Sierra SMK going to TMK what to expect?

[Lefty Trigger]

I have been playing around with some Sierra SMK 175gr in my 308 and a friend gave me a box of the tipped match kings (TMK) to play with. There is just a little over a hundred to try, so will these change my load by much?

 

[Twoboxer]

I switched from 168gr SMKs to 175gr TMKs in 30-06. The only performance surprise was they ran noticeably faster MVs than I expected.

 

[grovey]

My only experience was with the 155's, and they shot like crap in my rifle.

 

[CADDIE5]

308win load was the same whether 175smk or tmk with my 30" 1-10 hvy Palma kreiger barrel. 43.6 imr4895 or 43.6 varget with wolf primer shot well for me in lr competition. It liked .020" jump.

 

[cw308]

I shoot the Sierra 168 gr MK was thinking of trying the TMK , I seat with the Redding Competition Seating Die and the tipped match king may need a different stem in the die to accommodate the tip. The 168MK shoots great for me so I'm gonna stick with it. The Hornsdy A-max is another tipped bullet that shoots well also. Nothing wrong with giving the TMK a try , if someone gave me a box I would too.

 

[243winxb]

.224" diameter.Very different bullets, if yours are like this? The TMK is longer and the boatail is different.

Work up a new loading.

 

[Zero333]

I use the same load for 168 smk and 168 TMK in 308win with 43.5 Varget.

Identical group size but COAL is much longer with the TMK because of it's short bearing surface.

I like the 168 tmk short bearing surface because the one 308 I shoot them in has short freebore and works out very nicely with them.

 

[Texas10]

I switched from SMK to TMK in my 223 and it shot like crap but I initially used the same loading as the SMK. Once I developed the TMK properly, shot great out to 750 yds. Very flat shooting.

 

[nmkid]

I'm using them in my .223 and have been happy with them. Matter of fact...They shoot pretty good.

 

[jrb572]

I tried to switch to the 30 cal 175s in my rifle. I could not get them to shoot well for me. So I sold them off.

 

[STOMP442]

I love the 175 TMKs in a .308. They are very accurate and they have proven to be a very effective big game bullet as well, on deer, and even elk.

 

[Rsadams]

I was told by Sierra , they have more bearing surface and to back the load down 2-3/10s and work back up , and they don't like to jump like the SMK....