stephentri
Well-Known Member
Hi have any of you used both of these bullets on deer, I would like to know if you found any difference in how they put down a deer and meet damage.
Thanks
Thanks
Seirra Pro hunter vs game king
- Thread starter stephentri
- Start date
Prohunter I am informed are a little harder in the jacket, so I am going to put them through the shoulder.
Not sure that is right. I believe Dodgyknees has spoken to the Sierra staff and had confirmed that the only difference was flatbased (prohunter) versus boattail (gameking). The jackets and core are the same, just that the flatbase has less of a tendency to shed the core. Both bullets have various nose configurations......
Cue DN
Much is dependant upon the calibre and velocity. I have used 100g Prohunters in 6mm for some time. I drive them at 3130 fps and I find them very soft and explosive. They really need backing down to more sensible velocities like 2800 fps in my opinion where they would behave quite differently. Get up to 30 cal and I know they build the 150's pretty soft and the 180's pretty tough as they are designed for different sized quarry. I don't think there is a simple one size fits all answer to the OP question as there are quite a few variables.
stephentri
Well-Known Member
Hi it's the .30 cal I was thinking of using 150 grain about 2850 fps
ChesterP
Well-Known Member
I've used the 150 at 2750fps from my .308 and that was more than fast enough for them to leave quite a wound channel at around 100yds. I really wouldn't have wanted to drive them any faster. I was quite surprised at the relatively low % of core retained. I've also used the 55gr gameking on Munty driven at closer to 3000fps, but those deer were mostly shot from 120 to 200 yds and performance was textbook. Nice wound channel, and a relatively high % core retained just under the hide on the far side to that shot.
The MV required depends on the distance you intend to shoot and the size of the animal as well as the bullet construction. Up to 150 yds using 150grn SGKs in boat tail, I really wouldn't want to drive them much over what I have (ie 2750fps) to avoid unnecessary damage and fragmenting of the bullet. As Maxwal reports, this can be quite a frangible bullet if driven too hard. It's fine in .223 where I guess jacket thickness is greater as a % of o/a mass but once you get to 30 cal, the bullet tends to behave differently.
deeangeo
Well-Known Member
Nathan Foster knowledge base is useful for comparison thoughts on various bullets.
I selected .25-06 Rem. But he covers many many cartridges & bullet types.
Worth a read in my opinion.
I selected .25-06 Rem. But he covers many many cartridges & bullet types.
Worth a read in my opinion.
No science involved, but used to use game king's until one day my supplier did not have them in stock purchased 100g
Prohunter and Never went back.
Prohunter and Never went back.
stephentri
Well-Known Member
It's mostly fallow deer I stalk max range 300y
tusker
Well-Known Member
I use Game Kings in my 243 for all UK game and some African plains game. I wont ever be changing. I have used the 150 grn. Pro hunters in my 30-06 on Munties to Red Stag. Very good bullet. Only time I had an issue with meat damage was when I shot a Roe very badly. I hit it in the middle of the back (spine) and it was almost in 2 halfs.
Tusker
Tusker
yellow belly
Well-Known Member
Personally I find the 125gr pro hunters (2900 fps) in .308 give far greater meat damage compared to 150gr GameKing (2770fps).
The answer is no.
As previously mentioned, too many other variables to define any tangible difference in bullet performance.
ProHunter and GameKing are the same bullet in terms of fundamental construction. The differences were explained by the Sierra Technician by email as:
When it comes to the same weight and same diameter, like your #1560 and #1540, the two bullets are made the same way with the same components. This means we use the same style of jacket surrounding the same style of lead core and the process putting them together is the same. The only real difference is the shape of the bullet and by adding a boat tail to the rear of the GameKing, it gains BC numbers. Because it is more efficient in flight, it doesn’t slow down quite as much through the same atmosphere and will therefore hit a target at the same distance a little faster. At the range you are taking animals, the bullets are still going a similar velocity on impact so I’m not surprised you’re seeing similar results. Every now and again, I’ll get reports that our GameKings are more fragile than our Pro-Hunters (with all other things theoretically equal) and my theory for a reason is because there is less bearing surface on a GameKing. This gives the lead core less friction to lock into the jacket with, giving the impression it expanded quicker in relatively similar hunting situations.
