Core Lokts preformance

[Default]

I mentioned that a close range shot with my 300 mag on a large doe using 180gr Rem factory ammo going through both shoulder blades resulted in a vaporized bullet , And no exit hole..
 If she had not been anchored by the shot i would have probably lost her trying to track a 30 cal entrance hole that i couldnt even find from the outside of the animal on first inspection ... I have traditionaly relied on winchester ammo for all my rifles before i started hand loading due to them having a more uniform lead tip them the mutalated remmington tips found on just about ever bullet they make .. After last years experience with that doe and those 180gr remmies i'll stick to a better built bullet ( partition,Inter-bond etc.)

 That is just me , I'm sure that they can kill deer ... Hell i read it once in relation to defensive rounds , "All bullets kill , Its just a matter of how fast you want them dead as to what bullet you use"

 I have had great success with Noslers partitions , In fact this weekend our yougest hunter ( 9 years old) took his second deer ( button buck) at 100+ yards with a 243 100gr partition and the animal went maybe 25 yards with plenty of trail ( passed through) .. I used the Inter-bond 150gr bullet in a 308 to take a 1400+ pound buffalo with two shots both close both complete pass throughs.

    I'll let others use the remington bullets, As for budget ammo I'll remain faithfull to winchester if I'm to use factor fodder or reloading.

         Default

[rickt300]

I have mostly quality control issues with Remington bullets. One lot will shoot very nicely and the next will be ugly and not shoot well at all. The round nosed corelokts have always worked perfectly, my issues are with the pointed versions. While I have experienced no "vaporized" bullets I have had several over expand but the animal still dies.

[mkgeorgetown]

Core Lokts are all I use in my 25-06, I have probably killed 8 or 9 deer with these, I have zero complaints.

[44 Man]

Core Lokts have always worked for me.  44 Man

[AtlLaw]

Ahhhh, the ol' "core lok" discussion!   

Back in the day, 'bout the time "reloading" stopped meaning pouring BP down the barrel, I was on the never-ending quest to squeeze the last ft. per second out of any given cartridge.     Following the same line of thought, I was convinced only "premium" bullets could be counted on to be accurate and kill game.   

But, as the years passed I came to realise a few things.  First and foremost you must understand that young wimmins run to fast for an old man to catch...    so you begin to rely on other things.  Things like the art of falsehood proffering, and wine is fine but likker's quicker!   

It's the same thing with reloading.  2800 fps does just as good as 3000 fps and is a lot easier on everything involved; 'cept the target that is!      Similarly, for the hunting I do nowadays, I have come to use Core Lokts almost exclusively in my rifles with complete satisfaction.   

[mechanic]

Yeah...what Richard said.  Just what did you say?  Maybe I should read that again.  Something about Wimmin's at 3000 fps being hard on ya'?

[44 Man]

I think Richard has hit the issue right on the head!  In the 'old standby' cartridges, those that have been around hunting seemingly forever, the corelok is enough.  When you get into the 'superfast' ones, those that have 'magnum' or 'supershort' or 'superfat' in their name, you need to step up to primium bullets.  You know, those that they only sell in 50 piece boxes so you don't really notice how expensive they are.  In the 'standard' rounds, those in the 2000 to 3000 fps, the corelok does it job.  It works just fine for us old folks with 'non-magnum' calibers.  Old tried and true calibers (just like us, Richard).  44 Man

[Default]

While Richard and 44 make good points ,

 There are instances where you run what you brung and if the velocity of a factory round cannot with stand close range shots with out failure then you have to question you projectile choice... I like remington bullets just fine but only is certain designes namely pistols and big old slugs for the big bore crowd..

I have mostly quality control issues with Remington bullets. One lot will shoot very nicely and the next will be ugly and not shoot well at all. The round nosed corelokts have always worked perfectly, my issues are with the pointed versions. While I have experienced no "vaporized" bullets I have had several over expand but the animal still dies.

