To chime in here, to me a premium bullet is a bonded bullet. Are they necessary for Elk...NO. The best performing FACTORY bullet I have ever used is the Remington Core Lokt. Cannot fault it from any angle in many calibres. The price of them is very reasonable and that is how I got brass to start loading for myself way back in 1988. I used them exclusively when I had my first 300WM & 300 Bee, both with the 180gr. I also used them in my 338WM and my Dad’s 35 Whelen. Never had a failure. I shot a large Sambar stag, had a rack on him of 28”x29”, while caping out the brisket, there were 3 nicely mushroomed semi intact Nosler BT’s in there. They must have been shot a fair distance away from a slow gun, cuz they barely went 6”. The wound had fully healed and had also calloused up from when he was bedding down. That’s the only time I have recovered fired bullets, but have found arrows on 4 different occasions. Even a branch embedded in a Hinds eye. Personally, I use premium bullets, but I also shoot long range without premium bullets cuz they expand easier.
