How do the 150gr, 7mm Sierra Tipped GameKing hold together?

[std7mag]

Doing some very last minute loading for next weekends PA blackbear season.
Happened to run across a bag of 7mm, 150gr Tipped GameKing on my shelf that i had forgotten i had.

Loading for 280 Rem. Already have good loads for a variety of 150gr bullets. Partition, ABLR, NBT & Berger Classic Hunter.

My prefered (i already have loaded up) is the Partition and NBT.

But if the Sierra's hold together like the NBT, i'd like to try them.

If they hold together like the SST or ELDX, i'll save them for the range.

 

[nhenry]

Can’t say they held together too well on the steel I shot them at

 

[44hunter45]

Are the tipped as thin jacketed as the regular GKs?

I used 140 GKBT #1730 for years in .264 WM and 6.5x55. They are designed to frag. I had spectacular instant kills on deer with them for a long time. Often no exit, but massive blood in the chest cavity when you open them up. I killed elk with this load, but didn't ever get an instant kill.

I've jumped on the Hammer wagon since.

The down side is little bits of lead everywhere. If you hit a shoulder you are doing a lot of trimming.

Just me, I'd want something tougher for bear.

 

[std7mag]

Partition it is....

 

[CForest]

Are the tipped as thin jacketed as the regular GKs?

I used 140 GKBT #1730 for years in .264 WM and 6.5x55. They are designed to frag. I had spectacular instant kills on deer with them for a long time. Often no exit, but massive blood in the chest cavity when you open them up. I killed elk with this load, but didn't ever get an instant kill.

I've jumped on the Hammer wagon since.

The down side is little bits of lead everywhere. If you hit a shoulder you are doing a lot of trimming.

Just me, I'd want something tougher for bear.

my understanding is the jacket is much much thicker than the regular GK. In fact the reading I have done is that they perform nothing like the original GK, moreso like a heavier nosler BT. There are some pictures floating around of a bullet cut in half, and it is a very thick jacket for a cup/core bullet.

I've got some 165gr loaded up in my 7saum that I will hopefully get to try out on some elk next week, which will be the first on game test for me personally.

I'm hoping/expecting it to hold together better than an eld-x but with the similar high bc long range performance. Time will tell, hopefully!

 

[Robert N]

I’ve used SGK’s in my .257 Roberts for years. At normal velocities…2800 at the muzzle…they work fine at 100-200 yards (think 2400-2600 impact). Drive them much past that, they are known to come apart.

 

[CForest]

I just got back from the elk hunt with my first experience with the tipped gameking "gamechanger." Using the 165gr in my short barreled 7 saum, pushing them about 2965fps. Shot my cow at 462yd through the shoulder, and recovered it just under the offside hide. She stumbled around for a few seconds and went down. Good penetration, quick kill, held together well, shoot well, not much not to like so far. But would like to kill something up close to get a better overall feeling. Retained weight was 118 grain, very accubond-ish results which is exactly what I was hoping for. Been a long time fan of the accubond but wanted to give these a try with the much higher bc. The gamechanger is definitely the best "high bc cup and core" bullet I have tried so far.

 

[Robert N]

I just got back from the elk hunt with my first experience with the tipped gameking "gamechanger." Using the 165gr in my short barreled 7 saum, pushing them about 2965fps. Shot my cow at 462yd through the shoulder, and recovered it just under the offside hide. She stumbled around for a few seconds and went down. Good penetration, quick kill, held together well, shoot well, not much not to like so far. But would like to kill something up close to get a better overall feeling. Retained weight was 118 grain, very accubond-ish results which is exactly what I was hoping for. Been a long time fan of the accubond but wanted to give these a try with the much higher bc. The gamechanger is definitely the best "high bc cup and core" bullet I have tried so far.

What I’m more interested in is how you got 2965 fps with a 160 gr bullet.

Best I could get in my 7SAUM is about 2800 in a 22” REM AWR.

