One Shot, One Kill...

[CLT65]

I've got a friend like that. He's hunted all his life and always gets his prey. He hunts with an old Rem 700 30-06 he's had for 30 years. The bore is pitted but it still shoots OK. He's not particular about ammo as far as I can tell, shoots anything 30-06 in 165 grain.

He gave me a big pile of 30-06 brass a couple years ago, mostly Remington Core-Lokt but a mix of other stuff as well. I'm sure that pile represented an awful lot of game over the years.

He's one of the best natural shots I've ever seen. He's not after tiny little minute-of-angle group, but he nearly always hits what he aims at. I didn't see it, but he had witness to an off hand 400 yard shot on a moving buck, one shot drop. He admits to that one being a measure of luck and said he really shouldn't have taken the shot, but it's still impressive.

 

[Larry243]

I've got a friend like that. He's hunted all his life and always gets his prey. He hunts with an old Rem 700 30-06 he's had for 30 years. The bore is pitted but it still shoots OK. He's not particular about ammo as far as I can tell, shoots anything 30-06 in 165 grain.

He gave me a big pile of 30-06 brass a couple years ago, mostly Remington Core-Lokt but a mix of other stuff as well. I'm sure that pile represented an awful lot of game over the years.

He's one of the best natural shots I've ever seen. He's not after tiny little minute-of-angle group, but he nearly always hits what he aims at. I didn't see it, but he had witness to an off hand 400 yard shot on a moving buck, one shot drop. He admits to that one being a measure of luck and said he really shouldn't have taken the shot, but it's still impressive.

Cool Story!

 

[Ura-Ki]

Most every one i know, and all the old timers use and swear by Cor-Lokd ammo, especially in. 30/06 and .270! I have never had one come apart, and they always hit pretty darn close to where i was aiming. Being a modern kind of guy, willing to try new stuff if it shows promise, I will give any good ammo a try! Being a hand loader always looking for improvements in my game getters, I have tried many bullets over the years, some were awesome, some less then, and some a gimmick. I have settled on Swift Scrioccos almost across the board for most all game hunting, and have been most impressed with it. But it's nice to know i can still find a box or two of Remington finest at every hardware and gas station store along the way, and to know how my rifles shoot it, I know I can still rely on it when needed!

 

[Argonaut]

Most every one i know, and all the old timers use and swear by Cor-Lokd ammo, especially in. 30/06 and .270! I have never had one come apart, and they always hit pretty darn close to where i was aiming. Being a modern kind of guy, willing to try new stuff if it shows promise, I will give any good ammo a try! Being a hand loader always looking for improvements in my game getters, I have tried many bullets over the years, some were awesome, some less then, and some a gimmick. I have settled on Swift Scrioccos almost across the board for most all game hunting, and have been most impressed with it. But it's nice to know i can still find a box or two of Remington finest at every hardware and gas station store along the way, and to know how my rifles shoot it, I know I can still rely on it when needed!

The only caliber I have had fragment is 7mm Magnum with bullets driven around 3200 FPS with game shot at maby 50 yards. 308, 30 06, 30 Remington (that I killed my first elk with), 35 Remington and moderate velocity bullets have been flawless.

 

[Larry243]

Most every one i know, and all the old timers use and swear by Cor-Lokd ammo, especially in. 30/06 and .270! I have never had one come apart, and they always hit pretty darn close to where i was aiming. Being a modern kind of guy, willing to try new stuff if it shows promise, I will give any good ammo a try! Being a hand loader always looking for improvements in my game getters, I have tried many bullets over the years, some were awesome, some less then, and some a gimmick. I have settled on Swift Scrioccos almost across the board for most all game hunting, and have been most impressed with it. But it's nice to know i can still find a box or two of Remington finest at every hardware and gas station store along the way, and to know how my rifles shoot it, I know I can still rely on it when needed!

