There's nothing wrong with hunting with "cheap" ammo

ninepointer

ninepointer

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I recently read yet another article that said, "Your ammunition is the least expensive part of your hunt. Don't spend thousands of dollars, only to cheap-out on your ammo." I have to take exception to such statements, because I guess I buy "cheap" ammo, such as Remington Express and Federal Power-Shok for my deer rifles. I think that the argument should be re-phrased from "Don't buy cheap ammo" to "Don't buy the wrong ammo". Here's why:

- Everytime I've pulled the trigger, my Express/Power-Shok cartridges have always gone "bang!";
- At the range I regularly get 1.5 inch groups at 100 yards;
- The soft-point bullets that these ammo brands are loaded with are the best bullet for whitetailed deer IMO.

So, based on the above, what will I get from more expensive or "better" ammo?:
- Better reliability? No, you can't get any better than 100%;
- Better accuracy? Perhaps, but do I need clover-leaf groups?;
- Better bullet? No.

Now, If I was going for heavier game, such as moose, I might pay more for my ammo because I would probably want a different bullet construction that is not offered in the Express & Power-Shok lines. Its not that I need "better" ammo; but that I need the right ammo with the right bullet. If I have to pay more for this, I'm happy to do so.

I know a guy that shoots all his whitetails with "premium" ammo constructed with bonded bullets. He likes to point out that his bullets pass right through the animal. IMO he is using the wrong ammo and he is wasting bullet energy on trees. You can't beat a thin-jacketed soft point bullet that fully expands and expends all its energy inside the deer.

In conclusion, the price on the box of ammo has nothing to do with if it is the right ammo for the job.

Ninepointer
 
Its all relative.

If I were to only shoot up to a 150 yards any ammo would do.

If I were on a once in a lifetime hunt, say hunting mountain goats with Gate, I would deffinately try to bring the best money can buy.

Hell I have killed a lot of things with Canadian Tire ammo.
 
good post

I'll agree, but I do handload and use premium bullets myself.

but like last year when I had a new rifle and no time to work up a load I just go get a box or two of factory ammo, last year it was winchester 180grn for the 300WM, one box for sighting in and barrel break in and the other for hunting. 1 box is normally enough for my hunting.

Using enough gun and shot placement is more important then choice of ammo. Premium bullets are just a little added insurance.


Oh and the 180grn winchester worked fine, broke a rib on the way in and exited the far side, Moose went about 30' and piled up. 200m broadside shot :D


this year its handloads with 200grn Nosler Accubonds
 
i use my .303 for all medium to large game hunting, i also use the cheapest ammo in it i can find on sale *federal blue box or winchester grey box*.
the bullets go where i want them to, the animal drops where its supposed to, and the always go bang.
what more could you ask for in a bullet
 
They're responsible for creating their own problem. They develop cartridges to shoot bullets very, very fast. When hunters realize the bullets are disintegrating upon impact instead of penetrating, the manufacturers then tell us you've got to use these super premium new bullets.

I agree with the old school thoughts above; it wasn't broke to start with, until they started monkeying around again.
 
I agree 100%

For grouse and upland game I often use ammo like Winchester's AA target loads or the Remington equivalent. Though not terribly expensive, such ammo offers the potential for good patterning due to high antimony lead and higher QC than some of the heavier but poorly constructed ecomony shotshells. Similarly, there's no need for expensive plated magnum loads where lighter shells and an open choke are what's really needed.
 
A good discussion. I have only hunted in the east. Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. Only two shots have been taken at beyond 50 yards. Under these circumstances a garden variety heavy soft point is the best choice. I came to this decision while gutting and skinning a deer shot with a 150 soft point out of a 308. A whole quarter was blood shot. What a waste.

My hunting buddies all came to the same conclusion that day. I have come to realize that by loading only a heavy bullet, my rifle is also ready and zeroed to hunt moose, too.

