Sierra Ganeking Bullets

S

Smith and Wesson

New member
Does anyone have experience with Sierra Gameking BTSP bullets on deer? Have they ever over-expanded or blown up? And how is their accuracy? They would be in 25-06 out of a Winchester Model 70.
 
I've used them in 6mm, .277, and .30cal rifles. I usually try to run them around 2600-2800fps and have had good accuracy with them.
 
30 caliber ones were used in competition before Sierra made match ones. They shot more accurate than arsenal match bullets.
 
My only experience is a 3 yr old whitetail buck shot broadside at 200 yards through the spine (high shoulder shot about 3" high and just behind the shoulder) with a 130 gr SGK in a 270 Win. The buck was DRT, front end went up, back end went down, one head lift and done. When skinned out, the spine was completely severed, but there were bullet fragments all through the area. Bullet disintegrated but did it's job. If I had hit the center of the shoulder, I'm not sure it would have penetrated into the lungs. I have since switched to a tougher bullet.
 
In 30-caliber, per a Sierra guy who entered into a thread here about a dozen years back, the 150-grain SPBT can come apart if the velocity at impact is above 2,800 ft/sec. He said that the flat-base is more strongly constructed.

I'd raised the question because of a SPBT blowup in a mule deer's neck. However, the range was no more than 25 yards, and as near as I could tell the muzzle velocity of my load was right at 3,100 ft/sec.

My results at 100 yards and beyond were always very pleasing. :)

If your expectations are for longer-range shots, I'd not worry about the bullet holding together and expanding properly. But I've not dealt with .25s.
 
They are very accurate. They are also not very tough. For a deer, it does not really matter. When they blow up, they act like a Berger. I kind of like a meat mess myself. They are definitely more at home in a 7mm-08 than they are in a 7 RUM. In a .25-06, they will be pretty explosive.
 
Because of a 25-06s speed. Game Kings would be an excellent choice. Frankly I have never read where anyone has ever had a problem with there use in the field. Have a couple boxes of Speer SP- spitzer's for my 25-06 I picked up cheap at a gun show. If I didn't you could wager I would be using Game Kings instead.
 
I use the .277" 150gr BTSP (Sierra product #1840) in my .270WIN every year..... the do "blow up" at short ranges when launched @2900 f/sec ..... about 2-4" into the animal's chest. At really short ranges (10 yards or less) on a broadside shots, I've had exit wounds of 1" or so diameter...... on 30-50 yard head-on shots (common occurance where I often hunt) the bullet enters the chest, comes apart, and no fragments get past the diaphram .... dead deer, no mess from a "controlled expansion bullet" passing through the abdominal cavity (BTDT, not pleasant) ..... These bullets have passed through the chest cavity on broadside shots at 400+ yards ...... they shoot well in my gun, are efficient enough to use on "beanfield deer", have enough mass to hold together "just enough" for close shots and cost less than most other bullets (around 30 cents a pop, unless you buy them on clearance as I do- I've still got a couple of boxes I bought @ 1/2 price or better :D ..... Like IMR 4064 or 7828, Power Pistol, Winchester 115gr 9mm bullets, or Winchester primers of pretty much any flavor, if it's on sale, I'm buying some if have the cash, because I know I'll use them.

They are very accurate. They are also not very tough.
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Go heavy for caliber- higher BC for the "beanfield deer", more mass to hold together on the close shots.
 
I'd raised the question because of a SPBT blowup in a mule deer's neck. However, the range was no more than 25 yards, and as near as I could tell the muzzle velocity of my load was right at 3,100 ft/sec.
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If you'd put that same bullet in the boiler room ..... the deer would have been just as dead, nobody would have had to pick bone and bullet fragments out of the sausage meat ..... and the target would have been larger to boot ....
 
They are accurate, but that doesn't mean much in the field. That quarter to half minute means nothing.

I shot two deer with them, both broadside shots. on both rounds the jacket separated from the core. I never used them again.

I use Hornady interlock's 165 grain BTSP in the 308, 180 grain BTSP in the 30-06 and 154 grain FB or 139 grain BTSP in the 7mm's. They kill great, never had a single complaint.
 
I shot two deer with them, both broadside shots. on both rounds the jacket separated from the core. I never used them again.
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If you got to do the autopsy, no doubt the animal was dead ..... or did it escape after you found the separated jacket and core? :D
 
I have had a close range blow-up with a 30 caliber 165 grain Game King on a neck shot. The deer ran about 150 yards. This was with a .308 Win, so it was not smoking fast. Their long range performance on game is somewhat better.

With .25-06, with two different 100 grain bullets, I have had in flight bullet disintegrations. This was using published load data. I have heard of it, but never experienced it until I started with the 25. It is a fast cartridge. That being said, I have never seen anything kill deer as fast. A good shot usually (almost always) results in a DRT. The wounds are impressive. In the 25 I have switched to the Swift Scirroco II.
 
I shot two deer with them, both broadside shots. on both rounds the jacket separated from the core. I never used them again.
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If you got to do the autopsy, no doubt the animal was dead ..... or did it escape after you found the separated jacket and core?
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One went about 60 yards and died, That bullet was just behind the heart. The other went about 250 yards, the bullet was a little high in the lungs. Both of them were at around 125 yards when shot. Neither bullet passed all the way through, which is a requirement for me.

Had it not been snowing I would not have found the second one. I was chasing specs of blood and what rubbed off on brush.

Bullet failures, there is no argument there. Never have I had a failure with the Hornady Interlock and I see no reason to use anything else.

Those were 165's through a 30-06 by the way.

In that rifle the groups would be around an inch with the sierra's, going to 1-3/8 to 1-1/2 with the Hornady's for 5 shots. Of course I gave up the 5 shot test as irrelevant, I've never fired more than two at a deer. Three shot groups are all that's needed. If that rifle will park two next to each other regularly that is fine, the third being out more than an inch does not bother me. I save that extra effort on loads for the long range target work.

Sierra's on paper and varmints (of course the V-Max is the best on those) Hornady on hide.
 
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jimbob, all I could see was his neck (and head). He was lying in tall grass; I'd just awakened him from his mid-day nap. :D At first, all I could see were his antlers and face. Then he raised his neck and Lawdy, it was huge! Bang.
 
jimbob, all I could see was his neck (and head). He was lying in tall grass; I'd just awakened him from his mid-day nap. At first, all I could see were his antlers and face. Then he raised his neck and Lawdy, it was huge! Bang.
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Understood.

I can't say that I would not have done the same, given the same situation.

Given the choice, though, I'm going for the boiler room.
 
I just checked out Federal's web site to see what speeds and G/K weights Federal loads on their 25-06. Only loading having G/K's was the 117 gr. w/speed of 3030 fps. I wouldn't think Federal would intentionally load a premium aftermarket bullet prone too separations. Those who have witnessed G/K separations perhaps could chime in and say if they were using lighter weight G/K's for their purpose than manufactured suggested or maybe reloading recipes having faster bullet speeds than what G/K's are optimal performance rated. Don't kill the messenger fellows. Just trying to get some clarity for this OP's bullet preference is all.
 
Mine was 165's from a 30-06 with a charge of IMR 4350. Granted, that was a couple of decades ago, but when I hit on Hornady Interlock's I never had a reason to look further.
 
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