7mm Rem Mag - Gamekings or Interlocks

[338winmag]

Hunting Colorado Mule Deer and Elk. I am using my 7mm Rem Mag as a backup rifle only and already have excellent 150 gr Nolser Partition loads but wanted one other nice hunting load. In the past with another 7mm Rem Mag, I had pressure issues with the Sierra 160 gr gameking but that could just have been the rifle.

Anyone have experience. opinions or comments whether they prefer Sierra Gamekings or Hornady Interlocks? Also Interlock 154 or 162 or Sierra 160s?

Thanks for all comments
338winmag

 

[SJB358]

Out of those picks Steve, I would probably try the 162 Hornady. I am sure the 160 Sierra's are good, but I would think the Hornady's are a little tougher..

Although, Sierra does have their 160 HPBT Gameking, supposed to be very tough, so maybe try them out. Might make a cool load..

Run them into jugs Steve and see what comes out. That always kinda helps me decide.

 

[tecumseh]

When I first started loading for my 280 Rem I was using a 140 gr Sierra pro-hunter and took two hogs with them that weighed 250 plus and they worked great! I'm using a 180 gr Hornady Interlock in my 300 WSM. I havent used them hinting yet but I wouldn't hesitate to take an Elk, Buffalo or Moose with them!

 

[Guest]

I'd use the Hornady pill if you're not going to use Nosler. Or you could try the Speer 160, if you're trying to save some dough. I'd bet a 160gr Deep Curl would cure what ails any elk or mule deer.

I don't use Sierra bullets, as I never found them to be any better than Speer, and the folks at Sierra customer service were rude and insulting to me when I asked for an appropriate range of impact velocities for one of their bullets. They lost a customer for eternity that day. If I'd been there in person, I'd have punched that jerk in the mouth. Twice.

In fact, I've got some Sierra bullets on my shelf that are darkening from sitting so long. Time to get rid of them, I believe. Unfortunately for you, nothing in 7mm. Look for a post in the classifieds soon!

 

[338winmag]

Yeah I am now a very committed Nosler bullet guy for all my rifles but I want to have some fun with other rounds and have some of those loads as backups.

Interlock is sounding good. One another site, one mentioned the 154s. Is there that much benefit to bumping up to the 162s do you think?

thanks
338winmag

 

[DrMike]

Steve,

Either the Gameking or the InterLock will serve you well. I've used both on game here in British Columbia, and the game was quite dead. I use more Hornady than Sierra, primarily because they are more readily available; but, I would be content to use either. Whenever possible, however, I use Nosler, Barnes or Swift for my hunts. Having said that, I wouldn't be terribly handicapped using either Hornadys or Sierras.

 

[SJB358]

Steve, if you want a bullet to have fun with and will smoke deer, try out the 162 grain AMax. It shot really well out of my 7WSM with almost no load work, sports a .625 BC and is inexpensive. Right now, it is my target/steel bullet for my 7WSM.

I loaded these over RL22 and put them .010" off the lands and they shot this..

While it doesn't look great, it wouldn't take too much to make them shoot excellent, and again, they are less than 30.00 for 100 so you can get a whole lotta practice outta them.

 

[338winmag]

Interesting Scotty!
I had always thought the A-Max were a premium and expensive 50 er box bullets. I need to look into these. Can they be used effectively for elk sd well?

Thanks
Steve

 

[SJB358]

I wouldn't use them for elk, but I wouldn't use the regular Interlock or Sierra out of a 7RM either.. I know Mike has taken the whole Northern slew of game animals with them at one time or another. If was to use a regular bullet, it would likely be the Speer Deep Curl. They are bonded and inexpensive as well.

 

[mcseal2]

I'd personally load the 160 AccuBond for an all purpose deer/elk load from it.

I can't say anything bad about Sierra gamekings and I've used them quite a bit. I really wish Nosler would use a more aggressive boattail like Sierra, or Sierra would come out with a polymer tip for their hollow points and increase their BC. I think as long as you stay toward the heavy end for the caliber they have a good thick jacket. I know several people who love the 175gr Sierra gameking for elk and deer and it has an awesome BC. The Bryan Litz book I have rated the actual BC of the Sierra at .579 and the actual BC of the Partition at .453. I haven't used Hornady lead tip bullets much. A Sierra definitely has a sleeker profile and sharper tip than most other lead tip hunting bullets. Sierra hollow point gameking bullets usually have a pretty low BC compared to similar weight bullets.

