sierra GameKing

[shootdonniebrook]

I bought some PMC ammo loaded with the sierra gameking bullet. The ammo was 140 gr.spbt for my 7mm mag. The velocity on the box says 3125 at the muzzle for a 24" barrel. I'm shooting the pro hunter encore that has a 28" barrel, how much velocity should I gain with the extra 4"? Iv'e never used this ammo before or the gameking, how well does it perform on deer size game? My shots are from 40 to 150 yards. This ammo shoots under 1/2" at 100 yards, and is the best I have found so far. Iv'e tried the hornady 139gr btsp and the 139gr. IB both were over 1 1/2" groups.

[the jigger]

i don't shoot a 7mm or factory ammo but i do load quite a number of gameking bullets. they are one of my favorite bullets in a variety of weights and calibers. if you are getting .5" groups at 100yds with factory ammo, your preparation for hunting season is finished. that bullet will do the job!!!!!!

[beemanbeme]

I don't have any hands on experience as I don't shoot 140gr bullets from a 7mag but I would be a little fearful that the gameking bullet was not designed to be driven that fast.  A call to Sierra might give you the answer.  I have used game king bullets from a 7-08 @2800fps and they did well.  When I'm shooting a 7mag I go to a bigger, tougher bullet, ie, NP's or Grand Slams.

[SuperstitionCoues]

donnybrook,

See my response to your Gameking post in "Handloading".  You won't have any problem with this bullet.  I use this in my 7mm WSM.  One of the things that I did before I started to hand-load for the 7mm was to call Sierra and ask the same questions that you are.  This is what they recommended.  My groups were also at or under 1/2". 

You shouldn't have a problem with the bullet, and you shouldn't have to spend more $$$ on unecessary so-called "premium" bullets.  Shot placement is the more important concern, and your level of accuracy will ease your mind.  Enjoy your hunt!

[marylandeer]

I can't tell you how the 140 grainers will do from the 7mag but I can tell you that 165 grainers work GREAT from my .30-06. I shoot the 165 grain Gamekings boattail soft points not the hollow points. If anything they may do a little too much damage to my deer BUT I'm not changing as long as I keep getting the "BangFlops".
I'm sure they will do a fine job for you but I wouldn't shoot for the shoulder with the 140's going that fast.. Aim for the "double Lunger" or heart and you'll be fine.

[dw06]

I've loaded the sierra 130gr spbt for a friends 270win for years,the only bullet he will use.They are right at 3000fps and the results I've seen are great.He never takes a texas heart shot and shoots most at broadside deer.That 140gr would do the same,and with under 1/2''groups is plenty accurate,just do some shooting at longer ranges and get trajectory down pat and go try it on deer.

[Brithunter]

I am glad you all like the Sierra Game Kings .......................... however personally I try to avoid them as I do not trust them after having a 180 Grn .308 bullet come apart on a 90 Yard shot. The bullet blew to pieces although some part of it did exit, shot was broadsides on a 35-40lb Roe Doe, now considering this 180 grn bullet was meant for larger Deer and possibly Elk I want no part of them and only ............................ ONLY buy Sierra's when I can get nothing else.

    Also I will never buy any PMC ammo after having some of their 6.5x55 which blew the primer out enlarged the pocket and gave way so violently that it broke the firing pin on my Mauser and sent the rear part of the bolt into my glasses denting the metal frame it then glanced off and was picked up about 6 feet behind the firing point. I will never buy their ammo again.

[S.S.]

Probably one of the most accurate Bullets on the market. BUT...
Be expecting it to Fragment severly at the Velocity a 7 mag is going to
be pushing it though.

[adirondacker]

sierra has a number to contact their bulletsmiths.real knowledgible guys.i had it written down but can't find it at the moment.i have been using sierra bullets for over 20 yrs,i shoot the 117 grn spbt out of my 257 rbts.excellent deer bullet,i think the boattail construction makes a stronger bullet.imo,i can't prove it but i'll swear to it.i also use their 165 hpbt out of 308 and 30/06.these bullets on deer size animals  are wicked.you may lose a little venison but you won't lose your deer,given you do your part.the 52 grn hpbt match is one of the most accurate 22-250 bullets you can buy.i have even killed deer with these,and many coyotes.
 i have tried $1 a piece bullets and if thats your thing ,then you have deeper pockets than me.i shoot alot.i like to keep it affordable.shooting and hunting with the same bullet/load only makes sense to me.

