The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - .30 165 gr. Sierra HPBT Gameking for Deer?

Paul B. · July 10, 2002, 03:04 PM

I don't know if Siera has made any changes in the 165 gr. HPBT, but during one deer hunt back in 1978 I shot a coyote at roughly 200 yards with one. (Hides were selling for as much as $100 each back then.) When I got to that yodel dog, I found a two piece animal. One ruined hide and a bullet I figured would be too destructive on deer. I picked up a box of Remington core locks to finish out my hunt, and used the rest of those loads on targets. Haven't used them since. The one 165 gr. bullet I really like is the Speer SPFB. I've been using it in one .308 rifle I have because it it the only bullet in that weight range it will shoot accurately. (Really fussy rifle, a Ruger 77 RSI) It will penetrate and hold
together well. One deer that was facing me had the bullet penetrate to the right rear ham, after bouncing off the spine, a few ribs, and breaking the right rear leg bone before stopping. Bullet still had 65 percent of it's weight remaining. That's good enough for me. All the ohter deer I've used that bullet on were more or less braodside and the bullets penetrated all the way through. No deer went more than 30 feet after being hit.
Good bullet in my estimation. I'm going to try some in my 30-06 this year, if I draw a tag.
Paul B.

July 10, 2002, 03:04 PM	#15
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,801	I don't know if Siera has made any changes in the 165 gr. HPBT, but during one deer hunt back in 1978 I shot a coyote at roughly 200 yards with one. (Hides were selling for as much as $100 each back then.) When I got to that yodel dog, I found a two piece animal. One ruined hide and a bullet I figured would be too destructive on deer. I picked up a box of Remington core locks to finish out my hunt, and used the rest of those loads on targets. Haven't used them since. The one 165 gr. bullet I really like is the Speer SPFB. I've been using it in one .308 rifle I have because it it the only bullet in that weight range it will shoot accurately. (Really fussy rifle, a Ruger 77 RSI) It will penetrate and hold together well. One deer that was facing me had the bullet penetrate to the right rear ham, after bouncing off the spine, a few ribs, and breaking the right rear leg bone before stopping. Bullet still had 65 percent of it's weight remaining. That's good enough for me. All the ohter deer I've used that bullet on were more or less braodside and the bullets penetrated all the way through. No deer went more than 30 feet after being hit. Good bullet in my estimation. I'm going to try some in my 30-06 this year, if I draw a tag. Paul B. __________________ COMPROMISE IS NOT AN OPTION!