 

[cgasner1]

I use to shot the 160s out of my 7 mag they worked but for some reason I always felt like I was walking a fine line till they didn’t. Gun absolutely loved them but something just never felt right

 

[MTLabrador]

I haven’t used them on game yet, but the 165 .308s are very accurate and I’m going to load the 140 .270 for next year since Accubonds have been so tough to find. They’re built a lot more like a heavy Nosler ballistic tip than a regular game king, they look like a pretty stout bullet.

 

[CForest]

What I’m more interested in is how you got 2965 fps with a 160 gr bullet.

Best I could get in my 7SAUM is about 2800 in a 22” REM AWR.

I do have extended freebore for these newer heavy high bc bullets so I am loading long at just over 3". But all book loads. This is 61.4gr of 4831sc, 215 primer. I got over 3k pretty easy with the 155 hammers they just havent shot the greatest, but didnt give them a ton of time either.

 

[DFS]

140 Sierra gameking not the tipped. One of the biggest bodied whitetails I have been around. I was impressed enough to buy more today. I can’t say that with a good shot I’ve ever experienced bullet failure. I did have a coyote run off from a 300 RUM with a poorly placed shot though.

 

[Bambistew]

Between my buddy, his dad and I we killed probably north of 50 bull elk with 160 sierra GK out of 7mags. Never once wished for more or less. I still load them, but don't hunt with my 7 much anymore. I've shot a few deer with them out of my 280.

 

[Gr8bawana]

I just got back from the elk hunt with my first experience with the tipped gameking "gamechanger." Using the 165gr in my short barreled 7 saum, pushing them about 2965fps. Shot my cow at 462yd through the shoulder, and recovered it just under the offside hide. She stumbled around for a few seconds and went down. Good penetration, quick kill, held together well, shoot well, not much not to like so far. But would like to kill something up close to get a better overall feeling. Retained weight was 118 grain, very accubond-ish results which is exactly what I was hoping for. Been a long time fan of the accubond but wanted to give these a try with the much higher bc. The gamechanger is definitely the best "high bc cup and core" bullet I have tried so far.

"Not much to like so far?" Was the cow not dead enough? Sounds like the bullet worked as intended.

 

[Laelkhunter]

"Not much to like so far?" Was the cow not dead enough? Sounds like the bullet worked as intended.

I think you misread it, he said "Not much NOT to like so far".

 

[Gr8bawana]

I think you misread it, he said "Not much NOT to like so far".

 

[CForest]

View attachment 302724

it's always the fine print that gets a guy

 

[std7mag]

Well, bear season has come & gone in my section of PA.
I saw a bear Saturday (opening day). But it was in the evening as i was getting ready to leave.
I could make it out through a small patch of trees. It was on the gasline. Could barely see it in the binoculars. Couldn't tell how big.
Couldn't find the reticle in my rangefinder.
Couldn't see the reticle in my scope.
So no shot.

I'm loaded up with the 150gr TGK in the 280 Rem & 7mm WBY Mag for deer season. If i decide to take them.

Leaning more towards taking the Browning A Bolt in 25 WSSM for opening day.
Sunday supposed to rain, so the Savage 111 in 257 Roberts AI is the go to.
Have Monday off too. May take the Weatherby Mark V Weathermark LT in 7mm WBY for it.
Have standard buck tag & 5 doe tags to try & fill.

 

[why]

I think I've shot 7 or 8 elk, and a bunch of deer and pronghorn with the 165 TGK out of a 284. at about 2800 fps. Usually about 60-80% weight retention depending on the target and the distance. I really like this bullet. A bit tougher than the eld x and the traditional game king in my experience, although I like both of those as well. Super easy load development which seems about par for sierra.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

What I’m more interested in is how you got 2965 fps with a 160 gr bullet.

Best I could get in my 7SAUM is about 2800 in a 22” REM AWR.

I have found 175s/180s can run into the low 2800s pretty easy with h1000 in 2 different 22" 7 SAUM barrels. RL26 would do it easier yet. Both were throated to load long though and use 3.4" COAL magazines.