SMK match king 80 gr vs Berger 80.5 full-bore vs Berger 80.5 target

[rebs]

Has anyone compared these bullets ? Particularly at 300 yds

 

[USMCDOC]

Has anyone compared these bullets ? Particularly at 300 yds

been using the Nosler 80's at that distance with good results..

 

[NZ_Fclass]

I doubt there's a lot of difference - it's down to what your rifle likes. Mine still prefers the Hornady A-Max 75g
Looks like I'm in for a lot of testing at distance.

 

[rebs]

how much difference does it make in accuracy if the SMK's are pointed

 

[SSchnd]

The pointed SMK 80 to me was a better bullet in the wind for Service Rifle 600 yards by a touch at Camp Perry compared to the old 80 HPBT non pointed and easy to tune up a load. The Nosler CC 80 on my bench have been there for years after switching to green box 80's. At the time my ability to shoot 600 was fine for the N80CC. When Nosler did club buys and bullets were at great to reasonable prices I used N52/69/77 & 80's.
Currently by 600 yard line ammo is a Berger 80.5 FB either -.010 to -.030 off lands. A buddy runs his B80.5 -130thou off in one upper.
I am currently trying to use the B80.5 for MR F T/R for a first match in factory TR rifle with a short 223 chamber. Its shooting well during testing.
10 off round group, 30 off more of a flat group. All touching same hole.
Long Story Short, I am fond of the SMK and Berger. Nosler pricing themselves out my market.
Hornady ELDM may another consideration if you like the Amax from past.

 

[chkunz]

I doubt there's a lot of difference - it's down to what your rifle likes. Mine still prefers the Hornady A-Max 75g
Looks like I'm in for a lot of testing at distance.

Same here. I found the 80 SMK made a good direct substitute. I did significant testing from the bench at 100 yards. Then several 20 shot matches at 600 yards. The 75 A MAX may have slightly better wind drift.

 

[Cfshooter]

Here was a 317 yard test I did with a few heavies.

 

[rebs]

Thank you guys for the replies. I am shooting a Tikka bolt gun and looks like I'll stay with the Berger 80.5 FB with Varget

 

[urbanrifleman]

I have customers send me groups all the time. All of those bullets are quite good but apparently that Berger 80.5 is something special.

 

[SSchnd]

Latest Boogies from a recent test in stock savage

 

[Longtrain]

Back in the early 2000’s, 80 SMK’s were the go to for 600 yards in XTC. They shot well, but as Amax’s, Nosler’s and Berger’s started to move in, they all found a bit of a following.

I found the Nosler’s pretty much matched SMK’s, the Hornady 75 Amax outshot their 80 grain counterpart and Berger with only their VLD was too much work to get to shoot well. Once they came out with their 80.5 Fullbore, it left everyone in the dust, they shot well enough to be considered a F-T/R bullet and I found them very accurate. Berger stability for this bullet wanted something faster then a 1:8 twist, but I had no problem. If you can tune your rifle to the 80.5’s IMO it’s probably the best 80 grain class bullet out there.

 

[USMCDOC]

i had a lot of success with the Hornaday 75 Amax all the way out to 900 yards.. it just didn't have enough for the Grand though

 

[jpjulian]

The great thing about the Sierra 80 SMK was how easy it is to get it to fly well. Seating depth could be at the lands or jumped a bunch. Didn't seem to really matter all that much. Same thing with powder charge. In our service rifles the norm has been to determine your short line load then seat the 80 SMK over that charge for 600. I couldn't see any difference on target with the Bergers. Of course my rifles, my game & me jerking to go button. YMMV......

 

[jelenko]

The great thing about the Sierra 80 SMK was how easy it is to get it to fly well. Seating depth could be at the lands or jumped a bunch. Didn't seem to really matter all that much. Same thing with powder charge. In our service rifles the norm has been to determine your short line load then seat the 80 SMK over that charge for 600. I couldn't see any difference on target with the Bergers. Of course my rifles, my game & me jerking to go button. YMMV......

I think the key difference is in the better BC with the Berger.

I do seem to get a bit smaller groups with the Bergers at 100 yards but not enough to care about.

 

[Laurie]

I think the key difference is in the better BC with the Berger.

Bryan Litz Ballistic Performance of Rifle Bullets 3rd Edition average G7 BCs over 3,000 to 1,500 fps

0.224 Berger 80.5gn Target BT Fullbore - 0.226

0.224 Berger 80gn Target VLD - 0.233

0.224 Sierra 80gn MatchKing (unpointed version) - BC 0.221

............................................................(pointed version) - 0.235

The two Bergers and pointed SMK also have extremely small BC variations across that speed range.

So far as I'm concerned, choice depends on price, availability, ease of tuning, and how well each model shoots in the rifle. I've moved over to the SMK these days for 200-500 yards 'F'.

 

[Sumtoc]

Shot the 80 gr SMK XTC for years at 600 yds. Easy to load, reliable at that distance with the conventional target. Switched to F-Class and tried all bullets mentioned and one not mentioned. The Berger 85.5 gr Hybrid, the hands down winner IMO. Shot a 200-17 at 600 yds during tuner testing on an F-class target. Try some.