I've only used the 180gr Core-Lokt in Remington factory ammo for .303British. It was accurate and effective. My favourite ammo is my own reloads with Hornady 174gr Interlocks which are .312 inch diameter and give barely detectable improvement in accuracy over .311 inch diameter bullets from most makers. If I run out and don't have time to make more, I buy that Remington ammo.
How do you like Core-Lokt ammo for hunting?
- Thread starter MD
- Start date
I have had less than desirable results with 165gn factory rounds. Two years ago, my first time ever using them, a round penciled between to ribs on a BIG, full-rut whitetail buck (weighed 218 lbs when I hung him up) failed to expand, went through both lungs (again a pencil), hit the offside shoulder and THEN did it's job! Smashed through that shoulder, shrapnel blew back and liquified that offside lung. That buck took 4hours to die with me standing there well after dark with no rifle watching it expire for 20' away. That was a 360yd shot from an M77 Ruger in .30-06. Zero complaints with accuracy, bullet went exactly where it was supposed to, just did not do what it was supposed to do.
last year, circumstances in my home and life kept me from shooting. I had purchased a new rifle, built work-rounds, but was never able to fire any. So, I used that Ruger again. Again, 165gn CoreLokts. 240 yds at a cow moose. First round downrange is a sad story for another time, but the second, again, was right on. But did NOTHING except cause her to swap ends and continue feeding. My buddy dropped her with a .270 WSSM 10 minutes later from the other side of the cut when I told him she was heading that way, SLOWLY, UN-CONCERNED, with the rest of her family group (yeah, that's right, I watched 5 moose for 10 minutes without taking another shot). Unfortunately, other than a hole in a rib, I can't guarantee anything else happened, since there was an entrance hole on the opposite side, nothing left inside (lungs and heart were gone) a huge exit hole, with my little entrance hole just 3/4" higher than his exit. She simply fell down.
I bought that M77 and got 5 boxes of rounds with it, some partial. 2x150 gn, 2x 165gn, 1x180gn. It had been shooting 165s, the guy told me, but after 20 years, the rifle didn't seem to be getting the job done, so he bought another in 300WM. I haven't fired a single round in 150 or 180gn, but I have fired the remaining half a box of 165s for zero verification and two at game. Lots of older guys SWORE by CoreLokts when I was growing up, I used reloads. Someone can have these if you're close or I'm pulling them and tossing them out. Accurate as hell, I just can't trust them at all.
Just my experience.
last year, circumstances in my home and life kept me from shooting. I had purchased a new rifle, built work-rounds, but was never able to fire any. So, I used that Ruger again. Again, 165gn CoreLokts. 240 yds at a cow moose. First round downrange is a sad story for another time, but the second, again, was right on. But did NOTHING except cause her to swap ends and continue feeding. My buddy dropped her with a .270 WSSM 10 minutes later from the other side of the cut when I told him she was heading that way, SLOWLY, UN-CONCERNED, with the rest of her family group (yeah, that's right, I watched 5 moose for 10 minutes without taking another shot). Unfortunately, other than a hole in a rib, I can't guarantee anything else happened, since there was an entrance hole on the opposite side, nothing left inside (lungs and heart were gone) a huge exit hole, with my little entrance hole just 3/4" higher than his exit. She simply fell down.
I bought that M77 and got 5 boxes of rounds with it, some partial. 2x150 gn, 2x 165gn, 1x180gn. It had been shooting 165s, the guy told me, but after 20 years, the rifle didn't seem to be getting the job done, so he bought another in 300WM. I haven't fired a single round in 150 or 180gn, but I have fired the remaining half a box of 165s for zero verification and two at game. Lots of older guys SWORE by CoreLokts when I was growing up, I used reloads. Someone can have these if you're close or I'm pulling them and tossing them out. Accurate as hell, I just can't trust them at all.
Just my experience.
I've shot lots of whitetails with them and a few bears. .308, 180gn corelocks. They've always worked great for me. Plenty accurate and usually droped them in their tracks. Nicely mushroomed if you get to recover one, good weight retention without the meat recking blowup effect of alot of more modern bullets.
Was my go to round untill I started reloading.
Was my go to round untill I started reloading.
It's the only ammo my 3030 will shoot accurately. I used it to take my first deer damn thing dropped into the tall grass and disappeared so fast I thought I missed it. Recovered the bullet just under the skin on the off side after it went through the shoulder blade with I believe about and 80+% weight retention. No meat damage was able to eat right up to the hole
freddyfour
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brant County, Ontario
One of the guys in our group shot a big doe last year in the rear quarter with a 270 and made an absolute mess. I ended up cleaning the deer and the bullet went in the right hind quarter and pushed the intestines into the left quarter. No idea how that happened but I had to pull the intestines out of the back leg of that deer. Was the worse gutting I have ever done, not sure if it was the bullets fault or the bad shots fault but it was not pretty. Good eating though!
