165gr GameKing help

[aussiek2000]

I went to the LGS today looking to pick up another box of .30 bullets to do a little reloading today. Sadly, they were out of anything that I have a developed load for. I saw a Sierra box labeled "165gr BTHP" and I didn't bother to look at the lid.

I got home and got all my reloading stuff ready. Prepped some brass, got the scales and power measure set up. And then I open up the box of bullets and see a funky tip. I then look at the lid and it says "GameKing" and not the "matchking"s I have used before.

I look in the loading manual and don't really see anything different as far as loading goes, so I charge a few case. I left the seating die where it was (2.8 OAL) from the last batch of 168gr Hornady match BTHP I loaded. Grab my gun (700 varmint) and try to chamber the round. Bolt wont even remotely come close to closing.

So I break out the comparator. Its quite obvious that the Hornady is longer ahead of the ogive and the GameKing behind it. So then comes out the case length guage. My chamber is super long at around 2.3xx to the ogive with the gamekings. My go to Hornadys measure 2.135. I do the math on the difference on bullet length behind the ogive (0.080) and seat the gameking to 2.215. Grab the gun again and this round chambers, and I take a test shot. Every works ok.

My question is, why wouldn't a shorter bullet chamber? That makes not sense to me. All the cases are federal trimmed to 2.008 and all full length sized with the same die. Does anyone have a go to length for 165gr GameKing BTHPs?

NOTE:some measurements may be off, I am at a different location from where I reload and wrote them down.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I use the 165 Game Kings in my 308 exclusively for deer hunting with excellent penetration and expansion, in fact, it's my favorite pill to load. I run mine 20 off the lands in my 11 Lightweight hunter but I set mine with with a Hornady headspace gage because every chamber will be different. I too use Federal or Lapua Brass with Federal primers and Bruce Hodgdon powder.

 

[redbullitt]

I have had good luck with game kings as well. The ones I have shot are plenty accurate and work well on deer. I think you will be happy with those.

As far as the length, those bullets look to be stumpier than the sleek match bullets. The ogive contact point is simply in a different place on those bullets. No worries there IMHO. May be a good time to get one of those hornady oal tools.

 

[MO_Boy]

They shoot really well from my LMT believe it or not. I am able to load them a little off the lands whereas the matchkings jump about .075". I do not know if that is the difference or what. The B.C. is about the same as a school bus but I do not honestly know if that affects accuracy or not. Someone else with more experience will have to answer that. I have shot them out to 400yds will exceptional accuracy and they are pretty hard on deer if you are hunting with them.... You should give them a shot to see how they do in your rifle.

MO Boy

 

[ptaylortx]

These are nasty on deer and hogs. Accurate too. Hang on to them for hunting season and go find some smk for the range.

 

[Rookie]

I second that. Super effective on deer and hogs. Never tried them long as I see them as a medium range hunting bullet. Their stumpy profile is what is giving you reloading trouble. Just seat them a little deeper.

 

[Name Enough]

Strange I had the same experience with my M1A. Picked some up during the panic and loaded them just like the SMK 168 grain. I loaded the out to 2.81 and two of them got stuck in the chamber. I measured them out at 2.78. Don't know why but I know the M1A don't like them short.

BTW - they group just as well as the SMKs with the same load 41.5 Grains of H4895.