When a hunting trip is going to cost one to perhaps three thousand dollars all told - $30-$100. Dollars for a couple boxes of premium ammo is insignificant and cheap insurance for a successful experience.
Hornady ELD-X is a high BC bullet and very accurate. The fact that it wasn't accurate in your rifle shouldn't be a reflection of the ammo itself. All it means is that that factory load didn't suite your rifle. It happens. Every barrel and chamber is different and will work differently with different ammo. Which is why if you use factory ammo you should try different types to see what works best in your individual rifle. But there's absolutely nothing wrong with ELD-X's from an accuracy point of view, quite the reverse ... they are an extremely accurate bullet.
@@barrymantei7795 With that being such a broad statement it’s definitely a false one too, because it depends on a multitude of factors like your loading/caliber/rifle/etc. They can be fantastic on game.
Light-for-caliber Barnes TTSX monolithic copper bullets work perfectly in my experience. I use hand loaded 130 grainers in 308 and 100 grainers in 6.5 Grendel. I recently took a 300-pound Aoudad at 150 yards with a tiny 100-grain Barnes TTSX from my 6.5 Grendel. He went about 75 yards and dropped dead.
@Honey_Badger_DC1 An Aoudad is a member of the goat family, also known as a Barbary sheep. They were imported and released into the wilds of Texas in 1957. They are now nearly extinct in North Africa, where they are from but plentiful in Texas. The rams can get over 300 pounds and have long curved horns up to about 35 inches long. Look them up for a picture. They are a beautiful and interesting animal.
The eldx are tack drivers in my 1-10 twist 308. Hole on hole accuracy. Used the 178 Grain eldx on a 3 point buck at 225 yards last year. A small entry hole in and a fist size exit whole out the other side through the ribs. Dropped where it was hit. The 178 was a little heavy for the deer, but it was all to be had at the time.
The Federal Non Typical and Power Shock ammo are loaded with Speer Hot Cor bullets. They are fabulous on deer sized game. Also, the Barnes TTSX bullets loaded by Buffalo Bore are like Thor's hammer for deer and other large or dangerous game.
All these fancy bullets but the hood ole Remington core-Lokts have gotten the job done several times over. The “tipped” version has been impressive as well!
Federal nontypical is the same as federal blue box. Confirmed by federal. It’s marketing and allows for more shelf space. Federal buckmaster and federal fusion are one in the same also. Fusion or blue box federal has been my go to for years and it consistently knocks deer down like lightning for me.
I bought a high-end Leupold scope where they will send you a custom elevation turret matched to your favorite ammo and did some of the same testing. I chose the Hornady 150 gr. American Whitetail (Interlock), because it’s flat, has a long history of excellent performance, and it shot better in my rifle with a 1/10 twist rate than just about everything else. It was also the cheapest tested and seems to be available anywhere, which is a great recipe for a fail-safe round.
LOL, SST is designed to slightly break apart. Most of it will be intact but some fragments will come apart making additional wound channels. Know the bullet before dismissing it for doing something it was designed to do.
@@theriddleballcoach can you make a better video please? I am trying to learn as much as I can so I have less of a chance to not to miss, going to be first time hunting, thanks
1:10 The best ammunition I have ever came across was the Winchester silver ballistic tip 168 grain I could drill nails with that ammo My gun loves the hell out of it it's the only animal I ever use I got my son hooked on it and he said the same thing his 7600 pump Remington 308 168 grain this year was his first year using it and when he cited it in he said it was drilling nails Winchester has got their stuff down to a science I call it the five star badass on the planet I would put that ammo up against any other ammo out there and I would say Winchester 168's are awesome keep making it
Cup and core, (lead in copper jacket) have been used for years. Bonded are better for higher velocity loads and deeper penetration. Monolithic bullets function better with higher velocity. Generally lighter weight for caliber. At distance they will sometimes pencil through. Not opening. With that said any bullet that holds together at close range, is definitely going to hold together at farther range. The projectile loses velocity as soon as it leaves the barrel. No different than throwing a baseball. Gravity also starts doing its thing at the same time. A really good place to learn about the projectile you use or choose is, Simple Minded Fella. Here on RUclips. This gentlemen started testing the projectiles he uses. He handloads them at higher velocities and then uses reduced loads to see how low of speed the bullet will still function in gel. If you handload there are lots of options and you can build a load your rifle shoots best. As every rifle is different. Even the same manufacturers and calibers off the shelf. If you don't handload, buy a box of 3 or 4 different types ammo and test for accuracy at 100 yards. Pick hunting ammo of course if hunting. Whichever shoots the best group use. Get your rifle on target at 100 yards first. Use a good size piece of cardboard or the like. Don't worry about hitting bullseye at this time. We sre shooting for groups. Each shot hold on the bullseye or + let the projectiles group where they hit on the target. Shoot 3 to 5 shots each type. Once you find the most accurate, (tightest group) set your weapon with it. Also the same lot number of ammo is usually more accurate, as it is manufactured at the same time. I realise lots know all this, but some do not.
Apparently many do not know this because i found people in this very comment section advocating for the eldm as a great hunting bullet. It seems the Hornady advertising machine is working well
Good video! I agree that Non Typical is Typical. Also, I agree that American Whitetail is probably the best cartridge for the money. From experience, I'd also recommend Federal Fusion. Perfect mushroom from 30 to 150 yards on hogs and bucks. God Bless!
100% in agreement with your top 3, spot on... Nosler 168g this side, haven't gone wrong, yet... off topic: in South Africa, we're allowed by law to be in possession of only a max of 200 rounds per rifle. How many rounds can you have in the US?
You should probably look at norma......whitetail and bondstrike. Both are accurate and the bondstrike is bonded. Also, what are your thoughts on fusion by federal?
I used the ol’ tried and true Core lokt for years. I picked up a box of Norma Whitetail last season just to see what it could do. I was very impressed with the results.
Precision hunter shoots great out of my rifle. Took two boars and a deer within a two week period. No complaints with it. Federal fusion is my second place pick. Wanted to try terminal ascent but cant find it for less than $60 per box and i will refuse to spend that unless i go on an elk hunt or something similar.
