Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Sierra 6mm 85 gr for deer?

I am talking about the 85 gr HPBT Gameking, not the matchking. Anyway anyone use them yet on deer antelope. My 243 loves them.

I haven't tried it, but I looked into it before. A quick search will find several threads where the pros and cons have been argued for this very topic.

They(Sierra)don't make a Matchking other than the 70 and 107 in .243. My 6mm loved them too, consistant 3/4MOA out to 200yds. Sierra does recommend them for deer, if that helps. J

The 85 grain HPBT has performed great on antelope for us with minimal meat loss. They shoot very well in our Rem 700 adl using a max load of IMR 4350. I have around 150 or so loaded up right now. Try them out as I do not think you will be disappointed.

I killed an antelope with that bullet and it did perfect, exit hole. My load was with H4350 and had a nice fast barrel on a Remington BDL Varmint. I responded to another posters interest for his sons 243. He tried them and says he is very happy.

Jagoff: has Sierra changed the 85gr BT? Below is a quote from the 4th Edition Sierra Manual. Now admittedly, this is not the most recent manual, so perhaps they have changed the bullet or at least changed their recommendation?

Sierra manual, 4th Edition:
pg 75: Referring to the HPBT GameKings:"We also produce .224 diameter 55 grain, .243 diameter 85 grain and .257 diameter 90 grain HPBT's which despite their GameKing nomenclature are intended for varminting

Sierra does now recommend the 85 gr. Gameking as a deer bullet.It is the best bullet out of the .243 that I have found.Very quick kills.And it's insanely accurate in my experience.My favorite all around bullet, for sure.

The only bullet failures that I have ever had while hunting involved the 85 grain Sierra BTHP in .243 and the 90 grain Sierra BTHP in .257. When they work, they are very explosive and produce instant kills. But when they don't work, well, they just don't work. I won't use either bullet for deer and think that the 95 grain Partition is about as good as it gets when you are seeking a .243 bore deer/antelope bullet.

Jeff

Back in the early 80's I used the 85 gr. Sierra BTHP on a couple of antelope in Wyoming and a whitetail buck in Texas. Worked just fine. I evolved to the 105 grain Speer as I was hunting mostly in Wyoming and some of the mule deer were both far off and big. I am hunting mostly in Texas now and have been experimenting with the midrage bullets lately. Next year I may try the Sierra 85 again but there are so many good choices now it's hard to tell.

The nice thing about that bullet; You don't have to change for bullets for varmint or small to medium size deer.
Same scope setting, nice!

My Ruger M77 6MM Rem loves 45 gr IMR4350 with Fed 210 primers. Shoots 5 shots at 100 yards .514"

Good bullet!

My Ruger M77 6MM Rem loves 45 gr IMR4350 with Fed 210 primers. Shoots 5 shots at 100 yards .514"

Good bullet!

That's the same load I used in my 6mm, except with CCI primers, I believe. Every group at 100 was 3/4", 200 went 1.5" with 5 shot groups. That was with a $70 Simmons scope an unadjusted Rem. trigger. Who knows now. Would probably go with RE19 or 22. J

Guess I'll ask again. Did you hear this from a Sierra technician. Or is/was it written somewhere? Thanks...

Sorry, I figured when the other fellow replied that would answer your question. Nevertheless, I believe I talked or emailed Rich sometime last year about that bullet, and he said it's our most popular deer bullet, or something to that effect. JAG

JAG: ok, thanks...

It is stated in the latest Sierra Manual under the bullet descriptions and specifications!

POP
Since when have you been interested in shooting gramaphone needles?

Ok, I accept you need a day off from the big boomers!

I used that bullet a lot on goats and pigs in a couple of .243's and it worked very well, though I haven't used it in the last dozen years or so, meaning that if Sierra has changed it, it may not perform the same.

I killed hundreds of goats and pigs with the biggest boars up around the 300 mark. One shot kills every time unless I goofed.

The goats are actually tougher because of the thicker neck and shoulder skin and the heavy coarse hair that makes light bullets expand before you would prefer.

The gunwriter stories about pigs shields are BS. They have them, but they are long short of bullet proof.

AGW

20 years ago I used one in a 243 to kill a 200 pound whitetail. He was facing me about 60 yards away with his head down. I hit him at the base of his neck at his shoulder. Bang flop.

I loaded some for my daughter, only moving around 2650 fps or so. Of all the deer I have killed, or seen killed I have never seen one drop like the doe she killed. No lie, it looked like the doe's feet swapped places with her back. Very impressive.