Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Favorite non-premium factory ammo?

Just wondering what everyone’s favorite “non-premium” deer ammo was? Where I hunt in north Georgia, long shots are 100 yds, maybe 150 if you are on a power line. Don’t need super-strong bullets to take down a 130 lb buck with my ol’ 30-06. Just wondering what your thoughts were on ‘standard’ hunting bullets like Core-Lokt, Win Power Points, Hornady Interlocks, and maybe Fed blue box or Fusions if you want to get fancy?
Let the comments roll!

Fed blue box as always been accurate.

100gr power points always worked well. Now I'd use the 90gr eldx.

S&B 8x57 would hit the easy button for me when the sentimental favorites get a nod. Now if we're getting into the serious deep cut that is the 38 WCF when it comes to deer hunting, gonna have to go with hand loads for that one. The factory stuff Dad's had since the '50's is a bit wonky.

180 grn cor loc

i do handloading for about 30+/- years, i used to use 180gr Remington RN factory ammo in my '06 and 150gr Remington RN factory ammo in my 270 Win. the 30-30 was whatever is cheaper, Federal, Remington, Winchester...

Hands down Norma whitetail. Better than my handloads in some instances. For domestic, Fed blue box.

Hornady American Whitetail

Had good luck with green box 150's in two .30 cal chamberings for mulies, whitetails, black bear and hogs going back 34 years or so...

Its all 6 of one, half dozen of the other.

This worked with the same via 308 Win.

I don’t think I’ve ever killed a head of big game with factory ammo…. But I’ve killed stuff with both 150 . 308 Rem C-L and various WW PP. I’ve killed more deer with Hornady interlocks than anything. A few Sierras and Hotcores too.

I did buy 200 rounds of Norma 308 ammo loaded with 180 Aframes for cheaper than I could buy the brass.I might use them this fall.

Fusion (165 gr) in my .308.
Fusion or Federal Blue Box in 30/30.
Fed Blue Box when I can find it for 300 Savage, Remington Corelokt when I can't.

Hornady American whitetails in 7-08 with 139 Interlocks.
As accurate as my handloads with that bullet.

+1 on the Federal blue box in 300 Sav.

Our deer camp never lost another deer hit anywhere after I switched them to round nose 180 grain Remington Core-lokt bullets. The Hornady Whitetail ammo uses Inter Lock bullets and those have been very good as a 165 grain from my .308.

I have always had good luck with Hornady Ammo.


6.5 CREEDMOOR - 100 Yards

6.5 man bun

Did a barrel switch on my T/C Dimension, then sent 3 at 100.



It shoots great in my T/C and my Howa

Same here. At 25 bucks a box it was worth buying 100 rounds. Even if I pull the bullets and throw all the rest away I still did okay.

I’m guessing the cases might work just fine as well

Federal Blue Box in my 308 and 30-06

x3, those A-Frames shoot great out of my M70 EW