I am hunting white tail deer. Would you recommend the use of the expensive Grand Slam bullets over the less expensive Hot-Cor?
A. Grand Slam provides a thicker jacket than its Hot-Cor equivalent. It will open just as fast, but will have somewhat deeper penetration. This helps at those times you don’t have a perfect “broadside” shot, where penetration becomes extremely important, even on whitetail deer. It is also a very good feature when hunting whitetail with a Magnum-class cartridge like the 7mm Remington Magnum. The 145 grain Hot-Cor, driven that fast, may show reduced penetration. Going to the tougher Grand Slam will let you take full advantages of the velocity that your choice of the 7mm Mag and a 145 grain bullet offer. Still, the Hot-Cor’s 40 years of success tell you that it remains a potent choice today. If you are shooting a rifle with more modest velocities than a Magnum, or need to watch the budget, Hot-Cor is excellent.
