Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game A second chance for C&C bullets

Trips to the range have been very limited this year and when I did go it was generally with family, including a couple of �non-shooting� nieces who had a great time shooting an array of rifles and handguns from a 1931 Remington Model 24 in .22 short to .30-06s and a 1940 High Standard Model C in .22 short to my Ruger Super Redhawk .44 Mag.

All great fun for me but there has been little time to sort out what rifles and loads I would be using in the upcoming antelope and elk/deer hunts. I did manage to confirm the Ruger American Dad gave me last year � and will be my rifle for elk this year � shoots WW 180g Power point ammo very well. I�ve started working up 180g Ballistic Tip loads with good results but still need some more range time with them. That�s true with that rifle in general, though, even the Power points.

This year�s antelope hunt will include three shooters � Daughter #1, son-in-law (hubby of #2) and myself. Daughter #1 is from out of state and we got her sorted out when she was here a few weeks ago. Her rifle will be my favorite, a tack-driving Ruger M77 in .257 Roberts. Got my rifle sorted out yesterday. I had planned on using my Ruger #1 in .280 Rem but my Remington �Special Purpose Wood� .30-06 M700 was shooting bug holes with 150g Ballistic Tips. After zeroing for the BT�s I fired one AB and it landed about a half inch southwest. Screw it, I thought, I�ll just use the BT�s. This will be the second time since I started hunting Colorado big game in 1982 that I�ll have used standard C&C bullets in a bolt rifle. Assuming I get a shot (ladies and sons-in-law go first), we�ll see how they work.

That they can kill antelope won't surprise me. I'm more interested in how they hold together. Or don't.

I like BTBT.. We have shot some pretty big game with them over the years, elk, caribou, and moose.. Not to mention many deer and one very large black bear.. In the .243, 25-06, 257 Wea. on up through the 7 mags. and .300'..
One of my target rifles, I use for a bean field type whitetail rifle, loves BT's... It has dropped a number if bucks at fairly long range.. I doubt you have any problem on deer and antelope...

C&C.. "We've come along way, baby" , from what they were 30 years ago.

I have killed a LOT of elk with them, and none have crawled out of the freezer yet

I've killed 30 some deer, plus several antelope with BT's, mostly 150 gr 30 cal. They wouldn't be my first choice for elk in the timber but neither did they act like a grenade. Be sure to give us a write up on the performance on antelope and good luck!

Who cares how they hold together if they kill efficiently?

I don't!

People b!tch about Sierras losing their jackets on dead animals.

Weird, but to each his own; thank goodness for a free market!

I care because I want bullets that hod together and penetrate deeply, preferably in a straight line.

Amen in the free market thing.


I did get my antelope, as did Daughter #1 and Son-in-Law. Pics to follow but for now I have to leave and get them to the processor. Made pretty nasty wounds in and out.

Ouch. Exit wound caused by a 150g Ballistic Tip from a .30-06 @ about 75-100 yards.



Entrance side looks OK.


The best reason to hunt: time with the family. Here is Daughter #1 helping skin my antelope.


Having used the Ballistic Tip I think I'll stay with AccuBonds for hunting and BT (and SST, etc.) for most practice and load development in their place. Yes, I got my antelope. Yes, the BT exited. Blah, blah, blah. No surprises on either account. There is no way to tell if the BT held together or not due to the exit, although I didn't find any shrapnel when gutting. Still, I trust the AB's to hold together better and the cost difference is insignificant given the small numbers shot in the field and load confirmation at the range.

Been using '06 150 gr factory Corelokts on caribou at 300-500 yards with fine results. We'll see how those Hornady factory Super Performance SST's do in 3-4 weeks, once the water gets stiff enough for the caribou to cross...

They are marginally less accurate than the Corelokts, but not enough to matter.

The difference in drop at 400+ range inspired me..... I'm curious to compare terminal performance. I;ll let you know.

I'm getting a bit antsy to get back to where I can reload more economically...

I've maybe 1,000 Corelokt 150's (came with the rifle 35 years ago), and 200 SST's recently purchased.

But really- I prefer 165 or 180's in .30......

Make that 39 years ago... Hope they are as good as the modern ones.