Hunting with 168 grain matchking?

[piercfh]

How does a sierra matchking 168gr. bullet perform on things other than paper? Im about to purchase a 308 mostly for target shooting, but Im looking foward to reaching out to touch some whitetails as well. Has anyone ever tried these bullets on live game. If you are partial to a 308 bullet around the same size that flys well, and has good results with deer please share.

thanks
Frank

[Scorch]

The Sierra MatchKing is not designed as a big game bullet. Reports from many shooters who have tried them say that jacket/core separation is a major drawback. Supposedly the GameKing 168 gr has specs that are close enough you can use the same load specs and expect similar results.

That said, there are probably a lot of animals killed every year with match ammo.

[Unclenick]

The 175 grain MatchKing was developed in conjunction with the military for long range sniping, so killing isn't a problem if you don't have to track your kill. Keep in mind the hollow point in these bullets is an artifact of the best way known to produce a jacketed bullet with a really square base (jacket cup opening upward); that's crtical for target accuracy. The open end is narrowed down to form the ogive, then closed enough to maximize ballistic coefficient. The hollow point is not designed to expand. Indeed, the 1985 JAG opinion that concluded the MatchKing doesn't violate the Hague Accords calls it a non-expanding hollow point, if I recall correctly.

So, if the jacket holds up, these bullets behave more like an FMJ on flesh. If an FMJ would produce a clean enough kill in what you are shooting at, it will be OK for your purpose, albeit possibly fragmented. For a faster stop with an expanded projectile, you need a hunting bullet as Scorch suggested.

Nick

[Tim R]

The SMK's were made to punch holes in paper. I use the SMK's to kill paper from 175 gr down to 69 gr. depending on which rifle. I agree, there are more than likely a few guys out there using them to hunt with, just not a good choice. 165's should shoot about the same to a point and are made to be used on big game.

I use 165's with my '06 bolt guns which I use to hunt deer with.

Now I don't agree using Federal Gold Match no matter what bullet weight to use on bad guys is ideal. Granted Gold match is the standard for match ammo. Might be OK for the military to use as you can always wack em again, but not for my line of work. There are too many documented GM deployments by PD's where there was erratic performance. That's really too bad as GM shoots better than about everything else without getting into hand loads.

[Mannlicher]

its a target shooting bullet, not for hunting. Some folks still use them though.

[Fremmer]

Try the 165 grn. Sierra Gameking soft-point (Federal premium ammo). It has performed very well in my .308, easily killing deer at various ranges of 20 yards to over 125 yards.

It produces .75" three shot groups from 100 yards in my Remington.

[Unclenick]

The 168 gr. MK from a .308 starts to tumble at around 700 yards. The 175 gr. MK was developed for M118 LR because it will remain stable to 1200 yards from a .308 and be signifcantly more accurate than the FMJ of similar size, shape and weight used in M1, M72 and the original M118 ammunition. It is being able to hit something at extreme distances that made it the military choice. The boys in the sandbox are getting to take some 1000 yard shots, and nobody knows how to make a heavy bullet jacket consistent enough to be as accurate as that requires.

Nick

[Wild Bill Bucks]

For my money, the 168 grain on whitetail, comes from the Combined Technologies, Silver Ballistic Tip, bullet. I load my own, but the same bullet can be found on top of Winchester Supreme factory loads. You won't have any trouble taking deer or paper with them, if you can afford them.

[tINY]

When you get the shooting iron, try a box of the Fusion 165 308s.

They are some of the most consistently accurate, low cost hunting rounds I have found.



-tINY

[FirstFreedom]

It will kick particle board's A$$ from here to next week!

[Fremmer]

I'm gonna have to try some of those fusions myself. I keep hearing good things about them.

[USMCGrunt]

They work and they work quite well...as long as you allow no room for poor shot placement. I've used them on deer before and have never had one run more than 50 yards. However, I generally confine myself to head shots where running is an issue.

[maas]

i like the 165 gamekings myself. hollow points just cause meat damage.

[GON2FAR]

Go with the Gamekings. Ive handload them in 3 rifles, back to back with the like-weighted Matchkings for target use, before I came to the conclusion that the GKS were shooting just as well as the MKS in my guns lol. Never take chances when shooting at live targets, so many top-notch game bullets on the market today will print easy sub-MOA out of the right rifles, it simply makes no sense to use a target bullet on a live animal.

[Anthony Terry]

150 grain nosler accubond or ballistic tip are about the most accurate hunting bullet on the market IMO. and deadly on game. please try them and see if you want anything else. id use the accubond personally. theyll pass thru everytime and expand awesome. 165gr just isnt as good as the 150 IMO. and kicks harder too. there also hard to get good velocity out of in a 308. just my opinion.

