The 65gr Sierra SBT. A good Do-All bullet???

J

Jay Cummings

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Kinda looking a this bullet for my 223 with 1/8 twist. Looks like it could be a good bullet that will shoot well out to 600+ yards yet still kill well. With a listed BC of .303 it has my interest. Just don't see much on it. Anyone shooting this???
 
Of all the bullets I tried for long-range coyotes that was the best. Combines good BC and good terminal effect for good overall long-range performance. Furthest kill was 557 out of my 26"-barelled 223 AI AR.
 
Jay, these are extremely tough bullets to say the least.

A good option for you is the 68g Hornady BTHP that has a huge air space between the tip and the level of the lead leading to expansion or tearing of the jacket on impact, 24.5g of Win 748 worked well for me.
 
Originally Posted By: ackleymanJay, these are extremely tough bullets to say the least.

A good option for you is the 68g Hornady BTHP that has a huge air space between the tip and the level of the lead leading to expansion or tearing of the jacket on impact, 24.5g of Win 748 worked well for me.

A-Man, are these bullets a little too tough on coyotes? I'm sure the killing power is awesome but are they tough on hides if your skinning em out?
 
I've shot about 10 coyotes with a 20in 1in 8twist 223Rem using the 65gr gameking. In my limited experience with that bullet it's fine for coyotes and even had some not exit that I would have expected to.

I do agree somewhat with Ackleyman as I felt sometimes not enough whomp was expended on the coyote and lost as the bullet passed through. Mind you if my shots were better it wouldn't have mattered. Just a little tracking. Prob 5hrs for a couple coyotes. Found em though.

My load had a MV of 2850fps. Shots closer to 300yds still exited but the damage was very small to offside fur. Massive offside bruising though.

Shots in the 50yds to 150yds may need a little stitching but nothing serious.

No exit on this one around 150yds.
coyote2011007.jpg


 
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You'd be hard pressed to find a bullet that will work as good across so many different fronts than the 65gr Sierra gk. I use it in my 1-8 and 1-9 223. Using win or lc brass, 24.5gr of tac and either cci450 or rem 7 1/2 primers. It easily gets 1/2" or better 3 shot groups at 100yds and I've had great one shot drops on deer and hogs with them as well.

The last 5 running hogs I shot with em had golfball sized holes coming out the other side of em. Try em and you'll. be glad you did.
 
The 65 gr Sierra GK shoots very well out of my Handy Rifle (223). Haven't killed anything but paper . The twist on my gun is 1-9 and I am loading 24 grs if Xterminator with a CCI small rifle primer . I will be using this load for yotes and deer.
 
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Jay, with a lot of bullets, the test is what happens on a broadside shot when the bullet passes between the ribs. For example, I shot several coyotes with the 60g Sierra HP and they just stood there...hard to believe at 100 yds broadside. At the 200 yds, one stood for another broadside shot, I hit them again, solid lung shot. They walked off, then at 300 yards, I saw him licking his side, and could see blood. I aimed for his shoulder, the down he went. My shot placement had been perfect, but the bullet did not open up(22/250 with max load of IMR 4350 and the 60g HP). Later on I shot several and they ran off.

When you skin the hide of a coyote, there is not much there, so you can see where a bullet might not open up. The 65g Sierra is a deer and hog bullet for sure as many have reported.

The 63g Sierra has NEVER failed me on coyotes or deer, it expands very well and is accurate in a 1-14 twist. If you like the idea of a heavy bullet, the 60g V max is a great choice.


Personally, I am a great believer in speed that kills, so I will opt for a 50g sierra spt or a 55g sierra bullet, and will find the accuracy loads right at max load for the rifle with H335 or Vit133 with the 50's or Vit 135 with the 55's for coyotes. Many people over look the 50g sierra spt and it is a tough little bullet that gets the job done and super accurate.

I can't say that I belive in a "do all" bullet in a 223.
 
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Sierras manual is pretty clear on the 60 hollow point being at its best when fired from 22-250's and Swifts, I'm guessing .223 velocities aren't enough to get expansion.
 
60g sierra fired out of 22/250 is a deer bullet in my experience, my post above was out of a 22/250.

Best do all bullet in my experience would be a 63gsierra, that large lead tip aids in expansion but has enough shank not to totally blow up even when shot out of a 220 swift.
 
Originally Posted By: GaryLCI use it in a 20" AR with a 1/7 twist barrel. Very accurate with 26 gr. of Varget and CCI 450 primers.

What caliber are you shooting? Is it a compressed load? Bolt gun or AR? Reason I ask is I loaded some last night with this same bullet and 24.7gr of Varget was touching the bullet. I shot a couple to look for pressure signs and there wasn't any but I still get a little nervous when loading compressed.
 
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Thanks for replying. I think I'm going to switch to TAC, looks like I can get a bit more in the case and get the velocity I'm looking for without being compressed.
 
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Originally Posted By: ackleyman60g sierra fired out of 22/250 is a deer bullet in my experience, my post above was out of a 22/250.

Best do all bullet in my experience would be a 63gsierra, that large lead tip aids in expansion but has enough shank not to totally blow up even when shot out of a 220 swift.

I shot my buck this year with a 60gr sierra out of my 22 250 from about 230yrds. only shot 1 coyote with them so far but they seem promising.
 
Tac is a very good powder for heavy bullets in .223. It burns clean and meters very well out of the powder measure. For that reason alone it would be my pick if I used a progressive loader. There is nothing wrong or risky about shooting compressed loads with Varget. With 65 gr Sierra's, I have never been able to stuff enough Varget in the case to get a load that showed any pressure signs at all.
 
Update for me, I can't get my rifle to shoot well. I loaded up 5 rounds each, starting at 24.4 and going up to 24.7gr of varget and also loaded up 5 rounds each with Tac starting at 25gr and going up to 25.4gr. So a total of 45 rounds and none of the 5 shot groups even came close to an inch. Smallest was probably 1.5 inches. Im at a loss here. One of the groups that looked like it might work was the 25.4 tac and I might revisit that one or go up another tenth and see. Gun is a 7 twist noveske, 18 inch barrel ar. Do I need to push them faster or what?
 
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