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Well, I made the Sierra bullet run again ?

kimberkidkimberkid Member Posts: 8,858 ✭✭✭
edited March 2002 in General Discussion
Every year for the past 5 years I've made a run to Sedalia, MO. to visit the Sierra Bullet factory. If you've never been, it's a great time. They give a complete tour of the plant, starting with the raw materials and ending in their UNDERGROUND 300 YARD FIRING RANGE! I didn't have time to take the tour again this year, just went to the "Store" to pick up a supply of 69 grain (.223) HPBT MatchKing and 168grain (.308) MatchKing bullets for about ? price. They sell both the premium (like what you get in the pretty box at gunshows) and "Seconds" (which is not for resale and what I buy). Their method of determining "Seconds" is what makes them a great buy: They take 100 rounds from a "batch" (batch is 10,000 rounds), if 10% of that 100 rounds falls out of their specs, the whole batch is sold as "Seconds" by the pound.Sierra's stamp of approval of the final product is derived from 100 bullets sampled from the 10,000 round batch. They start with a visual inspection for uniformity; then, weight must be +/- 1 grain of designated weight (if a bullet is supposed to be 69 grains and it weighs over 70, it's a "Bad Bullet" and is discarded). Finally after those inspections the remaining bullets (as long as the 10% limit has not been met) 10 of the remaining bullets are loaded on Dillon RL550's and fired in the UNDERGROUND FIRING RANGE at 200 yards ... THEN if the 10 round group is 1" or less (at 200yds!) the batch is sold for retail ... if not, then sold as "Seconds". Personally I've never had more than 6 bullets out of 1500 that I found as unusable, but then I weigh & box into groups; ie 68.8 - 69.2= 1 group, 69.3 - 69.8 another group, and so on. I don't think I've ever had more than 25 or so that weighed over 70 grains or less than 68 grains ... I just use them for clearing shots.It's a little more work, but since I weigh them all anyway (even 1st picks when I run out & have to pay gunshow prices) it doesn't matter to me, but the savings do! ... 1 pound of 69 grain (.223) HPBT MatchKing = $8.54 (that's 101 bullets), 1 pound of 168 grain (.308) MatchKing bullets = $5.40 (that's 42 bullets or $13.50 per 105) ... buy 3-4000 at a time and the savings add up quickly!
Sometimes the most obvious, IS the most elusive!kimberkid@gunbroker.zzn.com
If you really desire something, you'll find a way ?
? otherwise, you'll find an excuse.
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Comments

  • dheffleydheffley Member Posts: 25,000 ✭
    edited November -1
    Hey Kimberkid,Drop me an e-mail with the address on it and any directions that are needed. I would like to stop in next time I'm in Mo.dheffley@gte.netThanks,
    Save, research, then buy the best.Join the NRA, NOW!Teach them young, teach them safe, teach them forever, but most of all, teach them to VOTE!
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  • kimberkidkimberkid Member Posts: 8,858 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    They sit kind of behind a Payless Shoes distrubution center on an access road but not too hard to find ... probably easiest to print a map from Map Quest. Here's their contact info ... be sure to call first, if for no other reason than to make sure (if you want seconds) they have them on hand.Also sometimes they have specials too and they are even cheaper ... I've paid as little as 4.75 per pound (101 projectiles) for the 69 grain (.223) HPBT MatchKing!Sierra Bullets1400 West Henry StreetSedalia, Missouri 65301(660) 827-6300FAX (660) 827-4999 http://www.sierrabullets.com/ Also they close for inventory 1st week of January AND first week of July for the 4th.
    Sometimes the most obvious, IS the most elusive!kimberkid@gunbroker.zzn.com
    If you really desire something, you'll find a way ?
    ? otherwise, you'll find an excuse.
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  • dheffleydheffley Member Posts: 25,000 ✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks Kid!
    Save, research, then buy the best.Join the NRA, NOW!Teach them young, teach them safe, teach them forever, but most of all, teach them to VOTE!
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  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    kimberkid, you using a 1:7 twist by any chance? if so, how do the 69gr fly at 100yds? been thinking of trying some, but not sure if they are heavy enough.
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  • Submariner .Submariner . Member Posts: 165 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    MY BROTHER IN LAW GOT ME THE SIERRA RELOADING MANUAL AND CATALOGUE ON CD-ROM FOR CHRISTMAS I GUESS I NEED TO GET IT INSTALLED AND CHECK IT OUT(HAVE BEEN BUYING THRU NATIONAL BUT SOME OF THE 9MM BULLETS HAVE A RIDGE IN THEM FROM THE CASTING AND IT CAUSES THEM TO NOT FEED COMPLETELY INTO THE BARRELL)KIMBERKID HOW DOES THE PRICES RATE COMPARED TO OTHER BULLET MAKERS?
    Truck Driver,Submarine Veteran,Rusty Wallace fan,and piss poor typist E-MAIL WNUNLEY@USIT.NET
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  • kimberkidkimberkid Member Posts: 8,858 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    JustC,They are perfect for a 1/7, I've shot them in a 1/7, 1/8 and 1/9 ... all capable of .5 MOA. my current favorite shooter is a tricked out AR with a 1/8 24" S.S. bull barrel, it will shoot under 1" at 200 all day long ... in fact its not even a challange anymore Submariner,I haven't loaded any 9mm for 2-3 years as the surplus is cheap and I don't shoot 9 much. Give them a call and I'm sure they'll quote you a price.
    Sometimes the most obvious, IS the most elusive!kimberkid@gunbroker.zzn.com
    If you really desire something, you'll find a way ?
    ? otherwise, you'll find an excuse.
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