Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 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!

Mine is federal blue box and federal fusion.

Tough to beat Hornady American Whitetail with the Interlocks.

W-W Power Point

Federal Fusion

I'm shooting 165gr Winchester Super-X Power Points out of my 30-06 because they were around $28 / box. Similar hunting conditions at 150 yards or less for most shots.

Blue Box Federal

Favorites are Fusions and Interlocks (American Whitetail). Having said that, any Walmart-grade 30-06 cup/core is going to be great on deer.

American whitetail interlocks

I haven't really shot much factory deer ammo other than shotgun slugs since I was a kid just starting out. Back when I did, I usually had the best accuracy with either the Remington green box or Federal blue box stuff, depending on the rifle. I never had much luck with the White/Silver box Winchester stuff in any rifle.

For shotgun slugs, most of my slug guns have liked Remington or Hornady offerings, but the old Winchester rifled slugs have shot decent through all the smoothbores I've tried them in, and exceptionally well in a couple.

Norma Whitetail or Federal Blue Box for cup and core.
Federal Fusion for bonded.

All the ones mentioned are good, if your rifle likes them. That said, I've been very impressed with the Norma offerings and they distribute right out of your state of Georgia. I four different calibers, 308, 270, 3006 and 300 WM, they have outperformed all other brands accuracy wise.

Federal blue box or Remington Core lokt is pretty hard to beat.
Only really shot them in 243, 25-06, and 30-06

I stumbled across a great deal on some Norma 6.5x55 SE with 140gr Nosler Partitions for $22.45 / box. It was such a good deal, I was worried it might be a scam. But the case I ordered was delivered & they shoot great.

It's been so long since I've shot any game with a factory load that I hesitate to venture a guess. About the only time I shoot a factory load anymore is when I'm test firing another gun I bought whether new or second hand. Preference then was usually Winchester although Remington was a close second choice if Winchester didn't load that particular cartridge. The .35 Whelen came to mind when Remington first brought it out in 1988 IIRC. It was the only game in town for a while. I never much cared for Federal in anything for some reason and only used it when I couldn't find one of the preferred brands.
Probably the last time I shot anything with a factory load wad with a .70 I'd just bought back around1973 maybe 1974. Every thing since had been with my handloaded ammo.
PJ

I got 10 boxes of those as well. They also shoot very well in my M70 Classic 6.5 Swede.

Fusions.

Federal blue box

Federal Power-shok (blue box),Sellier and bellot have served me well. (Best accuracy and decent bullets)

I found Hornady factory loaded ammo to be less accurate on average.

Hard to argue with this......