200 gr Match Kings,...Good for Elk at long ranges?????

[hillajam]

I have a 300 WM and I'm shooting 200gr Sierra Match Kings. Anyone have any experiance shooting Elk with these bullets and do you all think they are a good choice?

 

[lovdasnow]

a lot of guys on here hunt with them, and have had great results. I'm sure someone will chime in here, but if not try the search button.

this has been discussed a lot! have a good one...

 

[screech]

with what i have seen i would use them but have not done so.

 

[dakor]

I talked my buddy into using them this year and I tried the berger 210gr. He shot a few deer in the 4 to 500 yard range the bullets worked great. Then we went to Wyoming and we shot our cow Elk at the same time at 279 yards. He shot his cow through the front shoulder and she dropped right were she stood. I shot mine in the lungs and it went about 10 yards and fell over. We found his 200 smk resting against the off side shoulder. I knew I should have kept the bullet myself until I got a picture of it and weighed it but he kept it and lost it. If I were to guess it probably weighed in the 70gr range and the core was still in the jacket. My bullet exited. His muzzle velocity was 2850fps. I would use either the 200smk or 210Berger for elk and not lose sleep over it.

 

[hillajam]

Thanks for the reply dakor. I was just wondering if I was going to need to switch to a partition or something if I get to go after a big bull because we all know a big bull is much bigger in body mass and bone structure than a cow. I just thought I might need something meatier if I say hit a shoulder bone on entrance. What are your thoughts.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I used the 200g SMK on a big black bear out of my 300 RUM doing 3200fps. Shot was 200-250 yards and the bullet entered point of shoulder. It was pretty messy and the bullet did not exit. Instead I found it about 3/4 of the way through and the biggest piece I found weighed like 30g. Based on a shoulder shot perspective, I would not use the 200g SMK, maybe the 220g SMK. I was planning on using the 200g SMK for elk myself, but after that experience, I switched to the 200g AB and had great results with that bullet. I am a shoulder shooter so I need a somewhat tough bullet, not the toughest, but I dont need a bullet that loses that much weight when hitting bone. I'm sure things might have been different penetration wise if the range was 500+, but I took what I had.

 

[dakor]

I guess it all comes down to what you are confident in. I am sure I will get tore up for this but people over exaggerate the size of animals. Yes a Bull is going to be bigger than a cow but how much? I would bet the avearage would be about 80lbs. I shot a huge Cow I mean huge she was really old and she probably went 500 to 600lbs. The guy we were hunting with told me the hinds would weigh 100lbs each cut at the nuckle. Well I must be strong because I took a hind on one shoulder and a front on the other when we crossed the river to get back to the trail head. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I weighed the hinds when I got home and they weighed about 55lbs a piece cut at the knuckle and with the hide off. The guy we hunted with has shot probably 70 Elk or more so he does have some experience with Elk. That just shows how people over estimate size. Getting back to your question I myself would have no problem using the 200smk or 210Berger on a bull Elk and hitting the shoulder. My friends was shot at 279 yards the farther out you get the better the bullet is going to hold up.

 

[linksmechanic]

My buddy shot our bull at 300 yards w/ a 30-06 180 grain core lokt from the 70's. Ran 20 yards and died.

 

[philny1]

Guess I'm kinda hard headed and can't quite understand WHY anyone would want to hunt with a bullet whose performance is questionable on game. Is the accuracy potential of the SMK that superior to the Accubond, TSX, SGK. I've been using the TSX without complaints, no problem smackin' em in the shoulder. Hear so much about the NA I'm thinking about giving them a try. But I still keep an open mind for what works for the other guy.

 

[dakor]

Bearless I can assure you that the SMK is a lot tougher then the SGK. The gamekings are softer then a B-tip if you ask me. We are talking long range here a TSX will not perform at long range like a matchking the bc's are low on the TSX and after they start losing there speed you are going to find they are not going to open. The Accudbond is a great bullet as well and the seem to shoot and have a great bc. I for one do not believe people when they say they have had a bullet blow up on a elk shoulder and never make it into the body. I want to see pics most of the time guys say that and never got the so called Elk How do they know they didnt shoot low into the leg instead of the shoulder. My buddys bullet went through that cows shoulder like nothing and she dropped like a rock never took a step we found the bullet under the offside shouler I guess what more do you want? Top that off with that 200smk shooting 1/4moa out of his factory REM 700 SPS. Use what you are confident lots of guys here use the SMK's I use them to but I also really like how the Berger VlD's performed for me this year so I am sticking with them.

 

[LRHWAL]

Dakor, where are you seating those VLD's relative to the lands? Thanks.

Wim

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

Berger actually recomends his bullets for elk size game. I talked with Eric I believe was his name and he said the bottom line was to use a bullet that YOUR comfortable with. I told him I didn't know if I would use the 7mm 168g VLD on elk based on weight retention. He said his bullets are designed to give bomb like expansion. He said they would definately do the job on elk, but if I was 2nd guessing them, to use what I had the utmost confidence in. I opted to use the 175g SGK, and had good results, but I could have had a little more expansion. I am going to stick with either the 162g amax or 168g vld for all around in my 7 RM.

 

[dakor]

I am ten off the lands using 77gr of Retumbo MV 2905fps no pressure. The rifle is a stock Sako TRG-S with a 26inch tube. Here is a pic of what it shoots like at 865 yards off the bipod with a rear sack.

Here is the pic of the exit on my Cow.

Rem you worry to much about the Berger. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I can shoot through a piece of 3/8inch steel plate that is hanging I might add at 600 yards with the 105gr out of my 6-284, the 180gr out of my 7mm STW, and the 210gr out of my 300win. Granted it is not that hard of steel but it is a lot harder then a Elk shoulder bone. I would stay away from the A-max for Elk size game they are pretty soft and the 175SGK I was told by Rich at Sierra not to try bust bone with it.

 

[30-06 boy]

i shot 1000 yard benchrest for a few years at williamsport pa.there are quite a few"seasoned" shooters that long range hunt.what do most use for slugs?????????sierra matchkings.they have used them for years.many different calibers i have to add too.i personally think they get a bad rap for coming apart at close range(0-300 yards)wile being shot at laser like speed.these bullets work well past 500 yards as they are slowing down and the expansion is not as violent.thus they perform well.i use the 200smk in my 300wm over imr 7828 at 2875 fps. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gifmy .02