7mm 175 Partition or Sierra Gameking

[gatekeeper]

Does anyone have any experience with the 7mm Rem Mag with the 175gr Sierra Gameking bullet? I am considering the Nosler Partition, or possibly this bullet. I am interested to know if at the velocities the 7mm Rem Mag produces, around 2900ish, does the Sierra hold up well? Does it perhaps expand more violently than the Partition, or is the Partition still a better all around design? I know the Partition is proven, but have found little on the Sierra terminal performance, just that being a Sierra, it is very accurate. Thanks.

 

[Areaonereal]

if it is for Africa plains game....partition without a doubt.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I have no experience with the Gameking, have only read/heard mostly good things about it. The Partition will always be one of my favortie bullets. I've had some rifles that were hard to find an accurate load with it which would be my only complaint. But it's always worked well for me including on taking a Shiras moose with my 7mm some 16 years ago.

 

[Divernhunter]

No contest. The Partition. This is hunting not match shooting and I have gotten very small groups with Partitions and Swift A-Frames.
If it were me I would use Swift A-Frames and a bit lighter. On my 2 trips and the one with my daughter we used Swift A-Frames with great success and no lost animals or tracking.

 

[Nosler guy]

I've had excellent results from 175gr Partitions from my 7mm Weatherby (nearly identical ballistics) on elk and moose. Would pick them over the Sierra everytime, even if you have to give up a bit of accuracy.

If I was taking a 7mm mag to Africa, it would be 175 grain bullets, either Nosler Partions or Swift A-frames, whichever your rifle shoots better

 

[1dirthawker]

gatekeeper,

i have used the 175 game king bullet in my 7mm mag and the 160gr nosler. the nosler was much superior as a game bullet. the game king was more accurate, but a very soft/slightly built bullet.
i suspect i would have liked the 175 gr nosler even better. several of the 175 game kings lost their core/jacket separation.

i would agree with the other guys above; nosler every time. the funny thing is, i called sierra twenty five years ago, recommended they bond their bullets. they blew me off, said their bullets failure still killed the blacktail deer i shot, so what was the problem?

good hunting.

 

[Rick Cox]

You may find this of interest. The Gameking is discussed at length under 'Handloads'.
https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/7mm+Remington+Magnum.html?__utma=1.1863531443.1517940765.1522411835.1522728799.7&__utmb=1.3.10.1522728799&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1522411835.6.3.utmcsr=google|utmccn=(organic)|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=(not provided)&__utmv=-&__utmk=196515372

 

[MarkCZ]

Partition every time, Gameking is a great bullet and very accurate. I use Sierra for all my UK hunting but always use Partitions in Africa.
Markcz

 

[ChrisG]

I agree with most of the comments above. Sierras claim to fame is accuracy. The game king will likely separate almost on impact. It is cup and core, and a boat tail. It's the perfect storm of a bullet that is almost DESIGNED to lose it's jacket. If I was forced to use a sierra I would just the pro-hunter. It is one of the most accurate bullets Sierra makes and it is at lease a flat base. However... Partition all the way... or better yet. A-Frame!

 

[JMM]

I am a fan of the Sierra, I used the Pro Hunter which is the same bullet as Game King, except flat base. It depends on what you are shooting. I have tested the Sierra on game as large as wildebeest and it is a killer for sure. Didn't always exit on zebra/wildebeest depending on the angle, but never lost one. Anything larger and there are better bullets. You will never have a failure to penetrate with the Partition. I have also tested them extensively in Africa. My favorites are Swift A-frames and Sciroccos.

 

[Rob404]

I also like Sierras from Match Bullets to Hunting I used Gamekings in Africa for Plains Game with excellent success.

 

[Divernhunter]

May I add that you should consider that many cheaper bullets will work usually. The trick is when you get that not so perfect shot and really need to take it for some reason. Then I want a better than I need bullet.
Then consider we are talking about the cheapest part of the hunt(the bullet) that has the most influence as to if you are successful(dead animal) or not. If the bullet alone was $5 it would still be the cheapest part of the hunt that matters the most. I choose to select a better than I "need" bullet then put it into new brass when I go hunting. Just makes sense to me.

