I've been working up some loads for my 7 mm saum. Both Sierra Gameking and Nosler Accubond gave some accurate groups, 1/2 inch at 100 yards. I have used Sierra gamekings and I have no complaints about their performance or their relative cheaper per cartridge cost compared with accubonds. But I do like the ballistic coefficient of the accubonds. All my hunting will be for whitetail. Shots will be normally 50-250 yards with longer shots possible.
Should I go with the more economical yet effective Sierra or the better long range Accubond? Both bullets 160 grains muzzle velocity 2850-2925 depending on powder choice. Both 56.9 gr. Imr 4350 and 59.5 gr. H-4831SC are producing the most accurate loads. Any thoughts or should I flip a coin?

For Whitetails, The Gamekings will do fine. You may want to try the Pro-hunters/ Hunters. They are flat base and are great out of my 7mm Rem Mag out to 400 yards. I have not had a chance to shoot further w/ them. Jim

Agree with jp - go with the Gameking. The higher BC of the Nosler doesn't matter a whit in the yardages you are contemplating their use. I use 250 gr Gamekings in my 338 Win Mag on tough elk and they perform great, both in accuracy and terminal performance.

Both are good bullets, but I've been shooting a Sierra Gameking in my 8mm mag since they were developed for the 8 mag in 1978. I'm pushing them just over 3000 fps out of the big 8 and they are just elevator death on deer and durned near the same on elk.

Thanks guys. That is what I'll shoot. I have confidence in Gamekings they get the job done. I also don't mind saving a few bucks on reloading ammo. Just thought the Accubond might be a better choice for the 300 + yard shots. In reality there is very little difference. Thanks again.

There are a lot more green boxes on my bullet shelf than any other color. I have been using Sierra bullets for 40 years with great results.

There are a lot more green boxes on my bullet shelf than any other color. I have been using Sierra bullets for 40 years with great results.

I'm about half red, and half green over the last 40 years. With a bit of black and yellow.

Aside from the fact that it is somehow fashionable to bash Sierra's on some forums, where only $1-2 bullets (thats each) will work, the fact that they are still around, is an indication that there are multiple closet users out there banging away. :) The elk I brought home this year was impressed with the 225gr BT's from my Whelen.

I belong to a range with a 100, 200, and 300yd positions available, and regularly shoot various loads at all three ranges. The difference between different bullets, with respect to trajectory is actually very, very small. You might see the difference at 500yds, but I don't have access to that kind of spot. But in many rifles, Sierra's are the most accurate bullets, and when they're not, Hornady's usually are.

I have taken two elk with Sierra Game King bullets, one the 165 gr 30 caliber and the other a 150 grain 270. In both cases the bullets entirely penetrated and exited. The elk were nailed to the spot - that's all it takes.

Do not assume that the ballistic coefficients published by different manufacturers are exactly comparable. they are not. They are done in different labs with different equipment, under differing conditions.

You'll do just fine with the Sierras for whitetails. You can purchase twice as many for the same price so you can shoot more too.

I learned a long time ago that there is a big difference between "CHEAP" and "LESS EXPENSIVE". Sierra bullets defiantly fall in the less expensive catergory. Good quality at an affordable price keeps their customers happy.

The Noslers are wonderful bullets. The Sierras are great, too, and a good deal less expensive. No whitetail will ever know the difference between the two, even well beyond 250 yards. I'd save my money and go with the Sierras.

the 165g gameking BTSPs work great in my 308 on whitetails

But in many rifles, Sierra's are the most accurate bullets, and when they're not, Hornady's usually are.

That's been my experience in several of my rifles as well...the plain old Hornady SP's anyway. Ironically they're two of the better priced bullets.

Am I mistaken in thinking that the premium bullets such as the "accubond" are most useful for short range shots where the velocity is very high (as with magnum cartridges) and "regular" bullets may fragment and not penetrate? And as the range increases and the bullet velocity decreases, the "old reliables" such as the "gameking" will penetrate well and provide more expansion for better overall performance?

Irv,

There are numerous reports of thin-jacketed bullets fragmenting at close range. I had that problem several years ago. I was young and "accuracy above all" minded so I was shooting a .270 Win with 130 NBTs. I recovered the 10 pt I shot at 65 yards, but no bullet, no exit wound, and a couple of chipped teeth the following spring. I have used 120 gr NBTs with great success in my 7mm-08 15" encore, but I'd never use them when terminal velocity will be over 2700fps. Thin jacket + high velocity = trouble.

Don't take that to mean that only "premium" bullets (depends on your definition) will work. Speer Hot-Cor and Sierra Game Kings work just fine, along with the SST's and SP Interlocks and cor-lokts, IMO.

that's my take basically
the gameking sps "may" not hold up if you hit a shoulder for example if the range is close and velocity is way up...

