Sierra Game King bullets for elk?

[coloradokevin]

Not sure if this would be a better thread to start in "hunting" or the reloading section of this forum, but I figured I'd throw it out here first.

As the title implies, have any of you used the Sierra Game King bullets for elk? If so, what did you think of the bullet?

I'm about to start developing an elk hunting load for my .308 Win, and I know there are a lot of bullet choices available. High-end names like Barnes and Nosler seem to be popular, but the Sierra name interests me since I've already had exceptional results with their Matchking bullets in this rifle (sub 1/2 MOA when I do what I need to).

Anyway, any thoughts on this bullet choice would be appreciated, and any other recommendations would be welcomed if the Gameking line isn't a good choice for elk!

Thanks!

 

[2zulu1]

Some years ago I was preparing for an elk hunt in Utah and had loaded up some 200gr GKs in .30-'06. Two of my buds ended up with elk tags, but not me, and I don't remember what they were carrying.

I've since acquired a .338 WinMag for longer Arizona distances and larger elk than those in Utah and Colorado.

Bob

 

[Doug b]

Years ago I loaded a friend some 165gr. gamekings for an elk hunt.We lived close to a range then and worked hard on the load,a mid range load IIRK using IMR4064.Long story short his horse fell on the rifle,broke the scope and the front sight.He was left to hunt alone. First shot took a front leg,second shot, practice kicked in and he killed the only elk of the hunt out of a party of 5.That was bullet #2145.

Edit to add that was a Rem. pump action in .308.

 

[jgiehl]

Friend of mine buys the Federal ammo with Sierra GK's for his .270 and he loves it.
He's never had bad results yet as he kills a moose dead every year.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I've used the 140gr GameKing in my 7mm08. I sent my rifle with a friend to Colorado in '05 with 20rds of 140gr Nosler Partitions and 30rds of Sierra 140gr ProHunters as they shot to same POI/POA for practice.

He ended up "mixing" the ammo and shot his elk with 3 Partitions and 1 ProHunter. The ProHunter @ 2,800fps was last shot and broke both shoulders and was balled up under the hide on far shoulder. The three Partitions hit ribs and exited. Either bullet would have resulted in a dead elk, but the elk fell and expired after being hit with the Sierra.

My younger brother swears by the Nosler Partitions from his .308, but then he's using the 150's. A 165gr GameKing PtSpt will do easily as well on elk as the lighter Partition.

I've only recovered one Sierra .308 cal bullet from a deer. (over 100 taken with 125's, 150's and 165's. Never used the 180 or heavier on deer). The one I did, was a 150gr BtSpt in 1983(GameKing before they started calling them that) from a .30/06 @ 3,100fps. The deer was facing me at about 90yds in a logging road. The bullet hit just under the white throat patch, broke the neck, traveled down the neck, broke spine a second time between the shoulders, and traveled the length of the back-strap and was lodged against the hip. Expanded bullet weighs 129.5gr and is picture perfect, no core slippage.

When I went to Wyoming in '09, I took my 7mm08 with 140gr GameKings, and Nosler Partitons. My "back-up" was my Colt LtRifle in '06 and I had it loaded with 180gr GameKings @ 2800fps. I didn't get an elk, but my hunting buddy/guide used my '06 to take a 400lb mule deer buck with a 30" rack at 330yds. He missed the first shot as he didn't believe that the rifle was only 8" low at that range. He held a foot over the deer's back and shot over it on he first shot. Second shot broke the spine as he held on top of deer's back as I'd told him to the first time! He's a .270 and .300mag shooter and had "drank the coolaid" that the '06 was tired, worn out, and obsolete and didn't shoot flat enough....... but for what I'm not sure ..... Bullet left a 4" exit wound...... I saw some cow elk that weren't as big as his buck....

If you're not shooting some "uber magnum", the Sierra's work just as well now as they did 45yrs ago when I started using them. The fact that they are amoung the most accurate hunting bullets goes without saying.... But then, they work very, very well from my .300RUM as well...... However, I DO use the 200gr GameKing in it.....@ 3,000fps.

 

[coloradokevin]

Thanks for the information, everyone.

Incidentally, the load for my gun will likely put the bullet at approximately 2600 fps, based on the .308 Win load I'm currently using for a 175gr SMK bullet. Obviously, the hunting load may be faster or slower depending upon bullet weight and other factors.

No super-duper magnum for me!

 

[DanTheFarmer]

Good Morning,

Firstly, thanks ColoradoKevin for asking this question. I'm working on a related issue; the suitability of Gamekings for moose. Information on either issue should be helpful on the other.

What I have been able to determine (from postings on this and other forums) is that there is some criticism of Gamekings holding together. As a traditional cup and core bullet it is prone to seperation. Being a boattail bullet only makes it worse as this design seems to have more trouble holding onto the core than a flat based bullet.

HOWEVER - the majority (all?) of these problems seem to be occuring at high velocities. The 300 win mag, 7mm magnums, and other high velocity calibers seem to run into occasional problems. Gamekings seem to perform very well in the 1800 - 2800 impact velocity range.

Please note this is what I've learned from reading, not experience. I'm hoping others with experience will chime in and let us know the suitability of Gamekings for elk and moose.

Dan

 

[Huckelberry75]

I have had excellent results with the 180 GK in multiple 300 WM's. I would not hesitate for a minute to shoot the 165's out of a .308 for elk at moderate ranges. If you are hunting the timber, you will have no problems, if you do your part. I have loaded some 165's for my father's 308, but have yet to harvest game with them.

 

[Doug b]

I believe Sierra took care of the core seperation issue years ago.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I was under the impression you needed a premium bullet for Elk. I use a 165gr GameKing bullet for White Tail Deer but I thought Elk were tougher and the GK wasn't up to the task. I'm just saying what I thought, I could be wrong. (and obviously I am from the replies)

If it were me I would be loading a Nosler AccuBond bullet for Elk.

 

[Huckelberry75]

We have used the 180 GK in 300 WM's out to 1200 yds (1 shot). All put elk in the freezer. I have killed them with 150 gn Pro Hunters out of my 8mm Mauser. Currently shoot Accubonds in one of the 300's and the GK in the other. I have absolutely no hesitation to use either bullet. Hunting is like real estate, location location location. Same goes for bullet placement.

 

[coloradokevin]

I was under the impression you needed a premium bullet for Elk. I use a 165gr GameKing bullet for White Tail Deer but I thought Elk were tougher and the GK wasn't up to the task. I'm just saying what I thought, I could be wrong. (and obviously I am from the replies)

In the past I've heard the same thing as you, but I got to thinking about using the SGK bullets when I realized that:

1) It isn't really a "low end" bullet
2) today's hunters are often using high-velocity magnum/ultra-magnum rifles for elk hunting, whereas I'm not.
3) Sierra bullets, of the match king variety, have performed very well in my rifle.

My hunch (which prompted my original question) is that higher velocity rifles will require a more premium bullet, since a cheaper bullet might come apart when striking an elk with that much speed. I'll be shooting a modest .308 Win, which I feel is more than enough gun to kill an elk with proper shot placement. Still, my gun won't be delivering the bullet above 2,600 fps, which pales a bit in comparison with, say, a .300 Ultra Mag.

As such, I've wondered if the velocity might play a big factor in bullet performance. While it seems that an ultra-mag gun might need the high end bullet, I wonder if that same bullet would even perform very well at slower velocities.

In other words would a high end bullet expand properly with a striking velocity of merely 1,900 fps (which is the approximate speed my bullet will be moving at 400 yards)? Or would the SGK bullet, or other mid-range bullets, be a better choice for the lower velocity?

 

[gamestalker]

I haven't used them for elk. But back in the 1980's I killed a bull elk in unit 6A (Arizona) with a 130 gr. Speer Hot Core from my 700 action in .270 Win.. The only shot I had was from the butt end and I took it. The bullet traveled straight up the spinal colum and went through every single vertebra, finally stopping at the base of the neck. The bullet stayed completely in tact and nicely mushroom.
My opinion is, if the Hot Core did the job I would probably feel as confident about a Game King if the velocity is up there.

 

[interlock]

My hunch (which prompted my original question) is that higher velocity rifles will require a more premium bullet, since a cheaper bullet might come apart when striking an elk with that much speed. I'll be shooting a modest .308 Win, which I feel is more than enough gun to kill an elk with proper shot placement. Still, my gun won't be delivering the bullet above 2,600 fps, which pales a bit in comparison with, say, a .300 Ultra Mag.


dead on. that bullet in the pocket at that velocity at moderate ranges will kill very well.

 

[Scott_R]

Shot these 180 SGK this Saturday. I know this is just paper, but I really like these bullets.

30-06
57.8 gr H4831SC
R-P Cases
CCI 200

 

[gamestalker]

That is a nice group there Scott!

 

[HowardC]

I've shot elk with both Sierra 165's, Hornady 165's and 190 spirepoints, from 3006, 7 mag, and 300 Win. In every case, it wasn't the bullet, but where I put it. All did the job. Both brands performed well, usually clearing the body cavities. Once, I recovered a Hornady jacket in a shoulder joint, but the remaining bullet holed through the other side of the chest, after trashing the lungs and a rib.

Load what you want and can shoot well, practice till you're confident in your ballistics/ranges, and go shoot one.

-Howard

 

[coloradokevin]

Scott R,

Looks like a nice group! That's a large part of the reason I've been thinking of loading some SGK for my .308 Win. My gun has done very well with SMK, and I figure it would be worth trying the other Sierra bullets.

Here are some SMK results with the Tikka I'm shooting. I don't expect that SGK bullets will be as accurate as their match-oriented cousins, but I don't need to shoot 0.3" groups to take an elk anyway!


100 yards, coin shots in wind:

100 yard 5-shot group, zeroed for 200 yards:

 

[Clark]

I did not realize until a couple years later, that if elk are walking broadside to me, and at the limit of my range, I have to lead them, allot.