 Rick made my point better then I did .. The pointed projectiles are just nasty looking more times then not ...  One of the other guys here was asking for a heavier bullet choice for his 243 due to bullet failure at close range with a 243 and a 80gr bullet... Some times you cant ask the deer to back up  

  But nonetheless , its a Chevy/Ford/Mopar kinda thing...  I have always had better success with the Winchester , Federal and Hornady brands when it comes to factory ... Since I reload, Remingtons questionable quality control isnt an issue if i decide to load up the 444 or 44 or 357 ect. with one of their projectiles

[Siskiyou]

I switched to Remington 130-grain Cor-Lokt (CL) in the late 1950’s or early 1960s because I was finding too many fragmented Remington Bronze Pts. in the chest cavity of deer.  The first deer I shot with one was at about 10-yards.  I was resting my feet next to a skid road and my dog made a trip down below the road.  A few minutes later he pushed a buck at full speed in front of me.  The bullet entered back a few ribs and angled across into the opposite shoulder stopping under the hide.  The deer dropped a few feet into the brush.  It was a factory load and I have no idea how much of the bullet was recovered because I did not have a scale in those days. 

Since that time I have loaded and shot a lot of 130-grain Cor-Lokt bullets.  My biggest complaint has been the lack of an exit hole.  I have shot blacktail and mule deer from ten yards to four hundred yards with them.  When I purchased my second 270 Winchester it became my 130 and 140-grain rifle, and my original Remington 760 became my 150-grain rifle. 

I went to the heavier bullet(s) because I like having two holes bleeding instead of one or none. 

I should note that except on antelope cup and core 130-grain bullets have not offered an exit wound. 
I have not had a Cor-Lokt vaporize on a deer, but I have never shot one directly on the shoulder or in the hams.  I have shot a number of deer behind the shoulder on one side with the bullet damaging the heart and lungs and coming to a stop in the shoulder on the offside or penetrating the shoulder and stopping under the hide.  I have increased my bullet weight to insure full penetration on most of my shots.

Bullets have always been a deer camp discussion forever. 

I have on hand Cor-Lokt bullets in the .270 in 150-grain round nose, and have a few 130-grain CL.  My preferred 150-grain bullet is the Hornady Interlock.  At approximately 260 yards my 130-grain CL load and my 150-grain Hornady load cross paths with the 150-grain Hornady retaining more energy and velocity than the CL.
For the 6.5 I have on hand 140-grain CL and some handloaded ammunition with 120-grain CL in them.  I will use the 140-grain for hunting.
I have some 175-grain CL for the 7MM Mag. My default hunting bullet is the 160-grain Speer.  A hunting partner has real good results with the 150-grain CL in his rifle; he has taken close to thirty deer with the 150-grain CL.

I have 150-grain CL for the 30-30, this is very accurate in my rifle.

In the 300 Savage and 30-06 I prefer the 165-grain CL over the 150-grain CL or other 150-grain bullets I have on hand.  The 150-grain CL was the standard factory bullet for the three, 300 Savages in the house when I was a kid.  I have two boxes for Peters brand factory ammunition loaded with 150-grain CL for the .300 Savage.  Good ammunition but I prefer my 165-grain handload.

I have the above bullets in inventory.

My two bullet hole concept does not always provide a lot of tracking blood.  Last year’s deer was hit on a rib just behind the right shoulder, and exited high on the left shoulder.  The 150-grain bullet expanded rapidly on the rib creating a large entry wound, clipped the lungs, and created a 2-inch exit wound in the left shoulder.  On impact I watch the hide on the deer ripple like water on a pond after lobbing a rock in it.

The deer took off on a run.  I could not find any blood, hair, or gore.  One would have thought the bullet vaporized.  I worked the track and found the deer some distance away dead.  There was no major blood at the entry or exit wounds.  There was a little blood around the mouth.  I am still amazed how far the deer went with his lungs destroyed.

