Core Lokt for Elk?

[HighDesertSage]

What is your experience using Core Lokt bullets on elk? I am talking about the cheaper ones, not the new bonded ones they just came out with. I will be shooting a 300 win mag with a 180 gr slug. My personal limitation is 400 yards. Thoughts?

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

for a cheap bullet,core lokts shoot great,ive ran many boxes of them thru my guns over the years,,,read a bullet comparison article last year and core lokts performed very well vs other "top end" bullets,,bottom line is if they shoot good thru your personal gun and group decent.

 

[LazyV]

I doubt there's a bullet that has killed more elk then a core-lokt. I think there is better ammo out there, but corelokts are up to the task at a much cheaper price.

 

[JCW]

My experience is zero with the Core Lokts on game, but I have always had the opinion that one should never settle with a lesser bullet on game. A fair assumption would be the Average Joe might only shoot 20 shots of quality ammo a year, 10 for sighters and the rest for game if need be, so why not spend a little extra on good bullets such as a Partition, AB, TTSX, etc. If you put a lot of time and money into everything else involved with the trip, you might as well spend and extra 15-20$ on a box of quality shells. Not saying Core Lokts will not work, but why risk it. Plink with the cheap stuff and hunt with the good stuff. My 0.02

 

[blb078]

If you're shooting w/in a couple hundred yards, then they'll work fine. Yea there's better bullets, but there's really no need to get them if you're trying to stay w/in a budget and save as many dollars as you can.

 

[Wapiti23]

I will for sure do the job. I have shot two elk with core-lokts chambered in .270 between 200-350 yards and the bullets did what they were supposed to do. I have also shot 3 elk with it chambered in 7mm ultra mag and again the bullets did great. Very little tracking as long as you can make a well placed shot as for this is key.

 

[Pagosa]

Like anything, any shot in the vitals, spine, or shoulder its game over with a core-lok in a 150 gr bullet and bigger. I even handload some core-loks. Most of the elk I recovered the mushroomed underneath the hide on the exit side. I would buy 40 rds of core-loks and practice.

 

[Lawnboy]

That's all I have ever shot. I'm currently using them in my 270 WSM 130 grain and have shot a bear, bull elk, cow elk, and a dall sheep with that gun. All the others were out of my 30-06 with 165 grains. I too have had nothing but great results. The recovered bullets have all been mushroomed nicely and the ones from this year did fragment a little but swiss cheesed the lungs.

 

[mtmuley]

I've killed a lot of critters with a .30-06 and Core-Lokt bullets. My dad used to buy a box each for my brother and I before every huntimg season. We had to use them to check zero, and hunt the whole season. Deer, elk, antelope, bears whatever. Any leftovers usually were used gopher shooting. (I was a kid, it was fun) They are great bullets in my opinion. mtmuley

 

[IsThisHeaven?]

Last fall I shot pronghorn, whitetail and mule deer with .270 CoreLokt in 130 grains. All 3 times they performed really well. The mule deer was quartering away. The bullet entered toward the back of the rib-cage, went up through the vitals, and lodged in the far shoulder. The mule deer went straight down. I've been reading a lot on bullet performance this summer. Manufacturers are sure making some great bullets and I'm planning on using the best bullet I can, but I wouldn't hesitate to use CoreLokts again. They generally perform well when compared to the more expensive bullet options.

Matt

 

[Elkmagnet]

The ONLY reason I stopped using them is because I don't like the idea of eating lead fragments.

 

[belly-deep]

If you're shooting w/in a couple hundred yards, then they'll work fine.

If you were to run into a problem with CL's in a .300 mag, it would likely be the other way around (shot too close, bullet fragments due to high velocity).

But they should be fine regardless.

 

[Lawnboy]

If you were to run into a problem with CL's in a .300 mag, it would likely be the other way around (shot too close, bullet fragments due to high velocity).
.

That's exactly what I think happened with the ones from this year out of the 270 WSM. that gun really zips them out there and the shot was only 110 yards.

 

[belly-deep]

That's exactly what I think happened with the ones from this year out of the 270 WSM. that gun really zips them out there and the shot was only 110 yards.

What happened?

 

[blb078]

If you were to run into a problem with CL's in a .300 mag, it would likely be the other way around (shot too close, bullet fragments due to high velocity).

But they should be fine regardless.

I've never had an issue w/short distances and 175 grain CL's are all I've ever shot in my 7mm mag, infact I don't think I've shot anything over 100 yards with it.

 

[Redwood]

More critters die via corelok then any other bullet. There are better bullets but you need to make sure factory ammo groups out of your rifle. If you don't reload, test two or three manufactures. Chances are you know someone else that shoots a 300 that you can perform this test and split the cost. Shoot with accuracy, big bulls are hard to find. Get familiar with your gun by shooting lesser ammo. Quality bullets are loaded with higher consistency and should hold groups better. Find a load that groups, then shoot with confidence.

 

[Blacktailbc]

The Core-Lokt is a darn good bullet, especially for the price. If it shoots well in your gun, go with it.

 

[Goldtip]

Until I started handloading, 180gr core lokt's were all that I ever shot out of my 30-06. Bears, deer, elk, antelope all died just fine.

 

[jryoung]

While I think there are "better" choices I'd venture to guess a 180gr 30 cal corelokt has put more elk down for a dirt nap than any other bullet.

 

[Buckmania]

CL's are all that I've used in my 06. They shoot bug holes on paper at 200 and I've killed elk out to 485 with them and scads of deer and some bear with them with no problems whatsoever. I initially tried them in my 25-06 and they were crap, couldn't group and performed horribly on game (had a couple deer run off after behind the shoulder shots as the bullet just zipped right through them). I use Accubonds now in my 25 but still CL's in my 30-06.