[adirondacker]

here is that # for sierra's bulletsmiths,they can answer any ? you have about matching bullets to velocity.1.800.223.8799

[Brithunter]

Hi adirondacker ,

     Well I switched to using Speer and Hornady, Hornady is first choice when I can get them  however I do have some Sierras still as I could not get any others at the time. I really do wish the supply situation was better here  and the prices lower. Last time I brought a box of Hornady 139 Grn 6.5mm bullets they were nearly $40 a box  .

[Buckfever]

When I was 28 I went on an Elk hunt at 10,000 feet in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area in Montana.  I knew very little about bullets but was told that a Federal load 160gr. premium cartridge would work great for long shots.  Being young I took a shot across a canyon and hit the bull in the lungs and shoulder.  It took me an hour and a half to go down one side and up the other.  The guide told me, after he arrived with the horses that it was a 500yd shot and if he was with me he would have tried to talk me out of shooting.  I just keep raising the cross hairs over his head and rack until I hit him.  I have thought about this many times since then.   The bull was a 6x6 and my only Elk.  Today I would have never tried that shot.  I would have had a special rifle and a special reload.  God knows I would have a rangefinder and a compensating scope.   The Elk was shot with a Ruger M-77 in a 7mm mag. with a Redfield Widefield 2-7.  Yes, the bullet was a Sierra Game King!!!  As Paul Harvey would say , "that is the rest of the story."     Buckfever

[Coyote Hunter]

shootdonniebrook -

I've been using a 7mm Rem Mag for over 20 years to take elk, deer and antelope.  The first animal I shot was a spike bull at about 100 yards.  The bullet was a 162g Hornady Interlock launched at around 2900-3000fps (didn't have aq chrono back in those days).  The bullet retained less than 50% of its original weight and failed to exit even though it only hit a near-side rib.  (May have nicked one on the far side, but no major damage done on the far side.)  The following year I switched to 160g Grand Slams and didn't recover another bullet for 20 years.  The one I recovered took out both shoulder joints of a 5x5 bull and still weighed over 113g or 240% of what the Interlock weighed.  Granted it didn't exit, but not may bullets would after hitting that much bone.

Since then I've switched to true premium bullets wherever possible.  IMO, shooting a standard cup-and-core bullet, like the Game King, at 3125fps is just asking for a bullet blow-up at close range. A better choice would be the InterBond or AccuBond even if you give up a little accuracy.  (1-1/2" at 100 yards is more than adequate for shooting deer out to 400 yards.)

My opinion is that the faster the bullet the better it should be.  The very best, IMHO, are the North Fork, Trophy Bonded and A-Frame.  The MRX and TSX would be next in line followed by the Scirocco II, InterBond, AccuBond and Partition - not necessarily in that order for the last 4.

Again, just my opinions.

[The Sodbuster]

This morning I shot a fair sized whitetail doe at about 50 yards with a 100 grain Sierra GameKing out of my .25-06.  I don't have a chrony so I can't tell you what the velocity is, but it's a near max load.  A broadside shot.  Bullet went in the left side, through both lungs and out the right side.  I don't know what the bullet looked like after it exited, but the doe piled up after about 40 yards and left loads of blood in the snow.  I've killed a few other deer with gamekings.  None went farther than this mornings doe.  I'm a believer.

[RaySendero]

I use the 150 SGK for my 270.  Have always gotten two holes - All deer have been DOA (Dead On its Arrival!

[jasonprox700]

I have been using SGK in my .280 for years.  I am switching to a parition or something stronger.  I have had only one pass through on a deer out of about 20.  They expand to fast when you get up over 3,000 fps.  They are the most accurate bullet I have EVER shot out of my .280.  My best group was .5" @ 200 yards.  That was the main reason that I stuck with them for so long.  I think for long range shooting (300yrds or more), they might work well when the velocities drop.  I tried loading a lighter charge, but my gun didn't like them.  57 grains of R19 worked great.

[rickt300]

I often wonder why someone would pick such a cartridge and bullet combination for ranges under 150 yards but with hits where deep penetration isn't needed you will kill deer quickly. Nice level of accuracy but at those ranges on deer with a 7MM Remington magnum a heavier bullet with a bit less accuracy might do better.