You Know,
It was the same with me even when I was a boy. We bought gas at the same place we bought ammo. My farming family always bought what was the cheapest, and easiest to get for hunting season. Some layover ammo that had turned green would just be wiped off on the back of a pair of overhauls rubbed with the fingers.LOL. Yes, I have also shot lots of Remington, Winchester, and Federal ammo.
As I got older in life, I needed to know why ammo shot different, and began re-loading my own ammo. I decided that if I was going to spend the time doing it, I wanted the best results for my time. I tried all different brass, bullets and powder like most guys do.
I finally settled in with Hornady products for several reason, and one was because of my 6.5 Creedmoor being created by Hornady. I had also determined the my best results was with Hodgdons Powder combination and Hornady products. I guess we all find what works for each other. All my bench shooting is with these products, and I am always satisfied with 1-1/2" groupings at 100 yds for my sport hunting rifles. I only use bench rest shooting for Qualifying my ammo, because off hand shooting cannot certify what was wrong from the Get-Go!
Good Shooting Guy!
Larry243

 

[Larry243]

The only caliber I have had fragment is 7mm Magnum with bullets driven around 3200 FPS with game shot at maby 50 yards. 308, 30 06, 30 Remington (that I killed my first elk with), 35 Remington and moderate velocity bullets have been flawless.

Works for me also! Big bullets...Big Mess!

 

[Koda]

I only use bench rest shooting for Qualifying my ammo, because off hand shooting cannot certify what was wrong from the Get-Go!

I agree with that 100%, the reason many people sight in and then miss or wound in the field. I prefer a bench and a gun vise to zero any rifle, only then can you begin to work on your offhand shooting skills.

 

[Argonaut]

Well said,
I am the same way with Hoenady products. I am very partial to the SST line for my 6.5 Creedmoor, and my .243 for varmint and smaller game. The problem with a lot of guys is they want to use big Guns for small game. A 220 grain bullet for Coyote's is crazy. Although we do not eat them, one whole side is missing when you shoot them. The same with small Deer. I say, small bullet for small deer.....more to eat. I hunted a whole deer, and want to take it all home.
It was good reading with you!
Larry243

The Germans are great for big guns on small deer. In general, they don't shoot very well. Our (Western) culture of a 12 year old burning a brick of 22 ammo in a weekend is non existent in Germany. So to compensate, they shoot german Shepard size roe deer with things like Ura-Ki's 9.3X62 (something like a 338-06). They were always happy to have a young American (sharp shooter) along on the hunt to insure game would be taken. Off course, sitting in a high seat on a cold night hunting, the schnapps flowed freely. There were many injuries with old guys falling from the ladder getting down. So many that Willy Blaser's first gun was designed so there was never a cocked hammer behind a live round until the safety was pushed off. There were accidents where one guy would fall off the ladder, his rifle would go off and shoot the guy still in the high seat.

 

[Larry243]

I agree with that 100%, the reason many people sight in and then miss or wound in the field. I prefer a bench and a gun vise to zero any rifle, only then can you begin to work on your offhand shooting skills.

You are spot on my man!

 

[No_Regerts]

Well said,
I am the same way with Hoenady products. I am very partial to the SST line for my 6.5 Creedmoor, and my .243 for varmint and smaller game. The problem with a lot of guys is they want to use big Guns for small game. A 220 grain bullet for Coyote's is crazy. Although we do not eat them, one whole side is missing when you shoot them. The same with small Deer. I say, small bullet for small deer.....more to eat. I hunted a whole deer, and want to take it all home.
It was good reading with you!
Larry243

Ive experienced the exact opposite. Big, slower cartridges causing a lot less bloodshot meat and bullet fragments than smaller high velocity stuff.

 

[Colts4me]

Some time ago I bought 130 grain factory ammo for my 270. Winchester,Remington and Federal to see what run best in my new BAR. Sighted in over a crony chronograph and found Federal was the most consistent and had the smallest diviation. I hunted with the Federal and used the other two boxes just to shoot.

It's been many years ago and there are so many more brands of ammo now so I pick a good bullet and build a load around it. I load trying to get a factory duplication for the weight of bullet because the factory studies velocity far more than I do.

