308 Bullet Performance on WhiteTail

[Todd1700]

Aw come on now, you know that if your going to hunt deer, you need a really tuff bullet.

This came as quite a shock to me as well but they tell me it's true. Apparently the fact, that all of the 80 to 90 deer I've shot with standard lead tipped bullets actually died, is nothing short of a church sanctioned miricle. I have now come to understand that unless I use a bullet that is composed of 8 different types of material; is designed to expand in 5 different phases; and costs 45 dollars a box I will never be able to kill another deer. On a side note the sub 1 inch groups I thought I was getting with standard Hornady Interlocks and Sierra Gamekings were a hallucination caused by handling non-premium bullets without protective gloves.

[NYHunter]

You'll NEVER go wrong using 150 grn. Core-Lokt's!! 

[.308 Win.]

  Casull,
    I hit her tight behind the shoulder which would have been the lung area.  It didn't come to rest in the tenderloin, it came out the front of her neck so I am assuming it was a ricochet.  A change of direction, ricochet, whichever but there was a broken rib on the off side and that's what led me to believe it was a ricochet.  I was shooting at her on level ground from about 140 yards away, broadside, having her left side facing me.  You know how they do sometimes, moving their heads from side-to-side and stomping their forelegs.  That's what she was doing.  She saw me but just didn't make the decision to split fast enough. 

  R.J.,
    Oh, I'm sure you're an expert marksman.  The U.S. Army seemed to think I was, too. Congratulations on your two deer also. Just because someone can shoot straight doesn't mean you shouldn't use the best bullet possible.  There's no sane reason NOT to if one chooses to. I realize deer aren't animals that normally take a premium bullet to kill but having a little extra insurance does cultivate the feeling that you've done all you can do to make sure the bullet you're sending is going to do its' job. There isn't anything worse than a lost animal.

  Beamanbeme,
    I believe that's what happened with the doe.  I was shooting at an sharp downhill angle when I hit her and maybe I did hit a little higher than I'd wanted, I don't know.  Her body cavity was full of blood, you were right on that.  That was two or three years ago and I have a hard time recalling much more than that.  I do remember, however, that I felt the bullet was the problem at the time, for whatever reason.  Still, everyone has an opinion and mine is that I don't like the Core-Lokt so I will be going with this Federal Fusion.  It's a good bullet without a big price tag. Glad you've had good luck with the Remington product. Good hunting!         

[beemanbeme]

I think Ranger J was pullin' your leg. 

[Ranger J]

Yep, you got it, “ It was a joke son” (Foghorn Leghorn).  Anyone who has ever seen my family shoot knows that both my wife and my daughter can outshoot me and if the four dogs had opposing thumbs they probably could also.  I just couldn’t help stirring the cheap bullet vs. premium bullet pot a little.  Don’t take life so seriously, it won’t last.
RJ

[.308 Win.]

You're right Ranger.  I like the reference to Foghorn Leghorn.  He was a real icon when I was growing up.  He'd spank that dog's ass and he knew just how far he had to run to get away from him.  I think the Chicken Hawk that was always after him had his number!     

[James B]

I load the Sierra 150 grain Pro-Hunter bullets as well as the 150 grain Nosler Ballistic tip. I only hunt Mulies but both bullet are deadly on deer.

[prairiedog555]

I have shot deer with Win silvertips and Rem Bronze point.  both accurate but they really blow up.  I mean I shot a big doe with 3006 150 bronze pt. at 180yd and actually saw the 2 inch entrance hole open up but did not penetrate well,  killed it, but what a mess.
Now when I shoot coreloct I don't see a hole and the deer falls over and does not get up.
My experience.

[rickt300]

I never had any problem taking game with corelokt's. In 30 caliber I like the 165 but have used the 150 out of the 308, 30-06 and 300 Winchester magnum with totally acceptable results. These were bought as cheap factory loads to shoot up for brass but made it to the hunting camp. Ialso feel bullet failure is far more rare than the internet forums allude to.

