 

[Dave King]

POP

"So if this is how they regularly work on game (and reliably) why does Sierra not reccomend them for game? Can you annswer me this?"

I believe Sierra does not recommend them for game because their primary design criteria is not as a game shooting bullet. I believe Sierra's primary concern is precision when designing and building them. That they happen to work well on game is self evident to many people. Bear in mind that there are folks that can't make a "premuim" bullet perform on a game animal so there are probably many more folks that can't make a matchking work on a game animal.

I don't believe Sierra is making a mistake by not advertising the matchking as a game bullet... look at the bad rap their gamekings get by folks trying to do something well beyond the bounds of their capability.

Sierra make the gameking for game and the matchking for match, they also make varmint bullets and such.

What I get a little spun up about is folks stating that matchkings won't work on game when they obviously do for many folks. If you don't like matchkings and don't care to use them on game then use some other bullet but don't preach that they won't work when it's obvious they do. Perhaps preaching the limitation of a light jacketed bullet would be better than a complete dismissal of the bullet.

The debate as I see it is the group that regularly uses them finds them adequate and sufficient for use. The group that tries them once (or a few times) without success (for whatever reason) or mearly hears first, second or third-hand accounts or other internet rumors of horrible failures adopts the "they can't possible work for any application other than paper" mantra.

The truth of the matter is: Matchkings work to kill animals, they are not designed for use as a game bullet but will none-the-less kill game animals.

Matchkings should probably not be used by a novice hunter on any animal, they should probably not be used for dangerous game if reliable deep penetration is needed subsequent to striking large bones, they should probably not be used by someone that regularly fails at a task (marksmanship/hunting) and subsequently looks for a scapegoat for their own poor personal performance or situation selection. The matchking is like a fine and delicate tool (jewelers screwdriver) that works very well for many people but it probably won't work well as a prybar or impromptu chisel.






BTW can you not find any big game real hunting bullets that will perform like this? Is the MK the only ones?

I have no need to find another bullet to perform the task I elect to perform with the matchking as it works fine in that application. I do use other bullets for different applications.

 

[Fotis]

So basically you guys choose a "substandard" bullet so you can "thread the needle" so to speak? Meanwhile you can use a much better more forgiving bullet if for some reason you're not at the top of your game that day, and them delicate little matchkings make it to the shoulder instead of the lungs. I do not get it. But hey ...
One's amn's trash is another man's treasure.

 

[Dave King]

POP

"... but don't preach that they won't ..." is not directed toward any one individual, it's mearly a general statement.

 

[Fotis]

[ QUOTE ]
POP

"... but don't preach that they won't ..." is not directed toward any one individual, it's mearly a general statement.

[/ QUOTE ]

No Dave! No sweat, I am just trying to understand the method behind the madness, so to speak! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Dave King]

POP

You chose the word "substandard" to describe the matchking... I'd choose "the correct tool for the job". They are precision made and I have confidence in them and their precision in the ammo they are load in, I do not have that same confidence in the hunting bullets and ammo series.

 

[Fotis]

I chose the word <font color="blue">substandard </font> to compare it to premiums....in the case where the shooter slips on his aim a little...per se.

 

[Fotis]

[ QUOTE ]
POP

You chose the word "substandard" to describe the matchking... I'd choose "the correct tool for the job". They are precision made and I have confidence in them and their precision in the ammo they are load in, I do not have that same confidence in the hunting bullets and ammo series.

[/ QUOTE ]

So, your choice to use a target bullet for hunting is purely driven by their accuracy potential?

 

[bailey1474]

[ QUOTE ]
So, your choice to use a target bullet for hunting is purely driven by their accuracy potential?

[/ QUOTE ]

I can't speak for Dave, but this combined w/their high bc (which will make it much easier to hit the mark @ extended ranges in real world conditions) is exactly why I chose to use the big 240 SMK out of my 300 RUM this year.

 

[Dave King]

POP

I believe it's more in my confidence with the bullet and the ammunuition that I can get (factory) or make using that bullet. I am often concerned about LOT differences in hunting bullets and hunting ammo (factory).

I really do what the bullet to go exactly where I expect each and every time and have little tolerance for "good enough" in precision and accuracy. If I feel that I can get away with less precision on a hunt (the entire hunt and anticipated variations) I will use quality hunting bullets but for those unknown situations (long shooting options) I'm forced to bring the matchkings for insurance.

(I'm the kind of guy that brings 2 rifles on every hunt, a spare scope, extra flashlight, matches, etc, etc, pretty much a spare of everything. I don't like to leave things to chance or rely upon others for assistance in what I should have anticipated.)


I can see that we'll disagree on the use of matchkings but I have complete confidence that the matchkings will work for me when I elect to use them.