Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 160 GameKing 7mm

I have also used the 165 gr 30 cal one time out of a 300 WSM. Last fall I shot a deer with it at about 100 yds. It passed through nicely leaving a good wound channel and no explosion.

I wo'nt use the soft point version in my 7x300 again. Its come apart enough to stop in a less than 100 pound pigs neck.

Its gone through deer heads while opening them wide up, and the very next one pencils through...

But tehn again I got tired of erractic performance of cup and core quite some time back generally speaking.

Ditto. Couldn't agree more.

Never saw the point in seeking the lowest common denominator in a hunting bullet to save a few cents..

BobinNH- As the OP, I may also be in agreement.

However, I've been shooting this bullet in a couple of 7x61s with muzzle velocities about the same as or slightly less than 7mm Remington Magnum speeds. So far, this bullet has been very accurate with just about any load concoction, but I've never hunted with it.

I've been using either a TSX BT or Partition for all elk hunting for a while now in several rifles and chamberings with no complaints. Probably will continue to do so.

Nevertheless, the urge to experiment continues. I have some of the 160 Game King (hollow point version) loaded up right now - just waiting for a calm day to chronograph & shoot groups.

lotech I have shot a pile of them.(the soft points).An old acquaintance used them exclusively in his Ruger 7RM on deer, antelope and elk on western hunts.

He got a bit confused one time and rolled 3-4 cow elk at about 400 yards with them(yeah I know not too bright! and a genuine King Kong mule deer. He liked them fine.

Pretty sure (IIRC) this is the bullet that Les Bowman used to develop the 7 RM from wildcat form when he necked down 338 brass. He found them soft up close but good at distance on everything back then and used them on elk, moose, deer,black bear and grizzly....Eventually he ended up with the 160 Partition.

The SP gamekings are relatively soft, and they work like a Ballistic tip. The HP versions of Sierras (and Hornadys) seem to be quite a bit tougher.
That being said I've punched deer with the 140gr Sierra GK spbt and gotten exits at 150 yards maybe a little less, from a 7mmRM. Never shot an elk with one but I don't think the 160 would work worse.
Anymore I use Lots of Hornady if I can find them, Noslers PT or whatever if not. I have 180 grain Etips, Partitions, Accubonds in the cupboard. No big game Ballistic tips at all. I rarely buy big game bullets in yellow or green boxes.

I've killed around 15 bull elk with said bullet out of 7mag. My hunting partner and his dad have a combined total of around 30 with the same bullet and 7mags.

They tend to blow up at close range, and tend to blow through at the 150-350yrd mark, after that they're usually found under the skin on the off side.

I still shoot them time to time, but don't hunt with them much anymore, mostly because I don't shoot the 7mag as much.

Are there better bullets? I don't know. Never saw an elk walk off after getting shot with one.