Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Experience with Winchester PowerMax bonded factory ammo?

Anyone have any experience with the Winchester PowerMax bonded ammo? I have a new gun to start tinkering with in 30-06 and liked the price but didn't know anything about this loading. I have had good experience with Federal Fusions for similar cost but just wondering about this similar product from Winchester.
Thanks,
Jed

I think kbruce has shot them at runnink deers

A good buddy of mine ran out of handloads prior to a whitetail hunt we went on in TX. He's a one rifle type of guy, M700 30-06. He swung by WM and picked up a box of the 150 Win PMs and came up to my camp to zero before the trip. At 200yds he was getting around 2MOA all around the bull. Nothing like handloads from his rig, but more than capable accuracy for the area we were hunting. On the 2nd eve of the hunt I called up a nice 10pt and he paused broad side at a mere 100yds, so Matt let one go and folded him up. The impact was center shoulder and the nicely mushroomed pill was against the hide on the off side. Terrible sample size, but I wouldn't hesitate to poke one in a deer after seeing them break that bucks shoulder.

Accuracy is gun specific, your's may love them.

Good Luck,

loder

I've heard alot of good things about them in the .30-30 envelope. Have not had a chance to test any of them yet though.

I've shot exactly one head of game with the PowerMax bonded in my 7mmRM. A nice large-bodied northern whitetail buck. It was 200 yards, a high chest shot, bang/flop. Bullet didn't exit, but I never did find it. These loads shoot 3-shot groups at a 100 yds. at about 1-1/4" in this rifle, about the same as all the other factory bonded loads I've tried.

I have used them in my 270 and they quickly became my favorite factory ammo. I killed four deer and I 200 lb hog with them. All deer were hit in the shoulders and all bullets exited. All five critters were DRT.

Really like that spotted hog. Nice work.

How has the accuracy been compared to other factory fodder in your rifles? I know Fed Fusion has a good reputation but PowerMax seems to be more commonly available.
Thanks,
Jed

A answer to a question nobody asked IMHO.

What can they do that regular Power Points can't? Nothing!

Not come apart?

Never killed a deer with one but I've blown away a few milk jugs.

They tend to stay together.

I intend to do a little shooting with those before next fall. I used to have a buddy that hunted with the old 150 grain Winchester HP in .30-30, and loved it. I am thinking the same thing in a bonded flavor would have to be more of a good thing.

I shot a small mule deer buck with a 30-06 and 180 grain powermax bullet. Range @20 yards and shot him at an upward angle quartering toward me. The bullet entered in front shoulder and hit the spine and came to rest on offside. The bullet was severely damaged hitting so many bones at near muzzle velocity. The core and jacket stayed togeather.

I don't know, but looking at the above pictures I'd say the .30-30 power max is probably not much if any better than the original .30-30 Hollow Point at staying together.

I've heard that bonding the lead core actually makes the lead softer than if it were not bonded. Maybe someone with more knowledge on the subject can chime in.

I pulled this slug from a large hog shot at 140 yards, It held together very well on such a hardy animal IMO.

Well, if the performance is equal, and you can get the bonded rounds cheaper, why not buy the bonded?

I have used them with good accuracy and game results on deer from a .270 Win in the last couple of seasons.

Just found some on sale in .300 Win. Mag, 150 grain supposedly at 3290. Very accurate in initial test.

Anybody else have experience with them at high velocity? Would only use them in open country, deer and antelope.

i bought a box for my 30-06 a couple years ago. they worked just fine on 2-3 whitetails and a hog or two. i might use them again if federal stops producing fusions.

My neighbor uses them in a 7RM and his hunting buddy uses them in a 270 Win. Both have claimed good accuracy, no idea what they consider good, but they kill quite a few deer and have had no complaints.

I have a M700 that shoots these really well in .270. They have accounted for several deer without any fuss. Pretty good factory ammo for the price, in my opinion.