Thread: 77 gr Sierra Matchking on game

Has anyone used the 77 SMK on goats,pigs or fallow? I have been using Federal 64 gr softpoints for goat/pig control with good results but keen to try the PMC .223 77 gr factory load in 1/8 and 1/9 twist semi-autos.

Unless you can head shoot them every time, IMO stick with the Fed 64gn SP, the 77gn SMK are unreliable for hunting, ie will pencil through if you don't hit bone, or could blow up, more likely the former.

Try 63r Sierra using 24gr BM2. All dead out of a Colt using this.

I tried the 77smk (factory Fiocchi load which was pretty slow) on wallabies and found they often pencilled resulting in animals running away, though a couple at close range were pretty explosive. Plenty of better options around.

Have shot a few hundred bunnys with them and two goats.

Would still use them on bunnys but that's it

Interesting, the ballistic gel shots Ive seen on the SMK HPpoints looked pretty good for damage, I guess practice beats theory every time! The new TMK's with the soft tip might spread better....or they might not, LOL. Anywhere in NZ selling the gel mix? I have some of both I wouldnt mind a wee experiment. The dis-advantage is their price, 50cents+ each....

I tried 69, 77 and 80gn SMK on game and parked that idea for anything other than varmints permanently.
Even a hare I shot with the 69s got up and ran away, straight through the poor thing.
75gn Amaxes were good for everything, but good luck single feeding an AR15 for each shot, it was bad enough with the Sako .223, couldn't extract a live round, as too long!

The 65gn Gamekings are my go to hunting round in the Sako and my AR15.

The SMK's work well at mk262 start velocity. Good luck trying to duplicate it with factory .223 or handloads. You will find that most heavy factory loaded .223 with heavier projects has a MV in the 2400-2500 fps range.

For me the 55 gr gamekings were a relkevat

Well that went badly trying to do this off a phone meant to say relevation knocked everything from hares to fallows over used to be a fan of 60 gr but these work . Also just developed a dislike for predictive text!

Originally Posted by Beavis

The SMK's work well at mk262 start velocity.

And what is that?

I'm getting 2750 with 77gn smk from a 22" barrel

Should be running around 2700 from a 16". No idea on a 22". I still believe my pet 68gr Hornady load is the most devastating .223 load I've ever used. Shits all over the "hunting" projectiles I've used.

I haven't reload my Sierra GK 65gr for a while and I actually haven't shot it thru my AR yet(stupid me) but I have shot hare, goats and fallow with it and they never said nothing against the results, so I think this work for me. At the time the velocity I have recorded from my Tikka 19.5" barrel was 2880ft/s.
It was not ever a hot load but very accurate(24.2gr of ADI BM2, COAL was 2.300")

Cheers.

Mac

use amax!. im driving 80gr ones at 2906 and they are very fast killing out to 600y on goats.

Thanks guys,that`s really useful information.Had tried a few boxes of Federal gold medal 69 SMK on goats & pigs and found them inconsistent killers,not always expanding.
I`d like to find a factory loaded,heavy bullet(70-80gr)hunting round for fast twist .223`s.
Beavis,does your handload Hornady 68gr use their hollowpoint match projectile? How does it perform on big hairy critters?