Cheap ammo

Doogs

Doogs

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Just wondering who else likes the cheap ammo for hunting. I've been reading lots of people complain about the $50 for a box of .308 stuff. Meanwhile, I buy $17 Remington Core-lokt Express with superb results.

Regular bullets have been taking down game animals for a hundred+ years. Why do people waste money on fancy stuff? Spend your money on good socks instead.
 
There is a drastic difference between cheap and cost effective when it comes to ammunition and projectiles. Provided the bullet is of a construction that will expand and penetrate in the desired fashion and shoots accurately that is my concern. I like premium bullets for some purposes, but I understand there is a point of diminishing returns when it comes to this stuff
I load cast bullets for some of my rifles and they kill big game (and small) very nicely, no need for any fancy and expensive jackets since pure lead projectiles have killed stuff since the invention of black powder.
 
I don’t know when Winchester Power Point or Remington Core-Lokt came out. A quick web search told me 50 plus years ago. I do remember at one time they were considered premium ammunition and I do mean the stuff today is 20 – 25 bucks a box. Never had a bullet fail or any other issue with them and if I didn’t reload I would us them. In fact this year I didn’t have time to reload up some so I bought a box.
 
I use the Winchester silver box, or the Remington Core Lokt, its always done the job for me. I can't see paying $50.00 a box to do the same thing.
 
I bought 16 boxes of Winchester Silvertip at Walmart last summer for 5 bucks a box, I haven't had a failure with them, they shoot well out of my rifle and all of the deer I've shot with them agree that they are an effective round.
 
nexgen said:
I bought 16 boxes of Winchester Silvertip at Walmart last summer for 5 bucks a box, I haven't had a failure with them, they shoot well out of my rifle and all of the deer I've shot with them agree that they are an effective round.
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That's a real deal..
 
nexgen said:
I bought 16 boxes of Winchester Silvertip at Walmart last summer for 5 bucks a box, I haven't had a failure with them, they shoot well out of my rifle and all of the deer I've shot with them agree that they are an effective round.
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b: Where are these deals when I'm out shopping!?
 
premium bullets really shine in smaller for game calibres. Like 243win for deer or a 7-08 for moose.
(not that I think the 243 wont take a moose). bottom line is if you are using more then adequate cartridges ( 30-06 for deer or 375 for moose) it don't matter what you hit them with, its always about where you hit them.
 
Doogs said:
b: Where are these deals when I'm out shopping!?
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It was just blind luck, we went to pick up a couple of bikes for the kids and I cruised through the ammo section and saw they had it on clear out, buddy asked if I wanted a box, I told him I wanted them all.

We did get some funny looks hauling that stack to the cashier lol
 
I think it depends on what you want to do with the ammo.

Short to medium range, in a strong caliber and you are rocking... a 270 or 30-06 will drop a deer at 100 yards with just about anything you put own the pipe. Premium bullets are not required for such small game.

Step up that range, increase the size of the animal, or change cartridges to something smaller, and the premium bullets really step into their own. They also excel in the magnums, where a cheap bullet might not hold together as well at close-range due to the high velocities, while a bonded bullet will hold together and punch right through an animal.

I wouldn't want to shoot at an elk at 150 yards with Winchester powerpoints in my 270, but gimme a bonded bullet, a TSX, or a partition and I'll take that shot every day, and twice on Sundays.
 
Did a lot of waterjug/newspaper box testing on different, "leads"(bullets) a few yrs ago. There is most definitely a massive difference in bullet performance from the less expensive cup and core bullets to some kind of bonded bullet like a partition, especially in weight retention but also in expansion.

Does it make a difference? Most of the time probably not, but make no mistake, there IS a difference. For eg. from less than 30% retained wt on on certain brand to consistantly around 85% for a partition to 98% or better for a hawk.