Irv,

There are numerous reports of thin-jacketed bullets fragmenting at close range. I had that problem several years ago. I was young and "accuracy above all" minded so I was shooting a .270 Win with 130 NBTs. I recovered the 10 pt I shot at 65 yards, but no bullet, no exit wound, and a couple of chipped teeth the following spring. I have used 120 gr NBTs with great success in my 7mm-08 15" encore, but I'd never use them when terminal velocity will be over 2700fps. Thin jacket + high velocity = trouble.

Don't take that to mean that only "premium" bullets (depends on your definition) will work. Speer Hot-Cor and Sierra Game Kings work just fine, along with the SST's and SP Interlocks and cor-lokts, IMO.

Actually I was questioning whether the "premium" bullets were of any advantage for long range shots. For ranges from perhaps 50 feet to 300 yards, I've had consistent excellent success with non-premium bullets (including factory Remington "Core-Locks" and Winchester "Power Points" in both .270 Win and .30-06).

In 50 years of big game hunting, the only bullets which I've had unsatisfactory (in my opinion) performance were in factory cartridges: Federal .30-06 150 grain cartridges (in the red box) that apparently did not expand well and punched pencil size holes in deer at about 50' (the Federal Premium 165 grain have consistently worked well from reasonably close to 300 yards) and .257 Weatherby 120 grain Nosler Partitions that blew off the front and punched tiny holes (in one case not penetrating sufficiently into the chest cavity so that the bullet base fell out of the gutted pronghorn when it was loaded into a vehicle - it was killed by a 2nd shot behind the ear). Some might argue that the bullets didn't fail since the animals were recovered, but they did not meet my expectations of performance -adequate expansion, weight retention and deep penetration.

Am I mistaken in thinking that the premium bullets such as the "accubond" are most useful for short range shots where the velocity is very high (as with magnum cartridges) and "regular" bullets may fragment and not penetrate?

Well, I'm sure that the marketing guy for Accubonds will tell you that, and probably a couple of gun writers getting free bullets and writing for money to feed the family.

Case in point. I have a friend or two (or more :)) too lazy to handload. So, I take their rifles, and their brass, and money to buy powder and primers etc. and load anything they want.

A couple years back, one of them wanted, make that had to have, the Hornady 139gr poly tip wonder loaded into his 7mm Mag, to shoot whitetails in NYS. So filling him up with MR3100 for nice, but not top speed, I worked up a load.

Then he proceeds to shoot a buck, and fill a doe permit each year with them. As all of the shots were in the 25-50yd range, the kills were double bang flops, with considerable meat damage. Probably more than a 140gr NP would produce. Is the Hornady bullet bad? Not a chance, but it wasn't designed for close shots with a 7 Mag either. The same shots with a 154gr Interlock would be fine, or at least less destructive, and a 162gr Interlock even less. So it's another case of "it depends".

That's been my experience in several of my rifles as well...the plain old Hornady SP's anyway. Ironically they're two of the better priced bullets.

My Ruger loves the 180gr Hornady Interlocks. I just picked up another 100 of those, and got some 200gr Gamekings to go with the 165gr Gamekings I already have. My .300 Win Mag has a variety diet ranging from 110 to 200 grains.

For what it's worth, this same gun hates Nosler Partition's. I guess my gun is froogal...lol

I've been working up some loads for my 7 mm saum. Both Sierra Gameking and Nosler Accubond gave some accurate groups, 1/2 inch at 100 yards. I have used Sierra gamekings and I have no complaints about their performance or their relative cheaper per cartridge cost compared with accubonds. But I do like the ballistic coefficient of the accubonds. All my hunting will be for whitetail. Shots will be normally 50-250 yards with longer shots possible.
Should I go with the more economical yet effective Sierra or the better long range Accubond? Both bullets 160 grains muzzle velocity 2850-2925 depending on powder choice. Both 56.9 gr. Imr 4350 and 59.5 gr. H-4831SC are producing the most accurate loads. Any thoughts or should I flip a coin?


Well you have received a lot of comments and yes the Sierra is an effective bullet at the velocities you will moving as well as the Accubond is also effective at these velocities. The Sierra is cheap in cost and the Accubond is a stronger construction.

Looking at the ballistics on paper is one thing when considering which one will give you consistent accuracy down range on longer shots. The only way you will know is to make long shots at targets to see which bullet is maintaining a consistent flight and therefore consistent accuracy.

You might be surprised which one does and I suspect if you test them at long range you will more than likely find the Sierra more consistent in accuracy down range. Now not in all cases is this true but in most I have found the Sierra to be the more accurate down range and it's terminal ballistics is very good on game down range due to it's construction. Just a thought, so test them and see.

Final thought, I have yet in my 06 or 7mm mag to have the 165gr and 160gr Game King HPBT fail on game.