Hunters have a duty to follow-up on their shot.

What amazes me is the accuracy of CL bullets in my handloads.  They are not as highly polished as other component bullets, but they are consistently accurate.

[Austin1]

I switched to Remington 130-grain Cor-Lokt (CL) in the late 1950’s or early 1960s because I was finding too many fragmented Remington Bronze Pts. in the chest cavity of deer.  The first deer I shot with one was at about 10-yards.  I was resting my feet next to a skid road and my dog made a trip down below the road.  A few minutes later he pushed a buck at full speed in front of me.  The bullet entered back a few ribs and angled across into the opposite shoulder stopping under the hide.  The deer dropped a few feet into the brush.  It was a factory load and I have no idea how much of the bullet was recovered because I did not have a scale in those days. 

Since that time I have loaded and shot a lot of 130-grain Cor-Lokt bullets.  My biggest complaint has been the lack of an exit hole.  I have shot blacktail and mule deer from ten yards to four hundred yards with them.  When I purchased my second 270 Winchester it became my 130 and 140-grain rifle, and my original Remington 760 became my 150-grain rifle. 

I went to the heavier bullet(s) because I like having two holes bleeding instead of one or none. 

I should note that except on antelope cup and core 130-grain bullets have not offered an exit wound. 
I have not had a Cor-Lokt vaporize on a deer, but I have never shot one directly on the shoulder or in the hams.  I have shot a number of deer behind the shoulder on one side with the bullet damaging the heart and lungs and coming to a stop in the shoulder on the offside or penetrating the shoulder and stopping under the hide.  I have increased my bullet weight to insure full penetration on most of my shots.

Bullets have always been a deer camp discussion forever. 

I have on hand Cor-Lokt bullets in the .270 in 150-grain round nose, and have a few 130-grain CL.  My preferred 150-grain bullet is the Hornady Interlock.  At approximately 260 yards my 130-grain CL load and my 150-grain Hornady load cross paths with the 150-grain Hornady retaining more energy and velocity than the CL.
For the 6.5 I have on hand 140-grain CL and some handloaded ammunition with 120-grain CL in them.  I will use the 140-grain for hunting.
I have some 175-grain CL for the 7MM Mag. My default hunting bullet is the 160-grain Speer.  A hunting partner has real good results with the 150-grain CL in his rifle; he has taken close to thirty deer with the 150-grain CL.

I have 150-grain CL for the 30-30, this is very accurate in my rifle.

In the 300 Savage and 30-06 I prefer the 165-grain CL over the 150-grain CL or other 150-grain bullets I have on hand.  The 150-grain CL was the standard factory bullet for the three, 300 Savages in the house when I was a kid.  I have two boxes for Peters brand factory ammunition loaded with 150-grain CL for the .300 Savage.  Good ammunition but I prefer my 165-grain handload.

I have the above bullets in inventory.

My two bullet hole concept does not always provide a lot of tracking blood.  Last year’s deer was hit on a rib just behind the right shoulder, and exited high on the left shoulder.  The 150-grain bullet expanded rapidly on the rib creating a large entry wound, clipped the lungs, and created a 2-inch exit wound in the left shoulder.  On impact I watch the hide on the deer ripple like water on a pond after lobbing a rock in it.

The deer took off on a run.  I could not find any blood, hair, or gore.  One would have thought the bullet vaporized.  I worked the track and found the deer some distance away dead.  There was no major blood at the entry or exit wounds.  There was a little blood around the mouth.  I am still amazed how far the deer went with his lungs destroyed.

Hunters have a duty to follow-up on their shot.

What amazes me is the accuracy of CL bullets in my handloads.  They are not as highly polished as other component bullets, but they are consistently accurate.

