First experience with match type bullet on game

[mark223]

Lake City military match 7.62 NATO, commonly called "white box", is 173 gr FMJBT ammo and used as issued is a good round for it's intended purpose, which is competition and combat. However it is not a good civilian type hunting round. If it hits a significant bone it "might" tumble and cause some extreme tissue damage but it will usually make the typical pencil type wound channel. It is common "knowledge" that if you are in need of a hunting type soft point bullet you can pull the bullet and put it back into the case backwards creating a soft point. I have never hunted with it reversed but I have tried it on paper targets at 50 and 100 yards. It looks as though it might work but the accuracy went from approx. 1 MOA in it's normal configuration to 5 to 8 MOA when the projo is reversed. However at this rather close range I did not see any signs of the bullet being unstable.

 

[milo-2]

did you check the pointed meplat to ensure it was open? I do that step when running a few other pointed match bullets in my (or buddies) hunting rifles. 6mm 110 SMK,.

I have shot this bullet exclusively in 6mm for 3yrs, steel. I myself would never consider it for hunting, and would build a hybrid load if I needed to hunt with that rifle.
When you say ensure it is open, do you alter if not? If by chance you do open it up, how does it do?
I would love to be able to hand someone a rifle shooting this bullet to shoot a deer, I just wont. Change my mind, lol

 

[palerider3]

It would be really nice if someone would quote Sierra bullets on more time where they say "not for hunting"....
I don't know why FMJ bullets started into this thread and someone brought up Remington core lokts even. If you don't understand people using match bullets but you hunt back east and shoot whitetails at 80 yards you might be on the wrong forum. Many of us out west hunt with match bullets because they expand at much lower velocities than most "hunting" bullets. This topic comes up over and over and you constantly see people saying that if it says "match" on the box you shouldn't use it hunting. As if every item can only have one use. Open your mind a little, and stop criticising people for using what works for them. Especially when you have no experience with it, or you're suggesting to turn bullets around or shoot Core Lokts on a long range hunting site or other bologna like that. Newsflash, tipped match bullets kill things faster than most "hunting" bullets.

 

[Deleted member 48126]

^ Corelokts are Bologna?

Hey broseph, you clearly did not read or comprehend the OPs question. Open your mind and recognize that others have different experiences. No one was Criticizing anyone on this thread until you showed up. Get out of here with your Bologna.

 

[lancetkenyon]

I have shot this bullet exclusively in 6mm for 3yrs, steel. I myself would never consider it for hunting, and would build a hybrid load if I needed to hunt with that rifle.
When you say ensure it is open, do you alter if not? If by chance you do open it up, how does it do?
I would love to be able to hand someone a rifle shooting this bullet to shoot a deer, I just wont. Change my mind, lol

#60 wire bit for the .257" 131gr Blackjack Ace. The Blackjack seemed even more pointed than the pointed SMKs.

The 6.5mm 150 SMK on pronghorn. I just checked the existing hole with a small probe to ensure it was not clogged, no drilling of the pointed tip. Pronghorn dropped like a sack of hammers without a single twitch. That "whop" sounds was incredible at impact.

Exit hole on an elk shot @ 882 yards with the 7mm 183 SMK, tipped just checked. Bull went 40-50 yards before noseplanting at a full run.

Although, I shoot the 105 Hybrid in my 6CM @ 3101fps. This year's pronghorn dropped just as fast @ 450ish yards. Bullet did not exit, but was just under the hide on the backside. Shot was a bit low as I could not get an exact range on him, but got a yucca he was behind. Heart shot however.

 

[Deleted member 48126]

@lancetkenyon that antelope isn't dead enough.

 

[LVJ76]

@lancetkenyon that antelope isn't dead enough.

Agreed.

 

[LVJ76]

My son shot a whitetail deer last weekend, and it's the first time I've used a match type bullet on a game animal. Just wondering what everyone's experience with this is and if what happened to us is typical? He was shooting a semi custom .308 that I traded for using factory federal premium ammunition. The bullet was a 175 grain Sierra match king.

The deer appeared about 300 yards away, and I was ranging him to tell him how much to dial, he started walking towards us. He ended up stopping at 110 yards, quartering hard to us. My son made a perfect shot, hitting him in the point of the right shoulder. The bullet broke the shoulder blade in half, liquefied the heart, clipped a lung, and came to rest in the paunch.

The deer actually turned and ran about 15 or 20 yards and tipped over and fell. He kicked a few times and jumped back up, stood broadside, and just as I told my son to send another one, the deer fell back down and died for good. All my hunting experience has been with some type of tipped bullet, and I've never had this happen. All well placed shots have been DRT. This bullet did it's job as the bone and vitals were destroyed, but I'm not happy that the animal was able to run off. Is this typical for an SMK bullet, or did this deer just have an extreme will to live?

I am curious as to why you tried a match bullet.

I can't comment on the performance of any match bullet in a hunting situation as I have not tried them, buy then I do3nt have the need to, at least not yet.

I hunt with a 7mm-08 and a 7mm Rem Mag and I only use hunting bullets for both. My max range I set for myself is 600m and at this range I don't need a match bullet. The Hornady SST is the bullet I used the most and with great success.

I know many use match or target Berger bullets because at long range they work great but they can blow up at close range just like many hunting bullets as well. Other are designed for close range and won't expand at longer distances.

If you are happy with the results you can use them again or not, its up to you based pn the feedback ypu have received here.

There are so many options when it comes to bullets now it's crazy. I've been hunting for a long time and with different bullets. I've seen deer drop in their tracks, and with the same shot placement and same bullet I've sen them run. This has happened to me on Coues deer, these small critters are tough to kill. I once hit one on the shoulder, blew the lungs away and part of the heart and he ran for a little over 100 yds, he was dead but did not want to give up.

For the Hunting Moral Police out there, its proven some match bullets work for hunting purposes. It's a free country and people can hunt with whatever bullet they want, whether you like it or not its their decision to make, not ours.

 

[KyCarl]

Why does everyone that doesn't get agreed with.. Get their knickers in a wad?
Everyone is so sensitive..Personally I do just as I please and really don't give a hoot
what the rest of you do or think...I compare information and carry on.....
Just like anywhere there is stuff here you agree with and stuff you feel is bunk?
Just because it's posted by someone does not make it fact!

 

[Deleted member 48126]

Try an eldm in that rifle and you will have better results. Some match bullets are great hunting bullets some aren't. .308 155gr lapua scenars do not work on game, same experience as ur 175smk.

I have a buddy who uses 147 grain ELDMs for deer hunting. The deer normally have golf ball or larger sized exit holes. I can get ELDMs grouped as well as the SMK, so I will probably switch over to them for hunting.

what's the difference between the ELDM and ELDX??

 

[LVJ76]

I have a buddy who uses 147 grain ELDMs for deer hunting. The deer normally have golf ball or larger sized exit holes. I can get ELDMs grouped as well as the SMK, so I will probably switch over to them for hunting.

what's the difference between the ELDM and ELDX??

From what I've read the X has a thinner jacket bot better expansion but not sure and red they dont group as well as the M, reason why many go with the M

 

[KyCarl]

Match=M
Expanding=X
As to their differences you could section one of each and just see!

 

[Deleted member 48126]

Match=M
Expanding=X
As to their differences you could section one of each and just see!

thanks Kycarl. Lol

I knew that much about them. Bullet construction looks the same on the Hornady box. I'll probably section them. Thats a good idea.

 

[LVJ76]

thanks Kycarl. Lol

I knew that much about them. Bullet construction looks the same on the Hornady box. I'll probably section them. Thats a good idea.

Please share pics if you do