Hotwheels81
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- South of GP
I've seen a buck and a doe both taken with 7-08 shooting core-lokt one from 80yards the other from 140'ish... Both pass thru's and DRT, not a bad bullet IMHO...
That federal fusion stuff tho... Yuck... I often express my dislike of the stuff on game, spent more time tracking than hunting with a buddy and his .270.... Double lung shot good hit's resulting in lots of walking and allmost ZERO blood trail.
Love the Hornady interlock as well... Shot lots of critters with the 139gr interlock from 30yards to 300+ and always have the same results, bang, flop, lung soup... Hit a buck trying to make a Texas heart shot a few years back, bullet hit the hip on one side, broke the pelvis, turned 90* and left the ham on the other side... He hit the ground dead as a door nail. Have yet to recover an interlock, anything that I've hit with em dumps lots of blood.... Lots... And lots....
That federal fusion stuff tho... Yuck... I often express my dislike of the stuff on game, spent more time tracking than hunting with a buddy and his .270.... Double lung shot good hit's resulting in lots of walking and allmost ZERO blood trail.
Love the Hornady interlock as well... Shot lots of critters with the 139gr interlock from 30yards to 300+ and always have the same results, bang, flop, lung soup... Hit a buck trying to make a Texas heart shot a few years back, bullet hit the hip on one side, broke the pelvis, turned 90* and left the ham on the other side... He hit the ground dead as a door nail. Have yet to recover an interlock, anything that I've hit with em dumps lots of blood.... Lots... And lots....
x2. I can knock ANYTHING down with an interlock.
CreamySmooth
CGN frequent flyer
I prefer the SST, because I like the purty red tip. But I've never had an animal go far after an SST.
OP here.
I didn't like the Fusions because I didn't trust them to hold together shooting a black bear and also; last year even though I had sighted the gun in and it shot acceptable groups, when I shot a deer, I aimed at the chest and got it in the neck. That could have been me, the trigger is very light.
I didn't like the Vital-Shok with ballistic tips because
1. I had accidentally bought them (I was in a hurry to catch a ferry and didn't check the box before paying)
2. Didn't want to hunt bears with ballistic tips
3. Didn't group worth a darn at 100 yards
I didn't like the Vital - Shok loads with 140 gr. Nosler Partitions because:
1. They were so expensive
2. They didn't group well (except for the last three shots before going home).
There is a possibility that the gun just likes to have a dirty barrel.
Regarding the rifle, it is a custom rifle my friend gave me built on a Brno Mauser 98 with a new barrel, synth stock, and made in Finland (Sako?) trigger. Someone put a lot of money into it, it has a slick jeweled bolt and equally slick hinged floor plate. I put a new Bushnell elite 3200 3x9 on it. The crown is perfect, scope is secure and so are the action screws.
I'm no sniper but I have achieved 2-inch groups at 200 metres with my 300 Win. mag, so I can shoot fairly competently.
Regarding Hornady Interlocks, I agree, I have shot deer and moose with them. I have a couple Lee Loader kits, one for my 270 and one for my 7x57 Mauser and load 150s into the 270 and 139 gr. bullets into my 7x57.
I'm not prepared to go whole hog into loading with a press, etc., don't have a Lee kit for the 280, so that is why I'm trying factory loads.
I didn't like the Fusions because I didn't trust them to hold together shooting a black bear and also; last year even though I had sighted the gun in and it shot acceptable groups, when I shot a deer, I aimed at the chest and got it in the neck. That could have been me, the trigger is very light.
I didn't like the Vital-Shok with ballistic tips because
1. I had accidentally bought them (I was in a hurry to catch a ferry and didn't check the box before paying)
2. Didn't want to hunt bears with ballistic tips
3. Didn't group worth a darn at 100 yards
I didn't like the Vital - Shok loads with 140 gr. Nosler Partitions because:
1. They were so expensive
2. They didn't group well (except for the last three shots before going home).
There is a possibility that the gun just likes to have a dirty barrel.
Regarding the rifle, it is a custom rifle my friend gave me built on a Brno Mauser 98 with a new barrel, synth stock, and made in Finland (Sako?) trigger. Someone put a lot of money into it, it has a slick jeweled bolt and equally slick hinged floor plate. I put a new Bushnell elite 3200 3x9 on it. The crown is perfect, scope is secure and so are the action screws.
