Who uses SMKs for hunting?

[CRNA]

I know that Sierra states that their SMKs are not hunting bullets, but I have read on occasion where people use the SMKs for hunting. For the folks that use them to hunt with, what are your experiences with the bullet? Thanks for the advice as always.

 

[pablo]

Last October I took my son on his first big game hunt for antelope in Wyoming. When we were getting ready to go I discovered that we hadn't done any load development on 6.5 130 vld Berger hunting bullets I had bought a few months before. He and I talked about it and decided we would go with our 120 SMK prairie dog loads. He shot an antelope at 470yds that was quartering away. The bullet went in behind the ribs on the right side, nicked the front of the stomach, cut a half inch groove in the heart and exited through the off shoulder. Looking at the heart and off shoulder it didn't expand very much. It doesn't take much to kill an antelope and we discussed the possibility of a close range shot. We agreed if the antelope was close he was not to shoot it through the shoulder. After being hit this antelope walked about 75 yards, circled once, stood and wobbled and fell over. He bled out in the chest cavity.

 

[Camshaft]

I shot a 380lb hog with a 240smk out of my rum at a touch over 400yards. I never recovered the bullet but it did leave a tennis ball size exit would. It was a double lung shot. At least I assume it was I never could find his lungs only a but of spaghetti sauce looking stuff.

 

[captacademy]

I've shot deer, antelope and a slew of African plaines game with a 338 RUM, using a 250 grn SMK. All one shot kills from 100 yards to 620 yards. Animals from 125lbs to 800lbs.

 

[MTBULLET]

as a famous gun pundit once wrote "let a lot of air in, and a lot of blood out", any projectile that does that will kill an animal. It's a question of "should I " when it comes to using a target bullet on game animals. IMHO if you need the extra accuracy (at long range)of the match type bullet to make the kill shot, you need to get closer to the animal.

 

[RDM416]

CRNA,

You picked a good topic to start an argument......... uh, I mean a discussion .

I have killed dozens of critters from elk to deer and antelope with SMKs at ranges from 30 yards to a little over 1000. Most have dropped in their tracks, a few ran 50 yards or so, and maybe 2 or three ran 100 yards. I have never lost an animal or had a difficult track when I shoot a critter with an SMK.

Keep in mind I am shooting a 338 using 250s or 300s. In calibers smaller than .30 I don't know if I would be so gung ho about using them for big game, but I know some on this site do and have had great success so I am certainly not going to say they won't work. It is just some of the biggest critics of SMKs or Bergers for hunting often are guys shooting the smaller calibers.

 

[jwp475]

as a famous gun pundit once wrote "let a lot of air in, and a lot of blood out", any projectile that does that will kill an animal. It's a question of "should I " when it comes to using a target bullet on game animals. IMHO if you need the extra accuracy (at long range)of the match type bullet to make the kill shot, you need to get closer to the animal.

You definately need the accuracy and the BC. This is a long range hunting site, not a "lets get closer site"

I have seen the 175 SMK 30 caLIBER AND THE 240 smk used on game an they are very effective. I use the 300 SMK in my 338 Lapua and it is a real hammer on game.

SMK is nothing more than a cup and core bullet, thye are rather frangile at close range as one would expect but, are VERY effective at long range with good penetration and terminal performance. Sierra will never recommend the SMK for hunting as long as the Military are buting millins of them> The fact that Sierra does not recommend the SMK for hunting is a part of the ruling that the Military uses in determining that the SMK is a legal bullet for military use

 

[jmd025]

I've killed alot of whitetail with 30 cal match bullets.

 

[rscott5028]

[...]Sierra will never recommend the SMK for hunting as long as the Military are buting millins of them> The fact that Sierra does not recommend the SMK for hunting is a part of the ruling that the Military uses in determining that the SMK is a legal bullet for military use[...]

I guess I missed something. I don't follow your logic. ...are you saying that if it's not good for hunting, it must be good for combat? Is that because we want to wound the enemy so they'll run home and die?

In any case, LRH is not really the norm and Sierra makes a lot of bullets designed for typical hunting cartridges at typical ranges with typical impact velocities and proper expansion for terminal performance. ...whatever typical means

Berger just happened to find a nice little niche for their SMK clone. ...ok. not sure you can call it a clone. But, they have some similarities.

-- richard

 

[Boss Hoss]

Richard---there is a whole lot more to this than you are aware of. I am not going to spend 30 minutes typing this out again but research the subject and you will become enlightened. The JAG, MANY years ago made a ruling on the SMK subsequently you will NEVER see anything in print that associates the SMK with hunting by Sierra period end of story. I know several people that work there including a good friend of mine I have shot with for years and have discussed this subject for years.

I hunt almost exclusively with the SMK and do compete with it exclusively.

The reason the uneducated always point to other bullets that are similar to the SMK as a hunting bullet and say if the SMK was suitable then Sierra would say so and market that way. Business decisions being what they are the SMK is the Sole Source bullet used for the LR side of the house for Uncle. To jeopardize that would be a testimonial to Extreme Stupidity and it will not happen…

The lesson ends here.


John---some folks Still are not aware of the SMK and it's close ties to Uncle as many time as it has been discussed LOL!!!!

 

[Boss Hoss]

Is that because we want to wound the enemy so they'll run home and die?

-- richard

Richard --- YES that is exactly what we want to happen..... The resources required to take care of a wounded soldier is orders of magnitude higher than taking care of a dead one.

 

[rscott5028]

Richard --- YES that is exactly what we want to happen..... The resources required to take care of a wounded soldier is orders of magnitude higher than taking care of a dead one.

Straight from the Hoss's mouth. gun)Thanks!!!

 

[rscott5028]

Hoss -

I googled and am enlightened now. I'll drop it so as not to jeopardize our troops. But, I might just try some for whitetails even though, they were not intentionally designed to expand.

thanks!
richard

 

[Boss Hoss]

Richard----have killed many an animal (lots of feral hogs) with one and never lost one yet. Feral hogs are tough SOB's but the best example I can give you is at 360 yards a huge 450lb plus sow walking was hit in the shoulder and she took off went 20 yards and disappeared into the creek.

MAN WAS I HOT----we were sitting in the tower with the big lights on and my best friend laughed at the 300 Slow Poke Shooter (338 Lapua Imp) and the 250 gr SMK just missed a huge hog!!!!! We drove down saw a spray of blood behind where she was and a trail of blood on the grass. Long story short she ran almost 150 yards before giving it up. The exit wound on the opposite shoulder when we rolled her over was the size of a softball.. Until I saw this with my own eyes no person on earth would be able to convince me that the sow ran that far with a hole like that bleeding like it was coming out of a hose.