The fact that my rifle is good for both moose and deer should remind most of us that we are very over-gunned for deer. I used to shoot them very dead with a 35 Rem. A popgun compared to a 308 or 30-06.
A
 
cdngunner said:
Its all relative.

If I were to only shoot up to a 150 yards any ammo would do.

If I were on a once in a lifetime hunt, say hunting mountain goats with Gate, I would deffinately try to bring the best money can buy.

Hell I have killed a lot of things with Canadian Tire ammo.
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Same here,

Until CGN, I had no idea deer required premiuim bullets. I reload now but if I didnt I dont know what I would do with all those Fed saber-tips. They might be good enough for immature ground hogs.
 
I think you may be a little off on why a lot of us are hunting deer with premium bullets. Speaking for myself ( I've got a bunch of 140 grain TSXs loaded up for all my hunting this year) I didn't load those bullets for deer. I'm hunting sheep (need long range and flat shooting bullets) elk, bear and whitetail this year. If I went with traditional bullets, I'd need at least two different kinds of bullets loaded up, and maybe more. Re-zeroing would cost more in bullets, and would be a hassle.

Lots of us shooting premiums at deer, I would bet, are hunting multiple species at the same time. I need a bullet that will open fully on a behind-the shoulder shot on a whitetail, and that is equally good for shooting through the shoulder of a big elk. TSXs will do that.

I'm not sure I've seen anybody here who's said that you NEED premiums for little deer. But for saving time and hassle, and turning one gun and one load into a do-everything rig, they're tough to beat.

Though I shot my deer last year with a handloaded Cor-Lokt. But I didn't draw any elk or moose tags last year. And the Cor-lokt worked just great.;)
 
"...for heavier game..." Lots of moose have been killed with Express & Power-Shok ammo. You don't need premium or big heavy bulleted ammo for Bullwinkle either. As long as it shoots well enough in your rifle.
 
ninepointer said:
. He likes to point out that his bullets pass right through the animal. IMO he is using the wrong ammo and he is wasting bullet energy on trees. You can't beat a thin-jacketed soft point bullet that fully expands and expends all its energy inside the deer.
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It doens't matter much if it "passes through" or "expends all it's energy inside the deer"

What matters is if the bullet passes through the vitals (both lungs/heart etc) and does damage. After that, it doens't matter.

If I was only hunting deer, I'd probably use whatever was most accurate in my rifle, but it need not be a "super penetrator" bullet like a TSX, but I woud dprefer that it hold together better than the 2 Ballistic Tip bullets I have seen blow up and crater on deer.( a BT is a thin jacketed bullet that is designed to fully expand and expend all it's energy inside the deer;))

Since I dont' *just* hunt deer, and I think it's nice that a bullet still work when everything goes wrong, I think TSX, Nosler Partitions, Accubond bullets are "cheap" insurance, just like the article says:)
 
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Ammo big guns big scopes ....$$$$

So many people or would be pro's think they have all the answers they don't.

My dad your dad your granddad had no hi end rounds or magnum guns they had 30 30's 303's and 22's and they put lots of food on the table.

I can get better groups with my 303' and $89 buck scope than most people can get with 5k worth of stuff I have done it many times.

Grant it nice stuff helps but its the guy behind the gun.
 
I don't particularly like meat damage, and most of the cartridges I use are 'high velocity'(2900fps+). I have found that my TSX's damage considerably less meat at close range with these cartridges, so continue to use them on everything.
At the same time I do agree with your statement; deer don't need A-frames out of .308 WCFs, if you like eating meat you might want to use X's out of your Weatherby though.
I am still trying to figure out what the 170gr partition does for the 30-30 that the 170gr Hornady FP doesn't?
My bullet expenditure lately has been really high, and I am actually pondering selling or trading my .270 WSM Kimber for a 7mm-08 version, just because I want to start shooting a Hornady/Speer on out of it, and save my TSX's and .338 for the big stuff/mixed bag hunts.
I used 30-06 180gr Power Points on deer once and found the performance quite satisfactory, loonie in loonie out, with meat loss left with two fist size pieces. Sounds good to me.:pirate:
 
BBB said:
Lots of us shooting premiums at deer, I would bet, are hunting multiple species at the same time.
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BBB,

That's a good point you've raised and I totally agree. It makes perfect sense for the multi-species hunter to stick with one versatile round.

