Weird find: Core-Lokt Vs. Federal Power Shock

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Stefan

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So I tried out the new model 700 BDL this weekend (.308 Win) with two different brands of ammo: 180 gr. Core-lokts and 150 gr. Federal Power Shocks (the cheappies). Got consistently tight groups (~1") from the federal ammo and nothing below 2.5 inches from the remington stuff ( all done at 100 yds). I was planning on using the Federal's for some practice before I sighted in with the Core-lokts, now it looks like I'll be hunting with the Federals. Any one else ever have experiences like this?



Cheers, Stef
 
I shoot the federal powershock 150gr .308 out of my Savage 99C and get 1-1.5" groups at 200yards,
I tried some expensive stuff from a friend at the range and it was terrible at 100yards i could only hit 4-6" spread
its too bad i cant remember the brand but im going to stick with the cheap federal stuff, good enough for my shooting skills at this time.
 
Many rifles have preferences and will shoot one brand/load much better than another. You are lucky to have found what might be the two extremes for your rifle.

I suggest you buy a few more boxes of the same lot # (look on the inside flap of the box) because next year the same brand/load of ammo could be quite different.
 
The 150 grain Federal power shock work well in my Stevens .308, and they expand quite good on deer.

It seems when I do my part, there will be two shots touching, and one about an inch or so away. Good enough for me, and a good pill for deer.
 
The difference you're seeing is most likely a function of one bullet being 180gr and the other being 150gr as opposed to one being Remington and the other being federal. That being said I've had excellent accuracy from the Federal blue box in a number of calibers and bullet weights inclufding 308. I have a sporterized 303 Lee Enfield with a poorly chopped barrel which prints SUB-Moa with 180 Federal powershocks and a cheap Bushnell shotgun scope on it. Very annoying when a $100 gun out shoots my $2500 peices.:confused:

I've been trying to develop a load for my Kimber 270 Winchester without much success. I've run out of time before the season starts so I ran over to the local gun shop and bought some Federal blue box 150gr round noses. They print about 1.5" @100yds. and will get me through the season no trouble at all.:)

I've seen Federal Powershock take everything from coyotes to moose with good results. Use them with confidence.
 
The most accurate load in my Swede Mauser is the Federal blue box (140 grain), but my old Winchester in 270 would not shoot Federal Premium in 150 into 4 inches, while the cheap stuff from Remington grouped to an inch. That is why I will usually try a bunch of different brands if I do not get the accuracy I want out of the first box I buy.
 
Yep, not that uncommon, actually. I got a Tikka T3 in 308 that shoots nasty, terrible, awful groups with Winchester factory 180's. Feed that same gun 168 grain Nosler BT's over Varget, and it will shoot 1-ish inch groups all day long with no fliers. Now that I think about it, most of my guns have, at one time or another, demonstrated a distinct dislike for a particular loading - despite doing fairly well with other loads.
 
Just the other day I tried some 180 gr Fusions in my 30-06 BAR. Ended up with 4 inch groups. The week before i used Winchester Powerpoints (Cheapies from TSC) and all 3 shots were touching. Gonna try out another brand of 150's to see if i get better groups
 
there seems to be at least one voice advising the Power Shocks work well as a bullet which I think is the most important element here. Track an animal though, because the bullet expanded too quickly and blew up on the shoulder, or didn't do a proper job penetrating or staying together, and you will always buy top quality bullets afterwards.
A couple MOA is good practical accuracy for most bush hunting of whitetails - perhaps not so much in prairie country where you may be taking 300m+ shots. If you're hunting is under 100 yards - 2.5" group is plenty of practical accuracy and beyond the field shooting capability of the average hunter. Go for the good bullet!!!!!
 
well my 270 with 150gr RN powershok put my deer done in a hurry, they group 1.25 in my ruger with the crappy factory trigger, a blind man could have followed the blood trail, complete pass through, that's deer number 2 with that ammo and rifle
 
lookout said:
Track an animal though, because the bullet expanded too quickly and blew up on the shoulder, or didn't do a proper job penetrating or staying together, and you will always buy top quality bullets afterwards.
QUOTE]

That seems to be the marketing message from the industry that would have us believe that anything but the premium stuff is inadequate. I think that most pay for more bullet than needed. Plain vanilla grade ammo from Winchester, Remington, Federal and C.I.L. has put the meat on the table for decades, and still is up to the job. A well placed shot with a calibre, and bullet weight suited for the game will do the job without excuse.
Click to expand...
 
That seems to be the marketing message from the industry that would have us believe that anything but the premium stuff is inadequate. I think that most pay for more bullet than needed. Plain vanilla grade ammo from Winchester, Remington, Federal and C.I.L. has put the meat on the table for decades, and still is up to the job. A well placed shot with a calibre, and bullet weight suited for the game will do the job without excuse.[/QUOTE]



But the old stuff doesnt have super cool polymer tips and nickel shells!!!! My dad has been carrying his .30-06 M1917 unsporterized through the bush since 1975. We went up to moose camp the year before last and I seen that hed been carrying these shabby 220gr. RN handloads that he reloaded in his "tourism" class in highschool. So me being a smartass teen-ager pumped him up about his "nicked up old .30-06 and round nose caveman ammo"....then the next morning he floored a Bull...game over clean up and go home........ah I love learning things the embarassing/teenage way...since then...I've stfu...haha
 
Covey Ridge said:
lookout said:
Track an animal though, because the bullet expanded too quickly and blew up on the shoulder, or didn't do a proper job penetrating or staying together, and you will always buy top quality bullets afterwards.
QUOTE]

That seems to be the marketing message from the industry that would have us believe that anything but the premium stuff is inadequate. I think that most pay for more bullet than needed. Plain vanilla grade ammo from Winchester, Remington, Federal and C.I.L. has put the meat on the table for decades, and still is up to the job. A well placed shot with a calibre, and bullet weight suited for the game will do the job without excuse.
Click to expand...

I really couldn't agree more. Premium ammo has its place and I do use it at times and have tried dam near everything at one time or another. For many years I shot 180gr RN core-lokts from a 30-06 for both moose and dear. This ammo along with Imperial KKSP's are commonplace in nearly every deer camp and moose camp I've hunted out of. I've seen tons of positive results from both and never a failure. For what its worth I've never heard of a core-lokt bullet failure that I couln't attribute to poor shot placement, or poor caliber/size selection, or poor handloading.
Click to expand...
 
[/QUOTE]



But the old stuff doesnt have super cool polymer tips and nickel shells!!!! My dad has been carrying his .30-06 M1917 unsporterized through the bush since 1975. We went up to moose camp the year before last and I seen that hed been carrying these shabby 220gr. RN handloads that he reloaded in his "tourism" class in highschool. So me being a smartass teen-ager pumped him up about his "nicked up old .30-06 and round nose caveman ammo"....then the next morning he floored a Bull...game over clean up and go home........ah I love learning things the embarassing/teenage way...since then...I've stfu...haha[/QUOTE]


Mocking old timers is fun while it lasts although it usually doesn't last long.:D
 
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