Fusion seems to be the most discussed and the most consistently solid for most people in the comments. I bought TA for around 38/box last time. I agree, I will not spent 60/box either.
After trying different ammo. My wife’s .308 shoots Federal Terminal Ascent 175gr. Now my 300 win mag and 270 they both like the Terminal Ascent and the Barnes LRX. Still working on a bullet for my 25-06. So far it shoots the Berger VLD’s. Took an Elk with the 270 with the Terminal Ascent and a whitetail buck with the 300 wm wit😅h the terminal ascent.
First of all SST are for thin skinned animals and they fold whitetails up like a lawn chair and second a bullet will never break up at longer ranges and stay together at closer ranges that's dead backwards very miss leading but I do agree with the terminal accent it's my favorite hunting bullet as well
100% agree! Velocity lowers with distance. If a bullet holds together at high velocity, (faster/hits harder) it will definitely hold together farther out.
I've been a hunting guide since 1978 with this is my only income. From the Barns X days to the new Barns TSX or LRX I exclusively only shoot game using Barns bullets copper expanding so this way I have faster kills and no lead core bullet blowing up or Nosler Partitions blowing off the noses.
My favorite 308 for deer is barnes vor-tx with the 130 ttsx. I know it seems light, but trust me when I tell you it's downright violent. Over 3100 fps in a 20" barrel, and with the high shoulder shot I prefer, they go zero steps.
Thankfully someone knows the difference between hunting and target bullets. I'm a hand loader and I've learned a lot of the differences between bullets, but most guys seem to believe that accuracy is everything, and I believe that Hornady is at least partly at fault for that, by selling target rounds as hunting bullets. Nosler in my opinion has by far the best hunting bullets, whose accuracy is still good. Your right about the Nosler Accubond, they are a little hard for smaller animals, but they are very accurate, I got a 3/8 inch group with my hand loads. I shot a 100 pound doe with them and it blew through her so fast, it didn't do as much damage as I would have liked. They would be great for elk moose or big bears.
Having used both, the biggest differences I've found with "hunting" bullets and "target" bullets are the words on the packaging, and that "hunting" bullets tend to be unnecessarily hard unless using so much cartridge that a tougher bullet is needed to reduce the damage that the bullet does.
I fully agree. But you got to start somewhere, and there are certainly better ammo's than others that are much more consistent in more guns than others.
I’ve had good luck with the old Federal Power Shock soft points on MI whitetail forever. That being said, my shots are all within 200 yards so accuracy isn’t as big of a concern. I planned on trying a more modern bullet this year anyways so I’ll start with that Federal Ascent and see how my rifle likes it.
Ascent Unless your after heavy game I see no use for such a premium constructed bullets. The Speer Spitzer SP Hot Core for all deer hunting preferred 165gr.
I tried the terminal ascent recently, and my God it was beyond accurate. I was shooting on my thermal unit for an upcoming hog tournament. Which the thermal really isn’t a fine tuning optic for sub MOA groups. No joke though, I was getting 1/2 to 3/4 MOA (at 100yrds) consistently by following the first round’s heat signature. I shot 5 in a row that were literally almost on top each other. Truly Awesome. Hope these aren’t too much for piggies. We shall see.
I really like ADI loaded with 165-grain Sierra Game King bullets. I cannot tell you what a Game King does to a deer's body. I have killed north of 50 deer with ADI ammo. I shot every one of the deer in the head. The Game King blows the top of the deer's head off every time. I have only missed one deer. I managed to hit a limb that deflected my bullet. I have a Savage 110 and a Ruger SFAR both will hit a golf ball out to 200 yards most of the time. Golf balls are very challenging in the summer. They manage to get buried in the grass leaving a very small target.
Thank,s for your video,the best bullet for me is the Federal fusion,i test on moose bear deer and other,the eld-x is not monolithic it,s same to sst with a more B.C,Terminal Acsent very good,in my all rifle this bullets is extremly accurate and in the animal big shock hydrostatic and penetrate all.The fusion is the best.
The SST is supposed to cause crazy damage and break apart to send shrapnel everywhere. It's gonna take most thin skinned game. All Barnes bullets are designed to punch through bone, so that's for all the quartering to, or shoulder shots or when you want to anchor by destroying both scapula. Taking a bread basket or boiler room shot with them is not what it was intended for. Overall a good review, for the factory ammo buying hunter though. Partitions, accubonds, and TTSX or TSX is all I'm gonna use on moose or bear. Caribou and deer can have the cup&core bullets, I want that bullet staying in an animal, especially a big herd ungulate like caribou when they're likely bunched up.
Best is the newer bonded bullet - federal terminal ascent. Always an exit even at long range. Flys like a match bullet and penetrates like a true bonded or copper bullet.
In my 7mm Rem Mag, I like the Barnes TTSX in 150gr, and the TTSX at 140gr out of my .280. I'm still trying to find something that my AR-10 likes besides Remington Premier 175gr.
I just started using the Federal Terminal Accent, great round! I also use Hornady American White tail, as well as Federal fusion which to me is a great economical round.
My 2 cents: .308 Swift A Frame: 180gr with Benchmark 41gr. (Kodiak Grizzly, Elk, Brown/Black Bear, Moose, Mountain Goat, Big Boar) .308 Sierra Spitzer Boat Tail: 150gr with H380 48.1gr. (White Tail, Mule Deer, Gator, Hogs, Black/Brown Bear) .308 Sierra 168gr HPBT Match King: with IMR 3031 41gr. (Target, Match, Tactical Overwatch) .308 Sierra 168gr HPBT Match King: with H380 44gr. (Target, Match, Tactical Overwatch) All Starline, Jaeger, Norma, or WIN Lake City brass. Regular Large Rifle Primer Trimmed, Annealed, Light Crimp. Set .003” off Lands/Grooves. Benchmark for Temperature Stability Rounds. These are the VERY best.
