Hunting ammo: premium, low buck or hand loads

I hunt with a mix of (mostly) handloads, but also some Can-Tire level Winchester stuff, or premium ammo, IF I find it at a gunshow or something for dirt cheap.

I've just found over the years that as long as a fellow uses a cartridge that is generally considered acceptable for the game (i.e .264 dia or larger for moose), uses a generally accepty type of bullet (i.e. big game bullet), and hits his game where it matters (i.e. boiler), then he's all good.

The only time I'd be springing for expensive premium stuff is if I was really pushing the limits of my cartridge.
 
Haven't used anything but handloads for eons. Far more accurate than any factory ammo and accuracy is the most important thing.
If you're using a .243, be sure and use deer sized game bullets and not varmint bullets. 85's and up are deer bullets. Mine likes Speer 105 SP's with IMR4350.
 
:cheers:I have tried everything available, from the cheapest to the most expensive factory loads( not really alot to chose from). All gave decent groups,some better than others.
Through experimentation I have found that my rifle likes heavy bullets and lots of pressure. Which is kind of hard to find in 303 brit.
A buddy suggested that I try hand loading. It took a while to work up a load that my Longbranch SMLE likes.
But once I found the "G spot" I found that this old girl can really shoot. The groups went from 4" down to 1 1/4" at 100 m.
The buddy that suggested that I try hand loading was floored. He could not believe that a rifle built in the 40's with only 2 grooves could accomplish such a thing.
At .49 cents a shot no less.
Find what your rifle likes and stick with it.:cheers:
 
I hand load. I choose a bullet construction for the intended target and then play with brand and weights of bullets and powders until I'm happy. My guns have always shot Hornady bullets well and they are my most commonly used brand. Vmax and interlock. I've never seen these bullets fail to preform their intended purpose

My favorite rifle shoots Winchester Grey box cxp1 and 2 just as good as my hand loads but the bullets they're loaded with don't offer me the versatility as my hand loads
 
Glad to hear the some members are having success with core-lokts as that all I've been able to find for my 7x57. I've been looking at different laser bore sighters to purchase online, but most reviews are lukewarm at best. What boresighting setup have you all had the best luck with on different caliber for a decent price?

Sean
 
hifiwasabi said:
Glad to hear the some members are having success with core-lokts as that all I've been able to find for my 7x57. I've been looking at different laser bore sighters to purchase online, but most reviews are lukewarm at best. What boresighting setup have you all had the best luck with on different caliber for a decent price?

Sean
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I shoot S&B and Remington out of my 7x57. Both shot very well.

I have one but I don't use a laser to bore sight. This is how I do it. I take the gun outside and mount it onto some thing like a lead sled. Then I take out the bolt and look down the barrel from the receiver end. I adjust this whole rig so that I am looking at a distant object. I will then look through the scope at the approximate eye position. I will adjust the position of the reticle until it is about on the object I saw when looking down the bore. After that I will take the gun to the range and set-up the gun in a way that there is as little interference form myself when I fire it. I will fire a shot on the cold barrel, then without moving the gun, I adjust the reticle to be centred on the bullet hole. I will take another shot and see where it landed. Using this method, it takes 2-3 shots to be sighted in.

I use my gun for hunting deer so accuracy is relative but I can shoot touching groups with factory ammo at 100 yards with this gun.
 
I am just getting into hand loading. Made the jump because I am now shooing some less common cartridges. So from now on hand loads will be my game. As if yet all big game have been shot with 30-06 165g SST factory ammo. Only bullet issue was on a high Sholder shot at close range on a big black bear. Bullet gernaded but what do you expect at 20yrds on the Sholder. Bear was very dead.

That being said my uncle has 22 moose under his belt and he buys what ever is the cheepest stuff on the shelf.
 
I can't remember the last time I bought a box of center fire ammo. I think I bought a box of .300 H&H ammo while waiting for dies about two years ago. Probably another two years before that I bought a box.

I hand load everything for centerfire. You can make absolute, no compromise, tuned, premium ammo for the cost of cheap blue box federal or cheap Winchester/Rem factory. Or you can use a budget bullet and reload for far cheaper than even the cheapest factory. You can also shoot any cartridge you like and not worry about availability, just find dies and a few hundred pieces of brass when you buy the gun, your not limited to a few select factory loadings that may or may not be in stock next time you're in the store.

What is a box of .30-06 now a days? $22 for the cheap stuff and $35+ for a premium load with a bonded bullet?

Reload: 25 cents of powder, 4 cents primer, brass is free for such a common cartridge, but say you buy it 9 cents for brass and 30 cents for a cheapo bullet and 80 cents for a premium. So a cheap bullet can be reloaded for $13.60/box and a premium bullet can be done for $23.60/box. The savings are big.
 
For hunting I use the premium factory ammo that I find performs the best in my gun in the grain I need for my intended prey, I don't shoot my hunting rifles enough to make it worthwhile to reload for them
 
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