 

[Larry243]

Ive experienced the exact opposite. Big, slower cartridges causing a lot less bloodshot meat and bullet fragments than smaller high velocity stuff.

Could be, but slow bullets do't do well at longer distances especially with accuracy.. When you hunt, you do not know what distance you will have to shoot.
Right?
larry243

 

[No_Regerts]

Could be, but slow bullets do't do well at longer distances especially with accuracy.. When you hunt, you do not know what distance you will have to shoot.
Right?
larry243

For me, hunting rifles are like golf clubs. I use the club that covers the intend purpose. A longer barreled rifle chambered in a faster cartridge and higher BC bullets for the open areas; something short and handy in the timber, usually chambered in something thats big and slow.

 

[Argonaut]

Could be, but slow bullets do't do well at longer distances especially with accuracy.. When you hunt, you do not know what distance you will have to shoot.
Right?
larry243

That has always been my logic for using flat shooting rifles but my brothers new 2500.00 rangefinder sort of blows that argument. The old buffalo type guns shot big bullets slowly but very consistently. My cousin in Rathdrum is really into the Quigley style rifle shooting. 45-120 and similar.

 

[pharmseller]

I killed my first three bulls with green box ammo from a .30-06. If that's all I had to hunt with I would not be hampered.

Practice and placement, boys. There's no substitute for either.




P

 

[No_Regerts]

I killed my first three bulls with green box ammo from a .30-06. If that's all I had to hunt with I would not be hampered.

Practice and placement, boys. There's no substitute for either.




P

This. My first bull I shot head on with a 338 win mag with 250gr partitions. It was at about 20 yards and I hit way too high on his sternum. Bullet actually went over the vitals and through guts into the left ham. Mess and long track job.

My next was at almost exactly 400 yards with a 270 and 150gr partition. Dropped on his nose when the bullet centerpunched his heart.

 

[osprey]

Didn't read all the replies but sometimes cheaper ammo is perfectly suitable if the rifle is zeroed with it and the rifleman has practiced with the combo and knows his limits. I have had rifles during break in, that showed remarkable accuracy with cheap ammo that would work fine for most big game. Think Core lokt or Fusion.

 

[djharteloo]

I killed my first 3 deer with core lokt and couldn't complain out of an old Remington 788 in .308 and a Winchester 94 30-30.

The Core Lokt accuracy is what killed me and got me to start reloading. I couldn't get it to shoot out of a .280 Rem, .338 Win Mag, or my newer .308.

But my old beater Winchester 70 30-06 is sighted in for 180gr core lokt an inch high at 100 yards, shoots 2 inch groups, and comes with me on every deer or elk rifle trip because I can buy "it's load" at every gas station or hardware store ever.

 

[Koda]

cheap factory ammo is a whole lot more accurate than expensive premium "match" grade ammo that was never sighted in. If you miss at 240 yards, its because you don't know your gun or your ability.

Good analogy but,
Good ammo with cheep guns is much better then Bad ammo with good guns!

But were not talking about bad ammo were talking about cheap $17.00 ammo. Regardless of cheap or bad, if you miss its because you dont know your gun or ability. All other things being equal a miss is a miss. If one had practiced multiple sessions at 2 and 300yds he would know where his rifle shoots cold (1st shot) and if he can hold that shot. If he had bad ammo he would have found out then.

 

[TM-Salem]

Its not just the cheap ammo that can make your shot miss...
I reload... I take a fouling shot first and let the barrel cool before starting on my loads that I am working up. After each shot I let the barrel cool (I shoot my pistol a lot when working up rifle loads )

Also, after working up an accurate load, DO NOT CLEAN THE BARREL before going hunting.
you want your rifle shooting like it did on the range and it was cold and dirty! (I only clean my rifles when they are being put away for a while) I have had 0 issues with rust, corrosion or anything else with my rifles.... but I did just move up here to Oregon from Southern Ca. so that may change.... we will have to see