Sierra NEW Tipped Match kings Higher BC

[swampratt]

Just what we need is another bullet to try out
http://www.ammoland.com/2014/12/new...-2015-tipped-matchking-bullets/#axzz3dEX2yFQh

The BC numbers look really nice
Sierra lists the BC numbers at different velocities.

The old 168 match king looks like this.
.462 BC @ 2600fps and up.
.447 @ 2100-2600 fps.
.424 @ 1600-2100 fps.
.405 @ 1600 and below.

The new Tipped Match king in 168gr.
.535 @ 2050 fps and up.
.521 @ 1650-2050 fps.
.480 @ 1650 and down.

The old 155gr palma 2156
.504 @ 2700 and up .
.470 @ 1800-2700 fps.
.430 @ 1500-1800 fps.
.380 @ 1500 and down.

The new tipped 155 gr.
.519 @ 1900 fps and up.
.490 @ 1600-1900 fps.
.420 @ 1600 and down.
Looks like you will keep your velocity up and have much less drop at longer ranges.. OH the Horror!

The 175gr Tipped looks like this.
545 @ 2400 fps and above.
.530 between 2400 and 1800 fps.
.495 @ 1800 and below.

The old 175 gr match king.
.505 @ 2800 fps and above.
.496 between 2800 and 1800 fps.
.485 @ 1800 fps and below.

Could be a good deal,, I would like to see how consistent they are made and if they produce good groups.
If anyone has tried these please speak up.
The 168's look like the best improved.

 

[swampratt]

Well I got a box of the New 168's.. time for some testing.

I checked bullet length from tip to base and it is 1.332" This is the new tipped 168 gr match king.
The bearing surface is .380"

For comparison the 178A-Max is 1.324" total length .511" bearing surface.
The 168A-Max is 1.212" total length with .450 bearing surface
The 155 A-Max has a .400" bearing surface.

What I have found with my guns is that my accuracy with short bearing surface bullets gets better the faster I shoot them.
I will need to load a few and see how they act on paper at 200 or more yards.

This bullet is longer than the 178 A-max and has less bearing surface than a 155 A max

This part I do not care for.
Weight retention is held to within +/- 0.3 grain. So said sierra on the Midway USA sight

Now I pulled 6 from the box and weighed them and that is what I got .3gr variance.

I also pulled 6 168 Amaxes from the bottom of a box that was almost empty. I got .1gr Variance.
Could be luck of the draw.
I can care less if they print on paper better at distance.

 

[swampratt]

More measuring.. I seated a dummy round to the lands in my savage 10fp .308.
I end up at 2.900 OAL to be .005" to .008" from touching the lands at all.
I colored the bullet and chambered it and kept seating deeper until there were no marks.

Then I measured to see how much of the bullet is into the case.. The bearing surface goes all the way to the base of the neck @ 2.900"
The boat tail base is at the shoulder.. It fits my magazine and cycles fine.. Just need to load some now.

 

[swampratt]

I went and shot some of these new 168 gr's raining on me a bit but I needed to know.
I shot them at 192 yards through the .308. Bipod on and folded flat resting on a bag.. using a rear bag also .. shooting off the top of my camo geo.

Very easy to find a load with these. I played with seating depths and seems to do well at .005" off lands and .045" off the lands.
I tried Varget and IMR 4064.
I used 42 and 42.5gr Varget with 210M primers and CCI200.. seems to like the cci 200 better by a bit. Lapua virgin brass.
But could be my shooting.
43.5-44 gr IMR 4064 with 210M shot tightest.
43.5 gave me a nice 1.050" 4 shot at 192 yards.. but I must count the flier because it was a five shot deal 2.285" group.


Anyway I feel if you get them in some brass jump to the lands by a few thousandths and use your favorite 168gr load they should work as well for you as they did for me.

They seem to hit the 192 yard target 2.6" higher than the same load with the 168A-Max.
I did not chrony them.. just looking for a promising load today.

Here is a picture of loads 1 and 2 and loads 4 and 5 at the 192 yards