Tipped SMK's...!?

Great Red--we'll have to compare notes. Hoping for some wonderful happenings downrange.
Big jump in BC over the 69/65 it's based off of--.3 to .375
 
Last edited:
I have been shooting some of the 69gr TMKs and so far all is good.

I have only shot out to 550yds and the drop is spot on for a 0.370 G1 BC. I need to run them out to 800yds or so to be sure.

Poly tip should help with expansion and if it works like I hope this will be the bullet to beat for magazine length loads. Sierra thinks it is only a match bullet but it just might be the best thing going for a game bullet.
 
Well well, Mr. Burns. How's your old buddy Big Stick (BS) doin' over there @ 24 hour CF? He sure was a piece of work, huh?

Love to watch that 1000 yd.+ shot when you knocked that dog off the rock occasionally. Sure great to catch that one on camera, I bet.

Nice to know it's looking good. Been using the 53gr. V-Max this year and last some on 'em and it's great for what it is. Netting 3600 according to the chrony out of my 26" barrelled 223 AI AR. But 3500 matched the true drops at distance though much better in std. conditions out here. Had one 460-yd, badger with it, but nothing much beyond 400ish really that I remember.

What setup are you using--the std. bolt guns you build up, I'm assuming?
 
I wish they would have brought a 70 or 75gr in 6mm. I do want to try the 69s though but have not seen any on the shelf yet.

Keep us posted on results and performance on fur!!
 
Originally Posted By: sscoyoteWell well, Mr. Burns. How's your old buddy Big Stick (BS) doin' over there @ 24 hour CF? He sure was a piece of work, huh?

Love to watch that 1000 yd.+ shot when you knocked that dog off the rock occasionally. Sure great to catch that one on camera, I bet.

Nice to know it's looking good. Been using the 53gr. V-Max this year and last some on 'em and it's great for what it is. Netting 3600 according to the chrony out of my 26" barrelled 223 AI AR. But 3500 matched the true drops at distance though much better in std. conditions out here. Had one 460-yd, badger with it, but nothing much beyond 400ish really that I remember.

What setup are you using--the std. bolt guns you build up, I'm assuming?

I am shooting them out of a 16 inch AR. I think they will be a little hard on fur but will offer more expansion than the heavy HPBTs at 16 inch speeds.
 
Interesting--didn't know you shot anything else except your custom bolt-gun packages. Can someone measure the TOL of the bullets? Cant find any info on that.
 
Got 'em in yesterday (0.994 OAL, BTW). Here's a few all lined up ready for pass and review:


53 VMax, 65 SGK, 69 SMK, 69 TSMK, 65 JLK Low Drag, 77 SMK, and 75 A-Max--

69 TSMK vs 53 VMax--



Interestingly the base to ogive with a bullet comparator was 1.46" for 69 SMK and 1.51" for the newer 69 TMK.

polymer tip = 0.14"

 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: sscoyoteInteresting--didn't know you shot anything else except your custom bolt-gun packages. Can someone measure the TOL of the bullets? Cant find any info on that.

I am a big fan of the AR. It seems unAmerican to not own them.

This was more than a few years back.
grin.gif






This was last spring.



Turkeys and ARs go together like whatever Forrest Gump said.
laugh.gif
 
darn it sscoyote, now got to get some 69gr tmk, as if I don't have a mess of 224 pills already...
hope they make some 6mm tmks too..
tks for the pics.. very helpful..
 
Should be sweet! Going to get some for my .22x68. I'm already shooting the 69 SMKs and it eats them up.
 
Last edited:
These bullets may indeed be game changers. That is hopefully they can change game into fur or freezer fodder, even more effectively than their BTHP SMaK counterparts. Sierra is no stranger to polymer tipped bullets. The BlitzKing line has been around for some time now. The rationale for a polymer tipped match bullet seems to be redily apparent, but why did it take so long to come about?

I remember reading an article in an NTOA journal extolling the terminal benefits of a polymer tipped LE sniper round vs. The BTHP variety. Wound ballistics were not the consideration, but merely an attempt to limit the inherent over penetration of the BTHP design.

If the new TSMaK design incorporates the forgiving ogive, I think it'll be a winner. The SMaK bullet has ALWAYS been one of the most accurate bullets out of anything I've fired. That being said, not always my first choice for game, even though I've killed plenty with them.
 
They have ballistic gel tests of the 77gr, but I haven't seen anything for the 69gr.

I have a bunch loaded to try out once the weather improves one of these days
 
I hacked apart some of the Tipped Matchkings and compared them to several other bullets. From left to right:

65 Sierra GameKing, 69 SMK, 69 TSMK, 55 V-Max

IMG_20150225_202545_710_zpsszvc4lap.jpg


The jacket on the TSMK looks similar in thickness to the 55 V-Max. It's definitely thinner than the original SMK and the SGK.

Edited to add: I decided to put the caliper to the jackets and it turns out that the jacket thickness of the 65 SGK and 69 SMK are both .03". The 69 TSMK has a jacket of .02" uniformly along the area where the tip is. The 55 V-Max jacket starts at .02" where it meets the tip and increases to .03" as you move towards the base of the tip.

Just an FYI....
 
Last edited:
Back
Top