Sierra 300g HP recovered from pig

bobnob · May 12, 2013

I recovered this 300g Sierra HP from a pig I shot in 2011. The pig was a mature though not huge sow, about 55 kg.

It was a classic double shoulder shot in the half light of dawn from around 60y. MV with that load was around 2150fps so impact velocity would've been around 1900.

Broke both shoulders nicely and the sow didn't take a step of course.

Retained weight about 50%...

Expanded calibre was 0.740...

The bullet traveled through about 18 inches or so of pig, and it was a classic lump under the hide on the far side and easy to cut out.

Comment: I have used several hundred of these bullets in the last 3 years. They are definitely on the soft side, and clearly designed for thin skinned game and pigs of average size and other medium game.

They are unerringly accurate.

I have dispatched a 120+kg boar from 80y with a single high shoulder shot. He was a big pig, and also did not take a step. But the angle was favourable, also a classic double shoulder shot. The bullet obviously made the vitals on that occasion but I would be surprised if it went through the far shoulder. I did not find it, it certainly did not exit.

Good bullets, fast killers, but on the soft side.

DrMike · May 12, 2013

Still, good performance on a tough animal. Thanks for posting.

Guy Miner · May 12, 2013

I agree. Accurate, fast expanding, and best categorized as a "soft" bullet with limited penetration.

Like most of the 300 gr HP's, they work great on deer sized game.

Guy

JD338 · May 12, 2013

Nice recovery and pretty good bullet performance.

JD338

bobnob · May 12, 2013

I really have been happy with the performance of the Sierras. Not the best choice for buffalo or scrub bulls, of course, but most of my shooting is pigs and they have been great. Around here 100kg is a good boar. 150kg is very rare. For pigs over 100kg they might be getting marginal on shots at a bad angle but I still would use them.

I can only imagine what these bullets would do to a fallow deer. They would be very effective for sure. In fact I would have no qualms about using these on a deer up to 200kg.

My supply is almost out now and I have some other types to try for a while as I have detailed elsewhere, but that is more about the fun of trying something different than about any dissatisfaction with the Sierras.