Federal Fusion "Bonded" bullets

**Toxxyc** · 03-10-2019, 06:39

Originally Posted by Messor

Those bullets in 308 only comes in packs of 50, hence my original question.

Regardless, it puts them on par with the Norma Oryx, which usually runs at about 1K for 100, both bonded.
I would use either with confidence.

Yeah they're about the same price. I saw them marked as R500 for 100 as well and even saw the product on their site, but it must have been a mistake. Eh.

Anyway, I'd actually like to test the Federal bullets. The design is slightly different, as I have it the Norma is a soft-point flatbase, where the fusion 180 has a boat tail design. It aids the BC greatly, pushing it up to .483, which is everything but terrible for a soft-nose bonded hunting bullet.

**Messor** · 03-10-2019, 07:45

Originally Posted by Toxxyc

The design is slightly different, as I have it the Norma is a soft-point flatbase, where the fusion 180 has a boat tail design. It aids the BC greatly, pushing it up to .483, which is everything but terrible for a soft-nose bonded hunting bullet.

I'll bet you Bill Gates's fortune it won't be that high, then it would have a higher BC than that of the 180SST, which have the sharp polymer tip designed to increase BC.

I suspect that is only a thumb sucked BC, from people that knows it ain't really a bullet designed to be used with a ballistic calculator. It's a good old plain and simple hunting bullet, hence many people won't use it if the real BC is stated, a real hunting bullet must have a BC of .6, and be able to take game at 1000yards these days.

You know, internet wisdom vs real hunting experience.

**Toxxyc** · 03-10-2019, 07:58

Originally Posted by Messor

You know, internet wisdom

Oh for sure, which is why I want to test or see real-world tests of it. Seeing that BC number got me all tingly in the nether regions because if the bullets are accurate enough, they'll make better range bullets than most range bullets in the .30-caliber range.

Even if it's very "meh", both the Oryx and the Fusion is cheaper than local offerings I've seen of law (Claw, Rhino), and I know how well the Oryx works. Like you said, it's a good old plain hunting bullet. Would just love to see where the get those numbers.

**New** · 01-02-2021, 10:06

Necro Post.

Anyone with more experience with this ammo? I used a 308 165 gr on a Impala Ram in Jun 2020. I kwessed it. First in a while. Felt horrible.

There was not much blood so I really do not know where I hit it. (Was going for the engine room). It was racing around like a thoroughbred stallion for the split second we saw it again after spending the whole day trying to track it. Could not get another shot in and never found it again...

I had this nagging feeling that the bullet acted like a solid point and went straight through. So have returned to cup n core for now, but got a real special price on 150gr Fusions so I bought them. Want to go test it but I still have this nagging in the back of my mind on the bullet's performance. (Although my selfish old brain is probably only trying to look for an excuses for a badly placed shot).

**TStone** · 01-02-2021, 10:57

Originally Posted by New

I had this nagging feeling that the bullet acted like a solid point and went straight through.

At normal hunting ranges, say <400m, this is highly unlikely. Federal Fusion might be bonded but it is not a very a strongly constructed bullet. In my limited experience with them, factory load in various calibers, they are actually quite soft.
The problem with not recovering the wounded animal, apart from the trauma to the animal and your conscience beating you up, is that there is no way you can ever know what went wrong.

**Toxxyc** · 01-02-2021, 11:02

I shoot them. I haven't hunted anything with it, but it's pretty much identical to the Norma Oryx. Oryx have taken plenty of animals.

If there's one thing I learned from bonded bullets in my time is that they don't mind speed. I'd go for a 150gr in the .308. Impact speed helps it to open up.

As a PS: No expansion makes up for a bad shot. If you hit the animal with a good heart/lung shot, even a military FMJ will make it go down. Chances are you messed up the shot. Big-up for admitting it, and learn from it.

I wounded my first animal two years ago. I haven't taken a shot at an animal since. It still haunts me and I know EXACTLY what I did wrong. I shot from above, aimed too low on a warthog looking straight at me. I shot from the back of a bakkie 10 minutes before sunset, and aimed for the "kuiltjie". When I squeezed the trigger he dipped his head and instead of hitting him in the middle of the chest I hit him full on the snout, from above, blowing off his lower jaw. It was a rookie mistake that I will not make again. We tracked him (easy pickings, lots of blood) to a fence where he climbed under and disappeared into a neighbor's land.

**New** · 01-02-2021, 12:51

Thank you Toxxy and Tstone. Much appreciated. Will give the 150's a go!

**afzals1** · 01-02-2021, 13:12

Originally Posted by New

Necro Post.

Anyone with more experience with this ammo? I used a 308 165 gr on a Impala Ram in Jun 2020. I kwessed it. First in a while. Felt horrible.

There was not much blood so I really do not know where I hit it. (Was going for the engine room). It was racing around like a thoroughbred stallion for the split second we saw it again after spending the whole day trying to track it. Could not get another shot in and never found it again...

I had this nagging feeling that the bullet acted like a solid point and went straight through. So have returned to cup n core for now, but got a real special price on 150gr Fusions so I bought them. Want to go test it but I still have this nagging in the back of my mind on the bullet's performance. (Although my selfish old brain is probably only trying to look for an excuses for a badly placed shot).

Funny this came up

This weekend we took my kids out onto a farm we do our hunting on to give them a reset. Wasn’t going to hunt but if we got an opportunity we would take something.

Gun was sighted and tested and we spent some extra time on the range so the boys could get trigger time in.

We find a decent herd of impala after a hard day of walking and stalking and get onto a clear shot, impact is front shoulder centered, ram bucks up drops and hits the ground tries to get up and hobbles a bit, PH calls it and we have a quick chat before going in. Shot is about 70m 308 steyr pro hunter 180gr federal fusion. Get to where w saw the animal initially fall to track and it’s gone, no blood no limp no nothing to use. Get the dogs in and do a 6km radius sweep and nothing.

Farm manager says he has seen federal fail too often and PH is convinced the shot was good as he saw it through binoculars.

Leaves me doubting what happened

**MariusT** · 01-02-2021, 14:17

My experience with them is limited to 3 springbuck shot with 150gr federal fusion factory ammo out of the 30-06. The published MV for these is 2930fps. Two were frontal chest shots quarting slightly towards me. One was broadside behind the shoulder. None of the bullets could be recovered and they left a lot of jacket petals and lead behind. All 3 fell on the spot and had a lot of meat damage which was to be expected. What concerns me is that they broke up like that on springbuck which are not particularly tough animals. All shots were around the 150m mark IIRC.

**Toxxyc** · 01-02-2021, 15:15

Makes me question the use of these in my .30-06, MariusT. If they're as soft as you say, and what TStone says, I'm not sure sure anymore. Yes, I shoot the 180s, but at 2,730 they're still going fast.