hi
what is your opinion about feral fusion 3006 in 180 gr för moose hunting?
regards
yes

i read an article somewhere that these are designed as deer bullets.

If it were me I would look at the Federal Vital Shok and use a premium bullet such as the Noslers, Accubond, TSX, etc.

The 3006 is on the lower end of rifles I would consider for a moose sized animal and quality bullets are a must IMHO.

quote:

Originally posted by yes:
hi
what is your opinion about feral fusion 3006 in 180 gr för moose hunting?
regards
yes

Fusion is way too soft, great for Deer, but not for Moose.

hi
thanks for replies.
then i'll use them on råbocks instead of moose. i boght a box of rem 180 swift safari grade för comming moose hunting.
regards
yes

Adult moose, no way, I'd go with premiums, but if calf is the only thing on the menu, I'd have no problem using fusions.

I just bought some .300 win mag fusions today for plinking and they say on the back that they are designed for hunting deer type game. Just my 2 cents! K2

I dug up this old thread after an extensive search on these forums.
Any updated opinions? These Federal Fusions are available to us now and seem a realistic alternative.
How do they compare in terms of accuracy and terminal perfomance to Sierra Gamekings, Nosler BTs, Hornady Interlocks, etc?
i.e, they are in the same price range.
Particularly 180 gr .30 caliber bullets.
My rifle: 300 WSM with 23" barrel. IMR 4350 powder.
Kudu sized animals and down. (I don't need a premium grade bullet.)
Thanks

I found this thread because I remember the late gun writer Greg Rodriguez testing the Fusion in Africa. He posts about it here.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com...php/topics/3967149/1

Fusions are deer bullets, moose need a premium or super premium.I like Nosler partition and accubonds on elk and Moose..

I don't think the latest poster is after moose. He is asking about plains game Kudu and smaller.

I would love to hunt moose one
day! (Elk, Dall sheep too...)
My question is specifically about comparing Fusions to Gamekings, Ballistic Tips, Interlocks and the like.
I get the idea that they are slightly tougher than the above and should be as accurate.
Thanks for the link, Scott, and it was useful.
All bullets are expensive for us, but these are at the lower end of the scale.

Fusions are comparable or better than the bullets you listed. They are bonded and they tend to be very accurate.

Very accurate out of my 7mm-08 & .30-30. I haven't tried them in other calibers (yet)

they gotta be right in there with game kings at the least, and probably as good as the interlock.
I basically judge cup and core bullets against the interlock.
once you go past them your into the more specialty type bullets and of course the price follows.

I have no idea how big a Kudu is [shrug] so I can't compare it to anything I would know.
300 lbs? any of the C&C's would work fine
500? your probably pushing it.
700? i'd look at something else, the bones [even the rib bones] are getting big enough to cause penetration problems with the softer jacket and core a C&C uses.

quote:

Originally posted by Lamar:
they gotta be right in there with game kings at the least, and probably as good as the interlock.
I basically judge cup and core bullets against the interlock.
once you go past them your into the more specialty type bullets and of course the price follows.

I have no idea how big a Kudu is [shrug] so I can't compare it to anything I would know.
300 lbs? any of the C&C's would work fine
500? your probably pushing it.
700? i'd look at something else, the bones [even the rib bones] are getting big enough to cause penetration problems with the softer jacket and core a C&C uses.

A Kudu is about 500 lb, they look bigger than they are because they are so tall, but not all that thick bodied, and quite "thin skinned", so Rapid expansion bullets (like Fusion or C & C work well.

BUT, tangle with a Wildebeest or Eland, and you will want a bullet that gives deeper penetration.

Offhand, I can't name a .30 caliber 180 grain bullet (other than perhaps a target-type or FMJ) that I wouldn't use on moose (or kudu). Any of them will make it to the vitals even if through the thickest part of the shoulders. Now, if you're aiming for the left shoulder through the right ham, that's a different story and any bullet you choose may not result in an animal reduced to possession.

