Sierra .264 140-142 Matchking for HUNTING DEER-ELK ?????

[brianc74]

I have a 6.5-284 Norma with a .188 freebor .297 nk.. The barrel is a Schnieder #5 Polygon 1-8 twist 29 inches long. I am having troubles finding a load for hunting at 300 yards +. My groups at 100 yards are at the 1 inch and at 200 2 inch with Bergers 140 VLD Hunting bullets running 3050 with 50 grains H4350 and CCI BR LR. Do iI need to SLOW it down, or should I try the Sierra Matchkings to hunt Deer and Elk from 200 yards on out to about 800 yards. WHAT SHOULD I DO GUYS????

 

[cliffe]

for h4350 50 grains would be alot most guns shoot well with 47-49 grains. have you done any ladder type testing? cliffe

 

[Scott Harris]

How bout you use a hunting bullet for hunting? 140Gr Sierra SBT Gameking. I'm sure it would be great for both elk and deer.

Nothing but rave reviews on Midway: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=187880

 

[brianc74]

I have been trying all the hunting bullets out, with no success. I shot today 70 rounds from 6am till 5pm, best groups 1.50 inches at 200 yards. I have all the reloading goodies and have guns that shoot one hole at 200 yards. I think that the barrel may be BAD. I have 150 round count and the copper fouling is still real bad. The Barrel is a Schnieder pollygon 1-8 twist #5.5 29" long. Please I can use any help.

 

[bozo699]

brianc74,
Some guy's get by with game kings for elk,I think you would be ok on the thin skinned animals like deer but elk?? I have allways had trouble w/bergers they do shoot but they are finikie. What is your twist rate? did you double check to see if in fact it is 1:8? you might try 120 through 130 grain bullets. Mine shoots the 130 accubonds with h-4831sc I think 52.5 grains (not sure though without checking records) I suggest trying a good hunting bullet play with seating depth,that can be key,mine was a 1" shooter untill I set it back .014 off the lands 1/4"- now it also may not like it as hot as you are trying to go mine like's around 2950fps-2980 fps. It sounds like you are using a chronograph (good)
That is inportant to see if it likes powder/primers/carbon fouling/ect. Clean your barrel real good concetrate on the throat it may have a build up of carbon> And then when you are not upset w/the gun anymore go out and try it again. Best of luck to you , let us know how it turns out for you.
Wayne.

 

[JRS]

Not the same case as yours, but I get great accuracy from my 264 Win Mag with the A frames. My best accuracy has been with 59 grains of MRP @ an average of 3058 fps. This with the factory 9 twist barrel.

It also strikes like the hammer of Thor.

 

[15Tango]

Brian,

If your barrel's that fouled out you need to get some JB paste in there and maybe some Sweets. If the thing's too fouled out to shoot well all you can do is get it clean. JB is great stuff, I use Sweets pretty much just as an indicator if there's still copper fouling.

Wayne

 

[brianc74]

I talked to Steve at Schneider Barrels. Steve thinks that I cut the barrel off at the crown to close to the end, and that I may still have some of the tooling marks at the last 1 inch. I will cut off 1.5 inches at the crown and reshoot.

 

[clannagael]

I'm with scotharr, Sierra prints it in nice large letters in their reloading manual that matchkings aren't for hunting.

From Sierra's website:

Q: Can I use a MatchKing bullet for deer hunting? They shoot just great in my rifle, so they should be just super for hunting use, right?

A: No, it's not recommended. The MatchKing bullets are designed for pinpoint accuracy; with no consideration given to what might happen after impact. If the bullet has arrived on target accurately, its job is done at that point. Hunting bullets must perform in a certain manner after impact. Penetrating ability, expansion characteristics, and even profile must be considered when designing a hunting bullet. Use MatchKings for matches, and game bullets for hunting.

It would be akin to using a bow with field points instead of broad heads.

Dave

 

[bozo699]

The auther of the post was asking about 142smk for elk hunting bullets,accurate they are hunting bullets they are not.accuracy is very important but having the right projectile for a clean kill is even more important!!! With that being said the auther also said out to 800 yards. IMO a 6.5 cal hunting rifle isn't a elk round period they are a very hard animal to drop with a .338 no less a fast flying .264 with a hollow point bullet that if you happen to hit the animal square on the shoulder it will explode on impact,make a large superfishal wound,won't die right away maybe not @ all but will be to weak to make it through the hard winter months.Most and I want to reiterate MOST people can't repeatably hit paper @ 800 yards no less a living moving animal!!! Somtime's I personally think the worst thing to ever happen to the hunting world was the advent of the affordable lazer range finder and best of the west videos! now every tom dick and harry think they can buy a range finder and a fancy scope and kill animals @ 1000+ yards. I am no animal rights activist I am a land owner and avid hunter and have killed @ some pretty long ranges all I am saying you are shooting @ one of GODS living breathing animals and you need to be SURE when you pull that trigger That you and your equipment are capable of a clean kill. No offense is meant Towards anyone I just thought that this needed said. Now with this being said you can just about cleanly kill a deer with a good pellet gun howsomever a ELK is a different story you need a quality HUNTING bullet for them.
Thanks.
Wayne.

