6mm 85 grain HPBT SGK

cornstalker

cornstalker

Active member
I used these bullets on a hunt in my 6mm284. I shot two antelope and a coyote with them. The buck antelope I hit in the neck so no big deal. Bang-flop.

The coyote I hit a little far back. Got the bottom of the lungs, but also vacuumed a double fist sized ball of guts out the hole. I put a finisher in him and it removed two thirds of everything forward of the ears.

I shot a doe antelope next. The bullet grenaded the near shoulder. It broke the big bone, then the core carried on to turn the heart into a canoe. A piece went a bit further and broke the other shoulder and exited. There was a four inch hole in the ribs just inside the near shoulder, and the shoulder was littered with jacket and lead fragments.

I kind of thought the damage was excessive. I am just wondering, is this a fluke or is this how these bullets perform?
 
That is certainly more destructive than anything I've ever seen from this bullet when launched between 3,050 - 3,150 fps. That little additional speed shouldn't cause that much excessive damage as opposed to what I am accustomed to. Is that a recent lot of bullets? Years back I bought a gozillon of them and haven't bought any recent production runs of this bullet. I hope it hasn't been softened up!
 
Let me know how the newest versions do. I wouldn't know why Sierra would tamper with such a great performing and well proven design... but then I'm not in marketing either.
 
I've never seen that much destruction on a deer before with those bullets. I always thought of the 85gr HPBT as "THE" perfect bullet out of a 243 for deer or antelope. I've shot a few coyotes with it before and it would leave a golfball sized hole.
 
What kind of velocity are you getting with that load?
Every bullet is designed for a certain velocity level and will react differently at velocity above and below that level.
 
It is going pretty slow for what it is, but very accurate.

Chronied at 3220. Well within the range Sierra lists as "most effective" which is 2900 to 3300fps.

I can't help but think that hollow point vs heavy bone is the culprit on the doe. The coyote I will just have to whack another one and find out....

I have a whitetail doe tag for December as well. I'll see what happens and post up the results.
 
I've had mixed results with the bullet on coyotes. I have had exits ranging from the size of a nikel, to the size of a vollyball. I loaned it to a buddy who shot a mule deer buck just a few days ago. Quartering toward shot at 150 yards. Bullet went in through the front shoulder and exited mid rib cage. This buck never knew what hit him. Devestating to the vitals, with very little meat damage. All this out of my 243 win.
 
I shot a gazillion of the 85g BTHP on chucks and p.dogs with a load of 37.0g of H 4895 with a federal 210 primer...not a speed demon of a load, just 1/2" at 200 yds.

Just for grins, when the bullet came out, I switched to the 80g Sierra Blitz BT, and with an over book max load of IMR 4064, I'm shooting the 80's at 3475 fps out of a 24" Rem Stainless barrel.

No doubt that the 80g Blitz is more explosive than the 85g BTHP for varmints. The 85g BTHP is a tough bullet, no doubt, and the load with the 85g BTHP is not terribly destructive on pelts, either.

I shot one small buck with the 85g BTHP, Quartering lung shot, no exit, ran about 40 yards and pilled up.

With all the deer and antelope that I have shot with a 243, the 95g Nosler partition with 43.0g of IMR 4350 at 3150 fps is the load that all others will have to live up to. No matter what the angle,Near or Far, this load will get'er done. There is never a need to shoot a larger caliber gun for mule or white tails if a guy is shooting this load as long as the range is within reason.
 
The Sierra 85 grain BTHP is my #1 bullet for 6mm and .243. If I was forced to use only one bullet for those rifles, that would be the one. I would not worry at all with that projectile.
 
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