280 Fusion bulets on game?

[MD]

Finally got my reconditioned scope back from warranty repair and sighted in the 280 yesterday.

I had had half a box of Federal Fusion 140 grain cartridges left and used them up. The rifle shoots them pretty well including a 2.5-inch group at 200 metres, which is about as good as I can shoot not being Lyudmila Pavlichenko .
Anyway, I'm wondering what real world performance on game with these is.
I shot one deer with them last year before I realized my scope was pooched. The bullet exploded on bone. It was the neck so it was very effective though. Don't know what would have happened to a shoulder.
Besides deer, would they be okay for black bear and immature bull moose for example?

 

[tuffbuff]

Should be fine if ya stay off the shoulder, I found a 280 over the winter and bought a couple boxes of 140 trophy tips from federal should do the trick as well.

 

[blasted_saber]

I am very pleased with their performance on deer. I wouldnt hesitate on using them for bear or moose either. I use them on both my .44mag and 308

 

[Wolf@TS]

Excellent hunting bullet.
Should have no issues on deer, bear or even moose...pick your shots a little more carefully on larger game though.

 

[notsorichguy]

I have also found this ammo to be very accurate out of my 280.

1.5" groups at 100, will hit a 8" circle with a dead on hold out to 300. I could stretch out to 325/330 with the same zero.

I took a cow elk (yearling) at 380y a few years back. It resulted in a bit of tracking, I hit her pretty good, but poor(ish) shot placement didn't result in a DRT..... We did find her about 20 min later and she had already expired.

I wouldn't hesitate to use this ammo on any kind of game!

 

[MD]

That's encouraging news.

I have been through at least $200 of ammo trying to get this gun to shoot. Blew off most of two boxes of federal premium ammo and one of Fusions with random results before I realized it was the scope.

I'd actually prefer to use Federal premium Vital-Shok but at $60.00 a box I don't feel like going to the range, re-sighting the rifle in again and ending up with about 8 or 10 cartridges to go hunting with again.

 

[bundj]

Remington core-lokt work best in my 7mm rm and 280 (cheap too)

 

[nowarningshot]

IIRC the fusion are speer grand slams....which are a premium bullet. Shot them as handloads out of my 7 mag and they did great on deer and moose.

The issue i have heard is that the Fusion is not accurate. If it is working for you, why change?

 

[saskcop]

Fusion are not Grand Slams. Fusions are a boat tailed bullet with a single, bonded core. Older Grand Slams have two cores of which the rear core is very hard and the front core is poured in via the Hot Cor process. They were and still are excellent hunting bullets. The Grand Slams were not very aerodynamic though and their blunt tips shed velocity at long range. The Fusions are also a tough bullet, but much more aerodynamic. Good ammo.

 

[Rugdoc]

Fusion are not Grand Slams. Fusions are a boat tailed bullet with a single, bonded core. Older Grand Slams have two cores of which the rear core is very hard and the front core is poured in via the Hot Cor process. They were and still are excellent hunting bullets. The Grand Slams were not very aerodynamic though and their blunt tips shed velocity at long range. The Fusions are also a tough bullet, but much more aerodynamic. Good ammo.

At the range I was shooting my 280 with Fusions and my 270 with Federal blue box ammo loaded with 130 grain Grand slams.

Both rifles printed almost exactly the same at 100 metres but the 280 outperformed the 270 in acccuracy at 200.

Both loads however delivered virtually the same trajectory; 2.75 inches high at 100 metres and two inches high at 200. Go figure

 

[notsorichguy]

At the range I was shooting my 280 with Fusions and my 270 with Federal blue box ammo loaded with 130 grain Grand slams.

Both rifles printed almost exactly the same at 100 metres but the 280 outperformed the 270 in acccuracy at 200.

Both loads however delivered virtually the same trajectory; 2.75 inches high at 100 metres and two inches high at 200. Go figure

You sir have just discovered the answer to the old age question "what's better 270 or 280?".....

The answer is basically for hunting purposes...... Absolutely sweet f-all....

Now try your 30-06 with 165 pills (hmm say a hornady "custom" sst load). The same answer applies!

All that said, I own a 280 "cuz it's better and I'm cooler than my dad who shoots a 270"

 

[WhelanLad]

Congrats RugDog, as mentioned, You have done it.
well done

WL

 

[saskcop]

At the range I was shooting my 280 with Fusions and my 270 with Federal blue box ammo loaded with 130 grain Grand slams.

Both rifles printed almost exactly the same at 100 metres but the 280 outperformed the 270 in acccuracy at 200.

Both loads however delivered virtually the same trajectory; 2.75 inches high at 100 metres and two inches high at 200. Go figure

You are not going to see a difference between flat based bullets and boat tailed bullets at 200 meters. Look at match bullets. They are by and large boat tailed bullets and are typically used at extreme ranges - 600 meters plus. That is where you will see the ballistic advantage of the more streamlined bullets. At typical, responsible hunting ranges, use either.

 

[horseman2]

At the range I was shooting my 280 with Fusions and my 270 with Federal blue box ammo loaded with 130 grain Grand slams.

Both rifles printed almost exactly the same at 100 metres but the 280 outperformed the 270 in acccuracy at 200.

Both loads however delivered virtually the same trajectory; 2.75 inches high at 100 metres and two inches high at 200. Go figure

This is news to me that Federal Blue Box is loaded with Grand Slams.