Why do you use SMK bullets for big game?

I know this is an old thread but after reading thru it i noticed no mention of Berger bullets. Berger was not designed as a hunting bullet but after much todo from hunters Berger started to put HUNTING on the box. The Bergers do much the same as the SMK's and fragment. I guess what i am trying to say is it all depends on what you want the bullet to look like after the fact. As for myself i just want the animal DRT. I have used both SGK's and SMK's and both work very well for the deer i hunt. If you insist in having a bullet look like a bullet after it passes thru a game animal then use a fmj but don't whine when it pinholes and you lose the animal.
 
I've shot a dozen or so coyotes with my 30 Gibbs and the 155gr smk at 3290fps. Way more gun than is needed, but a deadly combo. They work very well.
 
I know this is an old thread but after reading thru it i noticed no mention of Berger bullets. Berger was not designed as a hunting bullet but after much todo from hunters Berger started to put HUNTING on the box. The Bergers do much the same as the SMK's and fragment. I guess what i am trying to say is it all depends on what you want the bullet to look like after the fact. As for myself i just want the animal DRT. I have used both SGK's and SMK's and both work very well for the deer i hunt. If you insist in having a bullet look like a bullet after it passes thru a game animal then use a fmj but don't whine when it pinholes and you lose the animal.

Reading this one would think that the Berger & Sierra behaved the same, but not so from reading tons of info from the use of both on a wide variety of game.
 
Iam no gona lay blame on the bullet. I got a tc single shot oh 7 years ago and loaded 175 gr smk at I think 27somthing. There I was opening day in my stand along the south platter river in central. Neb. It was getting light out and I could start to see. A doe bedded in the fragmitie just stood up.. Oh my there he was the biggest deer I have ever seen on out property.. I pulled my rifle up cocked the hammer and looked through my pride fowler scope. Oh it was gona be great I centered the cross hairs behind the sholder kind by a crease on his side Mabey kind high up on him though ok 8 inches to high. The shot looked awsome the deer bolted ran 30 yards then went down kinda rolling on his side then up he jumped I was so excited and happy I called my dad and said bbd. Just then to the south I saw a nother one looked huge. It jumped the fence and ran into the ceder trees. I got down walked to where he fell and seen lots of blood on the snow. I started following it. And found where it jumped the fence 200 yards from where I gave him the bisness . Dad showed up I told him what happened we went ate lunch called the neighbor ,asked if we could cross fence .he said ok we walked 100 yards found a pool the size of dinner plate . Went further 100 the same . Fallowed him half a mile before blood ran out . I was heart. Broken a week later a shot a smaller buck and took him to taxidermist. Oh my god he said let me show u the one your neighbor killed . Yea u guessed it it was the deer I had shot . I don't know if its bullets folt or shot placment foult . But there u have it. I should have put it on the shoulder .live and learn I guess. Hope u enjoyed my tale of the hunt when I was 19 .
 
doe I killed in South Texas with a 22-250 with 52gr MK
 

Attachments

  • IMG00161.jpg
    IMG00161.jpg
    131.1 KB · Views: 129
I had a guy tell me one time that's. There's a shop behind the sholder somewhere that u can shoot a deer and not hit any vitals. I don't think its true . But that's what this old timer told me at the local coffie shop once.
 
doe I killed in South Texas with a 22-250 with 52gr MK


I think she slipped and bumped her head!!!!

I have been shooting deer with a 220 SMK out of my 300 RUM since 2003 and have never had one get away! I would have to say 9/10 never took more than a few steps! I wouldn't use anything else in my opinion!
 
While not long range, I use 100 gr. SMK in 25.06 and 130 gr. SMK in 7mm-08 on Pennsylvania whitetail. Lung shots create about a 2" wound channel and have always exited the far side.
 
I am a wildlife biologist in South Texas. I have taken over 500 animals with a 130gr SMK fired out of my 7STW, 150+ of which were at >400 yards. I have never seen results like the SMK produces. I have loaded 160 accubonds, which tend to poke small holes without bone contact, 140 VLD's, 160 gamekings, and barnes ttsx. I originally loaded the SMK's for playing on hogs/coyotes in the offseason @ 500+, but after seeing the internal damage, I have stuck with them. Generally, the petals peel off leaving a "cigarette butt" that mushrooms and makes a large hole, while internal damage is brutal. Most of my blood trails, while short, look like you poorer blood from a bucket, and the heart/lungs look like they were run through a blender. My longest kills, 815 and 835 yds on consecutive shots, were a pair of does- one shoulder shot, one hit in front of the vitals low neck/ point of shoulder. Neither made it more than 30 yards because of fragments that contacted lung and significant muscle damage. The same load was used to take a 3/4 grown bison, shot through the shoulders and lodged under skin opposite side. The only negative is that at extremely close range, the 3,550 fps only makes a hole about the size of a golf ball and they will generally run 50 yds or so. That's alot in south Texas brush! I also load the SMK's in 308, 300 RUM, and 6.5 calibers with similar results.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 14 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.
Top