Federal Fusion for 300-500 yards (2024)

My .30 06 and .308 both do really well with the Federal Fusion. Anyone have experience with it on game 300-500 yards? I wonder if it will reliably expand at longer distances. I’ve found it to hold together well and expand nicely under 100 yards. Minimum velocity for terminal performance is 1900 FPS.

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I have used the 150 gr federal fusions for years and have killed anything from pigs, whitetail,mule deer ,elk and bear. They have always killed with no issues. The only long distance kills I have had are on whitetail out to 400 yards. Performed flawless at that distance for me

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It's a pretty underrated bullet I feel. If that's what shoots good in your gun and you're confident in it I say let it rip. Likely perform better then some of these modern day "long range" bullets at the ranges you are talking about

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100 yard 4 shot group

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Fusion is the better constructed bullet, a bonded core. Super X is the Power Point which is a fast expanding cup and core bullet. Both have low BC's so you're going to be velocity limited down range.

Look up the specs and velocity at the range you want to hit the animal. With the Winchester velocity thresholds for expansion of their bullets, use that for your guide.

General RE LEE said:

My .30 06 and .308 both do really well with the Federal Fusion. Anyone have experience with it on game 300-500 yards? I wonder if it will reliably expand at longer distances. I’ve found it to hold together well and expand nicely under 100 yards. Minimum velocity for terminal performance is 1900 FPS.

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If you are setting 1,900 fps as the minimum threshold, it would make sense to actually chrono the chosen load out of your rifle and also account for altitude. If there is no access to a chrono, maybe use 2,000 fps as the min at factory velocity to be safe. Federal has a simple calculator you can use for their loads, but accurate data will be key if you are looking to stretch that load towards 500. Personally, I chrono mine and still use 2,000 fps to set my max range as I like a little cushion.

35WhelenAI said:

If you're shooting 180 gr power points from the '06, velocity has fallen to 2000 fps at 300 yards. I wouldn't shoot them past 350. 180 gr Fusion has a better bc, carry's 2000 fps to 400 yds, could stretch them out to 450 yds.

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I should have clarified. Shooting 150 grain which is plenty for deer and sheep here

bojangles808 said:

I should have clarified. Shooting 150 grain which is plenty for deer and sheep here

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Thanks for that, I have elk on the menu in Colorado and should've looked at where you are from and realized they won't be on your menu, lol.

Same thing holds true from my point of view, Fusion is going to have a better ballistic coefficient however the increased velocity of the 150 grain bullets in general may allow the PP to fill the bill. From the maximum range you're gonna hunt, look at the tables and see if it carries enough velocity to open at the desired range. Then you would have two good choices. However if a shorter range encounter is possible, the fusion would be my choice simply because it won't shed into pieces upon impact and give more reliable penetration and less meat damage.

35WhelenAI said:

Thanks for that, I have elk on the menu in Colorado and should've looked at where you are from and realized they won't be on your menu, lol.

Same thing holds true from my point of view, Fusion is going to have a better ballistic coefficient however the increased velocity of the 150 grain bullets in general may allow the PP to fill the bill. From the maximum range you're gonna hunt, look at the tables and see if it carries enough velocity to open at the desired range. Then you would have two good choices. However if a shorter range encounter is possible, the fusion would be my choice simply because it won't shed into pieces upon impact and give more reliable penetration and less meat damage.

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thx Im a pretty big kook when it comes to all this bullet stuff. what minimum fps would you say for deer looking at the tables? im usually able to get inside 200 but i got access to a new area and i may need to stretch things out as its a pretty tough zone to hunt.

I took a quick look at the 150 grain PowerPoint ballistics, it carries 2000 FPS to 300 yds, no better than the 180 gr PowerPoint. 350 yds is where I would draw the line. That's because it's an even lower ballistic coefficient with the 150 vs 189, despite higher muzzle velocity.

Fusion 150 gr carries 2000 fps to 430 yds, and falls to 1900 fps at 480yds. Being it is a controlled expansion bullet I would make that my outer limit as they tend to take a bit more velocity to initiate reliable expansion.

the couple i can recall off hand beyond 300

watched my buddy make a nice, tight, 3 shot group right in the pocket on a 5pt roosie, one exited, the off side hide caught the other 2, both expanded perfect, like they do closer... distance was 383yds, bull stood dazed, then face planted (.308)

other one was a lion i shot at 497yds, which are soft, and the exit was fairly large, so i assume it also expanded well (150gr) i didn't hit anything but ribs in and out, so that's a good sign it still made a large exit... it was DRT with a high double lung

According to a guy (X-man) who tested the hell out of these bullets (in a 6.8 SPC) they expand BETTER than about anything out there-- ESPECIALLY at longer ranges. But they are bonded, so they stay together and push through and usually exit (keeping 95%+ weight retention). So you get a blood trail (but I've not needed one yet). They work great (and expand wide) at both short range and long range. Few bullets do this.

I'd have zero concern out to 500 yards out of a gun that can keep the energy up. I consider them a "poor man's" Partition. I took my 140g Gold Dot (in my 260ai) out to 360 yards (ranged) on a neck shot this last year-- so ya' they are accurate too That buck (up in my avitar) is the buck that bullet killed BTW.

But being a pig hunter I LOVE that same 115g Gold Dot that X-man tested in my 6.8 SPC. It dropped three pigs in about 10 seconds last spring down in TX on my family's land (red dot heaven that night). 250 lb sow (lung shot) ran 40 yards and dropped like stone. Two smaller (120 lb) pigs dropped on the spot. Best pig hunt of my life! (and I've been on many). All pigs had 1/2" holes on the fare side exit- VERY little meat loss.

Problem is finding the "gold dot" bullets (reloaders' version of the fusion) lately... and of you do- the price has almost doubled. Still... cheaper THAN Partitions though.