I am not hugely experienced myself, but have had good luck with Federal in the blue box. Atwoods had the Hornady American Whitetail on sale last week, so picked up a box of it to try out. I have enough Federal to last me several years hunting, but thought I might try something new
Noob here even though I've been hunting my entire life. Just never got into the technical side of ammunition and things of the sort, always use my dads 25-06 or 30-06 700s with the same handloaded rounds he made years ago, but now I'm finally getting my own big game bolt gun and want to shoot suppressed, obviously subsonic is out of the question, but I'm wondering what your opinion is on the best .308 hunting round to use suppressed is and if the suppressor will make the round perform differently? Thank you!
I've found that Nosler Partitions are not as accurate as one would expect for a "premium" bullet. Hornady Interlocks work great through my Rem. 308. Accurate and one shot deadly in my experience.
Good info. Thanks for spending the $ for us. I know rifle and barrel make a huge difference but i have not found and thing better that just the old sta dard remington core-loc . Every thing from prong horn to elk core-loc has put animals down. Never had to follow up as long as you hit them in the right spot.
I generally to use core lokts but with 308 and 3006 they’re a little lacking in shock and expansion. While I haven’t lost an animal do to it, I prefer a lit more and the deer seem to go at least 80 yards. In 308 and 3006 for deer I prefer nosler bt. They usually drop them in their tracks or they dont go far and there’s definitely blood trail. I’ve used power points and they aren’t bad, also tried the deer season xp and they suck, little penetration and either they drop or they live for an hour. Not a fan of the sst. I haven’t tried the all copper stuff yet. Honestly as long as I can get noslers and load them myself I don’t see any reason to change
I am always looking for ammo, I shoot 30,06 and.243, my son shoots.308, he prefers s&b 165 I believe, seems to work great, I prefer norma whitetail , never have we had to use more than one shot to take a deer, a few years ago I got a deer with brown bear 7.62x54 soft point, one shot. Super cheap ammo. I think too many people blame the ammo for their poor shooting, kinda like I blame the controller for my sucking at video games. I know too many people that practice with ultra cheap ammo then buy a box of expensive ammo and can’t hit crap. Your scope is sighted in for the way you hold it and the ammo you use. If you sight it in with corelokt or federal powershok, Winchester power point, norma whitetail they are all so similar that the same sight in works good enough for all, but if you sight in with super cheap and then hunt with premium you may very well miss your shot. Quality ammo is expensive, get close with cheap then fine tune with what you intend to hunt with.
You do realize it's velocity that's makes a bullet break up. Closer to muzzle means more likely to break up or shed jacket. You are looking at it backwards. If you don't believe me just look it up
If that is the case than at some velocity hard cast breaks up. That is just silly. I agree though, velocity is part of the equation, with the other part being bullet design.
Hey can you elaborate on your disdain for the barnes as a hunting bullet? I have had serious problems with copper bullets and will never use them again. But i would be interested in hearing your experience
I like Federal Terminal Ascent. My favorite. I've only used A-Frames in 9.3X62. Cant find it in .308. Closest I can get is Nolsler Partitions. But I like the Accubond better. 10:14
What’s farthest shot you’ve taken a whitetail out of your 18” rifle using the federal terminal ascent 175gr? I have a 20” Bergara, and I’m thinking the shorter barrel will “handicap” the heavier bullets. My max distance will be 350ish yards.
Federal fusion 165 gr in my 308 is the most devastating ammo as far as results. I shoot 168 gr hybrid hunter because it shoots exactly like my match ammo so I can go from the range to the woods and know nothing will change.
My last gun (Browning X Bolt ) absolutely loved the Nosler Trophy Grade ammo. My new Tikka TX3 hates it. Barely get a 3 inch grouping. The only ammo my Tikka likes is the Barnes TTSX copper rounds. Sub MOA all day. Stinks cause I loved the Nosler. Literally everything I shot folded on impact.
I have a new tikka ember in 308. The most accurate rounds so far are hornady 165 gr superformance sst and fusion 150 gr by federal. Tested 6 different ammo brands. I'm going with the fusion bullet based on previous hunting experiance.
I have never needed a second shot out past 300 yards with cheaper ammo . Fiochi,, ppu , federal and more . No reason to spend a lot of money for a 300 yard shot when even cheap ones work out to 300 yards .
I've killed several White Tailed Deer with Game King Bullets. All were one shot dead in their tracks kills. None were over 100 yards. and a few were within 30--40 yards. I used a 6MM Remington or a 7MM Mauser, all handloads. With that experience , I don't understand why you think GameKings are unethical. The Ethical Hunter such as I use it ethically. The longest shot I made was with a Hornady Spire Point ( 6MM Rem) at 270 yards. It was a one shot kill, the buck ran a few yards and dropped.
I recently purchased a Tikka T3x Lite in .308, I shot a ton of these rounds you have listed to sight in my scope and I found the American whitetail and Deer Season XP (not listed) in 150 grain to be the most accurate at 100 yards. I think it’s all relative to the rifle you’re using. Thanks for video!
While I agree with that. The large majority of ammo works well in most guns. It is usually bullet weight that matter the most. In terms of providing good groups.
Interesting video ! I load the Hornady 150g interlock, but in the BT design....their #3033. The box you have is the 3031 bullet. They both just work so well. Missing: Nosler BT and the Sig 165g Elite Copper. Privi makes some great hunting bullets in .308 also !!!!!
I load the Privi 165g PSP BT in NATO brass for my AR-10 and it really smacks our big northern Michigan whitetails....not unlike the old Remington Core-Lokts in terminal performance. Thanks for the good video !@@CaptainBerz
Hornaday is so way over rated I only buy it if I need brass only for reloading! They are all about long range hunting and they started that movement and are the cause of a lot of wounded game🤔😳☹️
I'm surprised the ttsx isn't higher up on your list I use it exclusively for moose in a 7mm rem mag and have awesome results also the interlock is a deadly bullet I use 180 grain hornady custom in my 308 for black bear they drop on the spot 3/4 of the time
Yes tried the ELDX in Alaska hunting ….. terrible performance on game quickly removed the bullets from my shelf. Great promotion from Hornady on the ELDX bullets but not realistic!
Jacket construction too soft ! ELDX If they would had bonded it ! I believe they would had something ! I like the ideal of the tip they used on ELDX bullets compared to Nosler. I had better performance from the Orginal Interlock SP flat based Spitzer from Hornady that the ELDX on game.
