What ammunition is most popular (meaning which bullets; for any gun)?
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 1

Hey everyone,
I'm trying to find out which kinds of ammunition are most people with hunters, especially in Canada? This is for any firearm.
Your input would be appreciated, thanks.
I'm trying to find out which kinds of ammunition are most people with hunters, especially in Canada? This is for any firearm.
Your input would be appreciated, thanks.
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: WY
Posts: 2,054

Unfortunately, it's not going to be quite that simple. It depends on what you're hunting and what bullet weight is most appropriate for that species, it depends on what you have available, and it probably depends to some degree on what your firearm "likes" in terms of accuracy.
From a very general perspective, most standard factory-loaded ammunition provides adequate, all-around performance for hunting. There are alternatives available now, often in "premium" lines of ammunition that offer various bonded or monolithic projectiles which some will argue tends to perform better in certain rifles. Some will argue that the performance doesn't justify the additional expense. Most of it boils down to personal preference in the end.
From a very general perspective, most standard factory-loaded ammunition provides adequate, all-around performance for hunting. There are alternatives available now, often in "premium" lines of ammunition that offer various bonded or monolithic projectiles which some will argue tends to perform better in certain rifles. Some will argue that the performance doesn't justify the additional expense. Most of it boils down to personal preference in the end.
#4

Asking which ammo is the best is liking asking what caliber is best. Everyone has their own opinion.
In most cases, they tend to all be right for one reason or another.
For hunting, I have been using Winchester ammo as of late. It's always treated me well. Then again, so has Federal. I'm just not using their product is all.
Hornady, Nosler, and others also make a good product as well.
The thing is, most of the major manufacturers make so many different types of rounds you can get the same basic rounds from different companies. Making the conversation even more complex.
In most cases, they tend to all be right for one reason or another.
For hunting, I have been using Winchester ammo as of late. It's always treated me well. Then again, so has Federal. I'm just not using their product is all.
Hornady, Nosler, and others also make a good product as well.
The thing is, most of the major manufacturers make so many different types of rounds you can get the same basic rounds from different companies. Making the conversation even more complex.
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location:
Posts: 2,186

I would suspect that the factory produced "bullet" that is used for hunting game from vatmints up through medium game would be one of the long time players in the game such as Remington's Core-Lokt or Winchesterd Power Point. However, as Homers Brother stated, a certain answer will likely be elusive.
In my personal case ... I reload as well as use some of the factory ammo. I have hunted only medium game ... white tail, mule deer and feral hogs. I'll shoot a coyote when I see one, but do not hunt them. In my reloads .... which unfortunately covers a wide range of cartridges these days, I use the Sierra Game-King, Nosler Partition, Speer Grand Slam or Hornady SST bullets. Becuse there are so many fine factory made rounds these days, the one that I choose is dependent upon which groups the best out of the specific rifle. I lean towards so called "premium" ammo, and have had consistently excellent results from .Winchester Supreme and Federal Premium ammunition in those I have tried ... 308 Win., 300 Win. Mag. and 338 Win. Mag. I use a 444 Marlin a lot these days ... the Hornady Leverlution ammo made in this cartridge groups great out of my rifle.
So .. back to square one! Depends upon the use and the preference of the hunter. I suspect that the Rem. Core-Lokt and Winchester Power Poinr have been and are still very popular because these are economical in today's hunting ammo market and kill just fine !
In my personal case ... I reload as well as use some of the factory ammo. I have hunted only medium game ... white tail, mule deer and feral hogs. I'll shoot a coyote when I see one, but do not hunt them. In my reloads .... which unfortunately covers a wide range of cartridges these days, I use the Sierra Game-King, Nosler Partition, Speer Grand Slam or Hornady SST bullets. Becuse there are so many fine factory made rounds these days, the one that I choose is dependent upon which groups the best out of the specific rifle. I lean towards so called "premium" ammo, and have had consistently excellent results from .Winchester Supreme and Federal Premium ammunition in those I have tried ... 308 Win., 300 Win. Mag. and 338 Win. Mag. I use a 444 Marlin a lot these days ... the Hornady Leverlution ammo made in this cartridge groups great out of my rifle.
So .. back to square one! Depends upon the use and the preference of the hunter. I suspect that the Rem. Core-Lokt and Winchester Power Poinr have been and are still very popular because these are economical in today's hunting ammo market and kill just fine !
#6

The best IMO is what's called "bulk ammo".
Hopefully your gun likes it and you can shoot / practice with it a lot .
Now if it's a important hunt, where it's a one shot one kill outing, use a properly constructed bullet (premium factory or reloads) for the situation and the game you are going after.
As a rule (to answer your question), I prefer Hornady............ V-max bullets for the small stuff & SST's for the bigger stuff.
Hopefully your gun likes it and you can shoot / practice with it a lot .
Now if it's a important hunt, where it's a one shot one kill outing, use a properly constructed bullet (premium factory or reloads) for the situation and the game you are going after.
As a rule (to answer your question), I prefer Hornady............ V-max bullets for the small stuff & SST's for the bigger stuff.
Last edited by Sheridan; 05-14-2012 at 09:16 AM.
#7

hahaha...really? Oh I am actually surprised there haven't been more replies to this thread...seems to me that many of us on here are more opinionated about our "lead" than we are about the delivery device.
I probably have as many different brands and varieties of lead in my reloading room as I do powder and primers...maybe more. Every caliber and application require different bullets. Even when one considers a favorite brand, then you have a variety of options (Nosler has Accubonds, Partitions, Ballistic Tips, etc...). Then add in that some rifles prefer a specific brand, weight or variety of bullet. It's just not that simple.
I lean towards Nosler bullets and have loaded them for years...well before they were popular as I grew up down the street from their factory in Bend, OR. But I also use Speer and Hornady bullets for specific loads. Half the fun of reloading is finding that perfect bullet your rifle loves.
I probably have as many different brands and varieties of lead in my reloading room as I do powder and primers...maybe more. Every caliber and application require different bullets. Even when one considers a favorite brand, then you have a variety of options (Nosler has Accubonds, Partitions, Ballistic Tips, etc...). Then add in that some rifles prefer a specific brand, weight or variety of bullet. It's just not that simple.
I lean towards Nosler bullets and have loaded them for years...well before they were popular as I grew up down the street from their factory in Bend, OR. But I also use Speer and Hornady bullets for specific loads. Half the fun of reloading is finding that perfect bullet your rifle loves.