This has been an ongoing thing since the advent of smokeless powder and H.V. small-bore shooting, it took a long time for the bullets to catch up. I don't know what or how this premium business got started, it's just some bullets work better depending on a. how much Velocity you are driving them at and how close or far you are shooting, Then the general size of the game being hunted. For example, a 180 gr Hornaday SP works great in the 308- 30-06 velocity level on most things you would ever shoot with those cartridges, the Same Bullet in a 300 Weatherby, 300 Dakota then the bullet will tend to break up more than usual at the closer ranges. So you choose a better-constructed bullet for those kinds of cartridges. It's not rocket science. It's the same old light and fast vs Heavy and slow thing. Remember when the 30-30 came out it was 2200 fps with a 170 gr bullet before that, Americans at least shot rifles that were in the 1300 to 1800 fps range and the bullets of the day worked well at that velocity range. I don't consider a Nosler Partition or the like to be all that extra in cost over the standard cup and core bullet with regard to the overall cost of hunting big game even on my own land, even with a free landowners tags, I consider my property tax bill to be a part of my deer hunting costs. The buck and a half for the cartridge is kind of a moot point to me. But it seems that this horse gets beat to death just about every year at this time since the seasons are coming and well some people like to hear themselves type. There is no big secret in big game shooting, just shoot a reasonable cartridge for the tasks at reasonable ranges with a bullet that is up to the task you want it to do.
