Partition, sst, GMX?

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  • lamrith
    Warrior
    • Sep 2014
    • 189

    Partition, sst, GMX?

    So far I have only been shooting 123g Amax in my new grendel. The Factory Amax are flying great, .6MOA, but I keep hearing that they are not a good hunting round. I have powder, brass, primers dies and some bullets to start reloading.

    I plan to take my Grendel to AZ to hunt in the fall. Draw is a ways out but the hope is for Mulies with Coues as the fall back. What I would like to find is a good bullet to cover both and have some reach. I am solid to 200yrds and looking to spend as much range time as possible to get myself solid past that as the coues I hear are reclusive and often on the other side of ravines. I would like to have solid effective range out to probably 400yrds just to be safe.

    After reading the second Grendel reloading manual I was pretty sold on the partition and SST bullets but which to choose?
    • What about the GMX? It was not mentioned in the manual at all as I believe it came out after publication, does anyone have any real world comparison?
    • If not GMX, for Mulies&Coues what would you folks recommend, the Partition or the SST?
    • I was thinking stay in the 120/123grn, but if people think I should go up/down let me know.

    I want to settle on a single round now to cover both so I can get zero'd and spend as much time as possible learning how it performs at all effective ranges. My Local range does 600yrd shoots once a month, so I have a location to stretch her legs and even do some cold bore shooting.
    Anderson lower with ALG Combat trigger and Ergo F43 stock:
    18" 1:8 6.5 grendel barrel, 13" troy alpha free float, Mbuis, PA 4-14x44 FFP ACSS scope.
    SAA lower(Form 1 in process)
    16" 1:9 5.56 barrel, A2 sightpost, GI Handguard, Eotech XPS2.0 w/ 1.5-5x magnifier.
    Anderson Pistol lower:
    16" 1:8 300BLK Free Float, Eotech XPS2.0
    6" 9mm with 7" free float and KAK muzzle device, Magpull MBUIS
  • Drifter
    Chieftain
    • Mar 2011
    • 1662

    #2
    123gr A-max at longer distances (250+ yards) should work fine, as impact velocity will be less and adequate penetration will be more likely. If you want a hunting bullet with a little stronger construction with minimal effort on load development, use the 123gr SST with your A-max recipe. You might want to seat the SST a little deeper (shorter COL) depending upon how close your A-max is to the lands, but otherwise, you will likely work up to identical (or nearly so) loads. POI will likely be very close for both bullets if using the same recipe. SST might have slightly more drop at longer range, perhaps due to the cannelure's effect on BC. Use of these two bullets should also reduce any potential copper fouling problems often associated with bonded core and all-copper bullets.
    Last edited by Drifter; 03-25-2015, 11:17 PM.
    Drifter

    Comment

    • LRRPF52
      Super Moderator
      • Sep 2014
      • 8569

      #3
      Before the 123gr SST came out, the 123gr A-MAX was being used as one of the main hunting factory loads for people who didn't know any better or didn't get the memo they shouldn't use an A-MAX as a hunting bullet.

      A lot of game has been taken with them, and Hornady was impressed that basically everything it was pointed at, DRT'd or went down close to the shot. They still made a dedicated hunting load for the Grendel with the 123gr SST, since they saw how many people were out hunting with the cartridge and what it was capable of.

      The 120gr GMX is listed in Volume II in the projectile list, and there has been a lot of testing going on with it behind the scenes with a wide range of projectile weights. It's a very long bullet at 1.396".

      I think your best bet is backing up the truck on 123gr SST box ammo, and getting as much trigger time with it as possible. It's a great little load, with very good accuracy in most guns that are built halfway decent.
      NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

      CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

      6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

      www.AR15buildbox.com

      Comment

      • Savage Shooter
        Warrior
        • Dec 2014
        • 241

        #4
        I have been doing some work-up on hog loads with the GMX bullets (165 gr in my Remington 7400 30-06 @ 2800 fps and 120 gr. in my Grendel at about 2600 fps). I get horrible copper fouling in my 30-06 in about 20 rounds (the lands become bright copper colored and accuracy definitely drops off.) Of course the 7400 with it's thin barrel was never meant to be a tack-driver OR to shoot 20 rounds in a session - it's a 3 shots and done sort of shooter. (For those familiar with this "jam-o-matic", after a little work on it, I now have over 100 rounds without a FTF or FTE, even with some 3 shot group fired rapid fire for "follow up shot" practice. And while not noted for accuracy, it will shoot around 1 MOA - until the barrel heats up!)

        I have not noticed as much fouling with the 120 gr GMX in the Grendel, but I have only fired 20 rounds so far. This could prove to be a little more finicky than an SST load based on my first round of OCW testing, but that was also on a cold blustery day with 10-15 MPH gusts.

        For Mulies and Coues, I don't think you would need the GMX bullet, and if you are going to want to put in a lot of trigger time like LRRPF suggested, the 123 gr SST is a lot more affordable. I have shot some sub .5 MOA groups with Hornady Factory ammo that I have not been able to exceed with handloads yet.
        My "6.5" = 24" AA Overwatch upper 1/9 twist, NC based US Tactical lower, standard A4 6 position stock, AR Gold Trigger, JPS SCS buffer, Vortex 6-24 x 50 FFP PST with EBR-2C MOA reticle

        Comment

        • LRRPF52
          Super Moderator
          • Sep 2014
          • 8569

          #5
          The SST will get it done on Coues. I personally might want a little more bullet strength on a Mule Deer, like a 120gr GMX or 120gr TSX.
          NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

          CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

          6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

          www.AR15buildbox.com

          Comment

          • rickOshay
            Warrior
            • Apr 2012
            • 784

            #6
            Any of those will do the job. The Partition has the expansion of the SST with the penetration of the GMX. There's are reason you pay more for them.