In Victoria, Australia we hunt the tough Sambar deer. I have used the 338 win mag 250gn nosler partition and 225gn nosler accubond with great success however, leaning to the partition for greater penetration but I have also used first hand the Barnes TTSX 225gn and have been highly impressed with accuracy, expansion and penetration. My rifle is a Blaser R93. So I disagree that you rate it as a self defence bullet and not a premium hunting bullet. Thanks for the video.
Much has to do with your rifle and what it likes. Mine LOVES the sirraco 165gr but not the others so I bought 10 boxes. Have not tried the Federal Terminal ascent in 308 yet. My 30-06 fires them accurately, but didn’t get the expansion I needed on last year’s deer with it at close range. Maybe its better at longer ranges.
Haven’t tried 308 precision hunter yet but in 270 and 300 win they have done great for me good groups and dropped animals where they stand no unethical kills
I have a Blaser R8 (20" barrel) .308win that I use for a number of situations. In a shooting range tunnel 100m/109yards it is a 1/2 MOA rifle. For: moose, boar, deer etc: Norma Oryx 180gr they also make it in 150gr but I have not tried that yet goose: Norma JaktMatch (FMJ) 150gr cormorants, seals etc: Hornady TAP 110gr, Federal Vmax (Hornady bullet) 110gr and Sako Gamehead Varmint RX 130gr I have lots of other ammo from Hornady, Norma, Sako, Federal and Lapua that I have not come to try out properly yet.
Federal 130 gr soft points got me me 2 touching at 200 yds out of my gas gun. It’ll be my go to for hogs. Still looking for a deer load, thought the eldx was it after getting a box that did .75 at 100 consistently but I bought 2 more boxes and seems like every time I’ll get 2 touching and one flyer that’ll open up the group to 4 or 5”.
Deer season is near the end and it’s been a good one. Between Hornady whitetail and federal non typical we’ve gotten 4 does with our .308’s. I did have the eld-x on tap for backup but didn’t have to use it. We did use it in the .270 to get a buck but after shooting at 2 other does and missing due to flyers, we went to Hornady whitetail and got a doe the next outing.
I was really surprised by how bad the ELDX shot out of my rifle. Due to cost and performance I am probably going to go with the Hornady American white tail 150 grain
Im suoer green and am trying to do my research. This has been some great info. Trying to understand what the differences are with all the different bullet types. Not sure if I quite understand ehat is meant by "ethically". I'm guessing foot pounds rather than speed/penetration and accuracy only?
When a hunting trip is going to cost one to perhaps three thousand dollars all told - $30-$100. Dollars for a couple boxes of premium ammo is insignificant and cheap insurance for a successful experience.
Agree!
Hornady ELD-X is a high BC bullet and very accurate. The fact that it wasn't accurate in your rifle shouldn't be a reflection of the ammo itself. All it means is that that factory load didn't suite your rifle. It happens. Every barrel and chamber is different and will work differently with different ammo. Which is why if you use factory ammo you should try different types to see what works best in your individual rifle. But there's absolutely nothing wrong with ELD-X's from an accuracy point of view, quite the reverse ... they are an extremely accurate bullet.
Such a true statement, many won’t grasp this
Amen. The 178gr ELD-X are very accurate.
ELDX and SST bullets shoot very accurately but do a terrible job killing game.
@@barrymantei7795 With that being such a broad statement it’s definitely a false one too, because it depends on a multitude of factors like your loading/caliber/rifle/etc.
They can be fantastic on game.
My 300wsm loves the eldx 200 grain bullet
After shooting a lot of ammo while hunting, I've come full circle back to Nosler Partition. Love it
Fully agree!
I hear nosler is also a pretty good bullet
Light-for-caliber Barnes TTSX monolithic copper bullets work perfectly in my experience. I use hand loaded 130 grainers in 308 and 100 grainers in 6.5 Grendel. I recently took a 300-pound Aoudad at 150 yards with a tiny 100-grain Barnes TTSX from my 6.5 Grendel. He went about 75 yards and dropped dead.
Nice! Thanks for the field report. 👍
What's a aoudad?
@Honey_Badger_DC1 An Aoudad is a member of the goat family, also known as a Barbary sheep. They were imported and released into the wilds of Texas in 1957. They are now nearly extinct in North Africa, where they are from but plentiful in Texas. The rams can get over 300 pounds and have long curved horns up to about 35 inches long. Look them up for a picture. They are a beautiful and interesting animal.
@@bigjimmy6690 sounds like an impressive animal ^_^ thanks for the info
My mother n law
The eldx are tack drivers in my 1-10 twist 308. Hole on hole accuracy. Used the 178
Grain eldx on a 3 point buck at 225 yards last year. A small entry hole in and a fist size exit whole out the other side through the ribs. Dropped where it was hit. The 178 was a little heavy for the deer, but it was all to be had at the time.
The Federal Non Typical and Power Shock ammo are loaded with Speer Hot Cor bullets. They are fabulous on deer sized game. Also, the Barnes TTSX bullets loaded by Buffalo Bore are like Thor's hammer for deer and other large or dangerous game.
Excellent info!
Non Typical is rebranded Power Shock. This ammunition is the same and rebranded for marketing purposes.
All these fancy bullets but the hood ole Remington core-Lokts have gotten the job done several times over. The “tipped” version has been impressive as well!
Federal nontypical is the same as federal blue box. Confirmed by federal. It’s marketing and allows for more shelf space. Federal buckmaster and federal fusion are one in the same also. Fusion or blue box federal has been my go to for years and it consistently knocks deer down like lightning for me.
Agree. I like blue/nontypical.
I bought a high-end Leupold scope where they will send you a custom elevation turret matched to your favorite ammo and did some of the same testing. I chose the Hornady 150 gr. American Whitetail (Interlock), because it’s flat, has a long history of excellent performance, and it shot better in my rifle with a 1/10 twist rate than just about everything else. It was also the cheapest tested and seems to be available anywhere, which is a great recipe for a fail-safe round.
Same with my experience. Love the 150 hornady American whitetail
125 grain accubonds open at .300 blk velocities(2100 fps) and are one of my favorite .308 Winchester bullets to reload. 3200 fps and small groups.
