Sierra 100gr HPs from a 6.5x55?

[Olympus]

Are these generally acceptable for use with whitetail hunting? I was just given 3 full boxes of the bullets. 100gr hp just seems a little small for deer to me, but I'm no expert. Most of my shots are under 125 yards and the deer in my area are average size to slightly smaller than average.

 

[12guns]

If they are accurate and you can get good velocity out of them I'm sure it will suffice for deer at that distance. Ideally you would have a heavier bullet with better controlled expansion but with a well placed shot it should work. I like my 6.5 but every time it go deer hunting I grab the old .308. My dad however has killed several deer with my 6.5 and 139 grain soft points.

 

[gamestalker]

With the right shot placement, they might penetrate enough to drop one on the ground. But being that they are hollow points, velocity could be the enemy here, in that, they might just disintegrate on the surface, therefore failing to achieve sufficient penetration?

I would personally try to find any SP bullet to substitute with. Even a like weight SP would fare better than those HP's on large game such as deer.

GS

 

[Olympus]

I know they are not ideal, but they were free so I thought I would see if they could be used or not. Should I try to trade or sell these for something a little better?

 

[12guns]

Trade 'me or sell them if that's an option. Get a bullet closer to 150 grain. FWIW I've never seen a 6.5 that wouldn't shoot the PMC 139 grain box ammo. Their load may give you a starting point.

 

[Kerf]

Generally, the 100gr hollow point bullets in 6.5 are meant for varmint-sized animals, such as, ground hogs. The same weight bullet is usually available in a soft point version for larger, deer sized animals. The difference between the two bullets has to do with jacket thickness and core bonding. Using a varmint bullet on deer would make a great mess.

kerf

 

[Shagg]

I agree that they seem a bit light for deer but I know people who use 243s with 100gr bullets & even 223s with 55gr bullets. With good shot placement I'm sure they would work but I would use either a SP or heavier bullet.

 

[AABEN]

I know they are not ideal, but they were free so I thought I would see if they could be used or not. Should I try to trade or sell these for something a little better?

Why not use the for target shooting? This will help you when hunting.

 

[NCsmitty]

It's all about bullet construction, and if it's a Sierra 100gr Varmint bullet, it's too lightly constructed to expand normally for big game unless they're 400 yards away. You may kill a deer with it but chances are good that it will fragment and you'll have bloodshot meat. If you're a good shot, you can make neck or head shots, and dispatch them that way.
As mentioned, they can always be used for target shooting to sharpen your skills. They would be a great coyote bullet if they shoot well.


NCsmitty

 

[Olympus]

The boxes don't say anything about varmints. Says 100gr hollowpoint .264.

 

[Water-Man]

Better off, both you and the deer, with 120gr. or heavier BT or SP.

I once tried, with poor success, a Lapua Scenar 108gr. HPBT on a deer.

 

[Reloadron]

Sierra classifies the bullet as a "Varmint" bullet:

6.5 mm/.264 Caliber (.264) 100 gr. HP
Suitable for all 6.5 cartridges and extremely effective on all sizes of varmints, the #1710 is a great choice for the 264 Winchester Magnum. Quarter minute of angle accuracy is quite common, even from the 264 magnum cartridges. It is equally accurate in cartridges with smaller case capacities.

Moving up to 120 grain we get the "Pro-Hunter":

6.5 mm/.264 Caliber (.264) 120 gr. SPT
The Spitzer shape of this 120 grain #1720 bullet assures excellent downrange performance and precise accuracy. This bullet will perform well at longer ranges on medium game from the 264 Winchester Magnum and the 6.5x284 cartridges, but it will be too fragile for close-range shots. It is an excellent all-around bullet for smaller capacity 6.5mm cartridges.

Once they get to 130 grain they get into the "Game-King" bullets. Given a choice in the 6.5 x 55 cartridge I would look for a heavier bullet than the 100 grain varmint bullets for deer sized game. Not to say a 100 grain bullet will not work, just to say there are better choices. I like the 140 grain Game King from Sierra for deer sized game.

Ron

 

[Captcurt]

Unless they are an all copper bullet like a Barnes or a GMX they are probably varmint bullets. They will open up too fast and make a real mess of the meat. You are better off with 120gr or heavier. I have used a Swede and a 260 on deer with 120gr and they worked swell.

 

[Swampman]

My experience in loading 100 grain bullets for a friends m/38 Swede did not go very well. The loads didn't shoot anywhere near as well as the rifle did with heavier bullets.
My buddies 100 grain bullets were Nosler Partitions, he got fairly good penetration on pigs due to bullet construction, but those bullets were awful as far as ruining meat.

If it were me, depending on how they group, I'd use 'em for target practice or trade 'em off. Even at todays inflated prices, bullets represent a fairly small outlay of cash compared to the other costs usually associated with deer hunting.

Never forget that no matter how fine and expensive your rifle is, all it really is, is a gas pipe mounted on a stick. It's the bullet and only the bullet that does the work of killing.

 

[WYOMan]

Sierra only lists the 100 grain Varminter. I WOULD NOT use them on deer. I have loaded them in my sporterized M-38 with IMR 4064, and they will shoot very well with the right load, but as others have said, they are for chucks, prairie dogs, or coyotes.