            Comment

            • lamrith
              Warrior
              • Sep 2014
              • 189

              #7
              Thanks guys!! I have 160rnds of Amax 123grn factory, 100 123grn Amax bullets, and 100 Nosler 123Grn CC. I will work on a load with the Amax bullets to match the factory loads and keep my eye out for SST's are a great price and then stock up. Then I can back down some and dial in the SST's. The Factory Amax are shooting .6MOA @ 100yrds so far.

              Trigger time is my goal, I want to know just how she is shooting with repeatable results so I am ready when the time comes.
              Anderson lower with ALG Combat trigger and Ergo F43 stock:
              18" 1:8 6.5 grendel barrel, 13" troy alpha free float, Mbuis, PA 4-14x44 FFP ACSS scope.
              SAA lower(Form 1 in process)
              16" 1:9 5.56 barrel, A2 sightpost, GI Handguard, Eotech XPS2.0 w/ 1.5-5x magnifier.
              Anderson Pistol lower:
              16" 1:8 300BLK Free Float, Eotech XPS2.0
              6" 9mm with 7" free float and KAK muzzle device, Magpull MBUIS

              Comment

              • rickOshay
                Warrior
                • Apr 2012
                • 784

                #8
                Originally posted by lamrith View Post
                Trigger time is my goal
                ++1

                Comment

                • sneaky one
                  Chieftain
                  • Mar 2011
                  • 3077

                  #9
                  Lam, this is a bugger of a question to answer over the 3 decades of me using Partition 7mm pills, with low end results - and me on the constant tweak of the 6.5 mm GMX pills, since 2009.

                  The sst 123 is a game getter, follow the load data= you'll be fine. I did try the 120 Gmx at normal speeds=== only okay results- in the Grrrr, @ 2400 fps.

                  I have ramped this to the .308 class of speeds, and destructions. A lighter Gmx @ 2840 mimics the .308 out to 300 yds. An effective taker of mid sized game.

                  Comment

                  • Drift
                    Warrior
                    • Nov 2014
                    • 509

                    #10
                    I have hunted with both 123 Amax and SST - hogs. to 300 yards. The hogs cant tell much difference between the bullets. Neither can Whitetail. The most important part is your shot placement not the bullet used. I have also compared the 120gr Partition against the Remington 120gr PSP as to the effect on hogs and deer out to 250 yards and again could not tell the difference. The A max is pretty darn accurate compared to the lead tipped bullets. You might want to try a couple of 100gr Barnes bullets, if thy are accurate in your grendel they may be your best choice at 400 yards. If I was hunting with you and all my bullets were equily accurate from 0-400 yards I would choose (1) 100gr Barnes (2)120gr Barnes (3)130gr Swift Siccoro (4)129gr SST (5)123 Amax (6) 123gr SST and (7)100gr Partition. Maybe (8) 120gr Remington PSP....I have never used the GMX

                    Comment

                    • toolsofthetrade
                      Warrior
                      • May 2011
                      • 521

                      #11
                      Don't forget the barnes ttsx line

                      Comment

                      • AZ. Old Guy
                        Warrior
                        • Jan 2015
                        • 168

                        #12
                        I hope you have a few bonus points. Any draw in Arizona for deer or elk is pretty tough.
                        NRA Lifer

                        Comment

                        • lamrith
                          Warrior
                          • Sep 2014
                          • 189

                          #13
                          Yeah I passed on elk, everything I am seeing is a 13year process to get the good hunts..

                          Deer my family down there gets drawn every year for one of their choices, I think they go after less popular ones to make sure they get something since they hunt for meat.

                          Worst case it fails, since I will then have a license anyway even if not drawn I will probably go down for Archery deer OTC as the backup to the backup plan..
                          Last edited by lamrith; 03-26-2015, 03:57 PM.
                          Anderson lower with ALG Combat trigger and Ergo F43 stock:
                          18" 1:8 6.5 grendel barrel, 13" troy alpha free float, Mbuis, PA 4-14x44 FFP ACSS scope.
                          SAA lower(Form 1 in process)
                          16" 1:9 5.56 barrel, A2 sightpost, GI Handguard, Eotech XPS2.0 w/ 1.5-5x magnifier.
                          Anderson Pistol lower:
                          16" 1:8 300BLK Free Float, Eotech XPS2.0
                          6" 9mm with 7" free float and KAK muzzle device, Magpull MBUIS

                          Comment

                          • lamrith
                            Warrior
                            • Sep 2014
                            • 189

                            #14
                            Ended up drawing 34A for Oct 22-29! Coues deer it is. Time to get back out there and put more lead downrange and get ready!
                            Anderson lower with ALG Combat trigger and Ergo F43 stock:
                            18" 1:8 6.5 grendel barrel, 13" troy alpha free float, Mbuis, PA 4-14x44 FFP ACSS scope.
                            SAA lower(Form 1 in process)
                            16" 1:9 5.56 barrel, A2 sightpost, GI Handguard, Eotech XPS2.0 w/ 1.5-5x magnifier.
                            Anderson Pistol lower:
                            16" 1:8 300BLK Free Float, Eotech XPS2.0
                            6" 9mm with 7" free float and KAK muzzle device, Magpull MBUIS

                            Comment

                            • wraith1516
                              Warrior
                              • Dec 2014
                              • 316

                              #15
                              Good luck

                              Comment

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