Federal Fusion bullets?
- Thread starter Suther
- Start date
Beat me to the post.
With the fusions are you talking factory ammo or reloads?
I bought lapua brass because it's universally considered the best brass and upfront cost is only one factor with brass - if I get more loads out of lapua brass then it is really more expensive in the long run? Even if I don't, having "the good stuff" has advantages.
Bullets are a different story. First they are one and done, they don't get reused. Second, there is no single best bullet, different bullets have different properties such as weight retention, mushroom size, how readily they expand, and bullet length. With ~80% weight retention and good sized mushrooms, plus a relatively short bullet the fusion looks like a good bullet to try in the cartridge I'm using.
Also, I'm not getting the cheapest bullet, that would probably be the Hornady interlock which my LGS sells for over 20% cheaper than what I just paid for the fusions. Yes, the fusion is on the cheaper side of things, but price alone doesn't always dictate quality. If you've read this thread from the start you'd see that plenty of people have good things to say about these "cheap" bullets.
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Suther, in my opinion the Federal fusion is a great bullet. It is the same bullet as the Speer Deep Curl but with a boat tail. Currently I load Deep curls in my 270s and 308s because I found them since they were discontinued, and fusions in my 257, 284, 350s. I use them for sighting in and deer hunting, while I use Grand Slams and Barnes X bullets for moose. The best thing that I like about them is that there is no exposed lead tip to get mashed or squashed over ie Partition, Hornady Interlock, Win PP.
Yup I have the 120 gr Gold Dots loaded up in my 6.5 Grendel and 200 Gr Fusions loaded up in my 338 Federal .
Never shot anything but paper with them but they killed the target REAL good
Fusion Tipped shot really well in a Tikka 270 I played with
Myself and hunting buddy have shot two deer now with 140gr Gold Dot @ 3050 (PRC) and two with 140 Impact @ 2875 (6.5cm). Very accurate (1-1.5" at 200 3 shot), both loaded with stiff loads of R26... Both performed excellent, 2 recoveries (two <400, 2 >400yds; zero tracking), and both bullets had the classic 5 pedal mushroom. IMHO a way way overlooked bullet, and probably the least expensive good hunting bullet out there - both were $30-35ish for 50 bullets last year when i bought them - and yes i stocked up!
They both shot best in my rifles with lots of jump. I started with recommended COAL from Speer load data, and found no need to change.
I was out the other day doing a final sight in for upcoming Elk/Whitetail trip, both zero'd at 200. At 400, PRC/fusion was 4.25 MOA up, Creed with Impact was 4.75... At 600, the PRC was 10 MOA, the CM was 11.25 MOA up.
They both shot best in my rifles with lots of jump. I started with recommended COAL from Speer load data, and found no need to change.
I was out the other day doing a final sight in for upcoming Elk/Whitetail trip, both zero'd at 200. At 400, PRC/fusion was 4.25 MOA up, Creed with Impact was 4.75... At 600, the PRC was 10 MOA, the CM was 11.25 MOA up.
When I was working the LGS's the Fusion factory ammo was a pretty consistent performer and modestly priced, in many rifles and chamberings. I do not recall a single customer ever complaining about the accuracy of the ammo in their new, or new-to-them, rifles. They reported acceptable to excellent accuracy, and good to great on-game performance. Those shooting Tikkas seemed to love them most.
In one of my rifles, it was actually the most accurate factory ammo I had tried at first (my 6.5 PRC). The velocity was just a little slower than expected. I have since moved to the LRAB in this rifle as it is just a hair more accurate, with better velocity (the only rifle I have that has liked this bullet to date - love the regular AccuBond!).
I look forward to trying the Tipped Fusion in some of my rifles to see how they perform, when I come across it.
In one of my rifles, it was actually the most accurate factory ammo I had tried at first (my 6.5 PRC). The velocity was just a little slower than expected. I have since moved to the LRAB in this rifle as it is just a hair more accurate, with better velocity (the only rifle I have that has liked this bullet to date - love the regular AccuBond!).
I look forward to trying the Tipped Fusion in some of my rifles to see how they perform, when I come across it.
Adding to this thread -
Popped a whitetail yesterday on relatively bald-ars prairie, and while I was expecting/planned for a 400-500yd shot, he circled around and was headed straight for me - i saw him at 400, then 325, then i lost sight of him when he went into a huge tumbleweed patch - all of a sudden i see antlers at 75 yards, still coming at me and approaching my scent zone - at 60ish yds he cleared the tumbleweeds and presented a quartering towards me shot - took the shot, and the proverbial "carpet pulled from under him" insta-drop.
Bullet entered front right shoulder, shattered the shoulder blade and rib directly behind, thru the lung cavity (they were mush), thru a rib on far side, and stuck in the hide on far side.
Now at >3000 fps from my 6.5 PRC, 60yds and a bone shot, i was expecting the bullet to disintegrate. I have shot many bullets that would do exactly that. It didn't.
Pics do the talking - see below.
I am so impressed with these bullets. At half the price of most bonded bullets, this is a gooder.
Popped a whitetail yesterday on relatively bald-ars prairie, and while I was expecting/planned for a 400-500yd shot, he circled around and was headed straight for me - i saw him at 400, then 325, then i lost sight of him when he went into a huge tumbleweed patch - all of a sudden i see antlers at 75 yards, still coming at me and approaching my scent zone - at 60ish yds he cleared the tumbleweeds and presented a quartering towards me shot - took the shot, and the proverbial "carpet pulled from under him" insta-drop.
Bullet entered front right shoulder, shattered the shoulder blade and rib directly behind, thru the lung cavity (they were mush), thru a rib on far side, and stuck in the hide on far side.
Now at >3000 fps from my 6.5 PRC, 60yds and a bone shot, i was expecting the bullet to disintegrate. I have shot many bullets that would do exactly that. It didn't.
Pics do the talking - see below.
I am so impressed with these bullets. At half the price of most bonded bullets, this is a gooder.
