Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Regular Green box Remington Core Lok

Well, when I was a kid I guess I was just to godamn naive in the ways of elk hunting. I shot and killed a bunch of those bullet proof bastards with 180 grain Core-Lokts in my 721 .30-06. I don't use the combo now, but you can bet your ass I could go out this fall and kill any elk I get in the sights with the same rifle and bullet. mtmuley

that CL didn't puke because the elk was bullet proof...

My dad cussed them out long before the internet was around. I never touched them because of it. Shot Winchesters and Federals instead.

Are better bullets for elk available

Then why did that bullet "puke" toad? I will wholeheartedly agree there are better bullets available. But, when used in cartridges of "normal" velocities and put where a bullet is supposed to go, elk die. As I said, done it myself. Lots of times. I know guys still doing it. If you told them there were better bullets, they would shrug it off and continue filling the freezer. And make fun of those of us spending big cash on "premiums". mtmuley

Remington Core-Lokt 150g for a .308 Win normally run about $1.15-$1.20 per round at Midwayusa and Cabelas, about $1.00 if you get them on sale.

I can load Nosler AccuBond or Barnes TTSX for about $0.84 per round. Or I can load North Fork SS, my favorite bullet in a variety of calibers and weights, for about $1.40 per round.

In short, I can save anywhere form $0.20 to $0.40 per round by shooting Core-Lokt ammunition. Given what I spend on gas, food, licenses and processing, let alone other incidental (but not always insignificant) expenses, the difference in ammunition cost is not a concern, whether I save a few cents or spend a few more. As I've said many times, after a few years of filling all my tags (antelope, deer and elk in a good year, one antelope and two elk this year), the savings might buy me a cheap glass of wine with my dinner out.

Given that my handloads shoot much better than any Core-Lokt ammuniton I've tried, given I prefer premium bullets when things don't go as planned, and given that I've never had a post-trigger-squeeze situation where I expect a cup-and-core would have performed better, the decision for me is an easy one.

Core-Lokt? Or other factory cup-and-core loads? Thanks, but no.

I have had good luck with the core-lokt, no matter the game.

I do seem to get a little bigger exit holes and a little better penetration with the round nose soft point core-lokts.

RNCLSP tend to be heavier weight for caliber and still have the heavy 'hour glass' jacket shape, as I found in the 165 gr RNSPCL remington has for its own .280 in recent loads. The other 140 and 150 grain pointed core-lokts loads do not have the heavy 'hour-glass' shape.

Have yet to have one turn to vapor upon contact with big game and tent to be my 'go to' in factory loads when available.

Taglarry, Picked up 4 boxes of Federal Premium 30.06 180 grain NP last week at Academy Sports. $25.84 per box on sale! Hard to beat that, if they are still on sale.

Yes, 130 gr corlock 270 win will kill elk. I have done it, but I would rather use the 150s. You don't need premium bullets to kill elk, but if makes you warm and fuzzy then use them.

I suspect that the case is with most of the thousands of hunters that use core lokt bullets have no issues and accounts of failures represent but a small fraction of a percent of the ones used . Mostly you don't hear from the successful users because theres not much to say except "Well theres a hole going in and one coming out and a dead deer/elk. Thats also the reason most hunters don't collect bullets.

I like the 150gr corelocks in 30-06 for deer but i would rather shoot handloads because i have all the stuff to reload might as well load them myself.

I've shot at 3 bulls with 180 grainers from a .30-06. All 3 of them died right now. My brother is 1 for 1, my dad is 2 for 2. So we're 6 for 6, no complaints.

That said, I reload now and I don't use Core-Lokts. But if that's what I had I would hunt with confidence.




P

180 RN CL opens slower and stays together at higher velociy than any other CC bar the hornady rn 180/

And I would be hard pressed to load a better shooting cartridge for the money, for my 1895 Browning than those 180 factory RN's! Which I will be packing this year.