+1 I like the CL Yet I have only shot them in .308,165gr and 7mm 150gr.Not the best shooting bullet but the price was right ya I went cheap but the performace on deer was great. I have shot at least 20 deer with them and non and I mean non needed a second shot. I have only recovered two one was my best shot ever using a 7x57 at 2800+fps at a measured 390 yds( laser range finder)I said 400 my buddy put his fancy German range finder on it and said 390 lol. I will stick to 400 for my own ego just sounds better, second was a nice 4x4 5x5 if you count the 4'' brow tines Whitetail hanging on my wall. Took that one with a custom built Rem 700 26'' barrel 300 win mag pushing a 165 gr at 3400 yep that's right 3400fps I was using a hefty does of H450. It was a broad side offhand shot at about 130 yds and the bullet looks like shooting a pellet at a steel plate peeled back past the base yet held together and found under the skin on the far side of a lung shot.funny thing is both deer died as if hit by the hammer of Thor!
The worst bullet I have used and this is only me is the Hornady SST 150 gr 7mm at 2870fps out of my 280. Shot two deer with that one both Large bodied Mulies and both needed a second shot! that's the only time I have had too shoot a Deer twice! in 25 years of hunting. Both where shot broadside at about 175 yds one just kept running after about 30 yards I shot again I know not a fair test! and the other was down as soon as I pulled the trigger but needed a finishing shot. The 150 gr sst went in right behing the shoulder on a uphill shot but came out on top of the spine leaving the red tip behind on the exit wound just lying on the fur and lot's of meat damage .
These were the fist SST's to hit the market I had to try them, my bud swears by them and I have seen him stop every deer plus a moose with them. But I had bad luck and my bud was with me tooand all he could say was dam they work for me lol,  But really it is the luck of the draw and I lost I will give them another chance next year my freezer is full this year. Thanks to the CL 
I switched and had to site my gun in with Cl's after the last Muley needed a second shot and me finding the tip. The next day my whitetail buck fell as if it by the hammer of Thor it was only 100yds but the CL performed like always for me, note the for me,I herd him bark another reason for no ear muffs wile hunting unless they magnify the sound but he made that bark of a whitetail  jumped up and just stood there like a young muley buck see even deer can get  bad habbits by watching others! So I shot him he went 10 yds and fell down the hill. A nice and easy drag back to camp too didn't even bother to get the cart. Now let's talk about Bronze piont expanding or the old Cil CPE ie copper piont exp. I buy CPE's every chance I get at gun shows that was a bullet. I think CIL  only made them in .308 and .311 for my beloved .303 180gr or .308/06 in a 150gr or 180gr super deer bullet!     

[BrianB]

I shot a buck, about 140 lbs., several years ago using Rem CL's in a .303. Good shot, just behind shoulder and into the lungs.  Bullet fragmented all over.  Dropped the deer pretty much on the spot, but I quit using them anyway.

[Cottonwood]

I've always had great results with core locks in years previous to this one, but I only switched to the Barnes TSX bullet because I wanted to try it.  Cost wise, you can't been the price when results is what your after.

[cwlongshot]

  Just this AM a good friend shot a nice buck with a factory 30-30 150GR Rem CorLokt bullet. Shot was at about 40 yards, almost perfectly broadside clear shot. Deer was a healthy 150-160Lb whitetail. Shot was hi in the ribs, maybe hitting the shoulder blade, but def missing the spine. No exit BUT dead deer.

I would have liked to see that bullet exit as its always preferable to have two wounds to leak from. But the deer made about three steps and tipped on its nose.

CW

[turkeyeye]

Well I am one that loves them

I have killed around 10 with an '06 and 150 grain Core-Lokts with no problems
I have killed around 10 with a 280 and 150 grain Core-Lokts with no problems
I have killed a couple with a 7mm Mag and 140 & 150 Core-Lokts with no problems
I have killed 1 with a 243 and 100 grain Core-Lokts with no problems.

