Cup and cores

If your pushing bullets at 3000 fps use a premium. Standard velocity, use cup n core. Trophy of a lifetime or shooting something over calibers capability....premium. Better yet ....shoot a large enough caliber that ..one good hit .anchors it ...even with cup n core.

Then I have ....a few choices ...don't try to shoot a moose with a 223. If you want a hunting rifle, buy a hunting caliber.
 
For varmint hunting or pest control i see no issues however i dont use target bullets as i dont target shoot enough. I use hunting style bullets. I like reliable expansion and enough penetration for an exit. I tend tobuse heavy for caliber bullets myself

I am enjoying playing with my 300wm with all weights though
 
I have used a lot of C&C bullets, particularly earlier in my hunting/shooting career.
Premium bullets were limited at the time [Partitions, Bitterroots & ?]
The premiums were often more difficult to get to shoot well also.

However, I started using John Nosler's Partitions in 1966, after I had a dramatic
bullet failure on a deer from my 308 Norma Magnum. [I did recover the deer, but
the bullet had caused a large surface wound, without penetrating the shoulder,
and had to be shot again a couple of minutes later.]

In weighing the disadvantages of premiums [cost, accuracy factors, availability]
against the advantages:[ reliable penetration from angles, reliable expansion without
disintegration, New designs that are superbly accurate, High BCs in some cases,
ability to break bone and still reach vitals], I am convinced that Premiums for hunting
are the best choice.

I have a reasonably large collection of recovered bullets at home Most are C&C
from the early days, and several of these are Jackets only

I have about 35 Premiums, representing approximately 25% of all premiums shot
and killing a game animal. The rest passed through and were not recovered.
Most of the recovered are Partitions, the bullet by which I judge all others as
far as on game performance goes.

Today, we have such a large choice of premium bullets available, that it is
completely baffling to me why anyone would not choose them, particularly for
a one-time hunt costing thousands of dollars.

Even more baffling, is the trend of using actual match bullets to hunt with, simply
because they extract a ¼ moa better groups than does the better hunting bullet.

Just because you have never had a problem, does not mean that it will never
happen. If you have the psychological strength to resist taking a shot that is less
than ideal, then C&C will probably suffice. Otherwise, the premium bullet offers
the insurance policy that all conscientious hunters want to have. Sorry for the
long ramble, but I feel strongly about this. :) Dave.
 
I have used a lot of C&C bullets, particularly earlier in my hunting/shooting career.
Premium bullets were limited at the time [Partitions, Bitterroots & ?]
The premiums were often more difficult to get to shoot well also.

However, I started using John Nosler's Partitions in 1966, after I had a dramatic
bullet failure on a deer from my 308 Norma Magnum. [I did recover the deer, but
the bullet had caused a large surface wound, without penetrating the shoulder,
and had to be shot again a couple of minutes later.]

In weighing the disadvantages of premiums [cost, accuracy factors, availability]
against the advantages:[ reliable penetration from angles, reliable expansion without
disintegration, New designs that are superbly accurate, High BCs in some cases,
ability to break bone and still reach vitals], I am convinced that Premiums for hunting
are the best choice.

I have a reasonably large collection of recovered bullets at home Most are C&C
from the early days, and several of these are Jackets only

I have about 35 Premiums, representing approximately 25% of all premiums shot
and killing a game animal. The rest passed through and were not recovered.
Most of the recovered are Partitions, the bullet by which I judge all others as
far as on game performance goes.

Today, we have such a large choice of premium bullets available, that it is
completely baffling to me why anyone would not choose them, particularly for
a one-time hunt costing thousands of dollars.

Even more baffling, is the trend of using actual match bullets to hunt with, simply
because they extract a ¼ moa better groups than does the better hunting bullet.

Just because you have never had a problem, does not mean that it will never
happen. If you have the psychological strength to resist taking a shot that is less
than ideal, then C&C will probably suffice. Otherwise, the premium bullet offers
the insurance policy that all conscientious hunters want to have. Sorry for the
long ramble, but I feel strongly about this. :) Dave.

Well said...
 
I have used a lot of C&C bullets, particularly earlier in my hunting/shooting career.
Premium bullets were limited at the time [Partitions, Bitterroots & ?]
The premiums were often more difficult to get to shoot well also.

