220gn 30-06

Got to like those round noses bullet

More of a push than a punch. I’m running them in some old REM 700’s with still the original metal butt plates…manageable, but not for everyone…recommend at least a 1/2 recoil pad to take some of the itch off the shoulder. Benching 200 and 220 will wake you up though but in field conditions don’t really notice…similar to a hot 180. No need for a break in my opinion but I’m already hard of hearing lol.
What's that? Lol yeah me too. Thx I kinda figured it would be that "push". If I can find some at a decent price I think I'll buy em.
 
I would imagine speeds would be slow, say max 2400ft/sec. Pen etration should be awesome but expansion would depend on the bullet. Something like a Barnes, if such is made, would be minimal expansion. Purpose built like that rare woodleigh is probably designed for something like Feral Cattle or Asiatic water Buffalo. That bullet would work best with the resistance of something like those animals, although I doubt an average Bear would utter a word of critique on the performance. Another excellent and bullet would be the 220 partition, the front should open rapidly, with the rear pushing it through for excellent penetration.


The only down side is trajectory. In an area of tight cover or tree stands, this idea would be excellent.

Another use is for defense. I've shot 235grs out of my 375rum, and had some 300gr partitions up the pipe while I'm gutting. Slightly different point of impact, but the 300gr load is for close/ close range.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DGY
The 225's and 200's are the light loads in the 338 wm, it's all about perspective

Something about a heavy round nose bullet in an intermediate chambering, 175 grain 7x57, 196 grain 8x57, 215 grain 303, 220 30-06, 275 338 wm, 286 9.3x62. The cool points alone...

The old timer prospectors and geologists with 30-06s had the 220 gr for close range black and brown bears.

More common were .303s, especially No.5s with heavy for calibre ammo.

Knut Fladmark literally wrote the BC archaeologists guide to field technique, in it he recommends a rifle for bears of "at least 303" caliber. I'm guessing he had 215 grain KKSP's in it.

I've carried 220 SAKO hammerheads in a rem 721 (I know, out of character) while doing forestry assessments in the northern rockies. Bet I wasn't the first to do that...
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: DGY
I would imagine speeds would be slow, say max 2400ft/sec. Pen etration should be awesome but expansion would depend on the bullet. Something like a Barnes, if such is made, would be minimal expansion. Purpose built like that rare woodleigh is probably designed for something like Feral Cattle or Asiatic water Buffalo. That bullet would work best with the resistance of something like those animals, although I doubt an average Bear would utter a word of critique on the performance. Another excellent and bullet would be the 220 partition, the front should open rapidly, with the rear pushing it through for excellent penetration.


The only down side is trajectory. In an area of tight cover or tree stands, this idea would be excellent.

Another use is for defense. I've shot 235grs out of my 375rum, and had some 300gr partitions up the pipe while I'm gutting. Slightly different point of impact, but the 300gr load is for close/ close range.
Back in the days when I felt I should be able to stand the recoil of heavy 220 grn Hornady round nose bullets pushed at 2500fps from a Remington 721 with a custom 24 in bbl, it was actually quite easy to get that velocity with H450, which is a ball powder with a similar burn rate as H4831. You could also get 2500fps with H4831 but the powder column was "crushed" to allow the bullets to be seated deep enough for the mag well in my rifle.

In all honesty, it was brutal to shoot and I developed a flinch with that rifle and load, which was difficult to quell.

I will say, it's amazing how much difference in recoil 100-150 fps makes when it comes to tolerance levels.

I still have a couple of boxes of those bullets somewhere on the shelves but haven't used them for a few decades.

If I'm going to use a 30-06 with heavy bullets, and they're cup and core types, then 200 grain Speer or Norma Oryx seem to work just as well atthe ranges I'm going to use them, from close and personal to 300yds.

One thing I found about the 220 Hornady RN, they were quite frangible and opened up well on Moose even at 200 yds, when started out at 2400-2500fps. They would retain most of their weight and usually penetrate the hide on the far side or get stuck in it.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom