I've been trying to build a load for my Tikka T3X Super Varmint .223 and the 62gr Sierra bullet is highly recommended. I have had great difficulty finding this bullet. Sierra keeps promising me they will run them, but end up postponing the run. I've tried some Nosler but they are flat bottom and not that easy to seat. Oddly, Hornady seems to have every variety of .224 bullet imaginable, even having them on sale. Do you guys have any idea why that is??
Why are Hornady bullets available when Sierra are not?
- Thread starter Sniper66
- Start date
horsemen61
Member
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2011
- Messages
- 6,755
No clue but I’d try the New 62 grain ELD VT bullet from Hornady first
Varminterror
Member
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2016
- Messages
- 14,895
Hornady has made more or sold less. Based on market volumes and the fact you're describing postponed production campaigns, it appears the former is true.
Heir Kommt Die Sonne
Member
The amount of times this rumor spreads when people can't get their loaded ammunition...
Sierra also has military volume contracts, with black hills and what not. Hornandy doesn't; even if they made the same amount im still sure Sierra will just be higher demand.
In the meantime, most of us have discovered Hornandy to be quite acceptable and gives decent accuracy if we do our part.
jmorris
Member
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2005
- Messages
- 24,172
Stuff that most people want can be hard to find sometimes. Supply/demand kind of thing. Same goes for powders and primers, projectiles are not alone.
Charlie98
Member
...as well as a contract with Federal to supply them with SMK's for their GMM ammos.
I've discovered Hornady, but in some cases... particularly .308WIN... they are not as 'acceptable' as the SMK's. YMMV, of course.
MarshallDodge
Member
I don't have an answer as to why, but I have found that in most cases, Sierra makes a better bullet than Hornady.
Is this purely for target shooting or hunting as well?
Is this purely for target shooting or hunting as well?
Heir Kommt Die Sonne
Member
Weird question but if anyone has old empty boxes of Sierra that are just sitting, i'd like a few. .311 preferred on the label
JEBruns
Member
I have the same rifle, although mounted in a KRG Whiskey-3 chassis. Just got it recently, and have been trying lots of loads/bullets with it. Best results so far are with SMK's. Still working on the 60+ grain bullets. I can't find any of the 62 SMK's either. Found some 69gr SMK's the other day. Haven't tried any of them yet. Anyway, good luck with your load development.
rdnktrkr
Member
I loaded some 69gr RMR bullets recently in front of a stout load of Shooters World AR Plus and was ringing steel very well out to 600yrds, A friend and I split a 1000 to try out, I don't remember what powder he used but they shot well also. My previous load was with a Hornady 62gr and the RMR shot as well or better.
Certainly I'm no market analyst, but it truly seems that Hornady has been far and away more available than Sierra for some years now. Good stuff tho, and I kinda fell into using it to develop loads simply because my preferred brand was not available.
Varminterror
Member
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2016
- Messages
- 14,895
Hornady, indeed, does carry multiple military and federal law enforcement ammunition contracts.
Of note, Sierra operates out of 80,000 sq.ft. in Missouri. Hornady operates out of 150,000 sq.ft. in Nebraska. Acknowledging, in fairness, that Hornady is also manufacturing primers and cases in this space, while Sierra is just making bullets.
I don't have a dog in the fight, I shoot Hornady bullets for some cartridges, I shoot Sierra bullets for others. I've been a Sierra fan for much longer (I wear a Sierra hat every day), and I've sent countless SMK's downrange after paper, steel, and game for 30+ years. But Hornady is making a buttload of bullets at cheap prices, and making sure they keep inventory flowing. But why one company has product on the shelves and another doesn't, eh, life's a little more complicated than just two bullets...
It seems like you’re really looking for a BTSP or something with a boat tail that will violently fragment. Midway, Natchez, and many other sites will let you filter for this so you can try what’s in stock. Then sign up for notifications on the Sierra’s so you can get some as soon as they come in.
I've shot mostly Sierra and Nosler bullets. The Sierra bullets have been consistently more accurate and effective for my targets of choice. Nosler bullets have been good, just not quite a good as Sierra. I'm a prairie dog shooter, mostly with .204, .223, 22Hornet. My Rem 700 VSF .223 has been deadly with 50 and 55gr Sierra BKs; with 1:12" twist. I bought the Tikka T3X Super Varmint .223 with1:8" twist to accommodate heavier bullets that will hold stability over longer distances; hence the search for 62 gr bullets. Friends of mine shoot long distance competitions and swear by 62 gr bullets through 1:8" barrels. All this brings me to why I search for Sierra 62gr.
Maybe Hornady would be just as good, but I would prefer to shoot what has worked in the past. As we say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Plus, all of you guys know what an ordeal it is to start the process of loading a new bullet experimentally with different loads, powders, etc.
Maybe Hornady would be just as good, but I would prefer to shoot what has worked in the past. As we say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Plus, all of you guys know what an ordeal it is to start the process of loading a new bullet experimentally with different loads, powders, etc.
I'll give that a try. Thanks for the tip.
The only way I have been able to find some ammo and components since 2019 / 2020 is sign up for notifications… and be ready to buy immediately.
Varminterror
Member
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2016
- Messages
- 14,895
What flavor of long distance competitions are they shooting?
Charlie98
Member
That's my experience as well. Noslers are good, but Sierras... and particularly the SMK... is just a wee bit better. Hornady, for me, ranks 3rd.
The one caveat to that is Hornady's 55grn and 62grn .224" bullets, which are very, very good, although I don't know that I ever had a 5.56mm Hornady vs Sierra shootout.
I don't really know the difference between one type of competition and another. My friends who do participate in long distance competitions like the Sierra 62, but they shoot other brands too. I tried a Barnes bullet, but it wasn't an improvement.
wanderinwalker
Member
I've put lots of Nosler, Sierra and Hornady bullets of various flavors downrange in many different firearms, and have no real deep seated preference. I used more Noslers when I was competing because I bought a lot of .224" 69 and 77 grain Nosler Custom Competitions when I found them in bulk as seconds.
As for your search for 62-grain Sierras specifically, what is YOUR use for it? The only bullet I see on Sierra's webpage matching that description at the moment is the 62-grain Gameking SPBT, which is out of stock. If your friends are shooting steel and paper past 200 yards, I can think of 4 or 5 .224" bullets I've personally used that will hold up to wind better. And I stopped shooting Highpower 10-12 years ago, so there are probably other options available now.
The beauty of your new Tikka with a 1-8" twist barrel is you can use any commonly available .224" bullet that's suitable for loading at magazine length, and a few that require seating longer. Don't think you have to only use heavier bullets because of the twist rate; I'd be very, very surprised if you can't squeeze excellent accuracy out of any bullet from 50-grains to 77-grains, unless Tikka has a reputation for picky barrels.
As for your search for 62-grain Sierras specifically, what is YOUR use for it? The only bullet I see on Sierra's webpage matching that description at the moment is the 62-grain Gameking SPBT, which is out of stock. If your friends are shooting steel and paper past 200 yards, I can think of 4 or 5 .224" bullets I've personally used that will hold up to wind better. And I stopped shooting Highpower 10-12 years ago, so there are probably other options available now.
The beauty of your new Tikka with a 1-8" twist barrel is you can use any commonly available .224" bullet that's suitable for loading at magazine length, and a few that require seating longer. Don't think you have to only use heavier bullets because of the twist rate; I'd be very, very surprised if you can't squeeze excellent accuracy out of any bullet from 50-grains to 77-grains, unless Tikka has a reputation for picky barrels.