However, I started using John Nosler's Partitions in 1966, after I had a dramatic
bullet failure on a deer from my 308 Norma Magnum. [I did recover the deer, but
the bullet had caused a large surface wound, without penetrating the shoulder,
and had to be shot again a couple of minutes later.]

In weighing the disadvantages of premiums [cost, accuracy factors, availability]
against the advantages:[ reliable penetration from angles, reliable expansion without
disintegration, New designs that are superbly accurate, High BCs in some cases,
ability to break bone and still reach vitals], I am convinced that Premiums for hunting
are the best choice.

I have a reasonably large collection of recovered bullets at home Most are C&C
from the early days, and several of these are Jackets only

I have about 35 Premiums, representing approximately 25% of all premiums shot
and killing a game animal. The rest passed through and were not recovered.
Most of the recovered are Partitions, the bullet by which I judge all others as
far as on game performance goes.

Today, we have such a large choice of premium bullets available, that it is
completely baffling to me why anyone would not choose them, particularly for
a one-time hunt costing thousands of dollars.

Even more baffling, is the trend of using actual match bullets to hunt with, simply
because they extract a ¼ moa better groups than does the better hunting bullet.

Just because you have never had a problem, does not mean that it will never
happen. If you have the psychological strength to resist taking a shot that is less
than ideal, then C&C will probably suffice. Otherwise, the premium bullet offers
the insurance policy that all conscientious hunters want to have. Sorry for the
long ramble, but I feel strongly about this. :) Dave.

It is interesting, isn't it? Thousands of dollars for a rifle, optics and other equipment but people refuse to pay 30 cents more a bullet for a premium one over a c&c.
 
Price has very little to do with suitability for purpose. Target bullets are used by both those who don't have a clue what they are doing, and those who know exactly what they are doing.

On the other extreme you can say the same about some "premiums"; good for certain applications and crap for others.

Its also came to my attention that bullets vary wildly in price around the world, often swapping places on the price scale. Performance doesn't track with the price.
 
It is interesting, isn't it? Thousands of dollars for a rifle, optics and other equipment but people refuse to pay 30 cents more a bullet for a premium one over a c&c.

it would be interesting if I bought one bullet but I find the better deals start at 1000+ bullets.
 
It is of course true that even the best bullet out there cannot guarantee success. I was reminded by Eagleye's post above, of an incident some years back. I was doing a push to a line of guys for White tail deer. Two guys were using 243 Winchester in Remington 700's. The first shot was taken by the older man, he yelled and stopped the deer, at less than 50yards, with a 105grain Nosler Partition. The result was just as Eagleye described, an horrific flesh wound to the shoulder. The deer took off, but ran straight to the older man's grandson, using the exact same reload, made by his grandfather. Again, the deer stopped to a yell from the young man. It fell instantly to a well placed shot behind the shoulder. What happened on that first shot? I would not call it bullet failure, just bad luck more than anything else. Did he clip a branch? bad angle? He was shooting down at the deer from the top of a large rock. I consider the Nosler partition to still be one of the best bullets out there, but stuff can happen, even with the best. Certainly a cup and core would have fared no better given whatever happened. If I were to find myself hunting with a 243 for deer, the same Partition bullet would probably be my choice.
I do hunt primarily with cup and core, but the cartridges I predominately use and the conditions/game I hunt, require no more.
I used partitions with my 338WM, and will do so again, now that the cartridge has found it's way back into my stable.
Others have already pointed out the use of premiums for the hunt of a lifetime, I'll add the largest game and big bears to that.
 
I use cup and cores in my 375. It launches just over 2700fps. I don’t worry too much about bullet failure. If it happens I guess I’ll adjust. 150GMXs have performed well in my 30-06. SSTs blew up. Both launch about 3K. My 338 has a factory 20” barrel; I’m undecided how I’ll go with it long term. If I move to the island, probably SST/ELD-x for deer/bear because I really like the rifle, but maybe a light mono on the off chance I argue with a bear in the thick stuff.
 
I use both cup and core and bonded bullets depending on the game the cartridge and the style of hunting
Im impressed with the federal trophy bonded tipped bullet ive been playing with lately. I hope they expand their caliber line
 
Cup and cores are going to be around long after we are all dead and gone. There's a good reason why they are the standard; they make most of the people happy most of the time.

Haven’t had a deer walk away from a solid hit with a Rem Core-Lokt bullet yet.
I’ve seen the green box 30-30 Win ammo on sale for $12.95 a box.
 
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