I can live with anything in 165-180 grain loads that go 1.5 MOA or less. Less is better of course. If you can't kill with that, the load likely ain't the problem, with due diligence to terminal performance. I've gone the premium route and come back to mostly plain-janes (I reserve the right.... etc...
), as I've not noticed any difference in the end game... but then I'm chea....er...economically minded... But if premiums crank your chain (especially if they offer a significant increase in accuracy, or the situation begs it), by all means have at it.
I've never been all warm and fuzzy about 150 gr. loads, but that's what I'm using right now - and I have hundreds of the durn things (Corelokts) for reloading- came with a remote cabin (and rifle) I purchased 40 years ago. I'm gonna have to use those up one of these days... but it's expensive to reload where I am now. Powder/haz-mat, airfreight, etc. (Alaska Airlines lets one ship 50 lbs loaded ammo as free baggage- so why fight it?
)
The Rem. factory Corlokts are doing just fine (around MOA) out to 500 on caribou, and on a moose at 50 yds 4 years ago, tho now I'm into a couple boxes of factory Hornady Super Performance. Tho slightly less accurate than the Rems, they are much flatter at 300-500. I can live with that.
I still prefer the 165-180's tho.. Personal prejudice, as I haven't seen a whit of diff in terminal performance between 150-180 weights, from 100 lb black bear thru moose.
By the way, Finn Aaguard showed that 180's penetrated wet telephone books better than any thing else lighter or heavier. This was a number of years ago, probably just plain-janes, assuredly not the TSX -TTSX and other modern premiums.
If I were to pick just one bullet weight for anything that might hit the fan, I'd take a priemum 180 bullet weight if it shoots well.
Just how much over-penetration do you need anyway?
Dang - I just may make that my sig-line....