Yea, people like them!
Federal 150 fusion is my favorite factory. 130 ttsx reloads are great. 125 SST with a reduced load to 30-30 power is great too.
LOL, SST is designed to slightly break apart. Most of it will be intact but some fragments will come apart making additional wound channels. Know the bullet before dismissing it for doing something it was designed to do.
Absolutely one of the best ammo videos I’ve ever seen for the common hunter. Straight and to the point. Very helpful 👍
Thanks for the kind words. Just stating my experiences over the years.
Are you serious this video was awful.
@@theriddleballcoach can you make a better video please? I am trying to learn as much as I can so I have less of a chance to not to miss, going to be first time hunting, thanks
1:10 The best ammunition I have ever came across was the Winchester silver ballistic tip 168 grain I could drill nails with that ammo My gun loves the hell out of it it's the only animal I ever use I got my son hooked on it and he said the same thing his 7600 pump Remington 308 168 grain this year was his first year using it and when he cited it in he said it was drilling nails Winchester has got their stuff down to a science I call it the five star badass on the planet I would put that ammo up against any other ammo out there and I would say Winchester 168's are awesome keep making it
Cup and core, (lead in copper jacket) have been used for years. Bonded are better for higher velocity loads and deeper penetration. Monolithic bullets function better with higher velocity. Generally lighter weight for caliber. At distance they will sometimes pencil through. Not opening. With that said any bullet that holds together at close range, is definitely going to hold together at farther range. The projectile loses velocity as soon as it leaves the barrel. No different than throwing a baseball. Gravity also starts doing its thing at the same time. A really good place to learn about the projectile you use or choose is, Simple Minded Fella. Here on RUclips. This gentlemen started testing the projectiles he uses. He handloads them at higher velocities and then uses reduced loads to see how low of speed the bullet will still function in gel.
If you handload there are lots of options and you can build a load your rifle shoots best. As every rifle is different. Even the same manufacturers and calibers off the shelf. If you don't handload, buy a box of 3 or 4 different types ammo and test for accuracy at 100 yards. Pick hunting ammo of course if hunting. Whichever shoots the best group use. Get your rifle on target at 100 yards first. Use a good size piece of cardboard or the like. Don't worry about hitting bullseye at this time. We sre shooting for groups. Each shot hold on the bullseye or + let the projectiles group where they hit on the target. Shoot 3 to 5 shots each type. Once you find the most accurate, (tightest group) set your weapon with it. Also the same lot number of ammo is usually more accurate, as it is manufactured at the same time.
I realise lots know all this, but some do not.
Apparently many do not know this because i found people in this very comment section advocating for the eldm as a great hunting bullet. It seems the Hornady advertising machine is working well
Just curious… why would the Hornadys break apart over 300 yards when they are moving slower? Did you mean under 300 yards?
Good video! I agree that Non Typical is Typical. Also, I agree that American Whitetail is probably the best cartridge for the money. From experience, I'd also recommend Federal Fusion. Perfect mushroom from 30 to 150 yards on hogs and bucks. God Bless!
Yea, Fusion is solid. I agree. 🤙
A chart or graph would be very cool... On your experience and knowledge about these different products.. 👍
100% in agreement with your top 3, spot on... Nosler 168g this side, haven't gone wrong, yet... off topic: in South Africa, we're allowed by law to be in possession of only a max of 200 rounds per rifle. How many rounds can you have in the US?
You should probably look at norma......whitetail and bondstrike. Both are accurate and the bondstrike is bonded. Also, what are your thoughts on fusion by federal?
How does that one bullet break up at 300 yards, but is good at 100?
He’s got his ranges backwards! 60+ years handloading and hunter and a gun collector if it’s not good at 300 it’s not going to be good at 100 yards!
I used the ol’ tried and true Core lokt for years. I picked up a box of Norma Whitetail last season just to see what it could do. I was very impressed with the results.
I love Core-Lokt! Got a bunch around here somewhere.
Precision hunter shoots great out of my rifle. Took two boars and a deer within a two week period. No complaints with it. Federal fusion is my second place pick. Wanted to try terminal ascent but cant find it for less than $60 per box and i will refuse to spend that unless i go on an elk hunt or something similar.
Fusion seems to be the most discussed and the most consistently solid for most people in the comments. I bought TA for around 38/box last time. I agree, I will not spent 60/box either.
I've been using my 308 for 40 years and I reload my own i use 180gr round nose and sst
Winchester ballistic silver tip 168 gr. Pricey but dead-on consistently. Used for years. Buy it when I can find it.
Good to hear it’s solid for you! 👍
After trying different ammo. My wife’s .308 shoots Federal Terminal Ascent 175gr. Now my 300 win mag and 270 they both like the Terminal Ascent and the Barnes LRX. Still working on a bullet for my 25-06. So far it shoots the Berger VLD’s.
Took an Elk with the 270 with the Terminal Ascent and a whitetail buck with the 300 wm wit😅h the terminal ascent.
First of all SST are for thin skinned animals and they fold whitetails up like a lawn chair and second a bullet will never break up at longer ranges and stay together at closer ranges that's dead backwards very miss leading but I do agree with the terminal accent it's my favorite hunting bullet as well
Well, we agree on one thing. Haha! I'd rather use other bullet designs on thin skinned animals. Agree to disagree.
@@CaptainBerz agreed 👍 that's why the terminal accent is my favorite bullet, it does it all and at all reasonable distances
100% agree! Velocity lowers with distance. If a bullet holds together at high velocity, (faster/hits harder) it will definitely hold together farther out.
@@kentuckywindage222 straight up facts 👌
I agree with your 2nd point. It would defy laws of physics
I've been a hunting guide since 1978 with this is my only income.
From the Barns X days to the new Barns TSX or LRX I exclusively only shoot game using Barns bullets copper expanding so this way I have faster kills and no lead core bullet blowing up or Nosler Partitions blowing off the noses.
What would be the different criteria for defense vs hunting? I would think they would be similar.
It's hard to beat the interlock bullets from Hornady for deer hunting. Anything bigger gets it with the nosler partition bullets.
