Sierra Tipped GameKing Performance

[Levy_ken]

Anyone have experience with the lethality of these bullets? Specifically looking at the 175gr 277 cal TGK out of a 6.8 Western. The TMK is not offered in 277 caliber, so I was looking at the TGK. Marketed as having a “tough” jacket however, and can’t seem to find a ton of info on them. I will probably end up going with the Berger 170gr Elite Hunters otherwise but still curious about these.

 

[CJ_BG]

No experience with the 175 but some experience with the 6.5 and 6mm offerings. They are definitely tougher than the tmk. At impacts between 2300 and 2700 we've seen mostly 1.5-2" max permanent wound cavities. Not the 3-5 inch holes of other bullets but they still kill just fine.

 

[TNKnoxville]

They shoot great in my Tikka 6.5. I have the same question.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I have been using Sierra bullets for over 50 years and have had no problems with them. I use them for everything I reload for hunting except I use 180 gr Nosler Partition .30 cal for my .300 Wby for elk and larger animals.

 

[06 SB]

I am planning to find out this year. I have 130s loaded up in a 6.5CM and 165s in a 7mmRM.

 

[TxLite]

150 in 7mm-08 crushes whitetail, coyotes and axis. 130 in a 6.5 creedmoor crushed a nice pig.

 

[Levy_ken]

No experience with the 175 but some experience with the 6.5 and 6mm offerings. They are definitely tougher than the tmk. At impacts between 2300 and 2700 we've seen mostly 1.5-2" max permanent wound cavities. Not the 3-5 inch holes of other bullets but they still kill just fine.

Thanks for the info. Figured they’d probably have that type of performance based on the description. Will probably end up trying them since they’re almost half the price of the Bergers. If they shoot well then might as well try to whack something with them to see how they do.

Any other recommendations for heavy-for-caliber .277 bullets are appreciated too.

 

[Raghornklr]

To the original post. I took 2 animals with them last year. They worked better than expected. Will be using them in that gun again this fall. They work more like a Berger than a "tough" jacketed bullet. They put animals down quick. No pass throughs on them Last year.

 

[Wrench]

Keep the impact above 1800 and rock on.

 

[CJ_BG]

Thanks for the info. Figured they’d probably have that type of performance based on the description. Will probably end up trying them since they’re almost half the price of the Bergers. If they shoot well then might as well try to whack something with them to see how they do.

Any other recommendations for heavy-for-caliber .277 bullets are appreciated too.

Lower bc/more expensive but the 170 ballistic tip would be another good choice. I've never been disappointed with ballistic tips.

 

[onlybrowning]

Like others here I’ve got a ton of the 130’s in 6.5 to try, some .308 125’s and a ton of 7mm 140’s. I am a fan of Nosler Ballistic Tips and Accubonds, but those 500ct boxes of Gamechangers got me to try some.

 

[S-3 ranch]

I shot a couple of deer with my friends 140gr .270 win last year, I shoot 150gr Norma oryx in my personal.270 and in comparison the TGK is pretty explosive
So picking shots to the neck area seemed like a good idea
I have a case of sig saur elite hunters that I will switch over to when I run out of norma ammo, they shoot good in my Winchester featherweight .
The TGK is very different from the old non tipped as far as meat damage
You should have good results at long distances in your 6.8

 

[Pescetism]

Sample size of one, a WT at 150 yds broadside mid/high lungs, with the 140 gr .277 TGK. Impact velocity around 2,650. Can't exactly complain about performance because he only ran about 50 yards but several different 62 gr - 77 gr bullets out of a 223 have produced wider wound channels with similar shots. Obviously, more experience needed but so far I wouldn't want anything tougher.

 

[TNKnoxville]

The Sierra Brand 130 and 140 shot 0.5 " groups, the Sig Sierra 130 shot 1 " groups. Since Barnes bought Sierra I've only seen the 140. I think I found a place that still have a few boxes of the Sierra brand 130's. If they have them I'm going to buy them out

 

[BCsteve]

I have the 145gr loaded for my 6.5 PRC for this season. I hope I get to test them!

 

[Pwb199]

I’ve been using the 130 TGK in a 260AI for 5 years and can’t say enough positive things about them

 

[cornstalker]

I have numerous antelope, a muley buck, a mountain goat, and several coyotes under my belt with them in 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 Winchester, and .270 WSM. They have become my favorite hunting bullet in that velocity range. The farthest shot so far has been 369 yards on a mountain goat. Closest was 65-70 yards on a mature muley buck. The bullet worked great for both. I can't speak to their performance beyond that, because I have not had to shoot further than that yet.

In my personal experience, I would say their performance lands right in the middle between an Accubond and an ELD-X.

I am signed up just about everywhere for the 210 grain TGK to hit the shelves so I can buy some for my 300 PRC.

(I think I may have killed an antelope doe at closer to 400 yards with a 140 in a .270 WSM, but I would have to look it up to verify)

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

In my experience, which is quite limited on the TGK specifically, they behave much closer to traditional hunting bullets than they do the TMK.

In bare gel, gel with mediums placed in front, and 3 big game animals (two whitetail does, one cow elk), the wounds were quite narrow and bullet expansion is lacking.

This translates to slower time to death particularly at those lower impact speeds, especially when compared to bullets like the TMK, SST, ELDX, and ELDM.

It’s not to say they won’t kill. In my very limited experience, I would recommend keeping the impacts well above 2,000 FPS, closer to 2,500 would be better, unless you enjoy tracking shot animals.

 

[tkabzems]

I could be wrong but from the heavy for caliber 277 options out there the bullet with the terminal performance closest to ELDM etc youd be looking at the 170 ballistic tip

 

[Levy_ken]

This translates to slower time to death particularly at those lower impact speeds, especially when compared to bullets like the TMK, SST, ELDX, and ELDM.

It’s not to say they won’t kill. In my very limited experience, I would recommend keeping the impacts well above 2,000 FPS, closer to 2,500 would be better, unless you enjoy tracking shot animals.

I actually prefer longer times to death so I can develop my tracking skills. Anyone who makes bullet choices based on the most lethality must scared of tracking and therefore not a true woodsman.