I killed a kudu in June with a borrowed .270 shooting plain old leader-grade Hornady American Whitetail ammunition with 140 grain bullets. One shot and he piled up. Oh yeah, nearly forgot: I also took blue wildebeest with the same ammunition, and my hunting partner downed two Hartmann Zebras, a black wildebeest, and an oryx with the same thing. I think the two 800 lb. Hartman's took three shots between them.

There is one caveat to using ordinary cup-and-core bullets for larger game however: Don't use them in areas where the game may have access to internet and broadband! They will have been reading internet advice on firearms and will realize that they can't be killed with ordinary guns and bullets like in the past.

PG comes in various sizes, so I suggest a Nosler partition, or BarnesX, an Eland can pack off a lot of lead as can a Sable or a Wildebeast..

the fusion might work on a broadside shot carefully placed but then maybe a 222 could handle that at close range..

Lets not make a big game bullet for the big stuff out of the fusion, its just not designed for that according to the maker, its a deer bullet for animals probably under 200 lbs..that's what it is.

We have a cornucopia of great premium bullets for big heavy animals, and they work on smaller antelope as well, why then do we even consider a thin jacketed bullet for such, but some do invariably..

BTW Stonecreek Ive used enough Hornady bullets to not classify them in the cup and core clan..The Interlock has been working like a charm for more years than most of you have lived..

Thanks for all the input. No doubt better bullets work better where needed.
My application is largely for 300 lb kudu cows and black wildebeest (small but tough), and then down to blesbuck and smaller.
I have used my beloved 270 with 140 gr Accubonds for twenty years for much the same purpose, but to be honest it does lack a bit of punch for the bigger animals.
My question has largely been answered in that the Fusion is at least the equal, if not superior in construction than the equivalents mentioned. Accurate enough too.
I shoot a lot, so the reasonable price is appealing too.

what it boils down to is if your comfortable with them.
it doesn't take long for a bullet to prove itself and it's shortcomings in the field.

at the minimum I'd shoot a few against what I know in some sort of media and compare the results.
it might cost 5-6 bucks but it could save some extra time and work [or embarrassment] in the field.

Federal lists them as medium game bullet. Elk and moose probably not medium game. Id go H or a frame constructed bullet. Or monometal like barnes TTSX

quote:

Originally posted by yes:
hi
what is your opinion about feral fusion 3006 in 180 gr för moose hunting?
regards
yes

The .30-06 loaded with 180-grain Nosler Partition is widely used in Alaska along the .300WM. You can also use a lighter and tougher bullet such as a 165-grain Barnes TTSX.

The Federal Trophy Copper posted above sounds like a great big game hunting bullet, too.

One of my hunting buddies use 180 grain Fusion in 308win.

He has shot quite a few moose with them and some big ones as well. Excellent so far, and from what I see they work similar to the Norma Oryx. Wide expansion and more retained weight than plain cc bullets.

I use the 165 for whitetail and its a DRT kinda experience for me. Id love to try a 180 on a moose! haven't been lucky enough to pull a tag yet!

I just picked up some of these 180gr Fusion for the .30-06. Can't wait to try them out! I have a couple of wild boar that would be good test media

the fact that one gets drt with fusions is your first clue its a tad too light for larger animals..A tougher bullet normally expands less and penetrates more, all things equal, and you will find the shot animal makes a 30 to 50 yard run or better, but leaves a good blood trail and destroys less etable meat..I like the tougher bullet for that very reason..

Wildebeast are tough animals that stress most bullets, Kudu are much softer and die easy as a rule.

Well here is my Fusion story...

In 2008, I was fortunate enough to draw a Henry Mountains Bison tag. This is one of the few free range hunts for Bison in North America. Very rough country, but one of the best hunts that I have ever been on.

On this hunt I actually took a back up rifle as this was hunt was fairly remote and I thought it might be a good idea. On the first day of the hunt, I was in some slick shale rock and slipped. I smashed my rifle on the rocks and my gun was out of commission.

Well, my back up gun was a 7mm Short that my dad had won at a hunting banquet. Yes, it was not a very common caliber and all that I had was some 150 or 160 grain Federal Fusions. I was a little unsure as to how they would work.