As you can see If I am not shooting reloads I always go for the Core-Lokts in any caliber.  Very few times have I had one stay inside a deer but the ones that have always made a big ol' fat mushroom.  They aren't the prettiest mushrooms like a Barnes or other but they definately hold together.  One that didn't exit that I never found was the one killed the 243.  I shot it quartering towards me on the very point of the shoulder bone.  He weighed about 185 pounds and the bullet went from shoulder point through heart and lungs and into the guts.  I know this because the guts were busted all to pieces and I didn't feel like digging through them to find the mushroom.  I am satisfied that it held together though because it traveled through 18" of deer.

[Austin1]

Well I am one that loves them

I have killed around 10 with an '06 and 150 grain Core-Lokts with no problems
I have killed around 10 with a 280 and 150 grain Core-Lokts with no problems
I have killed a couple with a 7mm Mag and 140 & 150 Core-Lokts with no problems
I have killed 1 with a 243 and 100 grain Core-Lokts with no problems.

As you can see If I am not shooting reloads I always go for the Core-Lokts in any caliber.  Very few times have I had one stay inside a deer but the ones that have always made a big ol' fat mushroom.  They aren't the prettiest mushrooms like a Barnes or other but they definately hold together.  One that didn't exit that I never found was the one killed the 243.  I shot it quartering towards me on the very point of the shoulder bone.  He weighed about 185 pounds and the bullet went from shoulder point through heart and lungs and into the guts.  I know this because the guts were busted all to pieces and I didn't feel like digging through them to find the mushroom.  I am satisfied that it held together though because it traveled through 18" of deer.

I have never shot one in a factory load but buy them as bulk bullets back in the day before they came pre packed I would buy a 100 and usually get 120 or more always from the same kid at the sporting good store he was to lazy to count them lol he did it with brass too!

[cpj]

In my experience  they perform nicely, if they are put where they are supposed to be. Right behind the shoulder, in order to hit the tootsie roll center of the tootsie pop. If they encounter a shoulder, or other big bone, they do tend to come apart.

[Squib]

are corelokt the same (roughly) as winchester super-x, the gray box wal-mart stuff?

[Jimbo47]

I've been hunting deer for 49 years, and have used factory ammo for all of them and just kind of got into handloading last year for my .357 Mag, and my 45-70 so I'm not too anal about the type of ammo I use, and to tell you the truth I use what is on sale most of the time.

I can't remember ever losing a deer that I shot because of the ammo, and not all the deer I've killed were perfectly placed bullets either, but they did get the job done, and I've used all the brands of cheap ammo out there.

Last year I shot a buck and posted here that the bullet was in two pieces as it was a Remington Corelokt out of a .270 at 150 yards angling shot, but the deer went down about 100 yards from where he stood, but the end result was always the same.

Buck fever and poor preperation, such as not sighting in properly, or just taking a shot you shouldn't, has more to do with how the bullet performs than anything else.

Shot placement is more important than the price of the bullet, or the brand, but that's just from my experience!

[Siskiyou]

Squib:  In regards to your question.  My response in regards to the Super-X Power-Point.  In my brother’s hands he has had a lot of success using the 150-grain Power-Point in the 270 Winchester.  He was impressed with its performance over 130-grain bullets in his 270 Winchester.  He was wise enough back in the good old days to buy a thousand bulk 150-grain Power Points on sales.  He loads them in his 270 Winchester and his 270 Ackley Improved.

I have had good results with 150-grain Powder Point in the .270 Winchester.

Some years back a hunting partners divorce upset his reloading operation.  He started using the Winchester Super-X Power Point 150-grain in his 30-06.  He has taken a black bear and about twenty deer with it.  The bullet recovered from his bear was a classic mushroom, and had penetrated about 25-inches from a back rib, into the lungs/heart, and stopping in the front of the chest.  I had seen this bullet perform on deer before but combining the performance on the bear with its performance on deer convinced me in the .30 Cal and 270.  In October I dragged my partner’s buck down to the road while he filled out his deer tag.  The bullet exited and was not recovered.  There was a spray of blood and gore on the ground on the exit side.
Using the Sierra Infinity Six program I compared the 150-grain C-L and the 150-grain Power Point (PP) and the same muzzle velocity in the 270 Winchester.  The comparison shows the PP maintaining more velocity and energy over the C-L from the get go.  At three hundred yards the wind drift of the C-L is double that of the PP.