Winchester Deer Season XP in .308 150 grain.
My favorite 308 for deer is barnes vor-tx with the 130 ttsx. I know it seems light, but trust me when I tell you it's downright violent. Over 3100 fps in a 20" barrel, and with the high shoulder shot I prefer, they go zero steps.
Excellent combo!
Excellent bullet for deer hunting in 308 Win
Great for young hunters low recoil and extremely accurate 130gr TTSX .
@redteam9881 You bet, I'm just finishing up a batch for this season with Winchester 748.
Thankfully someone knows the difference between hunting and target bullets. I'm a hand loader and I've learned a lot of the differences between bullets, but most guys seem to believe that accuracy is everything, and I believe that Hornady is at least partly at fault for that, by selling target rounds as hunting bullets. Nosler in my opinion has by far the best hunting bullets, whose accuracy is still good. Your right about the Nosler Accubond, they are a little hard for smaller animals, but they are very accurate, I got a 3/8 inch group with my hand loads. I shot a 100 pound doe with them and it blew through her so fast, it didn't do as much damage as I would have liked. They would be great for elk moose or big bears.
Yea, there is a difference! Haha. Thanks for giving your perspective!
Having used both, the biggest differences I've found with "hunting" bullets and "target" bullets are the words on the packaging, and that "hunting" bullets tend to be unnecessarily hard unless using so much cartridge that a tougher bullet is needed to reduce the damage that the bullet does.
Best Ammo selection is all about what your particular gun likes, not what others’ gun likes…..
I fully agree. But you got to start somewhere, and there are certainly better ammo's than others that are much more consistent in more guns than others.
@@CaptainBerz so true, I prefer cci over all others for small games (.22 ammo)
And no Winchester ammunition was tested. The only brand I shoot.
I’ve had good luck with the old Federal Power Shock soft points on MI whitetail forever. That being said, my shots are all within 200 yards so accuracy isn’t as big of a concern. I planned on trying a more modern bullet this year anyways so I’ll start with that Federal Ascent and see how my rifle likes it.
Yea, soft points are solid. Hope the first ascent works well in your rifle. 👍
Ascent
Unless your after heavy game I see no use for such a premium constructed bullets. The Speer Spitzer SP Hot Core for all deer hunting preferred 165gr.
The cheap stuff kills game pretty darn good if it shoots reasonably accurate in your rifle.
I tried the terminal ascent recently, and my God it was beyond accurate. I was shooting on my thermal unit for an upcoming hog tournament. Which the thermal really isn’t a fine tuning optic for sub MOA groups. No joke though, I was getting 1/2 to 3/4 MOA (at 100yrds) consistently by following the first round’s heat signature. I shot 5 in a row that were literally almost on top each other. Truly Awesome. Hope these aren’t too much for piggies. We shall see.
That’s a new one I’ve never heard. How do you over penetrate on a game animal?
I really like ADI loaded with 165-grain Sierra Game King bullets. I cannot tell you what a Game King does to a deer's body. I have killed north of 50 deer with ADI ammo. I shot every one of the deer in the head. The Game King blows the top of the deer's head off every time. I have only missed one deer. I managed to hit a limb that deflected my bullet. I have a Savage 110 and a Ruger SFAR both will hit a golf ball out to 200 yards most of the time. Golf balls are very challenging in the summer. They manage to get buried in the grass leaving a very small target.
Thank,s for your video,the best bullet for me is the Federal fusion,i test on moose bear deer and other,the eld-x is not monolithic it,s same to sst with a more B.C,Terminal Acsent very good,in my all rifle this bullets is extremly accurate and in the animal big shock hydrostatic and penetrate all.The fusion is the best.
Fusion is what a lot of people commented is their favorite. Solid.
Thank you for display, description and opinion. Happy hunting.
Same to you!
The SST is supposed to cause crazy damage and break apart to send shrapnel everywhere. It's gonna take most thin skinned game. All Barnes bullets are designed to punch through bone, so that's for all the quartering to, or shoulder shots or when you want to anchor by destroying both scapula. Taking a bread basket or boiler room shot with them is not what it was intended for.
Overall a good review, for the factory ammo buying hunter though. Partitions, accubonds, and TTSX or TSX is all I'm gonna use on moose or bear. Caribou and deer can have the cup&core bullets, I want that bullet staying in an animal, especially a big herd ungulate like caribou when they're likely bunched up.
I’m partial to Partitions. Haha. Great info!
I would like to see what's California compliant please...
This is not that video.
Best is the newer bonded bullet - federal terminal ascent. Always an exit even at long range. Flys like a match bullet and penetrates like a true bonded or copper bullet.
A well thought out list good job
The federal terminal ascent has worked extremely well in my 308
In my 7mm Rem Mag, I like the Barnes TTSX in 150gr, and the TTSX at 140gr out of my .280. I'm still trying to find something that my AR-10 likes besides Remington Premier 175gr.
TTSX seems like a lot of people like that.
I just started using the Federal Terminal Accent, great round! I also use Hornady American White tail, as well as Federal fusion which to me is a great economical round.
Right on!
You gotta be hand loading for hunting with center fire rifle cartridges, it’s the way to go , make a load specific for your gun
My 2 cents:
.308 Swift A Frame: 180gr with Benchmark 41gr. (Kodiak Grizzly, Elk, Brown/Black Bear, Moose, Mountain Goat, Big Boar)
.308 Sierra Spitzer Boat Tail: 150gr with H380 48.1gr. (White Tail, Mule Deer, Gator, Hogs, Black/Brown Bear)
.308 Sierra 168gr HPBT Match King: with IMR 3031 41gr. (Target, Match, Tactical Overwatch)
.308 Sierra 168gr HPBT Match King: with H380 44gr. (Target, Match, Tactical Overwatch)
All Starline, Jaeger, Norma, or WIN Lake City brass.
Regular Large Rifle Primer
Trimmed, Annealed, Light Crimp.
Set .003” off Lands/Grooves.
Benchmark for Temperature Stability Rounds.
These are the VERY best.
I agree with you Federal Terminal Assent dropped a Michigan Elk in 20 yards! My sons first time using a high powered rifle, 150 yard shot.
