Hollow Point Game bullets

Brithunter

Well-Known Member
How many use or would use Hollow Point bullets designed for use on game such as Deer.

Sierra for instance make a .277" Game King HP in 140 grain weight and I forget who but there is also a couple of HP game bullets in .25 cal. Speer make a 115 grain HP in 7mm that is not a varmint bullet.
 
i have just started using some speer varmint hollow points in my .308 for foxes and to be honest im not that happy with them. i have only shot 5 foxes with them admittedly but 2 of them have stood back up and ran and the 3 i did pick up were not consitant on damage to the animal. one was blown up as i would expect with about a good 4 inch exit hole and the other 2 were very small exit holes. it may just be that i have been unlucky but time will tell
 
i use 85gr sierra gameking HPBT on deer (fallow) and have found no bullet puts them down quicker on H/L shots...neil
 
Hmmm interesting. I have some of the 140 grain Sierra .277" HPBT's Game King but have never used them on game as yet. However I have a few loaded up now ready to use in the .270 and wondered what other thought about using them.

From talking to an American friend who likes HP's but he says most have too small a HP. He has a 7x300 a 7mm Wilcat hotrod a bit like a 7mm Weatherby and he likes the Speer 115 grain HP in it and has used it extensivley on Deer, Bear and Cariboo.

I am not sure the 140 grain Game King has a big enough HP btu i suppose the only sure way to find otu it try them out on game :rolleyes:
 
Hi Neil
I am just about to start reloading and have bought some 85g gameking what load and primers are you using and what groups are you getting
Thanks in anticpation
Geordie
 
HP bullets

I used 50gr .224 berger on Fox, needed 4 rnds to stop it, I will stick to my normal load of 40gr Noslers driven by 25.3gr of N133, 3650fps, from my Howa 223 HB stainless, for instant results.

Flyboy270
 
I am using up some 6.5x55 RWS 140gn hollowpoints at the moment. They do the trick nicely on fallow or roe ,and make an awful mess of foxes.

On the deer all the rounds have gone through the ribs with good expansion and little or no carcass damage. At over 2800 fps they are quite quick for a factory load.

I am reloading now and am using 129gn SST's, as a friend reloaded some for me and they were very accurate out of my Finnlight, so that's what I am trying.

ft
 
FlyBoy270 were the berger 50grn bullets varmint bullets?
Berger are slightly confusing with their description as they call all of their bullets match bullets. I think what they mean is that they are all match quality.
You could look at their description and think that they are suitable for both match and varmint. Have a good look at the website and see what I mean.
 
8x57
Yes they are marked as Varmint and have quite a large hole, compared to say a Speer or Nosler HPBT Match, I have now traded up my 223 Howa for a SAKO Varmint 223 with 1-8 twist, shooting 69gr Nosler HPBT Match on the range and 60gr V Max on Charlie, traveling slower at 3000fps but better BC, should give longer barrel life, 24.5gr N140 groups one hole at 100m. Can go up to 80gr with this twist.
FlyBoy270
 
has anyone used the 6mm 85gr HPBT or similar on reds? What's penetration like and do they make a huge mess and a lot of meat damage? Do they pass through and leave a blood trail? I'm thinking of trying them in 243 but am also wondering about the hollow point thing on bigger species...
 
I once shot a springbuck at 200m with a Sierra .243 85gn HPBT. The bullet hit the right humerus, and disintegrated. The bullet and bone fragments completely destroyed the right lung and heart, and lacerated the left lung. Only small fragments of jacket, core and bone lodged in the left ribcage. The springbuck ewe ran about 100 yards after being hit- but she had been aware our my presence before being shot, and was quite alert.

Not exactly a huge sample size, so make of it what you will. I had much better results with the 85gn Speer SPBT. I shot quite a few springbuck and blesbuck with that one- I always had exit wounds on springbuck, never on blesbuck. Accuracy was about the same with either bullet.
 
I now use Sierra 85grn HPBT Gameking for everything. They are the most accurate round I have tried in my .243AI

Was using Hornady 87grn HPBT prior to this. Whilst very good at stopping game they did not quite have the accuracy of the Sierra's in my rifle. It's custom built with a 1 in 8 twist barrel.

I cannot really comment on the damage as everything shot in neck and head. (no, I am not trying to start up this debate again, I promise:rolleyes:)

The exit hole when neck shot has always been neat with the spine totally obliterated.
 
85gr BTHP

has anyone used the 6mm 85gr HPBT or similar on reds? What's penetration like and do they make a huge mess and a lot of meat damage? Do they pass through and leave a blood trail? I'm thinking of trying them in 243 but am also wondering about the hollow point thing on bigger species...

I use to great effect Federal 85gr Sierra Gameking BTHP in .243 on deer up to Fallow size. Far from doing meat damage they have proved to be the most less destructive of all ammunition I've used. They sometimes don't exit on Fallow but still leave a blood trail through the entry point - if it even takes a step! I've never had a problem with them and the most highly accurate rounds used in my .243 out to 300 yards.

However I would never use them on Reds at which point I use my 7mm-08. Reds are much heavier boned and thicker set than Fallow, hit a leg and I'm not sure you'll find that deer - unless you neck shoot it. If you have to use a .243 on Reds 100gr Core-Lokt will work well.

I'm sure some will say they have used .243 75gr or less on Reds and yes I suppose you could even use a .22rf if your close and stupid enough! Respect your quarry and keep it humane with a bullet/calibre that will do the job.
 
ok haven't shot a red yet, but it may be coming up. I don't want to try 100gr yet - I have a 1:10 barrel and have enough accuracy problems as it is right now without blaming the bullet length! So what's a better sub 100gr for reds - 87gr SP? RFD is really really limited in what he can get...
 
ok haven't shot a red yet, but it may be coming up. I don't want to try 100gr yet - I have a 1:10 barrel and have enough accuracy problems as it is right now without blaming the bullet length! So what's a better sub 100gr for reds - 87gr SP? RFD is really really limited in what he can get...

If you haven't tried 100gr bullets in your .243 yet give them a go, you may be pleasantly surprised. Try boat tail and flat based they may perform completely differently to each other. In Scotland you may not use anything less than a 100gr bullet on Reds, for good reason. Very roughly explained you need the weight/length of the bullet to get the penetration before the bullet mushrooms back completely and disintegrates which is far less likely to happen on a long slow bullet than a fast short bullet.
If your rifle really hates 100gr'ers then try 95 gr BT's e.g. Federal 95gr Nosler Ballistic Tip, Winchester 95gr BST or Hornady 95gr SST's. I've used all these on Reds and found the Nosler a little more solid (just). However I wouldn't go below 95gr. As I said before 100gr Core-Lokt work well in my .243 on Reds - try them, they're almost if not the cheapest about.
 
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