[prairiedog555]

It is facinating reading about eveyones experience with hunting/shooting equipment.  I have used corelokt bullits on big whitetails with 3006 and they go down, no movement, I even saw a big Nevada doe shot in the rump at over 200yd. with a 130gr. 270 quiver a little and die.  But others shoot deer in the heart/lung area and they run off.  Do you think that the difference is in bullit construction, not consistant, or is it the animal, some tougher than others.
 
I have never had a deer get up and run, any, after being shot with 150gr. 165gr. 30.06.  corelokt or Rem bronze pt.  Even with a not so good shot in the rib area.  Not stone dead, but not get up.  But I have seen them run after being shot with 7mm mag. in Vitals.
I read about the 6.5 swede, how it kills. others use 7.62x39 or .243. or .22-250.  This is deffinately not an exact science.  I just think the .270/.280/.308/.3006 family is what you need for N. American deer.  I don't want to experiment with that animals life, very few of us hunt for meat, we eat it of course, but that is not the main reason.  I want to turn the lights out, immediately.  There are so many factors and views that this will never be settled. All you can do is listen to others' experience and make your own choice.  That is why this forum is great, thanks GB.

[handi243]

Got a box of 280 core kokts yesterday went to the range first round nothing i hit the primer 5 times nothing second round was ok 3rd round same as first. I fired or tried to fire 9 rds. I called Remington they told me to send in the 2 rds. that didn't fire so i pay shipping and Haz. mat. charges to ship 2 rds. The guy told me "Hey there may not be any powder in them". I have shot core lokts for yrs. but i'm thinking of making a change.

[JKump]

This year I am using 180 grain Federal Fusion in my 308.  My rifle likes them better than the 150 grain ammo (both Fusion and Winchester ballistic silver tips).  I have taking two deer with this round.  I also hunt heavy woods.  I took a nice spiked at about 125 yards shooting thru some pines.  This deer was shot thru both lungs just behind the shoulder blades, I had an excellent blood trail for 15 yards where I found the deer laying.  The second deer, a 170 lbs. 7 point, was shot up close at about 20 yards.  The bullet was shot down into the shoulder blades, this deer went all of 10 yards were it fell. 

[Cottonwood]

Someone please tell me why the Remington store bought 170-gr core-lock launched from the Marlin 336 30-30 didn't just bounce off this buck but went clean on thru.  Yah I know crappy pic, but my son was shacking from being excited for me with my cell phone camera.

[Ranger J]

I got two deer, at about 90 yards, the second day of season this year with my 150G Core-Lokt reloads.  Of course they could have just died of embarrissment at my shooting such a cheap bullet at them.
RJ

[jred]

Remington Core Lokt's have been the only bullets I have ever had that have failed on me.   I once shot a caribou in Alaska at about 300 yards with a 150 gr Rem factory loads.  Three shots went into the front shoulder and NONE of the bullets penetrated, although the shoulder was broken.  Had to pursue the animal for a mile before I was able to finish it off.  The front shoulder contained a mass of copper fragments where the bullets had failed.   The shells were factory loads.  To this day, I cannot figure out what went wrong.  (By the way, the rifle was a .270 Win).   I have never had a bullet failure with any other types of bullets used on big game including Hornady Interlocks, Sierra GK or even Winchester Silvertips.   Obviously, my experience was an anomoly and corelokts have been and will continue to be a great product, but my experience has led me to use other bullets just for the confidence factor.

[DavOh]

Jred,

I can beleive it.  My dad had a similar experience with his .270 w/ corelokts. On a blackbuck antelope of all things!!!  5 shots.... 4 in the shoulder and 1 in the head(yes TWO in the head.  1 1/2 miles of tracking later, it finally bled out.  To this day I still beleive it had less to do with the bullet and more to do with the caliber. 

