Sierra MatchKing in 30-06, 175gr vs. 180gr

[Jeffersonian]

Hello all I am newer to reloading and am considering the 180gr or the 175gr SMK bullets loaded into .30-06. Any experience as to whether one or the other is better all around, or perhaps in one aspect?

I would be shooting paper out to 600yds

 

[whatsupdoc]

Sierra discontinued the 180 MK

 

[Jeffersonian]

Sierra discontinued the 180 MK

Oh didn’t know that. I have 2 boxes from the 90s though

 

[Ned Ludd]

The BCs of those two bullets are essentially a wash, so with the extra 5 gr weight and resultant reduction in velocity with the 180, I'd suggest using the ones you have for reloading and shooting practice, but to focus your efforts on the 175s. The 175 SMK is an older design and there are certainly newer bullets in the same weight class that have slightly improved performance. However, there is nothing at all wrong with the 175 SMK. They can shoot very, very, very well when loaded properly. I have fired many 175s at 600 yd using a .308 Win, and with the added boiler room, the .30-06 ought to have noticeably better performance. The 175 SMK is a tangent ogive bullet, very forgiving to load/tune, and you should have no difficulty finding a wide variety of reloading recipes for it in the .30-06 at various powder manufacturer's websites. It should be a great bullet to hone your reloading skill

 

[AckleymanII]

I hope you are using Lapua '06 brass.