Remington Core Lokt

[Lastnline75]

So i bought 2 Browning Hells Canyons in 308 win last year. One for me and one for my wife. I did initial scope sighting in with Remington Core Lokt in 150 grain at 100 yards. Both guns shot very well and groups were sub moa. We have both shot deer and hogs with success and most shots being no more than 150 yards. I have currently immersed myself into learning more about longer shots, bullet grains and what it takes to make successful kills at longer ranges. I guess my question at this point is Remington Core Lokt a good ammo choice at longer ranges? Both these rifles like 150 grain it seems and Remington is something i can walk into any store where i live and get at anytime. Hornady i have noticed is usually only on the shelves around here in 165 and up. Heres a two shot group i did today in the photo.

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[ArcherAdam]

Great question. I know many say game as large as moose has been successfully shot with the corelokt. My only experience is whitetails from 20 to close to 200 yards. I used to shoot the 150 psp out of my 30-06 and it has been the most accurate out of my gun even compared to handloads. Deer and antelope are right for the corelokt. Elk and larger for many will require a different bullet and I am in that camp.

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[menhaden_man]

I’ve killed maybe 20 deer with Remington ammo a while ago, but there are much better options out there. Check out the Hornady precision hunter and federal blue box stuff.

 

[OXN939]

So i bought 2 Browning Hells Canyons in 308 win last year. One for me and one for my wife. I did initial scope sighting in with Remington Core Lokt in 150 grain at 100 yards. Both guns shot very well and groups were sub moa. We have both shot deer and hogs with success and most shots being no more than 150 yards. I have currently immersed myself into learning more about longer shots, bullet grains and what it takes to make successful kills at longer ranges. I guess my question at this point is Remington Core Lokt a good ammo choice at longer ranges? Both these rifles like 150 grain it seems and Remington is something i can walk into any store where i live and get at anytime. Hornady i have noticed is usually only on the shelves around here in 165 and up. Heres a two shot group i did today in the photo.

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Standard Core Lokts will definitely kill deer, but being an unbonded lead core bullet, will also fragment badly. You may have noticed a lot of bloodshot meat around the wound channels; that's because this is what you have in your meat. Also, a lot of people experience jacket separation with Core Lokts, which is almost as bad as a bullet failing to expand completely. A bonded lead round like Accubonds or a copper monolithic like Barnes TTSX will retain weight better and improve or solve those problems respectively. It's also nice to avoid eating dust from a toxic substance.

 

[Runningwater]

Depends what you mean by longer ranges. I had a lot of success with core locs for a lot of years in my 3006 and 3030. In a 308 if your rifle likes them I wouldn't be afraid to stick with them. I think a lot of the failures in core locs come from pushing them too fast - something that generally won't be happening in your 308. That said there are a lot of great options out there. Good luck!

 

[Anello]

Echo the post above. I've had a lot of success over the years with core loct's. The issue with that bullet design appears to be that you just cant push em too fast. My old 30-06 shot them very, very well, and I had a few kill shots in the 300 yard range with the heavier models. My 35 Whelen loves core locts for some reason. Shoots 250 grainers inside an inch all day. Absolute Thumper. That does not address your longer range question, but I would be quite comfortable with that bullet at .308 velocities if it shoots that well, given my experience with the bullet.

 

[realunlucky]

Guess it depends what you define as "long range" heavier bullets typically hold an advantage at longer ranges.

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[Lastnline75]

I actually have noticed this. I shot a hog last week at my deer lease with Hornady Eldx out of my Ridgeline and the wound was significantly different.

Standard Core Lokts will definitely kill deer, but being an unbonded lead core bullet, will also fragment badly. You may have noticed a lot of bloodshot meat around the wound channels; that's because this is what you have in your meat. Also, a lot of people experience jacket separation with Core Lokts, which is almost as bad as a bullet failing to expand completely. A bonded lead round like Accubonds or a copper monolithic like Barnes TTSX will retain weight better and improve or solve those problems respectively. It's also nice to avoid eating dust from a toxic substance.

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[Lastnline75]

Thanks for everyones responses.

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[Julius K]

Definitely better long range options. But, I have seen a whole lot of deer, 4 moose, and a couple black bears shot between 10-280 yards with 150 sp corelokt out of 308 and 3006. None the animals complained about the bullets super low bc.

 

[Silvereagle50]

I shot a Rem 700 in 30-06 for 30 years using Rem Cor-loc 150gr exclusively. Killed a lot of critters with them, but mostly Oklahoma white tails from 10-200 yards. . So they do work.

That being said, I don’t think of it as long range till well after 2-300 yards. For shots further than 500+ yards, I’d think you need ammunition that is consistent.
I tested a box of Rem cor-loc 100gr in 243 one day just to see what kinda MV it gave. With about 15 shots out of that one box, I got a spread of 95fps difference from the highest to lowest.
I don’t think that would make for a good ammo choice for long range.


