How do you like Core-Lokt ammo for hunting?

MD

MD

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I've been disappointed with two types of Federal Vital-Shok ammo (140 and 150 gr.) and 140 gr. Fusions out of my 280 so I got a box of Remington Core-Lokt with 165 grain bullets.

I don't hand load for 280 so I'm kind of stuck looking for factory ammo that works.

How have you found Core-Lokt ammunition for hunting? I'm thinking deer and black bear with this rifle.
 
Good ammo. Shot bear, deer, and moose with them in various calibers before I started hand loading. They are a much better bullet than Win Power Point.. If O wasn't hand loading I would be using them..
 
Most deer I shot were with 150gr core-lokt from a 270win. If you put the bullet where it counts, all will be well: I only recovered one bullet from a carcass which had somehow lodge in the spine and weight retention was about 86% if I remember correctly.
 
My father swore by them. Other makes he would swear at. As a family group of hunters, Remington 180 grain core- lokt bullets never let us down. Excellent expansion on any size game it seemed and usually the bullet was under the hide on the opposite side.
 
Cor-Lokt are good bullets at moderate velocites... they would be good in your .280 at 165 grains... it won't be the bullets fault if it doesn't work out. I reload them in a couple cartridges... they do the job well, good expansion, reasonable weight retention... I just would not use them at Bee speeds with light for caliber bullets.
 
I like the stuff, my savage 243 shoots it sub moa and every deer that I have shot with it has dropped instantly at 200 yards. Im trying the 140gr Core-Lokts in my 264 win mag, so far accuracy has be decent while developing a load.
 
medvedqc said:
they really do not like speed. other than that they work.
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For a standard (non-premium) bullet they are surprisingly accurate in many rifles and gets the job done if you do your part. The closest shot I ever took was on a good size black bear, broadside at less than 20 yards. The 30/06, 165 grain PSP Core-Lokt bullet pass right through. Bang, flop. The bullet went through a rib going in. Took out the heart and both lungs. Speed was not a factor, at least not this case.
 
I'll add my name to the fans of these bullets. Been using 180 Remington Corelokt bullets, as well as 180 grain Nosler Partitions in my .300 WinMag, for over 30 years. Very accurate in my rifle (custom, built on Mauser '98 action), plus good performance.
 
Core-Lokt are good bullets that have maybe taken more game in N.A. than any other single bullet in the past few decades.

But having said that, what was your issue with Vital-shok's and the Fusions? You didn't say.

The Rem's will stick together a "tiny" bit better than the blue box Feds, but certainly no better than the fusions (which are bonded).

If you post up why you were displeased or considered the bullets a failure, then maybe you can get a decent recommendation to something that will work the way "you want".
 
"But having said that, what was your issue with Vital-shok's and the Fusions? You didn't say."


Accuracy
 
Most deer and black bears are shot, at least in the Eastern half of Canada, at distances somewhat less than 200 yards.

So unless you are shooting 3" groups @ 100, they actually are accurate enough.

Again, you note an "accuracy" issue but no other details.

What are they grouping at?

If three "off the shelf" factory loads are way too "inaccurate" to hunt with perhaps it's something other than the ammo that's the issue.

Or are you just wanting uber-accuracy (like 1/2" groups @ 100) from an off the shelf load.

Not trying to be a knob here, but you haven't stated how "bad" they are grouping or what your "expectation" is - maybe you just want too much from a factory load.
 
MD said:
How have you found Core-Lokt ammunition for hunting? I'm thinking deer and black bear with this rifle.
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In 7mm Mag they explode like grenades on impact even without hitting bone. I stopped using them and then subsequently the 7mm because of the meat loss
 
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