Why You Need Premium Bullets for Hunting

Premium Bullets Are Worth It

Are premium hunting bullets worth the extra expense?

Premium bullets just do a better job than low-budget bullets. They offer the hunter three distinct advantages: higher ballistic coefficients, more accuracy, and greater terminal performance on the game.

Low Budget, Low Performance

Budget bullets generally have poor ballistic coefficients (BC), a non-dimensional number that describes the bullet’s ability to retain velocity downrange and resist crosswinds. Typical budget bullet BCs are in the .300–.400 range.

A bullet, regardless of caliber, with a .400 BC will drift almost a foot in a 10 mph crosswind at 400 yards. That’s a lot and can mean the difference between a clean kill and tracking a wounded animal for miles.

In the Beginning

Premium bullets first appeared when John Nosler experienced budget bullet failures on game animals during the 1940s. He vowed to make a better bullet and developed the Nosler Partition.

Bullets up to that time were designed to either expand explosively when they hit an animal or hold together and penetrate deeply. John recognized a bullet must do both for the best results, and his Partition worked.

The soft nose expanded rapidly on contact, which transferred enormous energy to the game, while the tough base drove deep into an animal’s vitals. One must see it in action to fully appreciate Nosler’s genius.

The Way Forward

Since the Partition's introduction, many new designs have been introduced from Nosler, Woodleigh, Swift, Trophy Bonded, Barnes, Sierra, North Fork, Berger, and others.

Each addresses a particular performance envelope and gives hunters bullets tailored to every possible need. Premium bullets are available for every game animal, from woodchucks to the elephant, and range from 10 yards to beyond 1,000.

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Premium Advantages

Premium bullets give the shooter three distinct advantages over budget bullets.

1. Higher Ballistic Coefficient

Premium bullets, such as Nosler’s Accubond or Swift’s Sirocco, have BCs around .480–.720, depending on caliber and weight. They drift up to 60% less than low BC bullets and retain their velocity better. This means greater accuracy and knockdown power at long range.

2. Accuracy

Premium bullets are made with better manufacturing methods and held to much tighter quality standards. This gives them better concentricity, consistent weight, and precise balance. All these factors affect accuracy. Under equal circumstances, a premium bullet will shoot better than a budget bullet.

3. Bonded Cores

Most premium bullets have their lead cores chemically bonded to the outer jacket. This provides controlled expansion, deeper penetration, and greater weight retention than budget bullets. They won't break up if they hit heavy bones or thick muscles.

Closing Thoughts

Are premium bullets worth the money? Absolutely. They fly straighter and farther, and hit harder than budget bullets. Given the costs in hunting today, a few extra cents spent on a high-quality bullet is a small price to pay for meat on the table and antlers on the wall.

More on Premium Hunting Bullets

• Do You Really Need a Premium Hunting Bullet?
  Does the average deer, elk, or moose hunter need expensive premium ammunition loaded with the latest and greatest bullet? Magazine ads say yes; hunters across the world prove them wrong every fall.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2017 LJ Bonham