At normal UK hunting ranges, the differences identified above would be masked by point of impact, animal size, animal position. I've used both in 150gr for years and do not notice any difference other than a modest improvement in drop at 300m in favour of the boat tailed GameKing.
Nigel is right, the 180gr .30 cal is a big step up in jacket thickness and toughness. The 165gr .30 cal sits between the 150 and 180, as one would expect.
They are fantastic bullets, The only reason I've stopped using them in .30 cal is because the price here has gone through the roof, and the Speer does exactly the same thing for half the price.
As previously mentioned, too many other variables to define any tangible difference in bullet performance.
ProHunter and GameKing are the same bullet in terms of fundamental construction. The differences were explained by the Sierra Technician by email as:
When it comes to the same weight and same diameter, like your #1560 and #1540, the two bullets are made the same way with the same components. This means we use the same style of jacket surrounding the same style of lead core and the process putting them together is the same. The only real difference is the shape of the bullet and by adding a boat tail to the rear of the GameKing, it gains BC numbers. Because it is more efficient in flight, it doesn’t slow down quite as much through the same atmosphere and will therefore hit a target at the same distance a little faster. At the range you are taking animals, the bullets are still going a similar velocity on impact so I’m not surprised you’re seeing similar results. Every now and again, I’ll get reports that our GameKings are more fragile than our Pro-Hunters (with all other things theoretically equal) and my theory for a reason is because there is less bearing surface on a GameKing. This gives the lead core less friction to lock into the jacket with, giving the impression it expanded quicker in relatively similar hunting situations.
At normal UK hunting ranges, the differences identified above would be masked by point of impact, animal size, animal position. I've used both in 150gr for years and do not notice any difference other than a modest improvement in drop at 300m in favour of the boat tailed GameKing.
Nigel is right, the 180gr .30 cal is a big step up in jacket thickness and toughness. The 165gr .30 cal sits between the 150 and 180, as one would expect.
They are fantastic bullets, The only reason I've stopped using them in .30 cal is because the price here has gone through the roof, and the Speer does exactly the same thing for half the price.
A Guy Out West
Well-Known Member
Speer does exactly the same thing for half the price. Hornady too.
big ears
Well-Known Member
I shoot gamekings now I’m my 6.5 and they perform well, never had an explosive impact but only pushing them at 2700.
When I shot 308 I used gamekings again in 150 & 165 and had perfect results with both. Again not driving them too fast 2850fps for the 150s and about 2700 for the 165s.
Recently moved to 30-06 and shot 180gr partition. This went straight through roe and ended up with long runners so changed to pro hunters which did expand more and seemed to work better. Theses were driven again about 2600fps.
From my limited experience both Sierra bullets performed well when driven at sensible speeds. From my experience the prohunters do seem to expand a bit more than the gamekings but not enough to cause concern.
From what others have said it’s about not pushing them too fast so in the 308 you will be fine, I think in the faster calibres (243,270) you may find a harder bullet better.
Hope this helps.
BE
When I shot 308 I used gamekings again in 150 & 165 and had perfect results with both. Again not driving them too fast 2850fps for the 150s and about 2700 for the 165s.
Recently moved to 30-06 and shot 180gr partition. This went straight through roe and ended up with long runners so changed to pro hunters which did expand more and seemed to work better. Theses were driven again about 2600fps.
From my limited experience both Sierra bullets performed well when driven at sensible speeds. From my experience the prohunters do seem to expand a bit more than the gamekings but not enough to cause concern.
From what others have said it’s about not pushing them too fast so in the 308 you will be fine, I think in the faster calibres (243,270) you may find a harder bullet better.
Hope this helps.
BE
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