I just got another box of 500 SMK's in 30 Cal. and after shooting thousands of these bullets this is the first bad batch I've seen. My OAL has grown 70 thousands and I cant get a good reading to the lands. I saved a few bullets from the last box and they consistently gauge to the lands. Has anyone recently had problems?
SMK 30 Cal. 175 problems
- Thread starter Rimfire
- Start date
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It's possible Sierra changed their pointing die since the last lot for those bullets you have. And the one that formed the front half of the bullet may well have been a bit different than the earlier one. Unless you've shot the new batch of 175's, they're just different, not bad. Correctly seated for accuracy, they may be better than the old ones.
Send Sierra the lot number of your old batch (if you've still got the box to read if off of) as well as the new batch asking if they changed pointing dies on their production line between them.
Send Sierra the lot number of your old batch (if you've still got the box to read if off of) as well as the new batch asking if they changed pointing dies on their production line between them.
Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
Sounds about right. Nosler did this with the accubond 7mm 140 some years back. The new die was stubbier shaped and I was going to raise a fit; they shoot just fine seated to the same depth though and I can mix the bullet lots without noticing it on target in my 7stw's(both former and current).
I had the same thing happen with 30 cal NBT's, My probem with the SMK's is the gun was set up for them and the new batch loaded lenght is too long for the magazine. Also this is the first time i've ever had problems getting OAL with SMK's. It's as if the bullet shape is different. If I gauge them soft into the lands they are consistent if I push the seating gauge the bullets will go as much as 40 thou further. I could not do this with any of the other lot #'s