I'm no sniper but I have achieved 2-inch groups at 200 metres with my 300 Win. mag, so I can shoot fairly competently.
Regarding Hornady Interlocks, I agree, I have shot deer and moose with them. I have a couple Lee Loader kits, one for my 270 and one for my 7x57 Mauser and load 150s into the 270 and 139 gr. bullets into my 7x57.
I'm not prepared to go whole hog into loading with a press, etc., don't have a Lee kit for the 280, so that is why I'm trying factory loads.
I think Core-lokts are great bullets. I shoot them out of my Tikka .300winmag, Rem 742 .308, Rem 788 .243 and Rem 700 .223.
I use these bullets because they shoot well in my guns, Great hunting bullet and easy to find at most hunting stores.
I use these bullets because they shoot well in my guns, Great hunting bullet and easy to find at most hunting stores.
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I would agree with Hoytcannons first post. Corelocks are good for sub magnum hunting. Anything over...say a arbitrary number of 3000 ft/sec....would be better with a premium bullet.
Super high speed at close range and any cup n core bullet has the potential to make a wide shallow ....splat wound. Solution for that is not always a better projectile.....more often its better shot placement and bench time.
Super high speed at close range and any cup n core bullet has the potential to make a wide shallow ....splat wound. Solution for that is not always a better projectile.....more often its better shot placement and bench time.
"Didn't check the box??? Good thing you got the cartridge right at least... didn't check the box... of bullets... "
It went like this hoyt; I was in Nanaimo on my way to the ferry in a hurry and popped into Wholesale Sports. I asked for a box of Federal Vital Shok cartridges for the 280 Remington.
The clerk said "the ones with the Noslers?" and I replied yes. Without my glasses I saw they were 280 but as what I had in my mind's eye and what I wanted was a box with Nosler Partitions so when he said the magic word "Nosler" I just assumed it was Partitions and didn't check. My mistake entirely but yes, I got the right cartridge.
It went like this hoyt; I was in Nanaimo on my way to the ferry in a hurry and popped into Wholesale Sports. I asked for a box of Federal Vital Shok cartridges for the 280 Remington.
The clerk said "the ones with the Noslers?" and I replied yes. Without my glasses I saw they were 280 but as what I had in my mind's eye and what I wanted was a box with Nosler Partitions so when he said the magic word "Nosler" I just assumed it was Partitions and didn't check. My mistake entirely but yes, I got the right cartridge.
I used to reload 150 grain corelokts for my 280. My load chronied at 2850 but it gave me my best group ever, 3 shots at 3/4". They accounted for many deer and one moose, stuff just fell down when I pointed the gun at them.
I couldnt find a reliable source for them though and had to quit using them, switched to 150gr Barnes TSX, same result, 3x the money
I couldnt find a reliable source for them though and had to quit using them, switched to 150gr Barnes TSX, same result, 3x the money
blasted_saber
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- A blue part of Ontario
I love the Fusions. My experience is pretty much the opposite of yours. Complete pass throughs and a blood trail a blind man could follow. Marvelous bullet on deer. Its also astoundingly accurate from my 308
Hotwheels81
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- South of GP
Yup different calibers and according to some, different boxes of .270 perform differently.... That bullet above was rolling around in the rig cage of a doe I tracked 100 yards into the bush, weigh retention? Around 50%, had another that lost all it's petals and we found the base in the off side stuck 'tween a couple ribs, about an hour of tracking... petals ruptured the diaphragm and stomach and the lungs were intact with very little visible damage just pin holes and pieces of jacket everywhere inside the poor beast... Messy.
I'll stick to bonded or controlled expansion fodder like the Interlock, Partition, Aframe or a big ole cast bullet... I've had opportunity to try the SST the Amax the NHBT and various other more fragile bullets but I always come back around to a stout bullet with a good loooong reputation for clean pass thru and a wide wound channel... Bonus being your not scared to aim for bone to keep something from hopping a fence or take a 1/4ing shot wondering if it's going to destroy an entire 1/4 with bloodshot meat... A well placed bullet is a lethal bullet, some are just a little less lethal
Different shooters have different results. But, I have not had any problems to date with Corelokt bullets blowing up on game at close range. In a couple of cases....within 4-5 yards. The rifle is a .300 WinMag. Bullet: 180 grain. I load these to about factory mv: 2950 fps. My rifle prefers them at around that speed. I do agree though...there is always the potential for a big splat. So, I'm careful to place my shot just so....and there might have been more than a little luck involved. The Corelokt bullets shine in the non-magnum calibers though. Really like the 140 grainers in my 6.5 X 55.
