thndrchiken

I also feel that with the premium factory ammo your getting better quality control, i.e. more consistancy in charge weight, crimp tension, etc. I handload and use the corlokt's for initial load development and practice but for hunting I won't use them, I prefer Hornady or Sierra bullets for the price and accuracy. If I were to hunt the larger game I would definitely move up to bullet of better construction.

wnogood

I will ditto skeeters post. I have used winchester supreme in my 7mm mag for years. I love the performance of the ballistic tip and moly coating makes cleaning a snap. EVERY deer I have shot with these bullets has dropped where it stood. Period. Thats why I like 'em, they always work!

James B

oldrgr. I know what you mean about those senior moments. I am just wondering how many of those moments will fit in one day.??

NCOutdoors

I wish I could find the time to roll my own. I hunt regularly throughout the fall but outside of the range, I fire my rifle only once or twice at live game. Unlike a couple of my hunting partners, I pass up quite a few every year. Unless I did a lot more target shooting, throughout the year, reloading isn't feasible.

Since I use so few rounds each year though, I'll take the advice here and use a premium round. I've always used the Rem Core-Lokt and it has done quite well for me. I'm partial to Remington in general. I'll give the Ultra a shot (no pun intended) first.

Thanks for the advice.

Eric

oldrgr

James B. What were we talking about...?

zekeskar

I agree with everything said, except the first statement (that it's worth it for every type of game). I absolutely agree for bigger, tougher animals and/or longer ranges.

The critical factor is what was the ammo designed for? A premium bullet designed for moose or elk might not work properly for a thin skinned deer. You gotta consider the animal and the range. The cheap (but good quality) cartridge designed for white tail will work better than the premium bullet designed for moose.

Most importantly, as many have said is the way the ammo shoots in your gun. A premium load that doesn't shoot consistently or accurately from your gun isn't as good for anything as a cheap cartridge that does.

Finally, I do not personally believe that any ammo, premium or cheap, is any better than the plain jane Remington Corelokts gr psp that I use for white tail at 50-150 yd. ranges. The bullet was absolutely designed for this. There are roughly equivalent plain jane cartridges by other manufaturers that are just as good, but they don't happen to shoot quite as well in my gun, so Isettled on Rem. -zeke

skeeter 7MM

zeke, As you well know the Nosler Ballistic Tip was designed for the likes of deer and IME it is been an absolute bomb for hunting deer or pronghorns(it also turns out to be a premium bullet - just an example). I disagree that all premium bullets were made for the bigger game, I buy appropriate premium bullet for all my hunting needs and some don't feel required but I do. Like you just an example of what I like to use for deer and my reason are the same it all boils down to personal experience and preference. I 100% agree regardless of your choice make sure it is designed for the purpose and maximizes your potential(AKA it shoots well and will meet your requirements/expectations).

zekeskar

Agreed. I might try some and see how it shoots. I certainly agree that it doesn't make sense to try to skimp $$ on ammo. It's just that I do believe that for most white tail hunting a regular old corelokt is difficult to beat - assuming accuracy and plenty of practice, of course! - Zeke

marty1028

I like premium bullets, I reload all my guns and use many types of bullet for many types of hunting. I think you can kill what ever type of animal with a non- premiun bullet. If you shoot an animal in the wrong place with a premiun or non-premiun bullets it will not matter how much you spent on bullets.

firstshot

I think it's funny how peoples perceptions change over time and this discussion is a good example. There will always be the latest greatest newest bullets & cartridges out there. Every year there will be something new that will, in some peoples minds, make the old way of doing things obsolete.

Now I'm not by any means a "bullet" historian or anything, but surely at one point the CoreLokts, and other similar bullet types, were the newest and hottest thing on the block. Before that, the first jacketed bullets came out, before that, etc., etc, etc,...... I wonder just how many whitetails have been taken with CoreLokts, regular old pointed soft points, etc? I wonder if the improved accuracy, improved "controled" expansion, better penetration of the new (i.e. latest greatest) "premium" ammo really improves the success ratio of the average hunter or kills the the deer any deader? Just how much better can bullet technology get? Have we already reached the point of deminishing returns?

With all that said.......I roll my own and use 180Grn Nosler Ballistic Tips.....LOL


firstshot