30-06 - What bullet?

The '06 is one of my favorite calibers, and I've probably shot more rounds of '06 than all the others combined. I found that Sierra's 125 gr was very accurate, as was the Speer 130, but the Speer was very distructive. I never had any luck with 110's or for that matter with Remington's 55 gr Accelerator, which resulted in a bad experience when I was called upon to euthanize a poor old dog.

Cheap 150 gr Hornady flat base spire points did yeoman's service for many years, then I convinced myself that shooting 165's would give better results. The 165 gr Hornady boat-tail and the Sierra 165 gr hollow points both worked quite well, but once available the Nosler Ballistic-tips quickly became my favorite in both 150 and 165 gr.

I did quite a bit of shooting with 168 and 200 gr Match Kings, and satisfied myself that the old '06 can hold it's own on the target range despite it's detractors. It was also with these bullets in an '06 that I taught myself about long range shooting.

Then there is the X bullets, and I really tried to like them, but had trouble getting the early ones to shoot well - particularly the 200 gr. I decided on 180 gr. XLC's for bear loads in my wife's rifle, and with the luck I've had with TSX's in my .375 I'll have to try some in the '06.

I really enjoyed shooting cast bullets, and I did quite well with Lyman # 311284 which cast to about 210 grs, and chronographed at 1800 with a load of 25 grs of SR-4759. This proved to be a very good small game load.

I haven't had much luck accuracy wise with jacketed bullets heavier than 200 grs. in the '06. To some degree I guess I adhear to the idea that if I can't do it with a 180 from an '06 it's time to go bigger, but now that I've heard about Woodleigh's .30 caliber 240 gr. Weldcore, I am tempted to try them.

I've found the 06 to be very forgiving with extruded powders, and I've used the old standbys 4064 and 4895, but I've had lots of success with 4831 as well. I haven't had real good luck with Winchester ball powders in the '06, and it pretty much turned me off ball powder in general for all but handgun and straight-wall rifle cartridges.
 
My old standby load for my .30-06 is a 165gr Hornady Spirepoint, 58gr IMR 4350, Federal 210 primers and Federal brass. Many moose, deer, bear and coyotes have fallen to this load with never a problem and only rarely was a second shot even fired let alone needed. So why do I use anything else? Because I can.
 
For bear I have used 200gr partitions with 44grs of IMR4064 and 220gr Win PPs with 48.5grs of Win 760.Worked great.

Lately I have been doing all my big game hunting with 165gr Swift Sciroccos with 48grs of IMR4064 with great success..I came to the realization I dont need the heavy bullets to make a good kill.

I got a pile of bullets/powders from a guy getting out of the reloading game.Of all the bullets i got there was about 400 of the 30 cal Sciroccos in 165gr.
Probably would have never tried them if not for this deal.They perform good on game and I get better accuracy than I did with the partitions.
 
I inherited a .30-06 Husqvarna feather weight from my Dad. I tested quite a number of different bullet weights and found the best accuracy was with 165-180gr, and a slight edge going to 180gr. The two best 180's I tried were Sierra 180gr. SBT & I happen to have a couple hundred Norma SPSPBT 180gr., and they were the best for me. I don't think Norma makes that bullet any longer so when I use what I have:( , I'll use the Sierra's. My load is, Norma brass, CCI 200 primers, 56gr's of IMR 4350 & 180gr Norma SPSPBT's for 2800 f/sec.:)
 
Between my sons and I we have four 30-06s.180 Partions didn't shoot in my M-700,odd everything else has shot well or better in that rifle.I use 180 Interbonds for moose and 180 SSTs for deer.The SSTs shoot very well in everyone of the 30-06s. For just range work,I use a starting load of IMR-4350 under 165 BTSP Hornadys.
 
My 700BDL shoots 180gr baltips{deer} or ABs{bigger game} equally accurate over 57.5gr H4350 WW brass and primers. 24" tube chronied @ 2800fps, sub MOA rifle.RB
 
Target: 168gr SIerra Match King

Deer: 165gr Sierra Game King

Moose: 165gr Barnes TSX

All these bullets over 59-60gr of H4350. All are very accurate in my T3 and speed is over 2900fps.

No need to readjust sighting.
 
Jimbo69 said:
All these bullets over 59-60gr of H4350. All are very accurate in my T3 and speed is over 2900fps.
Click to expand...

It should be noted that this load is 1 - 4 grains over maximum in the 5 manuals I just checked. While it may be safe in your rifle it may damage someone elses.
 
I use to load the old 165 gr Nosler Spits for the old Sako 30 06. They were great. The load changed when I moved to the 165 Ballistic Tips. That rifle is long gone now.

So now the new 30 06 is still in the load development stage. It's most likely going to be my fathers primary rifle for a big hunt this fall. Elk/moose/caribou will be the game. I'm looking at picking up a couple of boxes of 168 gr TSX or try and settle on a load with the two boxes of 200 gr Accubonds I already have.
 
Boomer said:
The '06 is one of my favorite calibers

Cheap 150 gr Hornady flat base spire points did yeoman's service for many years,

.
Click to expand...

X2, I started with the 150 grain hornady spire points and worked up a hunting load with IMR 4320 about 30 years ago. I have used these bullets and loads for deer, moose, bear, and coyotes in a Brno 30/06, a commercial mauser in 30/06, and a remington 700 adl and they have been accurate and effective. They will shoot through a moose at 15 yards and will be found on the off side just under the hide fully expanded, same as through a moose broadside at 150 yards.
Bear and deer just fold up when these bullets go through the heart / lung area and they do leave a 1/2 inch hole on the off side of a deer. I have yet to have to use a second shot or track with these bullets.
It may be a diferent story at 300 win mag velocities.
 
Hi Boo,

Here's a link from Hodgdon at 59gr of H4350
hxxp://www.hodgdon.com/data/rifle/30-06.php

And another from Steve's reloading website at 60gr of H4350 for 165-168 gr bullet. hxxp://www.again.net/~steve/308_8_165.html

I agree these are on the hot side. I started slowly.

No pressure sings in my T3 and my Mossy 100ATR.

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Jimbo69 said:
Target: 168gr SIerra Match King

Deer: 165gr Sierra Game King

Moose: 165gr Barnes TSX

All these bullets over 59-60gr of H4350. All are very accurate in my T3 and speed is over 2900fps.

No need to readjust sighting.
Click to expand...


why the GK for deer? your TSX will do a fine job with FAR less meat damage (those GK's are explosive peices of ####)
 
Probably taken a dozen or more deer with 165 gr. bullets from my 7600 Rem carbine. Mostly with Speer Grand Slams, Rem Core-Lokt and a few with Nosler Balistic-Tips. Have killed twice as many last few years with 7m/m's, .280 and 7m/m Mag Remingtons. If could only have one calibre I'd still go with the .30-06 and 165gr. bullets.
Geoff in Victoria.
 
Amphibious said:
why the GK for deer? your TSX will do a fine job with FAR less meat damage (those GK's are explosive peices of s**t)
Click to expand...

Strange, I tough ballistic tips were the explosive piece of s**t

I just discovered how well the TSX performed last year. It's very accurate but it's a tough indestructible bullet. Not sure it will open on deer like they advertise.

Never could get accuracy (MOA or less) with hornadys SST or interbonds. It was a choice between ballistic tip and SGK. I was shooting the SMK at the range so i choose the SGK.

Maybe i'll give a try to TSX this year or wait for a 165gr accubond. I just contacted Nosler to ask why no 165gr accubond.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom