6mm 95g Sierra tipped mks

[Clavius-Walker]

Have any of you had any experience with these on game or varmint? I know they are relatively new to the market but I'm very curious about their performance.

 

[hunter243sgk]

I would also like to know myself!!

 

[Chuckw]

The old 95mk shoot extremely well in our TCU's at 2900 but they are HORRIBLE at killing things. I too have high hopes for the new tipped version!

 

[JimPag]

Matchkings are not meant for killing animals just paper.

Have any of you had any experience with these on game or varmint? I know they are relatively new to the market but I'm very curious about their performance.

Chuck. Since their inception, Sierra had recommended that their matchkings are not recommended for MOST hunting applications. Their tipped ones are no different.

 

[dkhunt14]

I think what makes this confusing is Sierra is pointing or tipping some of their bullets. These Matchkings would be bad for hunting. The meplat is smaller and would not have much expansion.

Now they also introduced a plastic tipped version like the Nosler Ballistic Tip. These should be ok for hunting. Matt

 

[1newmexkid]

I might have to try some of these. The Sierra tipped (#1616) 90 gr. shoots lights out in my 25.06.

 

[JimPag]

I think what makes this confusing is Sierra is pointing or tipping some of their bullets. These Matchkings would be bad for hunting. The meplat is smaller and would not have much expansion.

Now they also introduced a plastic tipped version like the Nosler Ballistic Tip. These should be ok for hunting. Matt

I think what makes this confusing is Sierra is pointing or tipping some of their bullets. These Matchkings would be bad for hunting. The meplat is smaller and would not have much expansion.

Now they also introduced a plastic tipped version like the Nosler Ballistic Tip. These should be ok for hunting. Matt

Matt. A matchking hollow point unlike Sierra's other hollowpoints like their Varminter is designed for no expansion. Adding the polymer tip increases the BC a bit. It is still the same bullet and Sierra STILL doesn't recommend their tipped Matchkings for most hunting applications. Just go to their website and it is clearly printed. The only thing that really doesn't matter is using those for head shots. Nosler's Ballistic tip was designed as a hunting bullet from day one. They just took the old Nosler solid base bullets and added a polymer tip to them. They are no where near a target bullet like the Matchkings are.

 

[swd]

Match Kings are known to expand pretty well on big game. I have a client who has shot about a dozen deer with them with excellent results. If you do a search you'll find his results are not uncommon by any means. For varmints I wouldn't be to hopeful but I'd give the tipped version a try just to know for sure.

 

[dmoran]

Some confusion is when referring to "pointed bullets" as "tipped bullets".
Pointing bullets is the pointing/closing of the meplat (tip) in a pointing die.
Tipping a bullet is adding a plastic, aluminum, etc. tip to the bullet.
Donovan

 

[swd]

Donovan, good point. To clarify I would give the new plastic tipped SMK's a try on critters. It's still a thick jacked bullet so it may not help much on varmints but it would worth a try.

 

[dkhunt14]

Some confusion is when referring to "pointed bullets" as "tipped bullets".
Pointing bullets is the pointing/closing of the meplat (tip) in a pointing die.
Tipping a bullet is adding a plastic, aluminum, etc. tip to the bullet.
Donovan

This is almost like the Yellow box Orange box thing. It never made sense when they came out with a new Target bullet and put it in the same old yellow box. Then put the regular bullet that they made for years in a new Orange box. That just confused people. Matt

 

[Tommie]

And so goes the endless debate: Do target bullets perform well on game? For every "yes" theory, story or anecdote there's a corresponding "no".

I have my opinion and nobody will ever change it. And I suspect the same is true for every person who jumps into the discussion.

Isn't time to give it a rest? Finally?

 

[JimPag]

Match Kings are known to expand pretty well on big game. I have a client who has shot about a dozen deer with them with excellent results. If you do a search you'll find his results are not uncommon by any means. For varmints I wouldn't be to hopeful but I'd give the tipped version a try just to know for sure.

I just got off the phone with a tech at Sierra named Paul. He said that Sierra's goal was to make the most accurate bullet that they could whether it expanded or not. He told me that if you hunt game with Matchkings, it's a crap shoot as to whether they'll expand or not, that's why they don't recommend those for hunting. He said that all the tipped ones were was the same bullet with a polymer cap to get the BC numbers up a little. So there is no arguing what he said, right from the horses mouth.

 

[swd]

My client who has actually killed a pretty fair number of deer with them says they work well. He's a pretty particular guy about bullet performance and a very serious shooter so I have no reason to doubt him. I've also read a lot of posts from guys who have actually used them and game a most agree with what he says.

 

[JimPag]

My client who has actually killed a pretty fair number of deer with them says they work well. He's a pretty particular guy about bullet performance and a very serious shooter so I have no reason to doubt him. I've also read a lot of posts from guys who have actually used them and game a most agree with what he says.

Like I said this guy works for Sierra. Yes they will work sometimes and other times they won't. I have read horror stories of guy's using Matchkings with less than favorable results. Other times like some guy's you know they have worked. I'm just saying that they were not designed for killing game because of their spotty reputation for not expanding reliably.

 

[dmoran]

Bullet mass, bullet energy, and velocity at distance are determining factors to how bullets will perform. The thicker jacketed target bullets are very subjected to those factors. That play heavily into why or why not, they may or may not, work to different circumstances.
Donovan

 

[AckleymanII]

Bullet mass, bullet energy, and velocity at distance are determining factors to how bullets will perform. The thicker jacketed target bullets are very subjected to those factors. That play heavily into why or why not, they may or may not, work to different circumstances.
Donovan

It is going to be a crap shoot. They may indeed work on deer, but on coyotes and chucks, may zip right through. Also, a 6 BR would be very different than a 243 in terms of impact velocity and RPM's which I think may be a major factor. A 243 AI with R#26 shooting these at 3400 fps may work very well close range, then at 500 yards, they might just punch a hole through the animal. A bullet designation "Blitz/Match king" would be interesting if a hunting bullet was desired, then this may be a negative to the Target market.

Time will tell within the next 6 months how well these work as I am sure that the coyote hunters and chuck hunters will be the "testers" on this market. Sierra may well know the answer already, and the answer that Donovan gave covers a wide variety of calibers and velocity ranges.

 

[fredo]

Donovan, good point. To clarify I would give the new plastic tipped SMK's a try on critters. It's still a thick jacked bullet so it may not help much on varmints but it would worth a try.

Shawn, I'm receiving "so far, so good" performance on coyotes from the 69TMK out of a .22-250AI. This dude kills alot of coyotes, and he likes what he sees so far...
It would appear that the tipped version might indeed offer more violent expansion, as compared to the old 69SMK. Those 69SMKs where known to "suck" at killing coyotes...

On the other hand, have a buddy who's a gov't hunter, and he destroys everything with an 80SMK from a .22-243Win. Deer, hogs, coyotes, you name it!
Go figure???

 

[hunter243sgk]

A long fast twist barrel will make bullets open up better and faster. A 22 " 10tw barrel would not do as good as a 28" 8tw barrel in the same caliber. The faster twist rate will spin them much faster.

 

[Yote Hunter]

The 69 gr SMK was terrible on killing coyotes. I used them in a 223 but the new 69 gr TMK using a polymer tip has to create somewhat of a better hollow cavity in the tip which in return should create a lot better expansion.