I have had positive results with the 150-grain C-L on deer, and an early hunting partner and mentor consistently took deer with it.  When shooting the 150-grain C-L across the Chrony I have found the Remington ammunition producing higher velocities than the PP.  Running the numbers in the ballistics program from my testing shows the superior ballistic shape of the PP does not kick in until about 106-yards.  Most of the deer I take are within 100-yards.

When I leave the rig for a day hunting the thick stuff my M760 will be loaded with 150-grain Remington handloaded C-L.  The story is different if I am carrying my M700 it likes the factory Super-X Winchester Power Point, and  my handloaded 150-grain Hornady Interlock.  When I know that I am getting into country that presents long range opportunities the Hornady bullet gets the call. (300+ yards)

My Remington M760 does not like the WW PP, but my Remington 700 does.  I do not know the why, but I use what is best in the rifle I carry.

[Squib]

huh,.. I used a Rem 700 VTR/.308 last year and a super-x... 40 yds shot and it fragmented and left four distinct wound channels in that deer

it WAS lethal but controlled expansion, hah no, that deer was so chewed up I actually had to throw away some of the meat (I'm assuming the lc don't do this because no one mentioned that-- I load now anyways but I was just curious)

[quickdtoo]

I've shot several elk with 180gr 30-06 Core-lokts, they always resulted in dead elk very quickly, but terminal bullet performance wasn't inspiring, boiler room shots where only a rib was hit resulted in the bullet stopping against the hide on the opposite side, sometimes without it's jacket, pretty typical of basic cup and core bullets.

Tim

[ferryboatcaptain]

I  took a buck yesterday morning with my featherweight .270 with 130 grain core loct.   I have shot a bunch of deer with cl's and have never failed to recover my deer. I'm sold on them!!!!          FBC

[Cheesehead]

Just hours ago, my nephew takes another white tail with his 98K 8mm Mauser launching 185 grain Corelokts. A broad side hit @ 30 yards high in the shoulders. Dead right there. Proven performance.

Cheese

[lonewolf5348]

My son took a huge doe this Sat: Dressed 160 lbs with his 50 cal. inline using the
Remington Core Lokts
44 cal. 275 grain bullet/sabot shot 75 yards with 100 grains of triple 777.
The shot dead boiler room 1/2" hole going in 3/4" on the way out blood trail easy to follow deer went 50 yards

[1jonmon]

Zach, I've been using Core Lokts for about 20 years out of my model 70 30.06.  I've killed sooo many deer with them and only them during that period.  Most of the time it was bang flop.  A few times I had them run a short distance, but that was my bad, not the bullet.  Believe me, that is a fine bullet, i've hit them at all the angles and it does the job if I do my part.  My only problem now is that I can't find them in 243 anywhere!

[Squib]

how many of you guys load them vs buying them yourselves?

anyone do .308 winchester?  that's all I use

[Cheesehead]

I load the Corelokts in my 308, by the thousand. Also load the 308 with BronzePoints and Partitions, all in 150 grain. I have taken deer with all of these loads.

Cheese

[Squib]

so they're that good that you stick with them?  maybe I should switch over to them then.  thanks cheesehead.  what about the other guy asking about them in .243 though?? 

[Cheesehead]

I buy them by the 1000 pack because they are relatively cheap, very accurate and effective. Plenty of extra rounds for practice, practice, practice.

Cheese

[AtlLaw]

maybe I should switch over to them then.

What are you using now and for what?    

I've tried just about everything myowndarnself...  

Much better avitar BTW...    I can't believe I said that!