Does anybody use Hollow Point Boat Tail ammo in .308 on deer?

digger9523

Well-Known Member
Hi all,

As per the title, do any of you use it? Some of you may have seen my new toy, and I'm hoping to use said toy at Bisley as well as on bambi. Naturally, I'd like to standardise on ammunition so that what i use on the range is what i use in "the field" (you know that place where everything happens...)

I've heard good things about a firm called HPS in Gloucester, Target Master Ammunition from HPS They load plenty of .308 for competition use with Hollow Points, in particular the Sierra Match King, so i may give them a whirl at some stage if i can find positive evidence that the stuff is effective/legal for deer. It seems Obvious that Hollow Point will expand with a Dum Dum effect, but does it cut the cheese when it comes to deer???

All the best,
Nick:british:

Found this interesting little article:
http://stevespages.com/jpg/bestbullet.jpg
 
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Digger,HPS use the sierra match king bullet which is a target bullet that is neither legal or suitable for deer stalking in this country. Take a look at the Sierra website for further information on matchking bullets, but don't forget that in many countries there is no requirement to use expanding bullets for stalking and many shooters will use fmj or match bullets.
 
Digger,HPS use the sierra match king bullet which is a target bullet that is neither legal or suitable for deer stalking in this country. Take a look at the Sierra website for further information on matchking bullets, but don't forget that in many countries there is no requirement to use expanding bullets for stalking and many shooters will use fmj or match bullets.

I suspected as much mate, there's a few septics saying they get on with them, but the ominous lack of tales of success from good old Blighty had led me to the common sense conclusion.

Always best to check and you never know, there may be some unsuspecting chap who'll read this and get an eye opener!

I know there's a few target shooters on here, anybody got a dual deer and target load?
 
You won't get a dual deer and target load digger because of the differing legal requirements. You can get similar loads but not one load that is suitable for both.
In very simple terms the deer act requires the use of an expanding bullet for shooting deer and the firearms act prevents the use of expanding bullets for target shooting. The use of expanding bullets may (but not always) be permitted on ranges that are not under the control of the M.O.D. for zeroing and limited practise only, but are not permitted for target shooting.
 
You can mention it ubique but there can't be any confusion now can there, following clarrification from ACPO and the H.O.:closed:
 
No confusion at all 8x57, but also no doubting that it is a very accurate and efficient bullet for whatever use you put it too, but agreed not deemed as a hunting bullet.:D
 
Berger have rebranded their thinner jacked hollow points as "hunting" ammo. I believe this came about because some people getting very high velocities were managing to make these bullets fail in flight so Berger produced a new line with a thicker jacket. They then became aware that some people were using their thinner jacketed bullets with great success for long range hunting and so they rebranded them slightly and kept producing them - they are the same bullet as was branded as a target bullet until recently.

While this doesn't entirely solve your problem it certainly raises the possibility that you could use a bullet built to target shooting standards on deer and also on ranges, where such a bullet is allowed, at least for zeroing and the like. It may be that in an informal range setting you may, for example, care to compare your zeroing target with that of others to see how your performance compared to their target shooting performance.
 
Berger have rebranded their thinner jacked hollow points as "hunting" ammo. I believe this came about because some people getting very high velocities were managing to make these bullets fail in flight so Berger produced a new line with a thicker jacket. They then became aware that some people were using their thinner jacketed bullets with great success for long range hunting and so they rebranded them slightly and kept producing them - they are the same bullet as was branded as a target bullet until recently.

While this doesn't entirely solve your problem it certainly raises the possibility that you could use a bullet built to target shooting standards on deer and also on ranges, where such a bullet is allowed, at least for zeroing and the like. It may be that in an informal range setting you may, for example, care to compare your zeroing target with that of others to see how your performance compared to their target shooting performance.

These guys use berger hunting vld's
http://www.longrangepursuit.com/episode-list check it out
 
I was given some Privi .308 HPBT to try by my dealer in Zurich. Accuracy wise they were amazing and I tested them out to 300 meters on the range with fantastic results. I used them for stalking up until February of last year and didn't find them wanting save for once, when one round failed to expand, necessitating a follow up shot. I now use Blaser CDp ammunition as it has the same POI as the Privi and as the Privi is a fifth of the price of Blaser, I use it for practise.
 
Hi Digger, I use Sierra boat tail hollow point Gamekings in 243 on all deer and foxes. I have found them to be very accurate and effective. I know your asking about 308 but same bullet design.Hope that helps

Tusker
 
I'd like to clarify the points made about using Expanding rather than MatchHP (or FMJ) on private ranges. If the MOD has different rules perhaps someone else can help out.

There is no prohibition on zeroing, training, or testing with expanding ammunition. As I use only sporting rifles with max 4x or 6x 'scopes it would be pointless to use Sierra's finest match bullets in 'em .... so I use nothing else but expanding as permitted on my FAC.

What you're not supposed to do is to use Expanding in 'Competitions'.

How else are you going to zero, train, or test your ammunition if you don't 'target shoot' with it? :D
 
Sinistral the MOD will not normally allow the use of expanding bullets or monolothic bullets on ranges that they control. The NRA ranges at Bisley are regarded as being MOD ranges because they share safety areas with the surrounding MOD ranges. Yes you can zero and carry out reasonable practise using expanding ammunition on other approved ranges but to what extent is not defined. As you say the use of expanding ammunition is not permitted for competition shooting.

Confusion arises when manufacturers usually U.S. based indicate that their bullets are dual purpose but as was mentioned previously under U.K. law there can be no such thing as a bullet that is both designed to expand in a predictable manner (as required by the deer acts) and be non expanding (required for target shooting). Legally a bullet is either regarded as being expanding or non expanding.
 
Hi Digger, I use Sierra boat tail hollow point Gamekings in 243 on all deer and foxes. I have found them to be very accurate and effective. I know your asking about 308 but same bullet design.Hope that helps

Tusker
Not the same bullet at all, the Matchkings "hollow point" is actually called a meplat and it is not designed to aid expansion but to provide consistency. If you sectioned one you'd find the meplat only runs a few mill deep and is more or less across the width of the bullet.

The bullet I think you are talking about is a Gameking, code 1530, where the hollow point is designed to aid expansion and runs much deeper and more centrally than the former Matchking. Sierra do a HPBT Gameking in .308, code 2140. But i've never seen it in the UK.

As to whether Matchkings expand, they do (sometimes) but not in a predictable or controlled manner. They often fragment completely or fail to expand.
 
Thanks everyone for the info! I'm having a play with the rifle on Saturday with some home loads that came with it. They're 150gn Hornady SST's over 42grains of N140 in Lapua brass with Federal primers. Only got 18 of them, but i shall get a zero done and have a couple of shots at 2 and 300 yards to see what they're up to
 
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