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[Lastnline75]

And that is exactly what i am wondering about. Since my wife bought me a Ca Ridgeline for my birthday in May i have really been thinking on ammo choices and how they affect shot placement at longer yardages. The Hells Canyons havent been something i have shot a ton of different ammo thru just due to local availability hence useing the Core Lokts so far in them. Guess its time to buy some different brands and put the time in on the range. I have alot to learn still...lol.

I shot a Rem 700 in 30-06 for 30 years using Rem Cor-loc 150gr exclusively. Killed a lot of critters with them, but mostly Oklahoma white tails from 10-200 yards. . So they do work.

That being said, I don’t think of it as long range till well after 2-300 yards. For shots further than 500+ yards, I’d think you need ammunition that is consistent.
I tested a box of Rem cor-loc 100gr in 243 one day just to see what kinda MV it gave. With about 15 shots out of that one box, I got a spread of 95fps difference from the highest to lowest.
I don’t think that would make for a good ammo choice for long range.


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[gbflyer]

I never shot a hog. On deer, your 150gr RCL out of your .308 is just fine for any normal hunting range which I would consider to be 350-400. I’ve used them for years on everything from brown bear out of .338WM down to coyote with .243. No complaints.

Personally I have experienced that the high BC bullets do not come into their own until they pass 700 yards but I’m sure others have had differing experience. I can use the same 140gr load with my 6.5, Nosler partition and Nosler CC, without dialing elevation, to 600. That’s far enough for me.

 

[hodgeman]

There are better bullets out there. But I've got one rifle that shoots the .308 150gr into cloverleaf groups and it's pretty tough to reinvent the wheel when I can buy those all day long for less than the cost of components to tinker. I don't think B.C. comes into play until past 500-600 yards and bonding doesn't do much until you cross 2800fps MV. If your goals are under both of those parameters, I be hard pressed to mess with it.

I killed a lot of deer with the .308 and Core Lokt bullets.I also shot my nicest caribou with that rifle...a big bodied bull at 300 and change. What works, works.

 

[Silvereagle50]

There are better bullets out there. But I've got one rifle that shoots the .308 150gr into cloverleaf groups and it's pretty tough to reinvent the wheel when I can buy those all day long for less than the cost of components to tinker. I don't think B.C. comes into play until past 500-600 yards and bonding doesn't do much until you cross 2800fps MV. If your goals are under both of those parameters, I be hard pressed to mess with it.

I killed a lot of deer with the .308 and Core Lokt bullets.I also shot my nicest caribou with that rifle...a big bodied bull at 300 and change. What works, works.

Thanks hodge. You hit my point with more specifics. I don’t know enough about it all to say at what point in fps/mv and max distance. But I figured that bullet has a max for both.


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[TREE ‘EM]

CoreLokt bullets haven't changed in decades because they work.

My first bolt rifle was a Remington 788 .308 that shot 150 grain corelokts into tiny little groups. That combo killed tons of game from woodchucks to black bear at ranges from point blank to 600+ yards. The bullets fragmented significantly on bear shot out of a tree at just a few feet but they fell out stone dead so I believe they worked ok. Woodchucks shot at long range felt like a bag of jello when recovered so I'd say there was still some viable expansion left in them at longer ranges.

Yes there are better long range options out there for match shooting and tougher bullets for penetration if you need it. CoreLokts will work for the vast majority of hunting scenarios you'll find in the lower 48. I've seen a few elk and a moose killed with 150 CoreLokts too with no drama.

Hunting is enhanced when you KNOW where your bullet is going to strike.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Like others said, what do you consider "long range"?

Using published numbers (assuming you get them in your rifles), the bullet will hit 1800 fps at 422/423 yards (not taking into account environmentals).

Lots of better choices if you want to extend your effective hunting range with the 308. Before dropping money on additional ammo to try, look at what you want to accomplish and start looking for commercial ammo that will meet your requirements. Lots of free online ballistic calculators available. Then once you have some candidates, then buy those.

 

[Rich M]

There is always something "better". It all depends on what you want to do - the Core Locts will do the job inside 500 yards. They shoot good, why spend the time & money chasing greener pastures?

Ask yourself what you want to get out of this and how far you really want to shoot. 500 yards is a long ways and 150 CL ammo can easily be ordered online. 165 isn't bad either but you've got great results with 150.

It is fun to chase better bullets and do it myself. Federal blue box ammo shoots about as good as any of my hand loads, and is cheaper to boot. LOL! In the process of working up Nosler Partition and Sierra Pro Hunters loads for my 243. Will use the blue box as a constant as they shoot roughly 1 inch at 120 yds. Anyway - I put a blue box round into a muley's shoulder at 220 yds last fall and he stayed on 3 legs til taking no. 2 behind the shoulder. Tough deer. Anyway, don't want that to happen again, looking for a little more penetration. Have tried about 5 diff bullets and these two shot the best out of my rifle. NPs will do everything I ask and the PHs shoot the best, but only edged the blue box out by 1/4 inch or and 200 fps. Crazy.