 

[brianc74]

Guys, I Have killed 23 Elk in my 36 years on this planet, 18 being 5x5 or larger bulls. I know what it takes to put the animal down quickly and what my limits are. I am having problems with the barrel and the Gamekings are the only hunting bullets the barrel will shoot. I have 2000 Matchkings in 142, just thought I would ask if they have been used with success. I did not want to tick off all the people who have never even knocked an Elk down before. I have hunted with the big magnums before, and as you all know you never want the punishment all the time when you shoot. I am more lethal with a rifle that has less kick and that I am comfortable shooting all the time, for rockchucks on up to ELK.

 

[bozo699]

Brianc74,
I and I don't think anyone else is trying to tick you off,you ask a question and we have tried to answer it to the best of our abilities.I have been hunting elk for 37 or 38 years myself and plan on another 20 years or so. Will a 142 smk kill a elk? absolutly, a Bull elephant? absolutly with a very well placed bullet. I and many others just don't think it is a optimal elk round thats all. good luck with your endeavers.
Wayne.

 

[canuck]

I can tell by a number of the responses that some of these people are simply guessing what will happen. Many times you can't be sure how a bullet will react until you try it. I have seen target bullets which made a pin-hole in our large canadian black bears and I have seen hunting bullets which blew up on impact.The premium hunting bullets are a lot more expensive but also a lot more predictable in how they will penetrate and OPEN up.A good hunting bullet will do both. The high sectional density of a 142 grain 6.5mm bullet will have no problem penetrating a large animal as long as the bullet isn't too soft.Many an elephant( 100's if not thousands) has been shot with the 6.5x55.

 

[brianc74]

I think there is to much guessing going on here. That is not what I was looking for. I do not want to try a bullet on an animal, just to see if it will work. That is why I was asking the question. I was looking for the people who had tried these bullets on LG game, and the end result. I wanted their experiences. For the guys that have done this in a positive manner(THANKYOU). All you other guys, maybe you would be better suited on a RELIGEOUS and POLITICAL FORUM. So you can give your opinion that you can't back up with an experince of your own.

 

[JRS]

When someone with the reputation and success that SIERRA has enjoyed for many years states the match bullets are NOT designed for hunting, it isn't an opinionated statement. Quite simply, it's a fact. if you plan to use guess work and experimentation on animals with bullets designed for punching holes in paper, you have no business in the hunting arena. If you are trying to add fuel to the fire and give the anti hunters more ammunition to use against us with your unethical means of hunting, you're doing a splendid job.

 

[canuck]

Ok, these responses are just getting silly.The OP is criticising people for " experimenting" but that is eactly the opinion he is asking for: FOR people who have tried them". The really experienced hunters here will know exactly what I am talking about. Many times one won't know how a bullet reacts without TRYING them. The reason is this; bullets will behave differently at different velocities. Also the manufacturer changes specs on bullets from time to time etc etc.I have used so called "hunting bullets" which after trying them in the field proved anything but a good hunting bullet. The only way to know for sure is through EXPERIMENTATION. If you know another fool-proof way I would love to hear about it.
I have also seen certain target bullets which worked fantastic ( much better than so called hunting bullets) as hunting bullets even though the manufacturer states clearly they are not for hunting.

 

[clannagael]

Ok, these responses are just getting silly.The OP is criticising people for " experimenting" but that is eactly the opinion he is asking for: FOR people who have tried them". The really experienced hunters here will know exactly what I am talking about. Many times one won't know how a bullet reacts without TRYING them. The reason is this; bullets will behave differently at different velocities. Also the manufacturer changes specs on bullets from time to time etc etc.I have used so called "hunting bullets" which after trying them in the field proved anything but a good hunting bullet. The only way to know for sure is through EXPERIMENTATION. If you know another fool-proof way I would love to hear about it.
I have also seen certain target bullets which worked fantastic ( much better than so called hunting bullets) as hunting bullets even though the manufacturer states clearly they are not for hunting.

Sorry, I can't go along with this logic. I can't even follow it. We're not talking about whether a bowl is dishwasher safe. You're suggesting that the only way to know something for sure through experimental evidence. In this case you're suggesting that someone experiment on a living animal with a bullet clearly designated for target shooting only simply to satisfy your curiosity, even though there are better, proven options available. That's plainly stupid - there's no other way to call it.

You go on to say that the OP is looking for someone with experience, which implies that someone at some point did exactly that: experimented on a live animal, namely an elk with a target bullet. :-[

Ethics and hunting experiments just don't go together. Ever. JRS is absolutely correct - this is the kind of ridiculous stuff that gets the anti-hunters all riled up and the trot it out as their prominent example of the unethical behavior of the entire group. :'(

If you want to experiment like this then go buy a block of ballistics gelatin and shoot away, but don't do it on an elk just so you can say "Nope, didn't work."

 

[clannagael]

By the way, this topic is cross-posted in the Hunting category. In general, it's not useful or recommended to cross-post the same question to multiple categories.

Regards,
Dave

 

[canuck]

You are quite correct; you clearly do not get it.
A lab cannot determine what will happen in the field. It can only give an educated guestimate
Incidently, I have shot/harvested hundreds of large game animals with only losing one. I think that speakers for itself. What is your experience?

 

[clannagael]

You are quite correct; you clearly do not get it.
A lab cannot determine what will happen in the field.

Oh, thank goodness I know that now. I'll keep that in mind when working with pesticides.