As a general-purpose .358 load, the 225 NP is hard to argue against. A 200 TSX would be another contender I guess.
Here's how this thread has helped me to clarity. I was thinking I'd use the Sierra since my .358 is primarily my blacktail rifle. In all honesty, shed cores and lack of expansion aside, I'm sure the Sierra would kill little blacktails just fine. But, now that I'm all set with the 225-NP (again), suddenly I'm thinking of taking this rifle to Colorado and eastern Oregon for my elk/mule deer hunts! What the heck... this M7 is a friggin' killing machine; it's the rifle that when I am hunting with it, I get that tickle in the pit of my stomach that says, "you are gonna kill something today!".
That 225 Partition at 2500 fps is a bona-fide, first-class elk load, in my opinion. Not saying it's the ideal elk rifle, but it might just be perfect for some days.
The really absurd part of this is that I have KILLED with the 225-NP before. I have even carried it elk hunting a couple days, several years ago. I've gone in a big circle here. Oh well, all bullet questions lead to the Partition, isn't that what the wise man say?
