Ammo choice with scarcity of .308

The Remington core-lokt has a great track record and if your gun shoots it well that would be my first choice. All 3 would work, so whichever your gun shoots best is what I’d use.

If one load kicks harder it probably is a little hotter, vice versa
I only have experience with the Federal Blue box ammo, that is what I would use, assuming it is the most accurate in your gun.

bullseye308 said:

All 3 would work, so whichever your gun shoots best is what I’d use.

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^This for sure. @Grayrock, if you have the time you'd be best served to shoot a group or two using all three and pick the most accurate/precise given that the bullets will perform in a similar manner.

Hogs really aren't that hard to kill, in my experience. I normally hunt them with 223, and I have killed many with a knife about the size of a USMC K-bar (with the aid of dogs). So any of those will work just fine. I use the nontypical in 6.5 CM for deer- it is very accurate through my gun and has great terminal ballistics. I shot a deer 2 weeks ago with a Rem core-lock 180 grain through a Krag carbine (considerably less power than a 308) and it performed well too. Short answer- whatever shoots well in your gun. If that Remington grouped well, I say your dilemma is solved.

IMHO... So far it's post #5 if you don't have time and post#4 if you do have time, b4 your hunt

FYI I've used both ammo brands, either will humanely dispatch your animal(s)

Good luck ! ! !

With the rifle sighted in with the CORE-LOKs I would use them. Once they are gone check the zero with either of the other loads. Then the third.

All three will get the job done.

If you're already zeroed with the Remington ammo I'd default to using it for now. But if I had a chance I'd get to the range and fire at least one 3 shot group with each of the others. You may find one or both them to be more accurate and I'd bet close enough to the Remington zero to go with. If not already hitting the same POI it is easy enough to move the scope adjustment knobs a few clicks to change that if you find either of the others significantly more accurate.

Don't take the velocity and energy numbers printed on the box or manufacturers ballistics charts as gospel. Those are the numbers they got with their test barrels under the conditions they shot them under. In your rifle or mine the numbers will be somewhat different.

All 3 of the loads are more than adequate for what you want to do. When you start hunting much larger game, and/or at longer than typical ranges ammo choices start to become more important.

They're very similar loads, and all within the sweet spot for deer and hogs. I'd start with the Federal simply because you have more of it. I think they are the same load in different packages. If it groups poorly, try the Remington.

Interesting bracketing of choices.
I really love the Core-Lokt terminal performance above almost everything else but favor Federal's overall quality and performance from box to bore.

I truly don't see how you can go far wrong with any of the three. Perhaps 3 rounds each and your rifle will select for you?

For what it's worth, I see that Federal lists the Non-Typical as *big game* while the other is *medium game*.

Todd.

ApacheCo Todd said:

but favor Federal's overall quality and performance from box to bore.

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I agree with you on this. Federal is my go to manufacturer for hunting ammunition for any rifle that I don't have time, interest or desire to work up loads for. Folks used to say that if Federal Gold Medal Match doesn't shoot in your rifle there's something wrong with the rifle. I've come to a similar conclusion for their Vital-Shok Trophy Copper products. I've shot that stuff in numerous chamberings for numerous rifles and 99% of the time it produces excellent results. They have consistently been a top tier manufacturer.

ApacheCo said:

I really love the Core-Lokt terminal performance above almost everything else

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I worked for Remington for a couple of years as an ammunition R&D engineer and one of my projects was to develop a .308 Win 150gr CLUB load for the FBI. The FBI liked the Core-Lokt bullet but wanted it to stay together when passing through various barriers so that meant using a bonded bullet. They also wanted waterproofed primers and case necks and were going to buy millions of rounds a year for their new LaRue carbines. One of the benefits of waterproofing the case necks was that it improved the consistency of bullet pull tests and it shot considerably better than the standard Core-Lokt products. I ended up taking a fair amount of the DV ammo home for "personal testing" and still have at least 500 rounds of it. I've been saving it for "apocalyptic" scenarios which is probably ridiculous but I don't use it for hunting or for target practice.

Like the others have said, any of them will work fine. My go to load for Whitetail Deer is the Sierra 150 Grain Pro Hunter. I like the 150 Grain weight.

Grayrock said:

That is interesting, considering the picture on both boxes is a deer and their ballistics are identical.

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If you look at Federal's website the length and BC of the two 150gr bullets is different. I bet the jackets are slightly different i.e. one is slightly thicker than the other, hence the different recommendations.

The Core-Lokts aren't the most sexy brand of ammo, but they are great killers. If that's what you are zeroed for, I would use it without hesitation.

Go with what you ate sighted in with. I stopped using corelockt in my 7mm08 and my first 243 win due to copper fouling. At have just gotten a couple of bad jackets, but only use handloaded rounds now.

I did use corelockt almost exclusively for hunting in my 3006's 165 gr specifically in one gun it would put 5 shots into a nickle and the other would be inside a quarter.

Before I got into reloading, 150 grain Core-Lokts were the go-to round for my Remington 7 in .308. They'll all work; shoot what you sighted in.

Core-locks are great hunting bullets with a great track record ; ) PS The Federal ( both ) are great also
Y/D

Good luck and save your brass -- someday you will be seduced by the Dark Side and succum to reloading .308.

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BTW (and off topic), the cheap way to get into handloading a new cartridge used to be to buy one of the old Lee Loaders and a rubber mallet, but has anyone priced these things lately?

https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-308-Win-Loader/dp/B013XRXXR8

Dave DeLaurant said:

Good luck and save your brass -- someday you will be seduced by the Dark Side and succum to reloading .308.

===
BTW (and off topic), the cheap way to get into handloading a new cartridge used to be to buy one of the old Lee Loaders and a rubber mallet, but has anyone priced these things lately?

https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-308-Win-Loader/dp/B013XRXXR8

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That's not much more than just a set of dies for a press, seems like they were just $35 the other day though.

gotboostvr said:

That's not much more than just a set of dies for a press, seems like they were just $35 the other day though.

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The dies and even press are the easy part.... It's the specific componentry that'll queer your play.

Todd.

Dave DeLaurant said:

Good luck and save your brass -- someday you will be seduced by the Dark Side and succum to reloading .308.

===
BTW (and off topic), the cheap way to get into handloading a new cartridge used to be to buy one of the old Lee Loaders and a rubber mallet, but has anyone priced these things lately?

https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-308-Win-Loader/dp/B013XRXXR8

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I had one of those in .30-30 in the mid-70s. I think it cost me $10.

WisBorn said:

With the rifle sighted in with the CORE-LOKs I would use them. Once they are gone check the zero with either of the other loads. Then the third.

All three will get the job done.

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This the one caveat I'd have is that the dope on the box isn't the dope from your rifle, so don't go thinking I'm zeroed at 100 and the box says X" of drop at 300.

I think Core Lokt's are fine, I've taken a lot of deer with them albeit mostly in a 30-06. I don't think it's a bad idea to find a relatively budget soft point that shoots well in your rifle and lay up some ammo over time, maybe a couple hundred rounds. I like 180 grain in '06 but 150 may be better in 308.