Premium Bullets

[WW1]

I have a question..it may seem silly to most of you but it has puzzled me for some time..the reason I got to thinking about it again is because I am getting into loading new cals..I used to only have the 06, now I have the 280 Rem, 7mm-08, and the 260 Rem that I am going to have to load for..ok lets try this..everything I have read for years, says if you want the best long range accuracy in most guns, you need to shoot a boat tail suited for hunting, not a target bullet but a hunting bullet..ok my question is, if this is true, then why are premium bullets made with a flat base?? you would think if the BT is more "accurate, then if you are paying $30 to $50 a box for the premiums, you would want the highest accuracy you could get..anyway would like some of you guys to give me some feedback so I can get some different ideas..have used the Speer Grand Slams for years, and have never recovered a bullet to see how they work in the 06.....hahaha.. thnaks for your thoughts.....WW1

[John R.]

Boatails don't start making a difference in the calibers you mentioned until you get past 300 yds. Most game animals are killed at ranges far less than that. Some of the premium bullets are boatails (Hornady Interbond,Nosler Accubond,Swift Scirroco). Shoot what your gun likes best and you won't have any problems. :grin:

[Redhawk1]

I shoot a lot of both flat base and boattails, I don't see the difference. But I do shoot a lot of Barnes bullets.  

[WW1]

ok guys thanks for the input..I used to load alot when all I had was my 06, which by the way, always shot the flat base bullets with better accuracy than the BT..dont know why but it never liked the BT's..since then as I add different cals to my favorite list, 280, 7mm-08, and 260, I have gotten lazy and been shooting factory stuff...that is going th change as I am retired now, I plan to load more..even picking up some casting stuff as I want to work with my Ruger #1 and make a good brush country elk and bear rifle out of it..I live in Western Wa...am thinking on my others to try the Hornady Interbonds and see if they are any good.....any of you had experience with them?..kind of disappointed they dont come in the 6.5 cal...anywya thanks again....WW1

[beemanbeme]

If I had to make a preference, I'd say I prefer a flat based bullet.  Why?  I am probably influenced by a lot of negative write-ups I've read over the years about boat tail bullets used on game.  By "gun experts" that had so many inches to fill each month.  My real thought is I've shot a lot of game with BT's and FB's and they all looked pretty dead to me.  To me, a 300 yard shot is a looong shot and so BT or FB would not really come into consideration.  Only how accurate each one is in your particular rifle.  Altho there will be all sorts that will pick all kinda nits with that statement.
I think the Grand Slam is a fine bullet and have shot about a ton or so of them.  To my way of thinking, they are a bit hard for antelope and small white tails but if you are careful to shoot for the exit hole, they do a good job.
I just posted that if your rifle will shoot Core Lokts well and you are using a standard cartridge, they are hard to beat.
FYI, I kilt my first elk using a 200gr Speer Hot Core bullet from a 30-06.

[WW1]

ok good thoughts..guess I hate wasting meat so most times if I have a choice the behind the shoulder shot works well and that is why I have never recovered a slug...am thinkig the 140 GS should work in both the 7mm-08 and the 260 Rem...so far the 280 seems to like the super expensive Trophy Bonded Bear Claw...cant believe how much Speer wants for a box of 25 as compared to the Grand Slams....it is like they bought the name and bullet and want it to go down the tubes or something...jeeze they was $25 for the 7mms per 25 and $29.95 for the 6.5....I just picked up a good deal at Midway and paided for a box of Premiums with the TBBC 140 in 7mm-08 for $11.45 a box...figgured for that price if they dont shoot I can pull the bullets and handlad them and still come out ahead..hahaha...I am also thinking I will play with the Rem core-lokt and the Hornady Interbond and Interlock...soooo who knows where I will end up...again thanks for the input.....WW1

PS: I used to use nothing but the regular old Speer, but the quality got so bad a few years ago I stopped..maybe it has changed by now but I was getting irratic results with the 165 gr for my 06...got to checking and there would be about 4 or 5 different weights in a box of 100...bought some of the GS's and they were so close to the same weight it was scarey,so I never went back to the regular Speers...congrats on the elk by the way, I have hunted them for years and never fired a shot at one.. most areas in this state now are a 3 point min so it is harder yet..it is just my lucky I see the big bulls while hunting deer and the really nice bucks while hunting elk.......go figgure.....guess that is why it is called hunting....hahahaah...WW1