Excellent!👍
I am not hugely experienced myself, but have had good luck with Federal in the blue box. Atwoods had the Hornady American Whitetail on sale last week, so picked up a box of it to try out. I have enough Federal to last me several years hunting, but thought I might try something new
Let me know how it works. I think I’ve tested it in the past, but every barrel is different in what it shoots best!
Noob here even though I've been hunting my entire life. Just never got into the technical side of ammunition and things of the sort, always use my dads 25-06 or 30-06 700s with the same handloaded rounds he made years ago, but now I'm finally getting my own big game bolt gun and want to shoot suppressed, obviously subsonic is out of the question, but I'm wondering what your opinion is on the best .308 hunting round to use suppressed is and if the suppressor will make the round perform differently? Thank you!
Yes, for it to be quiet, it has to be subsonic. Probably keeping it within 150 yards. Suppressed hunting ammo is not my expertise.
I've found that Nosler Partitions are not as accurate as one would expect for a "premium" bullet. Hornady Interlocks work great through my Rem. 308. Accurate and one shot deadly in my experience.
Good info. Thanks for spending the $ for us. I know rifle and barrel make a huge difference but i have not found and thing better that just the old sta dard remington core-loc . Every thing from prong horn to elk core-loc has put animals down. Never had to follow up as long as you hit them in the right spot.
That is a great round. I recently sold some of the ones I had. But I agree, I as well as many others have stated how great it is.
I generally to use core lokts but with 308 and 3006 they’re a little lacking in shock and expansion. While I haven’t lost an animal do to it, I prefer a lit more and the deer seem to go at least 80 yards. In 308 and 3006 for deer I prefer nosler bt. They usually drop them in their tracks or they dont go far and there’s definitely blood trail. I’ve used power points and they aren’t bad, also tried the deer season xp and they suck, little penetration and either they drop or they live for an hour. Not a fan of the sst. I haven’t tried the all copper stuff yet. Honestly as long as I can get noslers and load them myself I don’t see any reason to change
Whatever works! I like Nosler bullet designs as well.
Federal Premium 168 grain with Nosler partition bullets have been excellent from deer to moose. Dispatches quickly!
Great loading company with a great bullet!
I am always looking for ammo, I shoot 30,06 and.243, my son shoots.308, he prefers s&b 165 I believe, seems to work great, I prefer norma whitetail , never have we had to use more than one shot to take a deer, a few years ago I got a deer with brown bear 7.62x54 soft point, one shot. Super cheap ammo. I think too many people blame the ammo for their poor shooting, kinda like I blame the controller for my sucking at video games. I know too many people that practice with ultra cheap ammo then buy a box of expensive ammo and can’t hit crap. Your scope is sighted in for the way you hold it and the ammo you use. If you sight it in with corelokt or federal powershok, Winchester power point, norma whitetail they are all so similar that the same sight in works good enough for all, but if you sight in with super cheap and then hunt with premium you may very well miss your shot. Quality ammo is expensive, get close with cheap then fine tune with what you intend to hunt with.
Yes! Two of the main reasons for success. Shoot, zero in with, your hunting ammo, yes it’s expensive. And shot placement. Agree!
AAC 168grain HPBT and SMK are very accurate, all the AAC ammo is amazing and it’s the cheapest by far at 20-22 dollars a box of 20.
You do realize it's velocity that's makes a bullet break up. Closer to muzzle means more likely to break up or shed jacket. You are looking at it backwards. If you don't believe me just look it up
If that is the case than at some velocity hard cast breaks up. That is just silly. I agree though, velocity is part of the equation, with the other part being bullet design.
Hey can you elaborate on your disdain for the barnes as a hunting bullet? I have had serious problems with copper bullets and will never use them again. But i would be interested in hearing your experience
I like Federal Terminal Ascent. My favorite.
I've only used A-Frames in 9.3X62. Cant find it in .308. Closest I can get is Nolsler Partitions. But I like the Accubond better. 10:14
A-Frame is a king! I agree.
What’s farthest shot you’ve taken a whitetail out of your 18” rifle using the federal terminal ascent 175gr? I have a 20” Bergara, and I’m thinking the shorter barrel will “handicap” the heavier bullets. My max distance will be 350ish yards.
I’d agree. 400 and in is what I stick too.
my son just harvested his first whitetail buck with norma whitetail 180gr it's great factory ammo
Remington PSPCL in almost any caliber and weight. Then Nosler partitions
150 grain soft points in Rem, Hornady, Win power points or sierra Game Kings have never let me down in 308 or 243 against Big and small Mule deer.
Federal fusion 165 gr in my 308 is the most devastating ammo as far as results. I shoot 168 gr hybrid hunter because it shoots exactly like my match ammo so I can go from the range to the woods and know nothing will change.
My last gun (Browning X Bolt ) absolutely loved the Nosler Trophy Grade ammo. My new Tikka TX3 hates it. Barely get a 3 inch grouping. The only ammo my Tikka likes is the Barnes TTSX copper rounds. Sub MOA all day. Stinks cause I loved the Nosler. Literally everything I shot folded on impact.
Yea, different guns like different ammo. Good subject for an upcoming video!
I have a new tikka ember in 308. The most accurate rounds so far are hornady 165 gr superformance sst and fusion 150 gr by federal. Tested 6 different ammo brands. I'm going with the fusion bullet based on previous hunting experiance.
@@jonstafford9244 I shot fusion for years. Fantastic ammo. Fusion is, in my opinion, the best bang for the buck in the hunting industry.
I’m a big fan of the hornady 165 grain interlock I’ve been loading since ever never disappointed a match bullet is not a hunting bullet
The ttsx and the terminal accent are the best ones in the video. Some of the others leave lead in the meat.
I have never needed a second shot out past 300 yards with cheaper ammo . Fiochi,, ppu , federal and more . No reason to spend a lot of money for a 300 yard shot when even cheap ones work out to 300 yards .
Never thought a bullet holding together at under 300yds could break up past 300yds?
