Hunters choose their ammunition for the same reason as other seasoned shooters; they know what works and you’re not going to change their minds.
Hunting enthusiasts use the .30-06 more than any other firearm, although the market has plenty of other weapons to choose from including handguns and ARs.
Types of Cartridges
Some shooters say that choosing your bullet is even more important than choosing your gun. Old school or high tech weapons won’t do anything without the right type of bullet.
Buyers pick Speer, Winchester, Federal, Hornady, and Remington cartridges more than any other. The cartridge will keep about 50 percent of its weight, but will drop off with high impact velocity. Many call this type the “standard” hunting bullet, i.e., the most common.
The second type is a bonded, plastic-tipped boat tail. If the bullet is bonded, the jacket and core are bonded together, creating excellent ballistics. The round will keep 65 percent – 80 percent of the initial weight regardless of impact velocity.
Hornady Interbond, Swift Scirocco, Speer Grand Slam, Nosler Accubond, and Nosler Partition offer the best rounds in this category.
The third type is designed for bolt-action rifles. Bear hunters prefer the reliability of a bolt-action rifle with a round that will make a sure kill. Experts like the .338 Remington Ultra Magnum, .338 Winchester Magnum,.338 Federal Premium, .340 Weatherby Magnum, and .375 H&H.
The fourth type includes deep penetrating rounds. The ammo doesn’t have quick expansion, but they keep 80 percent – 100 percent of their original weight, despite high impact velocity.
Barnes X, Swift A-Frame, Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, and the Winchester Failsafe offer the most popular rounds in this category.
Buying Hunting Ammo Online
You can buy hunting ammo online to save money, especially if you plan to be out in the field a lot. Hunters find ammo for every type of prey from whitetail to elk to bear to small game.
Top Picks:
Hornady® Superformance™ Rifle Ammunition
Hornady uses an innovative powder blend that yields an additional 200 fps from a Superformance round. It results in a flatter trajectory, reduced wind drift, and superior accuracy.
Remington® Premier® Core-Lokt® Ultra Ammunition
Premier Core-Lokt ammunition does the job for taking holds its own when confronting a bear. It offers excellent penetration, retained energy, and high accuracy.
The round retains 95 percent of its original weight and gives expansion two times the original diameter. It’s rated for terminal performance up to 500 yards.
Nosler Partition
Nosler is a good all-around bullet. It lacks high accuracy compared to some but has high terminal performance.
Federal Premium Trophy Bonded Tip Rifle Ammunition
Vital-Shok line is modeled after the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw® cartridge but gives increased performance. The polymer-tipped, boat-tail cartridge has downrange accuracy, and the solid copper shank has reliable penetration.
Conclusion
Experts know that almost any type of ammo will work well if you’re a good shot, but it doesn’t hurt to start off with the best.