Views on Sierra 85 gr HPBT Gameking bullet

[charlieboy-shooter]

Hi Guys,

As the post title really. Please can I have your views or personal experience would be great on 6mm/.243 Sierra HPBT Gameking 1530 bullet.
Sierra lists it as suitable for Deer or CXP2 class animals.

I was looking to use a dual purpose both for fox and Fallow. But not as my main deer load. However as it's only 85gr would that pretty much mean that the load would not be legal in England as it would not achieve the required muzzle energy of 1700ft lbs.

Thanks

 

[nun_hunter]

Search on here as plenty of threads already about this bullet in 243. You can get it deer legal over 3000fps but damage may be excessive. As far as I know no one has ever had a round tested for its velocity and even if they did test a round that was unfired they could never test the round you actually shot the deer with!

 

[Uncle Norm]

You need just over 3,000 fps muzzle velocity for a 85 grain bullet to make 1,700 ft/lbs muzzle energy, which is easily achievable with Viht N160 in the .243.
Sierra HPBT shot very well whilst I was developing a load, however I have used Speer 85 grain SPBT for many years now. I have shot both Fallow and Red with them, at sensible ranges.

 

[User00003]

For a dual purpose round I can recommend, with lots of experience behind it, the 87g hornady bthp. I used 37.5g varget, but can’t remember the COAL. Was great on Roe and fox. Don’t put it through the shoulder bones and go rear heart/fwd lungs and damage isnt bad.

 

[andychas]

I used this bullet for quite a while, highly accurate at a moderate 2950fps in front of Varget, not desperately happy with damage on behind the shoulder shots, but they definitely kill roe and foxes well. As you rightly say though, not strict deer legal in England, crank it over 3000fps and I suspect you'll see more meat damage spec at close range.
My rifle never seemed to like 100gn bullets (as is the habit with some 243's) but theres a few posts on here, notably from dodgy knees, who did a lot of successful trial and error with 100gn Sierra Prohunters, they may work for you better than the HPBT. At some point Ill give them a go myself, but the 243 is my goto foxing rifle nowadays with 87gn vmax.

 

[tusker]

I can honestly say that I think this bullet is the best on the market. I have taken most UK deer species with this with out problem.
Just got back from Namibia and my 243 with 85 grain Gameking took Baboon, Warthog and Oryx.
Tusker

 

[paul o']

As its already been said you need to drive it hard , I was getting around 3320 but decided to go back to 100gr pr hunters to save barrel life but they do the job with bells on .

 

[white van man]

I use it for fox and Muntie and it's ideal "although can be a bit aggressive on the Muntie "
I will keep using it.
Steve.

 

[Odders]

I've just checked my Lyman, Hornady,Nosler & Sierra load books regarding 85gr bullet loads.
They have all loads except N160, H380 & AA3100 comfortably at or above 3,000fps. Note that Lyman, Hornady & Nosler used a 24" barrel & Sierra a 22".
Lyman's load uses the #1530 bullet, whereas Sierra is a little more vague & their date covers three different bullets (2x80gr, 1x85gr).
Interestingly, I put my deer load over the chrony the other week & according to it, the 100gr Interlock/34.5gr Varget load(which is the maximum) only produces 1,640ft/lbs & thus isn't theoretically deer legal.

 

[andychas]

Interestingly, I put my deer load over the chrony the other week & according to it, the 100gr Interlock/34.5gr Varget load(which is the maximum) only produces 1,640ft/lbs & thus isn't theoretically deer legal.

thats the interesting bit really, theres a lot of variance in the performance of the 243 with regard to the legal minimum for deer in England & Wales (and therefore most frequently recommended by Firearms depts to newcomers). Of course dead is dead and theres no deer going to argue about 50fps or 60ftlb that I know of, its also very difficult to prove the legality of a marginal load once its been fired. The point of course is that Im sure none here would like to recommend a load that is known to be contravening the legal requirements set out in England and Wales.

 

[charlieboy-shooter]

I can honestly say that I think this bullet is the best on the market. I have taken most UK deer species with this with out problem.
Just got back from Namibia and my 243 with 85 grain Gameking took Baboon, Warthog and Oryx.
Tusker

Prior to my post, most of the info I read on the bullet, which is American as referred to White tails, generally agrees with your reply and Sierra's info reads that way. but wanted to see what the guys on here views were.

Thanks to all for the reply's. just a shame the powder I have the most of is H380, which doesn't look like it will push it fast enough.

 

[tusker]

Prior to my post, most of the info I read on the bullet, which is American as referred to White tails, generally agrees with your reply and Sierra's info reads that way. but wanted to see what the guys on here views were.

Thanks to all for the reply's. just a shame the powder I have the most of is H380, which doesn't look like it will push it fast enough.

Vit N160 gets them going that's what I will use when the Varget runs out.
Tusker

 

[Malxwal]

Thanks to all for the reply's. just a shame the powder I have the most of is H380, which doesn't look like it will push it fast enough.

Hmm, two 243 I know of are running 100gr Sierra Gamekings SPBT over H380, and are chrono'd to check deer legal (in Scotland). My own trials and tribulations with 243s aside, N160 seems to be a very common go to in 243, with the 87gr Vmax/N160 combo being the most often used. Certainly works in the right hands !

 

[Blacknsilver]

I am tuning the exact bullet and powder at the moment.
N160 -40gr
85gr game King
20in barrel 1-8 twist
on the limit of 3000fts
read New load and new toys in the ammo and ballistic post.

 

[Brian243]

You need just over 3,000 fps muzzle velocity for a 85 grain bullet to make 1,700 ft/lbs muzzle energy, which is easily achievable with Viht N160 in the .243.
Sierra HPBT shot very well whilst I was developing a load, however I have used Speer 85 grain SPBT for many years now. I have shot both Fallow and Red with them, at sensible ranges.

+1 for these comments, if deer are the most likely target the Speer 85 grain SPBT is a better choice, in my experience there is less meat damage. The Sierra 85 grain is an excellent all round bullet but I found that the Hornady 87 grain BTHP just too frangible for body shots on deer, a superb fox round though.

 

[levigsp]

I have used the 1530 and Viht 160 combo for 30+ years and it will do anything you ask of it on UK deer and fox.
I use 46gn N160 and it truly sings!.

 

[swatty]

I’ve a roe hanging in the chiller now and like many others and plenty of fair sized reds that have all been shot with 85 hpbt with a mild load of 35.5 grains of varget doing around 2916 FPS believe me they pole axe the biggest of reds with good shot placement and even average shot placement . I’ve tried alsorts of different 6 mm bullet and these are the best bar non

 

[bigoak]

Just loaded up a couple to try. 36 gn of 2206H (4895). See how it goes.

 

[Cyres]

I use N140 with 75 and 87 v max. Excellent bullet and load.
Load 100grn Sierra with N550 and shot them out to 600 yds + at Orion. Very accurate.

 

[25 Sharps]

I’ve a roe hanging in the chiller now and like many others and plenty of fair sized reds that have all been shot with 85 hpbt with a mild load of 35.5 grains of varget doing around 2916 FPS believe me they pole axe the biggest of reds with good shot placement and even average shot placement . I’ve tried alsorts of different 6 mm bullet and these are the best bar non

As posted above by others, unless you’re in Scotland that load is not roe and up legal!