On day 6 of the hunt I finally had my chance as we found a small herd of bison. I believe they were about 150 away from us. My first shot through the lungs slowed it down as it tried to keep up with the herd. I shot again and hit about an inch from where I placed the first shot. It immediately dropped and was dead by the time I walked up to it. The bullet performed perfectly in my opinion.

But, I am no bullet expert. I have used these bullets in the past on deer and elk. I believe that they work well. Are they my favorite bullet? No

Thanks Jason
I resurrected the thread and since then have taken a number of animals with the 180 Federal Fusions.
A big kudu bull facing me, shot in the chest, did not go far. (Bullet lost in guts.) A number of warthog and a bushpig, non of which offered much resistance.
A blesbuck (whitetail sized) required two shots because the first was poorly placed. The second shot was in the hip and found on the far shoulder with 73% retention.
Fair performance.
From deduction of all that I have researched the Federal Fusion bullet is about mid-way between the traditional cup-and-core (Hornady Interlock, etc.) bullets and the bonded bullets starting with Accubonds.
If so, then it certainly has a niche in hunting.
It would not be my first choice for big kudu bulls, but the point is that a big kudu bull is the biggest game it will take and then relatively few of them.

Karoo:

I think that it would be great for plains game (I have limited experience, 3 trips) and would feel very
confident with it.

The ammo IMO has a "niche" like you say. I think it is very reasonably priced as well. I have used in the
following calibers: 30-06, .300 Win, 7mm Short, and R.280.

On a side note, the reason I bought the 7mm short was that a local store here in Utah was selling some on
clearance for $9.99 a box! I asked the clerk why it was so cheap and he said they could not sell due to
the uncommon caliber. We bought all that they had! I NEVER find good deals like that on ammo but wish
I could!

The Federal Fusion and the Speer Gold Dot Bonded are basically one and the same. To think an appropriately-placed projectile like the Fusion or Speer GD-B wouldn't work on plains game is laughable.

The hog below fell to the 120 grain Gold Dot Bonded fired from a 6.5x.225 IMP Van Horn Special. In my current loading with Hodgdon CFE223, that Speer bullet is moving out at 2615 fps MV. It took the 142 yard target just where I had hoped, penetrating the left-frontal portion of the chest, separating the heart from its plumbing, heavily damaging the lungs, nicking the liver and then skidding along and breaking three ribs on the right side before coming to rest. The path of destruction was wide, and the chest was filled with blood.

The hog dropped on the spot despite no CNS impact.

Impressively, the recovered bullet weighs 112.5.








This bruiser fell to a 150 grain GD-B/Blackout bullet fired from a 30-30; MV was 2469 fps. Range was 170 yards. Again, terminal performance was exceptional.

The 150 grain Speer Gold Dot Bonded Blackout bullet took the bruiser through the chest, penetrating 2 layers of 1.25" cartilage shield and heavily damaging the lungs in the process. The impact was through the scapula and a rib, exiting through a rib on the opposite side and stopping just under the hide on the far side. At the shot, the hog staggered, whirled and made 38-40 yards before tipping over.

The recovered bullet weighed 140.5 grains.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:

BTW Stonecreek Ive used enough Hornady bullets to not classify them in the cup and core clan..The Interlock has been working like a charm for more years than most of you have lived..

Well, I can tell you about a 50 pound shoat that soaked up a Hornady 123 grain SST from a 6.5x30-30 IMP. I was hoping for a double, but the bullet went to pieces on a broadside shot -- and not even one sizable chunk exited.

The lighter 120 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip will out-penetrate that 123 grain Hornady every single time. Just the facts...

Below, from left: 120 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip, 123 grain Hornady SST and 129 grain Nosler Long Range Accubond. The impact speed of each was right at 2300 fps.



Does that mean the 123 grain SST won't work on game? Absolutely not. And here's proof:

Bobby, thanks for the input and the great photos.
Please explain about the Fusions being the same as Speer Gold Dots. Do you mean that they are equivalent or that one has been bought out by the other?

Speer produced the bullets for the Federal Fusion ammo. The Speer techs will tell you that those bullets and the Gold Dot Bonded are of the same design.