All that being said, I commonly hunt deer with hornady interlocks(30-06). They're very accurate and very consistant in performance........but I hunt moose with a hawk and bear with a partition. ;)

Just throwin' this out there for the OP, a lee loader can be had for a 308 for 38 bucks. Can't get cheaper than reloading, even when using bonded bullets factory rolled usually look pricey.
 
Some guys are happy hitting the proverbial "pie plate" at 100 paces. Cheap ammo would be the recipe there for sure. For those of us that pride ourselves on sub MOA accuracy, then premium factory ammo keeps us hand loaders on our toes...
 
M12shooter said:
Some guys are happy hitting the proverbial "pie plate" at 100 paces. Cheap ammo would be the recipe there for sure. For those of us that pride ourselves on sub MOA accuracy, then premium factory ammo keeps us hand loaders on our toes...
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Cheap ammo does not necessarily mean inaccurate ammo.

130gr Federal blue box shoots .75" at 200y out of my Savage 111 .270.
 
I don't buy anything "cheap chite" anywhere at anytime, it ain't worth bringing home. I am guilty of buying the odd cheap chite Ronnie's double cheese burgers, though! I ain't never did see any Winchester Silver Tip for 5 bucks a box! Are you chite'n us #5, man? My youngest son has had good success with that stuff when he runs out of Hornady or his own reloads. I blow snot on those blue box trash can stuff stacked a mile high when I walk by them on the shelf.
 
180 grain Winchester PowerPoints shoot an honest .8-1.15" 3 shot group at 100 yards for me in my Remington 700 .30-06, when I do my part. I tend not to shoot for groups much with it though. I prefer to set up 6-8" steel plates from 80-300 yards and shoot from field positions. On game performance has been as good as I could ask for. I don't know if a partition or monometal or similar premium projectile would improve it.
I do like partitions for my .22 centerfires, but lets not not forget that I'm starting to load cast lead (used wheel weights are free) for my .38-55 and may load some gas checked cast rounds for my .32 special if I can't get the FTX bullet or interlock to shoot to my liking
 
ironsighter said:
Cheap ammo does not necessarily mean inaccurate ammo.

130gr Federal blue box shoots .75" at 200y out of my Savage 111 .270.
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Please do do not shoot anything bigger than a small deer with those. I've seen how they perform on heavy animals like a moose, and it's not cool. After three shots with a 30-06 220 grain bullets the poor thing went down. We found one intact copper jacket, and only bits and pieces of the others. Cheap ammo is for blowing up pumpkins, not shooting animals.
 
Squamch said:
Please do do not shoot anything bigger than a small deer with those. I've seen how they perform on heavy animals like a moose, and it's not cool. After three shots with a 30-06 220 grain bullets the poor thing went down. We found one intact copper jacket, and only bits and pieces of the others. Cheap ammo is for blowing up pumpkins, not shooting animals.
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^^^^ others please pay attention, including you ironsighter.....................
 
I'm shooting the cheapest hunting ammo I can find in my rifles... Hand loaded Interlocks... And they work like a charm.


I stepped up and bought some 150gr Fiocchi .308 SP for the missus this year, gunna see if she can poke a buck with one... They shoot quite nice out her SLH and I'm tired of buying $1 a piece premium stuff and tossing a box of it down range only to figure out it performs about as well as a $1 a piece factory round.
 
two-dogs said:
^^^^ others please pay attention, including you ironsighter.....................
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Squamch said:
Please do do not shoot anything bigger than a small deer with those. I've seen how they perform on heavy animals like a moose, and it's not cool. After three shots with a 30-06 220 grain bullets the poor thing went down. We found one intact copper jacket, and only bits and pieces of the others. Cheap ammo is for blowing up pumpkins, not shooting animals.
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While I agree that premium bullets are good, and certainly have their place, I dont believe in this mentality.

Even cheap bullets today are better than the bullets we had 50 years ago, and I doubt anyone is going to argue the bullets that were used decades ago were not up to the task. Its all about using an appropriate bullet for the job, and cheap ammo is plenty appropriate for deer and smaller.
 
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