Back in high school I shot a buck running away from me at to sharp an angle with a 140gr Sierra from my 7 mag. The shot was inside 100yds and I had the bullets loaded past 3300fps from my 26" barrel. I hit the buck right where I was aiming, thinking the bullet would penetrate deep enough to hit the vitals and shut him down. I was wrong, the bullet didn't come apart but it did get mangled enough on the hip bone that it didn't penetrate far. I was fortunate and a friend on the opposite side of the draw we were pushing put him down as he broke out that side. I should not have taken that angle and wouldn't again. The bullet's impact velocity would have been real high when it hit the outer edge of the hip bone also putting tremendous strain on it. Still from my experience since switching to accubonds I believe that deer would have fallen to a 140 AB. I also believe a 160 or 175gr Sierra would have penetrated further with their heavier jackets.

Sierra bullets have performed well for me, I just figure with all the bonded and Partition style bullets available why take a chance on a blow-up or jacket separation with a standard bullet? Also for the deer size game I usually hunt I like the lower recoil and higher velocity I can get from a lighter weight polymer tip bullet like the AccuBond at a similar BC. I'd feel confident in getting enough penetration with a 140gr AccuBond on any shot I'd take with a 160gr Sierra for example. I have talked with technician's at Sierra and they have much different jacket thicknesses for the intended use of the bullet. The 175gr gameking is built to be tough enough for the big case 7 mags on real big game, and that's what they recommended to me when I asked about an elk bullet.

Anyway, there is my opinion for what it's worth.

 

[338winmag]

Personally Iwould luv to get a big batch of 160 gr NAB seconds and be done with it... but I keep waiting and waiting and see no SPS offer on them. That is why I was looking at a lower costing bullet to play with.

Some excellent points everyone
Thanks

 

[SJB358]

Same here Steve, I think that is about the last bullet I am really waiting on for this year.. I am really low on them!

 

[mcseal2]

I like cheap practice bullets also, I didn't realize it wasn't intended to be a hunting load. I load ballistic tips in several rifles where they have the same weight and BC as the AccuBond for practice. They seem to shoot the same as long as the BC is the same. Some like the 140gr .277 have different BC numbers because of the jacket thickness.

For practice why not try your 150gr Partition load with a 150gr Sierra SPBT Gameking?

 

[FOTIS]

162 Hornadies IL. Killed just about everything with them

 

[bullet]

The hornady interlock will not perform better than the Sierra 160gr HPBT on terminal ballistics, but is pretty much even with the Sierra SBT G/K if not a little better. I put a 160gr Sierra HPBT G/K through an 8" laminate beam from a constructions sight out of a 7mm Rem mag at 25 yds and also the 165gr HPBT out of my 300Wby at 25yds and both exited and hit the bank 75yds further down range. I tried a hot core speer which exited but did not hit the bank nor did the interlock (both of these were 30 caliber), although they did exit they did not make it down range in one piece. In wet news print the interlock did not penetrate as far as the Sierra HPBT out of a 30-06. Have used both to take game and both the interlock and Sierra HPBT were great successes on game. When it comes down to it, I shoot the one that is the most accurate out of the rifle I am using.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I still can not quite sign in on using anything but an AccuBond or better bullet for elk. I lost an elk to a 175 grain, CoreLokt 7mm Rem Mag at 40 yards once and it changed me forever! Elk hunting, for most of us to go to a Rocky Mountain state and hunt, is a major expense for gas and licenses etc. Using a $1.00+ cost each bullet for this type of hunting does not even get noticed in the scheme of things.

 

[bullet]

I do like the AccuBond but have killed mine with Sierra, but have used the AccuBond on a lot of other game.

 

[338winmag]

Thanks Everyone. Some great experience and reocmmendations!
I appreciate everyone's comments
Steve

 

[mcseal2]

I still can not quite sign in on using anything but an AccuBond or better bullet for elk. I lost an elk to a 175 grain, CoreLokt 7mm Rem Mag at 40 yards once and it changed me forever! Elk hunting, for most of us to go to a Rocky Mountain state and hunt, is a major expense for gas and licenses etc. Using a $1.00+ cost each bullet for this type of hunting does not even get noticed in the scheme of things.

Couldn't agree more. I had a custom 7 mag build for a mountain hunting a few years back. I just got it 2 weeks before antelope season and planned to leave it in Wyoming until after elk season. I didn't think I had time to work up a load. I went to Walmart and bought a box of 175 corelokt bullets to break the barrel in (all they had). They shot well, so I bought 6 more boxes and started practicing. I killed my antelope at 300yds, and my elk at 468yds. They worked, but the first thing I did when I got the rifle home and had time was start working up loads with a premium bullet. While I was practicing before the hunt I checked the BC of the factory load and it was extremely low, I think around .384 or something, for a 175gr 7mm. It sure showed on my range at 500yds in the wind. Luckily I had ideal conditions when I shot my elk or I'd have passed on the shot. Well, ideal except for my crazy hunting partner screaming at me to kill that #$&% while I was trying to get everything perfect.

A premium bullet will offer more consistent terminal performance, and usually more accuracy and a more efficient ballistic shape. That makes it easier to put in the vitals, and makes it do more damage when it gets there. It's cheap insurance.