Nosler 175CC vs Sierra 175 MK- 30 cal
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I'm in the process of deciding on a bullet to use in my Rem 700 SPS and want to use 175 grain bullets. I have access to Berger, Sierra, Hornady and Nosler. Through my research it seems like the Match King is sort of the Gold standard in the 175 bullets for 308. So my question to those who are much more experience than me- how do these bullets compare to one another (178 Hornady, 175 Nosler, 175 Sierra)? I am more interested in the comparison between the Sierra and the Nosler as I can get the Nosler at about 25% cheaper than the Sierra and Berger cost the same as the sierra so I see no point in using Sierra. But is the Nosler as good as the Sierra? That's the question I'm hoping to get answered.
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And I do apologise if the question have come up. I've searched the internet for the last few months and cannot find comments on the specific comparison.... or maybe my google-fu sucks....
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I have used the Sierra and the Nosler with similar results, in both the 175 and 168 versions. These being the HPBT and not the tipped SMKs.
Your rifle may/will let you know if one is more appetizing than the other.
Buy a small batch and compare the results, my loads worked equally as well with either bullet and for me they are interchangeable with only a slight seating difference.
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Tunnel ratt ordered some 175 gr seconds which we both thought would be matchkings. They are not matchkings...and I assume they are noslers. They have no problem at 1/2-3/4 Moa. I haven't shot them in anything that shoots Better than that.
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I have used 168 and 175 SMK in an 26" SPS with good results (1/2 MOA @ 200yds). I have bought a couple hundred of the newer TMKs but have not actually loaded any yet. I pay about $.32 per round for SMK and $.35 for TMK. I haven't seen Bergers for less than $.42. If I found Bergers for the same price as SMK or even TMK, I'd be hard pressed not to buy the Bergers.
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I'd check out the 168 TMKs. you can push them a couple hundred feet faster and they have a better BC than the 175 SMK. That's why I bought some when they came out but I never got around to working more on the .308.
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I haven't worked with the new TMK's yet... but the old 168 SMK's were terrible at distance. The 175SMK has always been a staple in .30cal. They just work. To date, they are the most forgiving bullet I've ever used. They simply shoot well out of everything, and it really doesn't seem to matter much how you have them configured. The "easy button" if there were one.
The 178 hornady and the noslers are not quite so easy in many cases. I had several very poor experiences with noslers 175, and hornady hpbt's as well. The variances between bullets are usually significantly more with those two brands.
While this tiny little test doesn't tell the entire story, it offers a glimpse of reality regarding these different manufacturers. http://www.primalrights.com/articles/bullet-uniformity-testing-7mm-bullets
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@a_marks Thanks for the input. Ive read a couple of views of the 168 SMK and its copies not doing very well past about 600m (Brain Litz also mentioned this in his books). Unfortunately, due to the difficulties I face in my country (South Africa) and I dont want to risk a poor cartridge in the case that the experiences are true. My goal is to get this gun out to 1000m (I will at the very least try my best).
As for the pricing, here in SA things are much different. The Sierra MK is about $54/100 (these have actually come down in price since I checked last) and the Bergers are about $65/100. I have access to Nosler CC for $114/250 ($47/100). So if the Noslers work I would much prefer to use them as they are in steady supply. Sierra just came back into stock after some time of no stock in the country. How do these prices compare to those in the US?
I realize that maybe im missing a big picture somewhere with regards to the allegations against the 168 MK but I need to work up a potential 1000m load as soon as I can and I dont have the resources to test every possible combination available.
And I'm sorry if I come accross as a serious noob... I am one :)
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@orkan Thanks Orkan. Ill keep that in mind. I think I am going to try a box of the Nosler and see what happens. Maybe I get lucky and it works. If not, well then it will make for some good 500m trigger time at least and I will look to getting the Sierra or Bergers.
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@orkan
Were the 168 SMKs terrible because of drop and drift or were there other reasons? The new 168 TMKs have a higher ballistic coefficient than the old 175 SMK. If it has a higher BC and you can push it faster it should be a winning combination at range assuming your rifle likes them.
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All you can do is try them out.
The SMK shot the same as 178 Amax's do in my rifle. So I stuck with the Amax's due to them being cheaper.
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@a_marks 168 SMKs were originally designed for 300 meter international competition, not long range use. They work extremely well out to 600 or so yards. I am not familiar with the tipped version.
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@norcal_in_az I only have access to the 168 A-max but they cost slightly more than the Bergers :(
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@a_marks said:
@orkan
Were the 168 SMKs terrible because of drop and drift or were there other reasons?They did not remain stable at distances past 700-900yds depending upon rifle and conditions. Conversely, the 175SMK's will remain stable out to a mile or better.