 

[ack]

I killed a lot of deer n pronghorn with Game King and it put a big hole coming out..Kills light game quickly..Had one splatter on a deer shoulder...Are accurate..Caribou in pic was taken with a 200 grain Sierra in 300Win..One shot on it and wife took a big black bear with same and one shot..Just make sure it hits 'em right to start...

 

[1dirthawker]

May I add that you should consider that many cheaper bullets will work usually. The trick is when you get that not so perfect shot and really need to take it for some reason. Then I want a better than I need bullet.
Then consider we are talking about the cheapest part of the hunt(the bullet) that has the most influence as to if you are successful(dead animal) or not. If the bullet alone was $5 it would still be the cheapest part of the hunt that matters the most. I choose to select a better than I "need" bullet then put it into new brass when I go hunting. Just makes sense to me.

what he said!!! perfectly stated.

 

[Divernhunter]

what he said!!! perfectly stated.

Thank you. So many people I have spoke with over the years do not seem to understand this concept.

I had a friend years ago who went on his 1st(and only) guided elk hunt in Montana. He took 2 weeks off from work, bought a new fancy expensive sleeping bag and some other things including a new Weatherby rifle. Then he used a Hornady bullet because he could buy a 100 count box of them for the same price as a 50 count box of Nosler Partitions for hand loading and used 2-3 times fired brass because a box of 20 new brass cost too much. I told him that he had his priorities wrong on costs......but he could not see it.

 

[Dr Ray]

I agree that the not so perfect shit could be a problem using Sierra. I used Sierra in 270 and 30/06 and on thin skinned game such as deer they were fine.
I would suggest the Nosler partitions for African game however.

 

[Nosler guy]

Thank you. So many people I have spoke with over the years do not seem to understand this concept.

I had a friend years ago who went on his 1st(and only) guided elk hunt in Montana. He took 2 weeks off from work, bought a new fancy expensive sleeping bag and some other things including a new Weatherby rifle. Then he used a Hornady bullet because he could buy a 100 count box of them for the same price as a 50 count box of Nosler Partitions for hand loading and used 2-3 times fired brass because a box of 20 new brass cost too much. I told him that he had his priorities wrong on costs......but he could not see it.

Well said, in the last couple of posts ...

To take this concept a step farther - consider the guns they are using to shoot these bullets. I see it over and over again, guys wanting to take their borderline calibers over to Africa (in fact there is a thread going right now about a 7mm-08 for hunting Eland - lots of guys saying it will be fine if you choose your shot) and there has been lots of posts about 6.5's for plains game - I just don't understand it. The rifle is a minimum cost too. Lose one kudu / eland / waterbuck to a borderline shot and all of a sudden the price of a run of the mill working man's rifle looks pretty cheap. If you fool around with poor bullets and borderline calibres sooner or later it will cost you time and money

 

[CTDolan]

You may find this of interest. The Gameking is discussed at length under 'Handloads'.
https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/7mm+Remington+Magnum.html?__utma=1.1863531443.1517940765.1522411835.1522728799.7&__utmb=1.3.10.1522728799&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1522411835.6.3.utmcsr=google|utmccn=(organic)|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=(not provided)&__utmv=-&__utmk=196515372

Nice site. Thanks for sharing.

 

[PLM]

For performance vs cost In my 7 mm rem mag, The 175 gr Speer grand slam can't be beat. Performance on deer, medium sized hogs, and a couple elk has been about the same as partitions.

 

[Bill Bunn III]

Partition all the way, there is a reason it has been the measuring stick for hunting bullets for over 40yrs. I took six animals in Africa last summer all with a 260 gr. Partition out of a 375 H&H. All one shot kills, we recovered 4 of the bullets and they performed just as they are designed to. I do have to say I am wanting to try the swift A-frame in my 375 just to see how they shoot.