Is this common? SMK

[Varminator 911]

I guess I don't see the point in using a SMK if there is a good hunting bullet that will do the same job, is accurate, and has nearly the same bc. There isn't currently a good hunting bullet that will do what the 300 SMK will do. But in 308 and smaller calibers there are good hunting bullets, the Accubond being one, that will do what the SMK will do ballistically(or fairly close) and are more consistent on game. Sure you could argue the 240 SMK has no equal in 308 for bc. But not the lighter SMK.

I'm not knocking anyone who feels otherwise. And I really appreciate everyone sharing their experience. It seems that the people seeing inconsistent performance with SMK aren't alone. That tells me all I need to know about these bullets.

Thanks again and good hunting to all!!

 

[AJ Peacock]

+1 Varminator.

You can't group all the SMK's together. The 338 300gr SMK is a completely different animal than the smaller/lighter SMK's when shot at high velocity from the big 338's. Even if it performed poorly and shed 50% of it's weight, 150gr's are still traveling through the animal (after 50% of the KE has been dumped).

I've only seen 2 elk hit with 300SMK's and neither one lived more than a few seconds. Each shot was a little longer than 500yds, which equates to about 5300 ft lbs at the animal from the 338 Allen Mag. Although it's only a sample size of 2, 2 out of 2 ain't bad.

AJ

 

[Boss Hoss]

+1 Varminator.

You can't group all the SMK's together. The 338 300gr SMK is a completely different animal than the smaller/lighter SMK's when shot at high velocity from the big 338's. Even if it performed poorly and shed 50% of it's weight, 150gr's are still traveling through the animal (after 50% of the KE has been dumped).

I've only seen 2 elk hit with 300SMK's and neither one lived more than a few seconds. Each shot was a little longer than 500yds, which equates to about 5300 ft lbs at the animal from the 338 Allen Mag. Although it's only a sample size of 2, 2 out of 2 ain't bad.

AJ

Ahhhh Thank You!! Each SMK is indeed different so you need to understand the jacket thickness plus what your impact velocity will be (approximately) for an extreme example --- one would have to be an idiot to use the 155 SMK in a 30-378 UNLESS the closest shot would be at 500 yards.. That is not a good example of utilization of BC but you will get the idea about impact velocity. A 155 SMK would at 50 yards explode like a grenade upon impact if shot at full potential out of the big 30-378!! Would not be pretty!!

 

[Boss Hoss]

I guess I don't see the point in using a SMK if there is a good hunting bullet that will do the same job, is accurate, and has nearly the same bc. There isn't currently a good hunting bullet that will do what the 300 SMK will do. But in 308 and smaller calibers there are good hunting bullets, the Accubond being one, that will do what the SMK will do ballistically(or fairly close) and are more consistent on game. Sure you could argue the 240 SMK has no equal in 308 for bc. But not the lighter SMK.

I'm not knocking anyone who feels otherwise. And I really appreciate everyone sharing their experience. It seems that the people seeing inconsistent performance with SMK aren't alone. That tells me all I need to know about these bullets.

Thanks again and good hunting to all!!

I understand your point and much of my logic centers around my competition rifle chamberings---use the same reamers for the sporters -- same dies--same bullets -- same powders, same everything just smaller taper tubes, different stocks and in most cases dfferent actions. Not everything is this way but it works with me and I am one of those who has point up dies for meplats and uniform them if I dont lol..

 

[Charles A]

I wonder if you were to uniform the meplat of the smk what the terminal performance would be then. It sounds like the inconsistant expansion is comming from there.

Uniforming the Meplates would improve the consistency of SMK's upsetting.

Here is a picture I just took showing the inconsistency of the tips-

In my experience the ones that look like the left bullet perform very well, opening quickly and consistently. The ones that look like the middle bullet penetrate a couple inches before upsetting but are consistent in doing so. The ones on the right are the potential problems. They are the only ones I have seen that will penetrate very deeply with little to no upset. They don't do it every time, or even most of the time but the only SMK's that have had noticeably less tissue damage were the ones with obstructions in the tips......

 

[yobuck]

Can't say I shoot through brush....

living, and i assume hunting in the east, i cant see how its possible to avoid some brush. at our camp, in n/c pa. we can shoot from our front yard, to a sidehill across the valley. typical of the area, with distances from about 400 to about 1400 yds. we shoot hundreds of rounds each year at rocks on that hill. but come spring, and thru the summer, its off limits due to foilage. you cant even see the ground over there. come fall of coarse the leaves fall to the ground, but the branches dont. now im not advocating shooting thru pole timber. but fact is weather you are aware of it or not, brush is a problem. try glassing for example without finding a clearing to work from. what your looking thru, is what your shooting thru, on the opposite side. our experience has shown its a bigger problem for some bullets than it is others. so bullet selection for long range hunting involves more than the best accuracy, the best b/c, and even which one shows the best expansion on game. its got to get there first. theres no doubt, some of the near misses are caused by deflection. also some hits not seen by the spotter, are because they didnt arrive. i became involved in this at a time when bullet selection was minimal, and velocity was king. it still is to my mind, but those big bullets just may well be the answer.

 

[davewilson]

Yobuk, would your name ryme with Bernie?

 

[longrangebob]

OH boy should I write???, I have enjoyed reading this post .... but find myself agreeing with most of the information presented .. typically I hunt with larger than 30 cal, but have found that the ole 165 Ballistic tip to be ideal on deer, but expand so quickly that I would not use them on bigger game unless in larger cal. (.338 or 358) where the heavier jacket ******* the expansion ....
I have loved North Forks and HT's {when they were available} but a friend of mine has been using SMKs and while I have seen the inconsistancy mentioned ... they never have failed to bring down the game and dispatch it immediately....
After I have used up my vast array of hunting bullets ... (should be before I hit 100 yrs.) I will stay with Barnes TSX's in 6.5 and smaller calibers but use SMK's exclusively for the heavier ones ...
I had great results (1 shot = immediate kill and drop_) on 700 yd. + antelope with 200 gr. BT from my .340 going 3290 with less than .450 MOA now the buggers discontinued the round .... aaarrrrgggghhhh.
But looking forward to using the 300 SMK from my 338 Rogue. LRB

 

[yobuck]

Yobuk, would your name ryme with Bernie?

yes it would, but i dont know anybody from pennsyltucky, so clue me in.