Core-lokt's haven't even been cheap the last 10 years. Whenever I've seen them available they were higher than Interlocks and Hot-Cors. They were usually priced same as GameKings so I always passed on them.


Older Core-Lokt design was really good. Actually had a thicker jacket in the middle to arrest expansion and hold the core. Still not a bad bullet at moderate velocities.

Just the bare bullets. As I recall from hazy memory, the variance was under half a grain for Hornady and well over a full grain for Remington, but it’s been a while.

I've been shooting Hornady interlocks since 2001. I don't know how many deer I've killed with them but its been a lot.

Imo its been extremely consistent and reliable as far as performance goes. End result was always a dead deer. I've had more issues with game being shot with too tough of a bullet than too soft of a bullet.


For as long as I'm able to, I will stoke my .270 with Interlocks.



For really fast rounds or for big, tough animals, i will use a bonded bullet like the interbond or the accubond, but for deer size game with standard calibers, I'm 100% a cup and core guy.

I use plain old soft point flat based Pro Hunters for my Mosin Nagant Works just fine on game and groups well.

Seems strange to say it, but this fall is my 50th year out hunting and I've used lots of different bullets through the years.

Most of them work ok most of the time, but some definitely perform more reliably all the time.

Bullets are the single most important piece of equipment in hunting.

A bullet is the only piece of equipment that actually makes contact with the animal and is what does the work of actually killing the animal.

A .308 Sierra Pro Hunter is about $0.37/bullet, a .308 Barnes TTSX is about $0.67/bullet, and a .308 Partition is about $0.71/bullet.

Trucks, buggies, leases, diesel, guns, scopes, binos, boots, and on and on.

30 cents extra for a better performing bullet to do the best possible job killing the animal quickly and as reliably as possible seems like a good place to spend a bit more money.

Personally, the Barnes TTSX has really won me over and now is the only bullet I use for hunting.

The early version TSX was an inconsistent performer in my experience. I would not use the TSX again. However, the changes in TTSX really corrected the problems and they consistently work well.

The TTSX is very accurate in every rifle I have tried them. They penetrate reliably through whatever is in their way and animals fall down dead.

Also, they do not produce lots of bloodshot meat and do not leave lead fragments for scavengers, hawks, owls, or other critters to eat. Maybe I am getting soft, but the effects of the hunter on the ecosystem has many positive effects, but we also need to avoid negative impacts where we can. Just my personal view of it. Even ignoring the lead free aspect, the Barnes TTSX is the most consistently effective hunting bullet I have used followed by Nosler Partitions.

fwiw - I aim for the high shoulder, thoracic spine, base of the neck, or brain stem depending on the shot angle if that matters in the analysis. The TTSX will drive through the densest portion of the body very reliably and the animals usually drop where they stand. I hate tracking animals so do not aim for the heart or lung.

I understand that point for view Jeff, and agree.

I shoot moderate velocity rifles so a 180 Hornady Interlock from a 308 win at 2650 fps would be something I would 100% trust for all but the toughest game.

If I was shooting something super fast for light for game, I would probably go bonded or copper.

I use Remington Corelokt, Winchester PP, Sierra, Hornady and the cheapest of all are those I cast myself. While I don't hunt with them exclusively, my homemade projectiles have been used to take WTD, Axis and a turkey.

My supply of Remington and Winchester will dry up soon and as best I can tell they are no longer available. Sierra, Speer and Hornady have worked well. The Nosler SolidBase in the early 80s performed poorly.

I use a 270 gr interlock in my 375 ruger. Not much of a point in using a premium bullet in it for deer, pigs, or very unlucky coyotes.

Core-lokts are all i use in my .270 and my sons .243. They haven't let us down yet.

Nice deer!

Before I started reloading I generally used Core-Lokts or Federal Hi-Shocks in the blue box. Both worked excellent.

Only complaint i ever had with shooting rem corelock ammo in factory form was every time I changed lots i had to resight my rifle. Ive been reloading my own for going on 20-25 years now and even switching to new lots of bullets powder brass and primers i havent touched the adjustment on the scope since. Last time i shot it at the range i laid it over the sand bag took one shot that center punched the bull and sacked it back up.

I’ve killed many deer with federal power points 150 soft point $15 blue box ammo.. works just fine for the sub 100-150 yard open country shot. If I hand load the round, I have used combined technology, accubonds, and the ttsx bullets and out of those the ttsx and accubonds shoot the best at distance and I feel they are tough bullets and could possibly buck some brush before they hit the animal. Most any bullet will do the job, but others do it better, there is no such thing as too dead.

The fact that core lock bullet was retrieved tells me that there was no blood trail, and the pictures of the fragments tells me the weight retention is terrible. When I was younger I a shot deer with a 175smk that had better weight retention than that. If they work, then they work, but I personally feel like myself, I need to practice, shoot, and when I decide to take that animal be on my A game.. Also what’s important to me is a 100% pass through shot because I want to be able to trail and recover the animal in case of that poor shot, or that last second twitch the animal made etc..

Bonded bullets or full copper are my choice for 2 reasons 100% pass through, and the are consistent.

I use Hornady Interlock 180 grain .308s (in a 30-06). They are boat-tailed, but they're not terribly expensive. They work VERY well.

I use to load some 220 grain Hornady Interlock RN in my 300 wby, they were absolutely explosive on game. As i understand it they wree designed to be used at 2300 ish fps out of a 30-06, not the 2900 fps i was launching them at out of the wby. Now that i have a 30-06 im thinking of loading up the rest of them to give a whirl.

Core-loks are the gold standard in 35Rem. Game goes down like the Hammer of Thor hit them.

My cast bullets are pretty cheap but I do have some Sierra #2000 bullets for .30-30 Winchester. Those aren't very cheap but they used to be.