.224 69gr matchkings

I had a good load worked up for my 223 at the start of the year. Was working well and had dispatched a few critters with authority but then I read a thread on here indicating pretty spasmodic terminal performance. We had a wallaby trip not far away so I switched the the tipped version which thankfully was a straight swap and shot just as well.

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I had wondered if the Mks suffered from the same nose cavity problem that had been identified with Bergers hollow points giving inconsistent results on impact so I checked the remaining 62 bullets in the box
42 had an average depth of cavity was .160 Thou. 12 were less than half that with an average of .050, the worst being non existent. I'll load up some more of the hollow points and see how terminal performance compares after culling the ones lacking in cavity depth.
The blue line on the pin is at .160 and its pushed into the lead a little to keep it in position.

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what twist is your rifle

1-8

Any variances in hollowpoint diameter?

I've used SMK'S and berger hybrids for a while now and the first thing I do is make sure the nose cavity is open using a needle drill.
The bergers are usually pretty good but the smk's can vary alot from having nice open tips to no opening at all.
I tested some on milk bottles and the ones with closed tips acted like a FMJ and didnt mushroom at all but once the tips were opened with needle drill they mushroomed and to me looked like normal hunting type projectile.

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Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Any variances in hollowpoint diameter?

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Cam i dont have the equipment to measure to any degree of accuracy. To the the magnified eye they seem similar.

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Originally Posted by wsm junkie

I've used SMK'S and berger hybrids for a while now and the first thing I do is make sure the nose cavity is open using a needle drill.
The bergers are usually pretty good but the smk's can vary alot from having nice open tips to no opening at all.
I tested some on milk bottles and the ones with closed tips acted like a FMJ and didnt mushroom at all but once the tips were opened with needle drill they mushroomed and to me looked like normal hunting type projectile.

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The 6mm, 6.5 and 338 bergers I use seem to have gotten a lot better, I cant be arsed drilling so I put them aside for general steel/paper shooting etc.Iv used plenty of siears over the years but this is my first run with matchkings.

Puzzled what the issue was. You said they did the bizo then because what you read "about' them you switched. Alternatively if you can do subtraction take 5grains off and run the ultimate pill the 65gr GMK. My 2C.

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Originally Posted by TeRei

Puzzled what the issue was. You said they did the bizo then because what you read "about' them you switched. Alternatively if you can do subtraction take 5grains off and run the ultimate pill the 65gr GMK. My 2C.

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A couple of factors behind the decision. A rapidly approaching wallaby trip which needed a thin skinned bullet that would work well out to 400ish yds. The very small sample size I had myself , only a couple of feral cats and smallish pigs against the credible reports of inconsistent terminal performance. i had yet to buy the bullets for the trips so it seemed logical to switch to the tipped version. I have time to play now so have revisited the hollow points. We've worked through a few bullets on various wallaby trips , normally shooting a few hundred roos, inside 250yds the 55gr hps or balistc tips perform really well, further out the heavier match type bullets perform better, i was of the opinion that the 73gr eld would have been a good option but my rifle didn't agree with me. If I was looking for a good all round bullet the 65g game king would be well up the list.

Ive found the 69 grn tipped perfect for wallabies at all ranges - have shot a 100 or so out to 350 - but a bit expensive for culling. It hasn't stopped me from loading 150 during the lock down for my next trip though.

A really good alternative for wallabies and as cheap as hand loading is the Geco 55 grn red tipped factory ammo. 3180fps from 20" and very accurate. Ive shot a couple of deer with them as well. Good brass too.

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Yes the tmk certainly work. I think the hollow point MKs will be fine as well if the cavity is clear and they are cheaper when loading ammunition by the liter. Over all we've found the extra speed of the 55grs and specifically the big open hollow point on the 55 HPBT gk ( about $43 a box) gave us fewer runners after the shot inside 250yds. Steve and I got 332 on the last trip before the lock down. We are generally in the 2-300 for a trip so have a pretty good sample size now after multiple trips. Ill have a look at the gecco. Cheers

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Originally Posted by sneeze

Yes the tmk certainly work. I think the hollow point MKs will be fine as well if the cavity is clear and they are cheaper when loading ammunition by the liter. Over all we've found the extra speed of the 55grs and specifically the big open hollow point on the 55 HPBT gk ( about $43 a box) gave us fewer runners after the shot inside 250yds. Steve and I got 332 on the last trip before the lock down. We are generally in the 2-300 for a trip so have a pretty good sample size now after multiple trips. Ill have a look at the gecco. Cheers

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Good tallies. The contractor that sets me up sends us to the blocks to tidy up after the night vis has knocked the top off so there are less of them. But still enough to keep it interesting. It might be a wee while before we can travel back down - bugger it.

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Originally Posted by Tahr

Ive found the 69 grn tipped perfect for wallabies at all ranges - have shot a 100 or so out to 350 - but a bit expensive for culling. It hasn't stopped me from loading 150 during the lock down for my next trip though.

A really good alternative for wallabies and as cheap as hand loading is the Geco 55 grn red tipped factory ammo. 3180fps from 20" and very accurate. Ive shot a couple of deer with them as well. Good brass too.

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You are right about that Geco brass. Really rate it.

GGG do 69g smk ammo. used it for my new years roo shoot. real good. havnt reloaded the brass yet. good price too for a good projectile.

Hollow points for roos at all distances they don't like it .

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Those 55 gr hpbt gamekings are astonishing, way better at stopping things than the sp version. I was initially skeptical when I saw how big the hole was thinking they would be varmint style but I rapidly changed my mind.

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Originally Posted by Marty Henry

Those 55 gr hpbt gamekings are astonishing, way better at stopping things than the sp version. I was initially skeptical when I saw how big the hole was thinking they would be varmint style but I rapidly changed my mind.

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Has anyone tried the 55gr HPBT in a 222. I loaded some 55gr GMK for a Remmy 222 and the dude swears by them. Interested in hearing the terminal performance of its cousin. Thanks.

I had some pencilling problems when I tried the 69smk on wallabies, never tried the tmk or opening out the hp's though. Had much more consistent performance from the Hornady 68bthp.

Great thread @sneeze

May explain the inconsistent results I had when culling goats with factory loaded 69 gr Sierra MatchKing and 75 gr Hornady BTHP Match.

This is a 69 grn holllowpoint matchking from a Fallow spiker at about 100 yards. Lung shot and it ran about 50 yards. Under the skin on the other side but not much damage. Fiocchi factory ammo @ under 2800 fps.

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Thank goodness @top of the south was there to do the big retrieve for me :)

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