[joshua]

I've always thought that the tumbling problem of bullets past 600 yards is cured by a faster rifling twist. I've heard folks getting erratic performance with 175 grain bullets past 600 yards due to tumbling and most went to 1-10 twist and all is good up to 1000 yards. Most Remmy 308s are twisted with 1-12. My PSS has been performing admirably with 168SMKs out to 800 yards with the hits on paper still being round shape. josh

[piercfh]

I plan on shooting federals with match king bullets early on, but might load up some game kings or a nosler or two and see how they compare. With the out of controll doe population on most of the land I hunt there is no shortage of practice shots available with different bullet types. Come november I'll post some comparisons on how these bullets perform, and even try to retrieve them from the deer. I guess the best thing to do is exsperiment. Ill let yall know.

thanks for the replies guys

[30Cal]

You shouldn't have any problem getting acceptable hunting accuracy with a 165 hunting bullet out to 300yds (which is about as far as you should be shooting game IMO with a .308 or similar cartridge). After 300yds, you'll need to be pretty good at doping wind and compensating for drop with any .308 bullet.

[Unclenick]

Joshua,

The tumbling problem with the 168's is due to their poor ballistics in the transonic velocity range. If your gun has a long enough tube and a hot enough load to keep them above that range to 800 yards, then they will shoot that far. I should have said that, rather than giving 700 yards as a blanket number. The failures to remain stable beyond 700 yards that I've seen were fired mostly from 10" twist guns of military or tactical rifle barrel lengths, firing match loads that were probably in the range of 2500 fps at the muzzle. They would have remained stable to almost the same distance with 12" twists because the transonic spikes in drag are fairly abrupt.

Nick

[castnblast]

Game King, spitzer boat-tails are the way to go. I use them w/ my 22-250, & 7mm Rem Mag. Also have used them in 300 Win mag, .270, and 25-06 w/ excellent results. I wouldn't waste money on fusions, unless you are planning on shooting some really big game, like elk or the like. They have very, very little weight varriance, and tend to be overtly consistant.

[minisaw249]

I took 6 deer this year in SC. I shot everyone with Hornady 168 AMAX BTHP. Not a single deer left the corn pile. This round is deadly and will whitetail down with authority. The problem lies with accuracy for most hunters and most are too quick to shoot which will cause inaccuracy issues.

[HiBC]

I won't shoot at game animals far enough away to worry about transonic stability issues.

SMK's,both 168 gr and 175 gr,are at the top of the list for target shooting.
I don't understand the fascination with using them for a hunting bullet.

A skilled tradesman selects the proper tool for the job.

Sierra makes accurate hunting bullets that fly well.

I have found that Nosler Custom Competition target bullets are generally in the same league with Sierras.Either will do quite well.
I suggest you look at the Ballistic Tip line.There is a 165 gr and a 168 gr. The 168 has a better BC.
If you want a little tougher bullet,the AccuBond fill the bill.

Compare the BC s and I think you will find out you can have a nice set of tools.
While the TMK will give slightly better numbers,both the 165 and 168 gr Nosler BT's advertise a slightly better BC than the 168 SMK.

These bullets are quite accurate and their hunting performance is very good.

Hands down,I would GREATLY prefer a 168 gr Ballistic Tip or AB over a MK for hunting.
The standard Ballistic Tip 165 gr will work fine on a white tail.

[std7mag]

If you want to use a 168gr match grade bullet for hunting, then i would recommend the 168gr. Berger VLD Hunting.

[Archie]

As noted, the match type bullets do not expand (much if any) and are not particularly desirable as an expanding type hunting round.

However, I would agree with a bullet weight of between 165 and 180 grain for general purpose use with the .308 Winchester cartridge and rifle. I note you mention 'whitetails' specifically. 150 grain bullets would work if you hunt in an area with clear shots and 'longer' ranges.

Much also depends on your ability to handload or depend on commercial ammunition. Either way, find a load that works well in your rifle (mechanically: feeding and ejecting) and is accurate to your standards and ability. And I repeat the wisdom of centuries of hunters. Precision placement of shot (rifle, arrow, spear or rock) is far more important than 'power'.

At the same time: A round that will always kill a moose or elk will always kill a deer (presuming a good hit is made). A round that will kill a ground squirrel or prairie dog may not kill a deer so well.

[Bamashooter]

Revival of the dead thread. They do work for hunting though. Well.