Best factory ammo for whitetail?
 

I've been using the Hornady Light Mag with the spire point bullets with good results. Now everything seems to have the SST bullet. I've read the Hornady SST bullets might not be the best for big game. This is more of a question across the bullet selection for facory ammo than just the ammo (if that makes sense). Lot of folks use Winchester Silvertips or Remington Core-Lokts. Don't know many using Federals. I'd like some recommendations for my calibers. I'm shooting
.257 Roberts, 6.5x55 Swede, 7mm-08, and .270 Winchester. Haven't done any reloading, and really don't have a good spot at my house to do it. I don't shoot much, really just enough to check the zero on my guns each year. A box of 20 lasts a few years with me. I'd just like to make sure I'm using the best I can.

First off let me say I like your selection of calibers!! As far as factory ammo goes it's all I use cause I don't reload either,that may change in the near future.

You know you're gonna get the standard answer "let the gun tell you what it likes" and IMO a good answer. With that said I've never used a premium bullet on whitetails all my deer were killed with Rem. core-lokts or with Win. super-x.

I'm gonna tell you Remington Core-lokts seem to shot well out of any gun! I shoot 150 gr. with my .270 marlin and get half inch groups at 100 yards. i bet core lokts have killed the most deer

I'm really thinking more in terms of bullet performance once it hits the deer (expansion, weight retention, damage), than accuracy. I know that putting the bullet where it needs to be is most important, but what the bullet does once it gets there has got to be key too. Most of my shots are within 200 yards. I like 117s for the .257, 140s for the 6.5 Swede, 130s for the .270, and 139s for the 7mm-08.

My brother bought his 7mm-08 back in 1980 and has killed at least 200 deer with it and a few black bears...He uses the 140gr Remington CoreLokts...

Core Lokt's

i mostly reload but whenever im shooting something i dont have dies for i usually use hornady's sst factory loadings and fusion ammo. both relatively cheap, both have consistant performance on game and both are widely availible in my area. if i had to pick one of the 2 i would pick fusion.

I tell ya in my 270 I shoot 150gr fusions have killed 6 with them and none of em has gone over 30 yards and all left great bloodtrails. I live the fusion better than any factory soft point you should try em

I shoot a Ruger M77 in 6.5mmSwede and shoot Norma Oryx 140gr..

In the Rem 700 .270, Federal Fusion 130gr..

In the Rem. 7, 7-08 Winchester Supreme 140gr....

Did you choose these rounds using trial and error at the range?

I use to use Winchester Silvertips but have since quit using them. They blow up when they hit a deer and don't always exit. I lost a decent buck due to lack of exit wound and blood trail.

I have since switched to Federal Premium Nosler Partitions and nearly every deer drops in their tracks now. The few that have run don't go out of sight.

Like you, I shoot just enough to keep the gun on target so a box of ammo lasts me for several seasons. Makes it easier to absorb the cost of the premium ammo.

Fusion ammo has worked really well for me in my 30-06.

I shoot the better Hornady Custom 100 grain shells in my Browning .243 Rifle,the Remington Core-Loks in the Daughters .243 Rossi,I use the Remington Core-Loks in my 30-06 and the Winchester 140 grain Power Points in my 7mm-08.