Are Sierra 300g SMK suitible for game?

Bigcat_hunter

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Dec 8, 2006
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I am planning on working a load for my 338 rum and was wondering how they work for large game at long range(Elk, Bear, Deer). If you have had any experience with this bullet please share. Also what would be a minumum range with this bullet?
 
I'm doing the same thing. Hand have settled on the 300 SMK @ just a little over 2700 FPS w/ US 869.

My research on the subject says you want to hit bone. I've been told its good to 1K and better.

Do a search on the 338 Edge. That will give you all you need/want to know about the SMK.

Also, I don't think there's a minimum range.
 
Shot a buffalo at over 1k with them and there was not much expansion. I think there are better game bullets out there. There will be a 300 grain Berger VLD not too long from now. Might be worth trying out. I know I'm going to!
 
Bigcat,

I have been shooting the 250grn SMK for several years in both 338RUM and 338 Kahn (338/378 wildcat). Last year I switched over to the 300 SMK. I shot several whitetails and an elk with them. I did not seem to be getting the same expansion as I did with the 250s which generally left an exit the size of a basketball. The 300s did not seem to be giving much expansion on deer sized critters unless I hit solid bone.

Because the 300s I had seemed to have a lot of messed up tips I had started uniforming the tips. This seemed to have the effect of making the small hollow point even smaller. I decided this must have been havin an effect on the expansion. Using a small drill bit, I opened the tip up to a little larger than original.

I shot a couple more doe's with the opened up tips. One at over 1000 yards and one at around 200. The bullets performed very well with LARGE exit wounds.

The 300s may have performed just fine if I had not unifomed the meplats but I never shot any critters with the unmodified ones. Uniforming the meplat then drilling the HP back out is a lot of trouble.

This may not help you in your quest.......but it is my limited experience.
 
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