Bullets (SMK, Scirocco, Partition, etc.)

[milanuk]

Hello all,

Well, it's about that happy time of year again

Time to finalize the load of choice for hunting. Some of you probably already have a long time ago, but I put it off a wee bit too long

I'm in somewhat of a dilema here: I sold off the Model 7 in .260 that I've taken deer hunting the last few years, as I'm 0-3 on bambi (never had any shots), and figured it was time for a change of luck. Decided to use the 700VS in .308 Win that I've been shooting all year.

I've got a dandy load of 175gr SMK over 45.0gr of VARGET that shoots like a house afire in this gun. I guess that'd be candidate #1. I'm just a little bit leery about using a match bullet for non-LR stuff, as knowing my luck I'll end up hauling around a 26" heavy barrel and only get a shot inside 50yds

Candidate #2 is some 180gr Nosler Partitions that I've inherited over time. A bit heavy for deer, perhaps, but probably OK on elk? Not sure how accuracy will be from this gun yet.

Candidate #3 would be a Swift Scirocco, probably a 165 or 180gr. On these, I'm curious about something. I was in the local gun store, and they had gotten in the Swift #1 manuals, and some more Scirocco bullets, in 150 & 180gr. Went back to talk to the 'smith, and the owner popped in, to show me a somewhat battered box of Scirocco 165gr bullets. Claimed the box had been bunged up so they didn't want to put them on display. Gave me a song and dance about them shooting 'bugholes', yada yada, and how they each had to pass thru a concentricity test before being packaged. Yep, yep, uh-huh, right. The bullets looked like they came out of a cement mixer. I've *never* seen bullets look like that, not even cast, or .22 LR, or anything. Yikes! I hope not all Sciroccos look like that! I passed on the box; told him I'd think on it

And last but not least, some guys around here swear by Sierra GameKings. They claim they are Match Kings w/ an exposed lead tip, pretty much.

I mainly intend to hunt deer w/ this bullet/load, but I will probably be looking for an elk as well.

Given the suggested bullets above, any recommendations? Stick w/ the 175gr SMKs, which I at least know how they shoot? Shoot up the Partitions first? Or start from scratch w/ Sciroccos or GameKings?

TIA,

Monte

 

[Ian M]

M,
You are in MatchKing country here, and I have no doubt that many guys will tell you to go for it. Matter of fact your load is exactly what I intend to use this year. I have a powder measure locked at that charge because it shoots so well. I shot some deer last year with the .308 and MatchKings with excellent results. Another bullet I will hunt with this year is the match grade Barnes 168 gr. XLC, they are shooting very well for us and no doubt will perform on deer. The Sciroccos would be another good choice, also shot deer and caribou with them last year and they performed perfectly.
Good luck, hope you find a trophy.

 

[milanuk]

Ian,

Thanks for the encouragement. After the last few years of deer hunting, I definitely need it !!

Question on the Sciroccos? I peeked in a couple of other boxes of 180s at the store, and they also had less than stellar looking jackets. Not as bad as the first batch, and maybe MatchKings have me spoiled, but is this normal? If I decide to go w/ Sciroccos, should I try to find them elsewhere, or are they normally kind of scruffy looking?

Thanks,

Monte

 

[Ian M]

I would suspect that the Sciroccos got damp somehow and have tarnished. I have shot many boxes of every style made and have never seen any that were not pristine. Usually polished as well as their competition. I am sure that they did not leave Swift in that condition - or that any manufacturer would allow tarnished bullets out unless they were sold as seconds.
I doubt that the tarnish would have any effect on their performance, just not as pretty as they should be. Expect that they would shine up in a case tumbler really quick.

 

[milanuk]

Well, tarnish would have been one thing. I'm talking about scratches, dents, and dings!! I mean it: I've *never* seen bullets look like this. The one box did look like they'd been in a cement mixer. I'm not entirely sure that even just putting a box of bullets in a UPS truck and driving cross-country on washboard roads a couple days would have done this to them. The other boxes aren't near as bad, but definitely not what I expected. Ah, well. I guess as long as they shoot OK.

Monte

 

[Ian M]

M,
OOOPS, sounds like a first class boo-boo. I have shot a lot of A-Frame seconds and usually have to guess at why they did not make the grade. Perhaps someone boxed some junkers by accident - that is really unusual as I always say that Swifts look too nice to shoot.
Too bad as this is not giving you a very good impression of their products.
You or the dealer could perhaps send a note to Swift, attention Bill Hober, but not much can be done now. They were getting a website up, haven't checked recently if it is finished.

 

[Troy]

I have to agree with you Milanuk. I have shot about 500 Scirocos and all of the bullets were as you describe. The jackets are all pitted. The lot numbers on the bullets were from two different lots. As far as accuracy went it was hard to tell. I had a barrel die on me as I was working with these bullets trying to find a load. When I rebarreled and found a load the first three shot group measured .079 the second three shot group was .176. I know two outstanding thrre shot groups does not mean I am going to win the next "SuperShoot." The bullets will shoot.

 

[Ian M]

Troy, M.
I have noticed some tiny dents or marks on some of the prototypes but can't say that about the production bullets. I have shot several boxes of each caliber and bullet weight (matter of fact I shot the groups that they use in most of their ads). Don't doubt what you are saying, just never saw marks that were as noticeable as you are mentioning.
I have seen the bullet design come a long way. Matter of fact I still have some .30 cal Sciroccos that have yellow and bright blue tips on them, rather than black, as well as some other weird configurations.
They are very accurate bullets and have consistently retained over 80% over a wide variety of impact velocities on bear, deer and pigs.

 

[littletoes]

Very accurate even at long range? I have read some posts on this board that say otherwise, Ian. That they dropped off several feet short of SMK's at extreme ranges. I would be interested in hearing about any results that you might have had with them. At one time I was considering using them for a hunting round. All Swift products that I have looked at seemed as beutiful as anyone else's, to include Sierra, Hornady, Nosler, ect. ect..

 

[Ian M]

Accuracy is a very subjective thing - hate to say it but the big variable is usually the trigger-puller. I shot some of the first Sciroccos made out to 500 yards through a very good shooting .300 Win. mag. Drops compared to the 180 Matchking were slightly less at 500, 1 moa to be exact. This proves nothing, as 500 is not very far and this was only one test (Lee Reed and I killed 10 wild pigs down in Texas and re-shot them at one hundred yard intervals out to 500 yards with the Sciroccos and some of the competition).
I shot them out to 700 last year in preparation for hunting season and had excellent accuracy through that particular .308 rifle - some three shot groups were under four inches. Five shot groups held 5-7 inches if the wind was down.
Are they an accurate bullet? Same question goes for Grand Slams, Partitions, Failsafes, Trophy Bonded - whatever. They are all very well manufactured bullets, competition is so tight that they have to be. Unfortunately each of our rifles will determine which is the most "accurate" bullet.
We started out discussing a grungy bunch of Sciroccos that hopefully are not indicative of Swift production quality. I sincerely hope that such bullets are not their present standard.

 

[littletoes]

I think an accident must have happend. Last time I talked to the guys at Swift, they seemed very determind to have the best product available. Your post may just get me to try them next summer! A little to late for this season, it starts in less than 2 weeks. Hope you get a chance to try them at longer ranges. I think it was Daryl who had a post about testing them against SMK's at much longer ranges in excess of 1000 yards. It was posted that they fell several feet short of where the Kings hit.