sierra game king vs hornady sst?

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kilotanker22

New member
Hey everyone. In myn30-06 I have a good load with 165 grain SST bullets. SST bullets are pretty much non existent in my area now so I bought some sierra soft point boat tails.

My question is how are there performance on dear sized game? I know Every deer I ever shot with a SST was drt! Also I assume the sierras are generally a good accurate bullet because a trusted friend once told me if I had trouble with accuracy try sierra.

Just looking for insight to which bullet may be better for deer. Both 165 grain from an -06. I know both are sufficient but looking for personal experience with the game king on deer sized game.

Thanks
 
I have loaded SGKs that were every bit as accurate as SMKs. I have even competed with SGKs. My brother has made 800-900 yard culling shots on deer with 200 grain SMKs that were one shot kills. It is a good bullet. You won't be disappointed.
 
Up close, the HPBT can expand rather violently. Once out a ways and slowed down some, they're great.

I've used Game Kings for a long, long time. Lots of DRT deer. In my '06, my preference was the 150-grain. You can't over-drive the flat-base bullets, but the SPBTs that I generally used (really wide-open country, with a high probability of a 400-yard shot, if not more) can blow up at twenty yards.

It's a design thing, per comments here from a Sierra guy, a dozen years back. I had had a boat-tail blow up in a mule deer's neck at 20 yards; first ever and only time that had happened. But, a muzzle velocity of near 3,100 was the culprit.

And sub-MOA was a standard for all the Sierras, 150 through 180, flat base or boat-tail.
 
Both come apart quite a lot on impact, but deer are not that big, and a 30 cal 165 grain is going to kill any deer hit inn the chest.
All the complaints will be about meat damage.

All the damnation you hear about such bullets will justifiably come from elk and moose hunters, and sometimes from hunters of bears (350 pound and bigger bear) but deer are just not all that big or tough to have many get away when hit with a 30-06 and about any 165 grain bullet.
 
Both come apart quite a lot on impact, but deer are not that big, and a 30 cal 165 gr

Wyosmith, that's kinda what I am counting on. I could care less if the bullet comes apart on my dear as long as the damage to the vitals is devastating. As long as the bullets make their way to the boiler room and do massive damage I don't see penetration as a problem.

Also I chose the 165 grain over the 150 because I figure I can push them almost as fast and they won't come apart too easy plus they will perform better at long range. Plus my 30-06 really likes any 165 grain I can throw at it.
 
FWIW, I did a comparison on the hanging steel plate at my 500-yard range.

The Sierra 150 SPBT made a very slight dimple. The 165 HPBT made a slightly deeper dimple; maybe 1/16". The 180 SPBT was noticeably deeper at 1/8" or a skoshi bit more, with a bit of splashback of the steel.
 
i've used Sierra 150 grain Game King and Sierra 150 grain SPBT bullets in my .308, .30-06 and .300 H&H magnum reloads for about 40 years. They have taken about 200 deer for me.
 
alot of people knock em, but the remington 150 core lokts have always performed very well for me. i've always wanted to try some higher end rounds, but if it's not broke don't fix it.
 
My only negative against core lokts is that I have never had great accuracy results with them. Not terrible, but no where close to what other bullets in the same rifle will do. I have only seen one box of bronze tips in my life.;)
 
I have only seen one box of bronze tips in my life.
Click to expand...

My Dad used Bronze Points reloads exclusively for deer hunting as do several friends. Couple of years ago Remington was going to stop making Bronze Points. i bought all that a supplier had in stock. Now Remington is making them again.
 
BC of CoreLokts? Inside of 300 yards, what difference does it make? :D

The old Bronze Point is a good bullet. I used those in my '06 when I first started loading and later on in a .270. I went to Sierra for their 52-grain HPBT for a Swift, and just stayed with the green box. :)

I guess that's a shade of green that the Rabid Enviros don't like. :D
 
core lokt's and the like

Now this is just my opinion, that said; I believe just about every standard type (jacketed lead core or variant) bullet produced today, in the appropriate caliber at a reasonable velocity will kill deer sized game up to 200 lbs or so, at ranges of 300 yards or less, without question.
When you step up to the real bruisers in the Whitetail, Mule Deer and Elk categories or Big Bears ( Black or Brown) then I believe you should launch a better bullet (Partition, Grand Slam, Barnes) etc...
This opinion is based on witnessing results, and by no means am I any type of expert on the subject.
But from what I have seen, standard type bullets can wreak havoc on game animals, as always "Shot Placement" is the key !!!
It also doesn't hurt to use a "Magnum" on the "Big Boys".

another note; for lighter calibers like, 243 Win, 257 Roberts, 25-06, 6.5x55 Swede, I would start with the better bullets, they are still great killers.
 
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