I guess what I'm referring to is that with advent of "premium" ammo, a bit of "ammo snobbery" has emerged. I've been told by some hunters that my ammo not good enough, even though I only hunt deer. It kind reminds me of Levis jeans versus designer jeans;)

Several times I've heard the owner of my local gunshop tell customers:
"I can sell you a $40 box of ammo that will kill a deer or I can sell you a $20 box of ammo that will do the same job. Its your choice. Me, I use the $20.00 ammo."

Ninepointer
 
My neighbour & I have our own range. We used to shoot a lot of bullets thru the summer. Then one of his camp cronys told him of the virtues of premium bullets one time when one of his deer got away after being shot. Shortly thereafter he started shooting premium$$ bullets out of his deer guns, you could watch him wince as those half dollar bullets impacted the targets. Now he doesn't shoot at the range at all. Do the premium bullets kill better when you have no practice!! I think not. Rem Corelocs in bulk bags have always worked for deer & moose for me & I don't mind killing a few targets with them either :)
 
For guns I don't reload for, I shoot cheap shells....at paper. I shoot all of my guns, alot, and it doesn't make sense to launch TSX's or Partitions down range for practice. But I DO re-sight with premium ammo before I hunt...those three shots to re-zero are cheap insurance. I dunno...whats a "premium" shell worth compared to a cheapie....an extra buck? so Three bucks to re-zero, plus an extra buck to shoot my animal....4 bucks and I have increased my chances, and covered my bases if a 600 lb blackie comes out in front of the dogs, or I get a less than desireable shot angle. The rest of the box of premiumn stuff goes home and waits for next year, when it will be time to waste another 4 bucks....ammo doesn't go bad ya know. :)
 
senior said:
My neighbour & I have our own range. We used to shoot a lot of bullets thru the summer. Then one of his camp cronys told him of the virtues of premium bullets one time when one of his deer got away after being shot. Shortly thereafter he started shooting premium$$ bullets out of his deer guns, you could watch him wince as those half dollar bullets impacted the targets. Now he doesn't shoot at the range at all. Do the premium bullets kill better when you have no practice!! I think not. Rem Corelocs in bulk bags have always worked for deer & moose for me & I don't mind killing a few targets with them either :)
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Right on old boy.
I have used premiums, and at the ranges I shoot, I see no advantage at all. Frequently, they actually have a disadvantage. They tend to not expand as much on broadside close shots, leaving more tracking to be done.
 
ammo

I use Barnes in the 7x57 once in awhile , but the 140 Partiton's don't shoot so well out my gun.
The 225 grain Partition's shot great out of the .338 and I have used a lot of differnt premiums out of several calibers.
Hornady bullets shot out of the .338 killed everything I aimed at ,and the same can be said of the .270, 30-06 and the .303 , .308.
Do you need a premium bullet to hunt large game?.... no
Do they have an advantage in some cases?.........yes
To hunt grizz or other dangerous game, I think the TSX and Partition's would give an edge and perhaps a little comfort and confidence to the hunter.
I tend to choose the right bullet for the job, deer don't need a TSX to kill cleanly. Blood shot or damaged quarters on an animal is not a sign of bullet failure, rather it is more likely due to poor shot placement.
 
What bullet i use depends on the cartridge,for my 30-30 or 303 brit i just use regular cheap federal ammo and they work at their medium velocity just fine. For my 300 win mag its barnes tsx cuz i don't want the bullet to blow apart if i shoot something at 50 yards because of the high velocity.For my 243 win i use nosler partitions as its a small bullet and easier for a lightly constructed one to fall apart at stabbin range.
 
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