Over the course of 20+ years, my dad's old Rem 788 in .308(which he gave to me to get the .270) took well over 100 whitetails, using nothing but 150 gr. corelokts and one shot kills.

[backstrap]

I am sure there are bad batches of bullets maid from the factory there are always lemons out there but i am sure they are not all bad. this year i shot a 10 point 184lb dreesed whitetail 250 yards with my 243,  NEF handi rifle  useing 100grain core lok store bout rounds,went through right sholder through the heart and was stuck on the insde of the hide on his left side cut the bullet mushroomed just like the picture on the back of the box. i use to shot fedral primeums ballistic tip 165 grain out of my ruger m77 markll 06 untell 2 years ago shot a doe 200 yards away the bullet blew up on inpack she ran of with all her insides hanging out to never be found  needless to say i stoped useing this bullet and now shoot 150 core loks threw it now

[sixgunluv]

  Buddy of mine has killed scores of deer with his custom Sako .308    His bullet of choice.....168gr hollow point boat tail match  He had this one mounted 2 seasons ago.

[andy262]

i shoot the 175 grain match kings outa my 308 moly coated also, They shoot extremely, I took a 10 point this year with a head shot right between the lookers blew the top part of its skull right off

[41 mag]

I have been hunting with a friend for the past 10 years or so on their family farm. When I started, I was told to shoot any and all hogs I saw. Well for the most part Ihad always hunted wide open areas and as such my rifle caliberss were suited for this, high velocity flat shooting. The area is thick river bottom with limited areas which you might get a shot out to 100yds if you can thread a needle.

We hunt by stalking as a general run and it is very effective for both deer and hogs. I decided after the first couple of years that a 22 - 24" barrel on my rifles was just too much to deal with in the undergrowth and I purchased the shortest, lightest, factory rifle I could fine in a caliber I thought would serve me well. The little Ruger Compact in .308 has accounted for 90% of the past 8 years of hunting. When I got it I was headed to the woods and figured I would just use some standard Rem 150 CL's for the weekend just to break in the thing. Well they shot into a 3/4" group from the bags at 100yds and I was pleased. Then they dropped several hogs like you pulled the plug on them. More pleased. Since they have made over 100 kills on the hogs and kept my freezer full. They have dropped them from several feet out to past 350yds, with the same results.



THe hardest thing to accept has been that the standard green and yellow boxed ammo has surpassed all attempts from me to better the accuracy with my handloads, in this rifle. So for 10 - 12 bucks a box, I have a long time supply of them sitting on the shelf awaiting their turn.

Oh yea the Whitetail part, haven't found but one I thought I was going to shoot, but held off as he was ony a youngster, and figured I would let him grow a little. However, I would have no problems with taking him out now that he will be 6 yrs old and was sporting a great 10point rack this past season. I passed on him again this past fall as with the drought conditions we had he just wasn't carrying the mass we know he can. This year will be different though and he had better keep a low proifile or the CL's might do him in.

[beemanbeme]

I hunted for 22 years along the Mississippi River in Tenn and the longest shot I made in that time was 87 long steps.  You could get an occassional long shot acrost some of the bean fields but as a rule, the buck deer left out of them before daylight and didn't return until after dark.  They don't get big by being stupid. 

[SingleShotShorty]

I have taken allot of whitetails with a 308 win loaded with 125 grain nolser Ballistic tips. They are devestating in whitetail.

[tigercat]

up here in maine all i use is a 308 shot alot of deer never lost one personally i think the 308 knocks them down better than an 06 06 kills them but they usually run alittle first 308 knocks them down on the spot  just my observation i use 180 grain remintion core lockts

[RaySendero]

My son shoots a 308 and I shoot a 7.5x55 Swiss for deer, both loaded with 165 Sierra GameKings.  We've never recovered a bullet, never needed more than 1 shot per deer and never lost a deer!

What's the question again?

[qajaq59]

Oh oh, does this all mean that those hogs I've been shooting with Corelokts weren't really dead when I ate them?