Survey : Your Favorite Factory Loaded Ammunition

[Graham Hunter]

You can still buy factory ammo???

 

[Hunter-Habib]

For 12 Gauge= Rottweil (birdshot), Federal Premium (OOO Buck)
For 7x57mm Mauser= Sellier & Bellot 175Gr Nosler Partition
For .30-06 Springfield= 220Gr Remington Core Lokt
For .375 Holland & Holland Magnum= Federal 300Gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claw (expanding), Norma 300Gr monolithic (solids)
For .600 Nitro Express= Labor Fur Ballistik 900 Gr copper jacketed softs and FMJ solids

 

[Ray B]

Back in the day Norma loaded old style Nosler Partitions- they were my favorite followed by Winchester Power Points and Silvertips. They are discontinued so now I am reduced to hand loading.

 

[fourfive8]

For shotshells usually Federal premium, buffered or WW AA or any brand steel. Haven’t hunted with any factory rifle ammo for at least 30 years. Last I used was IIRC Federal Premium, either NP or TBBC. For handgun anything reasonable but have a lot of Speer Gold Dot.

 

[matt vejar]

For Africa PG 300 H & H with handloaded 200 grain Nosler Partition.
For DG and Eland 375 H&H 300 Grain Swift A Frame Soft for first shot.
After that Solids 270 grain Winchester Fail Safe- will penetrate from last rib to opposite shoulder on buff - eye witness!!!

 

[Tom Leoni]

As an industry professional I would have to say that anything in the Hornady DGX line is a pretty safe bet--in terms of value, performance and availability (even in these times of scarcity).

 

[sureshot375]

For the .375 I always used federal premium because they had solids, softs, and partitions they would shoot with similar point of impact. It made ammo shooing for a safari easy.

I’ve had the opportunity to shoot some Norma ammo over the last few year and I’ve been very impressed. I’ve been shooting the Norma Whitetail in .243 and 6.5 creedmoor. I don’t think there is anything that touches it in that price point. Great brass, consistent loads, simple jacketed soft point. I love it for deer and smaller.

On the other end of the spectrum, I hunted elephant with the Norma’s loaded with Woodleigh solids. Truly a premium product. They are hand loaded. They shot great in my Krieghoff.

I plan on checking out other Norma products.

 

[steve white]

I have had good success and consistency with S&B 8x57 JR. All other factory loads, I am either using up the good stuff that I have previously proven to be up to snuff, or AM HAVING HORRIBLE PERFORMANCE FROM NEW PRODUCT, which means I have no confidence in it unless I want to test a new batch and mark it as acceptable, with much of it only fit to salvage brass from as far as I am concerned. I just handload for the most part, buying (and reworking) brass and components as needed.

 

[Mark haynes]

Federal premium 180 grain nosler partition

 

[colorado]

For my 270 Weatherby:, Weatherby 150g Partitions 3150 fps, 375 H&H: Remington Premier Safari Grade 300g A-Frames.

 

[Switup]

Most brands are okay. I like Winchester's ammo for factory loads, but most factory loaded ammo, I consider "generic". If you want to an accurate load then you must reload as no two rifles shoot the same with the same brand of factory ammo.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Let’s not leave out small game/varmints. I really like Federal.22lr HP. I will use solids if HPs are unavailable, I just have to really place my bullet well.
I love hunting our small ground squirrels in the summer.

 

[FlyGuy]

Good question….

Mostly hand load, but here are my favourite softs.
30-06
#1 RWS Evolution 184gr
#2 Remington A-Frame 180gr
300 H&H
#1 Hornady Custom 180gr Interbond
6.5x55
# Any ammo loaded by RWS or Norma

Not enough experience with solids, but Barnes has a very good reputation.

 

[Ryan]

1: Barnes Vor-Tx in 168 grain for my 30-06.
Dropped five animals within a few feet on my first Namibian hunt with that factory ammo. My current hand loads for that rifle are essentially the same.

2:No experience with solids, so I can't answer.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Let’s not leave out small game/varmints. I really like Federal.22lr HP. I will use solids if HPs are unavailable, I just have to really place my bullet well.
I love hunting our small ground squirrels in the summer.

Along these lines, if I am using a 22lr and not planning to eat my kill, I love CCI stingers. If I am planning on eating my kill, I like a CCI standard velocity.

 

[buffybr]

I killed my first deer in 1965 and my first elk the next year. Both were with borrowed rifles and it was so long ago that I know I used factory ammunition but I can't remember the brand or bullets.

I bought my first centerfire rifle in 1967 and immediately started reloading for it.

Since then I have killed at least 200 big game animals on hunts here at home and all over the world...all with my handloaded ammo.

 

[Phil Giordano]

RWS by far : they are amazingly uniform from lot to lot, very accurate, and the published velocity are true

 

[yamoon]

Who can afford factory, shoot all reloads except 22 rim fire. Plus I shoot a lot of oddball calibers. 9.5x57, 9.3x53 Swiss, 8x50 Mannlicher, 8.15x46r.
Mike

 

[sierraone]

For deer with my 3006, almost any factory brand with 150 - 165 gr soft point
With my .375 HH Federal Blue Box with 270 gr soft point
With my 404J hand loaded 400 grain Barnes TSX at 2150 FPS

 

[HookMeUpII]

Old thread but Barnes TTSX is probably almost all I'll shoot after seeing the performance first hand in RSA. Can't really speak for SP's as I only have ever killed 2 animals with SP and it was 44 mag Hornady Custom XTP loads in 240gr.

I shoot pretty much all 300WM now and the TTSX in 180gr will probably kill everything in NA aside from maybe a grizzly bear? RSA it will work on anything aside from DG I guess.