I've killed several White Tailed Deer with Game King Bullets. All were one shot dead in their tracks kills. None were over 100 yards. and a few were within 30--40 yards. I used a 6MM Remington or a 7MM Mauser, all handloads. With that experience , I don't understand why you think GameKings are unethical. The Ethical Hunter such as I use it ethically. The longest shot I made was with a Hornady Spire Point ( 6MM Rem) at 270 yards. It was a one shot kill, the buck ran a few yards and dropped.
To each their own, I have seen some that were good shots that did not drop them initially.
I got lucky my rifle fired every type of ammo sub moa as long as it’s 168-178grain so far. Even the 147grain fmj is accurate enough for use.
Ever try them plastic case ones? Also do they still make the accelerator. 308 with the. 223?
I’ve seen those but have not.
I recently purchased a Tikka T3x Lite in .308, I shot a ton of these rounds you have listed to sight in my scope and I found the American whitetail and Deer Season XP (not listed) in 150 grain to be the most accurate at 100 yards. I think it’s all relative to the rifle you’re using. Thanks for video!
While I agree with that. The large majority of ammo works well in most guns. It is usually bullet weight that matter the most. In terms of providing good groups.
Interesting video ! I load the Hornady 150g interlock, but in the BT design....their #3033. The box you have is the 3031 bullet. They both just work so well. Missing: Nosler BT and the Sig 165g Elite Copper. Privi makes some great hunting bullets in .308 also !!!!!
I agree, Prvi makes great ammo, especially for the price!
I load the Privi 165g PSP BT in NATO brass for my AR-10 and it really smacks our big northern Michigan whitetails....not unlike the old Remington Core-Lokts in terminal performance. Thanks for the good video !@@CaptainBerz
Hornaday is so way over rated I only buy it if I need brass only for reloading! They are all about long range hunting and they started that movement and are the cause of a lot of wounded game🤔😳☹️
I'm surprised the ttsx isn't higher up on your list I use it exclusively for moose in a 7mm rem mag and have awesome results also the interlock is a deadly bullet I use 180 grain hornady custom in my 308 for black bear they drop on the spot 3/4 of the time
i like the video but what it all comes back to what each gun likes. there are some 150s that shoot lights out some key hole from a 1 and 10 twist.
Yes tried the ELDX in Alaska hunting ….. terrible performance on game quickly removed the bullets from my shelf. Great promotion from Hornady on the ELDX bullets but not realistic!
Seems a love or hate bullet from the comments. LOL.
Jacket construction too soft ! ELDX
If they would had bonded it ! I believe they would had something ! I like the ideal of the tip they used on ELDX bullets compared to Nosler. I had better performance from the Orginal Interlock SP flat based Spitzer from Hornady that the ELDX on game.
I get good results out the trophy bonded tip 180 gr out my 308
Excellent!
In Victoria, Australia we hunt the tough Sambar deer. I have used the 338 win mag 250gn nosler partition and 225gn nosler accubond with great success however, leaning to the partition for greater penetration but I have also used first hand the Barnes TTSX 225gn and have been highly impressed with accuracy, expansion and penetration. My rifle is a Blaser R93. So I disagree that you rate it as a self defence bullet and not a premium hunting bullet.
Thanks for the video.
10-4. We all have different experiences. 👍
Best gr weight for 1:12 twist with 16"?
Much has to do with your rifle and what it likes. Mine LOVES the sirraco 165gr but not the others so I bought 10 boxes. Have not tried the Federal Terminal ascent in 308 yet. My 30-06 fires them accurately, but didn’t get the expansion I needed on last year’s deer with it at close range. Maybe its better at longer ranges.
I’d agree, but most top notch ammo works well in a wider variety of rifles than lower tier ammo in my experience.
Accubond works better on thin skinned game at high speed. I use it in my 257 weatherby. Incredible
Love the nosler partitions
Agree!
My Remington bolt action 308 win loves fusion 150s several deer maybe 30 yards no tracking required
Excellent! Always good to find a combo that works well.
So no mention of anything by Remington or Winchester?
Haven’t tried 308 precision hunter yet but in 270 and 300 win they have done great for me good groups and dropped animals where they stand no unethical kills
is the nosler partition meant for gas guns? and what about term ascent? just wondering.
Normal Whitetail works very well in my 308
Nosler 165gr ballistic tip/accubond is hands down the most accurate ammo I've ever seen
Wow, you got some great eyes to be able to see the ammo! Haha. Yea, it is great!
Anything to back up the claims of gameking bullet not doing it's job
I have a Blaser R8 (20" barrel) .308win that I use for a number of situations. In a shooting range tunnel 100m/109yards it is a 1/2 MOA rifle.
For:
moose, boar, deer etc: Norma Oryx 180gr they also make it in 150gr but I have not tried that yet
goose: Norma JaktMatch (FMJ) 150gr
cormorants, seals etc: Hornady TAP 110gr, Federal Vmax (Hornady bullet) 110gr and Sako Gamehead Varmint RX 130gr
I have lots of other ammo from Hornady, Norma, Sako, Federal and Lapua that I have not come to try out properly yet.
Federal 130 gr soft points got me me 2 touching at 200 yds out of my gas gun. It’ll be my go to for hogs. Still looking for a deer load, thought the eldx was it after getting a box that did .75 at 100 consistently but I bought 2 more boxes and seems like every time I’ll get 2 touching and one flyer that’ll open up the group to 4 or 5”.
Deer season is near the end and it’s been a good one. Between Hornady whitetail and federal non typical we’ve gotten 4 does with our .308’s. I did have the eld-x on tap for backup but didn’t have to use it. We did use it in the .270 to get a buck but after shooting at 2 other does and missing due to flyers, we went to Hornady whitetail and got a doe the next outing.
I was really surprised by how bad the ELDX shot out of my rifle. Due to cost and performance I am probably going to go with the Hornady American white tail 150 grain
They're all different out of different rifles. Good luck!
Federal fusion 165 grain and 165 SST
Solid!
Im suoer green and am trying to do my research. This has been some great info. Trying to understand what the differences are with all the different bullet types. Not sure if I quite understand ehat is meant by "ethically". I'm guessing foot pounds rather than speed/penetration and accuracy only?
Ethically just means a quick kill that swiftly takes down the game.
Great vid, thanks.
Glad you liked it!