|
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 541
Campfire Regular
|
OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 541 |
Anyone know what bullet Federal loads in the Blue Box 3006 180 gr? Looks suspiciously like Speer Hot Core to me.
Also anyone have experience with them on elk?
Thanks.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 243
Campfire Member
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 243 |
Yes Shot a spike elk at 190 yards through lungs but no pass through. With same cartridge. Didn't go far.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 21,961 Likes: 9
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 21,961 Likes: 9 |
It would be an unusually bad 180gr 30-06 load that didn’t do a decent job on anything in North America
Parents who say they have good kids..Usually don't!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,085
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,085 |
Federal blue box is my “go to” inexpensive ammo for any centerfire rifle I shoot: 6.5 CM, .30-30, .308, .30-06. If a rifle won’t shoot these loads accurately, there is probably an issue with the rifle. Frankly, I could stop buying boutique factory ammo and hunt everything I hunt with a centerfire rifle, deer, pigs, elk, with Fed blue box and if I lost an animal I shot at, it would be my fault.
Expat
"There are no dangerous weapons. There are only dangerous men." - Robert Heinlein
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 3,755
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 3,755 |
When I was a young man, in Texas, my first use of Federal was their "Red Box" 30-06 loaded with an advertised "Sierra 165 SBT". Awesome on deer/hogs. When they went to the Blue Box, I used them in the 150. I have used the Blue Box in 300WM with an advertised "Sierra 150PH" back in the '90s. Accurate and acted like a Partition! I have used Blue Box in 30-30, 243, 270, 7mm RM and 25-06 too. I also "suspected" they used the Speer Hot Cor, especially in the early days. I have used Federal Brass alot, but I still feel it is a bit "soft" for my use. I run everything pretty Hot though. Federal Premium ammo has always been a favorite me, always worth trying in a new rifle. Like anything else, some rifles are just fickle and stubborn, kind of like I remember my Red Headed girl cousins!
Last edited by Jim_Knight; 02/12/24.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 13,246 Likes: 6
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 13,246 Likes: 6 |
If all I had to hunt elk was a 30-06 and 180 gr blue box I’d be happy.
P
Obey lawful commands. Video interactions. Hold bad cops accountable. Problem solved.
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
Member #547 Join date 3/09/2001
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 15,365 Likes: 13
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 15,365 Likes: 13 |
If all I had to hunt elk was a 30-06 and 180 gr blue box I’d be happy.
P That's for sure. It'd take a heckuca lot less for me to not go elk hunting.
Semper Fi
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,302 Likes: 37
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,302 Likes: 37 |
If all I had to hunt elk was a 30-06 and 180 gr blue box I’d be happy.
P That's for sure. It'd take a heckuca lot less for me to not go elk hunting. Very true^^
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,550
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,550 |
Federal 180 grain blue box shoots lights out in my 308
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,302 Likes: 37
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,302 Likes: 37 |
Federal 180 grain blue box shoots lights out in my 308 I think it's a "go to" for a lot of guys. Especially when testing a new rifle. It's a great choice for that. Grab a box and your new rifle, and off to the range. It generally shoots surprisingly well.
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 4,939 Likes: 5
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 4,939 Likes: 5 |
I think I recall some Federal cartridges actually had Hot Cor on the box end label. Perhaps some or all their cup and core bullets are made by Speer or other companies. Once upon a time Hornady made a bunch of heavier soft points for Remington that were not labeled as Core Lokts. I don’t think there is much difference between any of the standard SP cup and core non-bonded bullets. There could be differences in quality by leaving voids in the core thereby making the bullet a bit unbalanced and potentially unstable downrange. Personally, an elk hunt is an expensive proposition and not using the best ammo for the job is foolish economy.
Life Member NRA, RMEF, American Legion, MAGA. Not necessarily in that order.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 406
Campfire Member
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 406 |
The Hornady American Whitetail 180 grain is very accurate in my rifle. Have no complaints with results on deer or elk. Farthest shot 250ish yards. My youngest boy used blue box 270 130 grain and dropped a nice bull at 330 yards.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 8,646
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 8,646 |
Anyone know what bullet Federal loads in the Blue Box 3006 180 gr? Looks suspiciously like Speer Hot Core to me.
Also anyone have experience with them on elk?
Thanks. Federal has used Speer bullets off and on for years. Federal also used Speer bullets in some of their Premium ammo. I remember buying several boxes of Blue Box ammo 15+ years ago in 7mm, 300win, 308win loaded with Speer bullets. Pretty sure I still have some in the stash. Good stuff.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 5,495 Likes: 2
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 5,495 Likes: 2 |
I have used 180 grain in .30-06, for 2 decades, they will kill every species in North America, quickly.
What does a Box of Blue cost? I have been shooting Winchester SuperX for $21.50 a box, super accurate and deadly.
Last edited by KillerBee; 02/16/24.
KB
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,302 Likes: 37
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,302 Likes: 37 |
180 grain in .30-06, for 2 decades, they will kill every species in North America, quickly.
What does a Box of Blue cost? I have been shooting Winchester SuperX for $21.50 a box, super accurate and deadly. I don't know off the top of my head, but the blue box Federal 270 win 150gr ammo is $25/box at Wally world. I'd think the 30-06 ammo is about the same price.
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 8,949 Likes: 5
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 8,949 Likes: 5 |
24.49 sticker last time I looked .mb
" Cheapest velocity in the world comes from a long barrel and I sure do like them. MB "
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 5,495 Likes: 2
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 5,495 Likes: 2 |
Just out of curiosity, do you gentlemen prefer a bullet that passes straight through the animal or one that stays within the animal's cavity and bounces around inside the cavity a bit?
Personally, I prefer one that stays in the cavity. When I shoot my .300 Win Mag with 190 gr, ABLR's I see pass-throughs, when I shoot my .30-06 with SuperX, I do not recall a pass through and the animals are typically anchored.
Cheers ~
Last edited by KillerBee; 02/16/24.
KB
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,346 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,346 Likes: 2 |
since i am a old handloader i roll my own i plan on trying some Hammer Hunter 160 gr. in my 30-06 i wanna see if i can get a little tighter groups .
Last edited by pete53; 02/16/24.
LIFE NRA , we vote Red up here, Norseman
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 5,495 Likes: 2
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 5,495 Likes: 2 |
since i am a old handloader i roll my own i plan on trying some H Easy on the Hashish pete53, some of the stuff is mind-blowing 🤣
Last edited by KillerBee; 02/16/24.
KB
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,346 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,346 Likes: 2 |
since i am a old handloader i roll my own i plan on trying some H Easy on the Hashish pete53, some of the stuff is mind-blowing 🤣 my computer battery died its finished now
LIFE NRA , we vote Red up here, Norseman
|
|
|
|
552 members (1OntarioJim, 160user, 10gaugeman, 01Foreman400, 1badf350, 10gaugemag, 47 invisible),
2,365
guests, and
1,254
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,194,336
Posts18,526,767
Members74,031
|
Most Online11,491 Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|