Match grade ammo for hunting

mrs102

I've noticed that heavy weight bullets in match grade ammunition are not recommended for hunting.  In particular was 75 grain Sierra Match King .223, hollow point.  Ideas why?

BobJudy

Match bullets aren't designed to expand like a hunting bullet. The hollow point design of the Match King is very small with a tough jacket that will pass through game without expanding. An expanding bullet transfers more energy, destroys more tissue and kills quickly. Bob

randomnut

There are quite a few match grade hunting bullets out there now. I have no experience in these bullets though in 223. The only ones I've used are the Berger VLD Hunting bullet and the Hornady ELD X. Both have proven themselves as extremely accurate (sub moa to 1000 yards), and effective on game as close as 40 yards, to the farthest shot on game at 710 yards.

Mobuck

That pretty much sums it up.
"Match" bullets are designed to do ONE thing, deliver tiny groups onto paper targets.  How they react otherwise is inconsequential.  I killed a truck load of coyotes with Hornady "match" bullets out of my old 22/250 because of speed alone.  The bullets simply disintegrated even at 400 yards. A very similar bullet from my EDC 5.56 doesn't do well at all because it just pokes a 22 caliber hole. I've used 155 grain match bullets in a .308 to shoot coyotes and bobcats and found the bullets performed like FMJ with no expansion at all but the same bullet hit a medium sized buck in the shoulder and blew up. 
DON'T HUNT WITH MATCH BULLETS unless you can
A: accept the loss of the hit animal
B: find a perfect match of velocity, game, and bullet that gives the right performance(in this case, buy all the bullets of that lot you can find because the next lot may be different)

nononsense

It is fruitless to argue the merits of Match bullets vs game bullets when there aren't absolutes set down to use as discriminators. It only leads to baseless arguments.

In that 70+ grain range of accurate bullets, I include the Sierra 77 grain TMK as being highly accurate and deadly on game. I personally use the Hornady 75 grain AMAX for hunting which was agreed to by Hornady later after the release. Unfortunately Hornady, in all their stupidity and greed, discontinued the AMAX line in favor the ELD (M, X) versions. I stocked up before everyone ran out...

Happy Hunting!

mohawk600

BobJudy said:

Match bullets aren't designed to expand like a hunting bullet. The hollow point design of the Match King is very small with a tough jacket that will pass through game without expanding. An expanding bullet transfers more energy, destroys more tissue and kills quickly. Bob

I bet it will kill DRT on deer though.

Mobuck

"It is fruitless to argue the merits of Match bullets vs game bullets"
and this post proves that
"I bet it will kill DRT on deer though."

For any/every instance of "A" results, someone will turn up profound evidence of "B" results until the "A" results folks and the "B" results folks are throwing rocks at each other.
Hunting type bullets are designed to produce CONSISTENT results in various game size, velocity, range, and presentation scenarios.

select-fire

Those 195 Match pills from Hornady in a 300 Win Mag would work as well as a Precision Hunter rd on two legged critters should the need ever arise. If you look at their pic the doppler radar anti melt tip is the same on both rds.

drobs

I used 62gr Federal Fusion MSR to take my deer this last year.

It uses a controlled expansion bullet.

Above from gel test video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE5ZnQmKy2o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol8tgGtoXus

BobJudy

I've used the Fusion in a couple of larger calibers and have found it both accurate and deadly on deer. Truly as someone referenced, DRT. Great expansion and weight retention. Perhaps I will try it in some smaller calibers. Bob