Range Report Hunting round that matched 308 federal gold medal march 175 gr?
- Thread starter thorium
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Just use that ammo when you're hunting too.
I run 168 TAPs (amax) and leave the zero alone. This, of course, is not a great long range process nor is it nearly as precise as I would want for a trophy. That said, I do the same thing for hogs: 175 SMKs for precision and for zero, then 168 TAPs for the piggies.
I've hunted SMKs and never use them on game I need to recover. For pigs, I want maximum effect on target, but without the cost of Barnes TSX or TTSX, both of which I have had outstanding success using on game.
For a pig, a softpoint or amax and a confirmed similarity in flight path out to max distance. For a trophy: never a SMK and always a Barnes purpose-built bullet. You can get by with less; but if game that walks away is really bad, shot placement is most important, and bullet construction is next.
I've hunted SMKs and never use them on game I need to recover. For pigs, I want maximum effect on target, but without the cost of Barnes TSX or TTSX, both of which I have had outstanding success using on game.
For a pig, a softpoint or amax and a confirmed similarity in flight path out to max distance. For a trophy: never a SMK and always a Barnes purpose-built bullet. You can get by with less; but if game that walks away is really bad, shot placement is most important, and bullet construction is next.
The 175 SMK is a fine game bullet. I have never had an issue with it or any other SMK. I cannot prove it but suspect that complaints are simply blaming a bullet for poorly placed shots in most cases.
The exception might be if used in a magnum cartridge. I don’t suggest it on game in a 300 Win Mag. though it would likely be fine.
The exception might be if used in a magnum cartridge. I don’t suggest it on game in a 300 Win Mag. though it would likely be fine.
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I've never been able to "match" ballistics of one round to the other. I will say that out of a .308, I've killed hogs with 168 SMK, 175 SMK, and 185 Bergers, all at extremely long distances and never lost a porker. I might also add that throughout my life, I've killed many hogs with a .22lr. If you can't kill that hog with a 175 FGMM, you got some awfully tough hogs.
85 yds with a tikka? You should have put it in the eyeball hahah
Having killed my fair share of hogs in the middle of the night with the little 5.56, I will say that as long as you can hit center neck or head, don't worry about the 175 SMK not being enough.
That is not to say that the SMK is a good bullet for runners. It will however do just fine with a well-placed shot on a relatively stationary target.
If you are planning on wading into sounder after sounder, any 150-165gr softpoint will do great. Just put in the time and effort to eadjust zero and develop DOPE. However, since it sounds like you are going to be taking one or two shots with a bolt gun...stick with the 175 SMK.
That is not to say that the SMK is a good bullet for runners. It will however do just fine with a well-placed shot on a relatively stationary target.
If you are planning on wading into sounder after sounder, any 150-165gr softpoint will do great. Just put in the time and effort to eadjust zero and develop DOPE. However, since it sounds like you are going to be taking one or two shots with a bolt gun...stick with the 175 SMK.
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