65gr Sierra Game King SBT for long Range

[Scrumbag]

Hi folks,

We have covid induced lockdown here so I have time to play around with reloading catalogues and ballistic software... always dangerous...

Anyway, I have been looking at getting a series of loads for my trusty CZ527 1:9 twist sorted.

I was wondering about a long range load for target shooting and had just about settled on the 69gr SMK for a long range load. Then I put my 65gr SBT load into JBM... It would seem that on a calm day, the 65gr SBT and 69gr SMK were not performing that far apart at 300 yd and on a calmer day out to 600yd.

Rather than develop a separate load, would the 65gr SBT hold reasonably well for informal long range target shooting?

Scrummy

 

[troupe]

They would do fine, but good luck finding them. If you do find them, PM me because I need some. Very deadly on deer.

 

[Quickoz]

Yeah they would be good. I've got 400 plus of them. Great bullet for a do it all load I think. The new 64gr Gamechanger 22cal would be great aswell. Lil higher G1 BC of .323 compared to the 65gr .303.

 

[K22]

Yea - I'm interested in trying them in my 8" twist Tikka's - a real hammer on yotes I'll bet.

But there is a huge bullet shortage in my area gun shops. Midway and Brownells don't seem to have much either in the .224 offerings. Had an alert from Midway yesterday that 55 Nosler BT's were in stock. When I tried to purchase them they were already out of stock. Crazy-nuts-insane - anyone for taking up bird watching?

 

[RegionRat]

If that is all you can get, then there is nothing wrong with using 65 SGK at 600 yards, it will do roughly the same trajectory as the 69 SMK.

If you could get the 69 TMK instead, your ballistic coefficient is about 20% better. I agree that the 69 SMK has roughly the same BC as the 65 SGK, it is just that 69 SMK typically groups better for most guns but not all of them.

 

[Scrumbag]

They would do fine, but good luck finding them. If you do find them, PM me because I need some. Very deadly on deer.

I hear you my sir. Nothing is exactly "plentiful" currently is it?

 

[Scrumbag]

Yeah they would be good. I've got 400 plus of them. Great bullet for a do it all load I think. The new 64gr Gamechanger 22cal would be great aswell. Lil higher G1 BC of .323 compared to the 65gr .303.

I'd forgotten about the TGK bullet. Do you reckon with the tip it would be a little long to stabilise in a 1:9 twist?

Scrummy

 

[Scrumbag]

Yea - I'm interested in trying them in my 8" twist Tikka's - a real hammer on yotes I'll bet.

But there is a huge bullet shortage in my area gun shops. Midway and Brownells don't seem to have much either in the .224 offerings. Had an alert from Midway yesterday that 55 Nosler BT's were in stock. When I tried to purchase them they were already out of stock. Crazy-nuts-insane - anyone for taking up bird watching?

I wonder if they might be a bit hard for 'yotes / foxes actually but I like them for the little deer that are local to me.

 

[Scrumbag]

If that is all you can get, then there is nothing wrong with using 65 SGK at 600 yards, it will do roughly the same trajectory as the 69 SMK.

If you could get the 69 TMK instead, your ballistic coefficient is about 20% better. I agree that the 69 SMK has roughly the same BC as the 65 SGK, it is just that 69 SMK typically groups better for most guns but not all of them.

I wonder if the TMK might be a little long for my 1:9 twist? But I take your point about a match hollow point likely to be more consistent than a softpoint hunting load.

This is my current loading for the 65gr SBT:

Probably could tighten it up a bit (I stopped developing at this point as for hunting purposes thought it would probably suffice)

Scrummy

 

[troupe]

I use them in my AR, that type of accuracy with every pull of the trigger. Tough to say no to that, I just can't find them. 2860 from my 18" barrel.

 

[lotech]

I've used quite a few of the 65 GK and the 69 MK in three Colt ARs (1 in 7") and a CZ 527 (1 in 9"). I haven't tried either beyond 200 yards, but accuracy is very good in all my guns to that point with both bullets. Trajectory is the same to 200 yards, but at greater distances, the MK may well be the better bullet as for both accuracy and trajectory. I use H4895 powder. I've tried three primers: the CCI-400, CCI-450, and the Remington 7 1/2. I realize the CCI-400s are not recommended, but these have shown slightly better accuracy than the recommended CCI-450s that I use exclusively now, but that's splitting hairs. The Remington primer is fine, too, but it trailed slightly behind the CCI-450 as for accuracy.

 

[Scrumbag]

I use them in my AR, that type of accuracy with every pull of the trigger. Tough to say no to that, I just can't find them. 2860 from my 18" barrel.

I'm using Ramshot TAC from a 22" bolt action. Should be about high 2,900fps or maybe 3,000 I think.

(Really must get a chronograph)

Scrummy

 

[grovey]

If that is all you can get, then there is nothing wrong with using 65 SGK at 600 yards, it will do roughly the same trajectory as the 69 SMK.

If you could get the 69 TMK instead, your ballistic coefficient is about 20% better. I agree that the 69 SMK has roughly the same BC as the 65 SGK, it is just that 69 SMK typically groups better for most guns but not all of them.

I believe the 60gr tmk will shoot inside both of them.

 

[lotech]

I tried TAC with the 65 GK and the 69 MK. It works very well and goes through a powder measure better than H4895, While I developed some accurate loads with TAC, they were always a little behind H4895 in several guns. However, with the component situation as it is now, if I couldn't find H4895, I'd be very happy with TAC.

 

[RegionRat]

@grovey A 60 TMK does have a very good BC compared to many of Sierra’s older ones like the 1375, like 30% better, and with the OP’s twist rate, I agree he may want to give them a try as well.

I’m retired now and don’t get to visit with folks who have the interest in Geneva like I used to, so I have no idea how hard/easy it is to find components. It would be interesting to hear from @Scrumbag in terms of how things like bullet availability work in Switzerland. In my working days, folks over there could get reloading components when retailers put in the efforts to import them, but the effort meant everything from the US came at an increased price compared to say what we pay for Lapua products by comparison.

 

[sscoyote]

I believe the 60gr tmk will shoot inside both of them.

My 9T 223 AI AR does.

 

[284winner]

Yeah they would be good. I've got 400 plus of them. Great bullet for a do it all load I think. The new 64gr Gamechanger 22cal would be great aswell. Lil higher G1 BC of .323 compared to the 65gr .303.

Kind of a shame Hornady hasn't introduced a 68-70 grain ELDX for the .224 caliber. Be a good bullet for exactly what the 64/65 grain Sierra does. Little more weight, little higher BC and designed for staying together a bit better than the TMK or SMKs.

 

[Quickoz]

Depends what you want it for. Going too heavy will loose the flatness which is just as handy as BC. And if Hornady jackets would stay together that would tempt me to look at them more.

 

[Quickoz]

I'd forgotten about the TGK bullet. Do you reckon with the tip it would be a little long to stabilise in a 1:9 twist?

Scrummy

Not sure. I haven't seen a published length on them and cant find anywhere in Australia.

 

[Scrumbag]

I believe the 60gr tmk will shoot inside both of them.

Thanks for this. Interestingly someone recommended the 60gr TMK as they also work well as a varmint bullet on another forum.

I shall see if I can find some at some point when this supplie rubbish gets better.

I have a couple of hundred of the 65gr SBT and in the UK is usually works out slightly cheaper than the 69gr SMK

Scrummy