30-06 with 170gr FP horn

[Fox]

The Hornady manual lists the 170 grain flat point interlock bullet with a muzzle velocity range of 2000 to 2500 fps.

These bullets at 2600 fps held together when recovered from the dirt berm behind the targets at the range. And the two deer I shot with them dropped quickly and these bullets held together.

And 100 fps above the bullets optimum velocity range will not cause the bullet to blowup and fragment. In fact the 150 grain Hornady spire points did more meat damage than the 170 grain FP in a 30-06.

Hornady interlock bullets hold together very well and I have never had one seperate the lead core from its copper jacket and disintegrate.

What velocity were you running that 150gr spire point? You cannot compare 3000fps 150gr to a 2600fps 170gr for rapid expansion, the 150gr running at full speed will blow up, spire point or RN.

You were running reduced loads with the 170gr FP?

If you run the 150gr or 170gr 30-30 bullets at 30-30 velocity then you will get 30-30 expansion, running it up 100fps would not do too much but 500-800fps could very well cause that bullet to really blow up.

I just loaded 30-30, 170gr at 2000fps, 150gr at 2200fps from a carbine, 3000fps and 2800fps in the 30-06 could cause some significantly different reactions in those bullets designed for 30-30 velocities.

 

[bigedp51]

This old military 03-A3 30-06 had a very worn two groove barrel and standard 150 .308 flat base bullets were shooting 6 to 8 inch groups at 50 yards if I was lucky.

The bore was .312 a few inches past the throat, .309 mid bore and .311 at the muzzle and you could forget shooting any boat tail bullets.

On top of this the chamber was out of round and oversized from someone sanding the chamber to remove rust. I assume this was done by the military to make the rifle serviceable.

The problem was keeping the chamber pressure low enough to keep the cases from warping when fired and be able to reload them.

This was 1976 and I had two reloading mentors at work, one was a retired Air Force Master Sgt who served in the 8th Air Force in WWII who started reloading before I was born.

My other mentor was a machinist who shot in benchrest competition and he found out my fired 30-06 cases were warped and banana shaped from the over sized chamber.

The retired Air Force Master Sgt gave me half a box of the Hornady 170 grain flat points and said "try these at lower velocities".

The group size with these bullet at 100 yards and the rifles peep sight were dramatically smaller and good enough for hunting.

The velocity was guess work and the load chosen after a workup load and the best accuracy.

I just looked at a box of ammo I loaded for this 03-A3 in 1982 and the load was 54 grains of 760 with the 170 grain FP in once fired Remington brass.

And with the above load the primers are protruding .004 to .005, meaning the chamber pressure was not great enough to push the base of the case against the bolt face.

And the above load did not warp the cases and make the case body egg shaped and my reloads kept their accuracy.

I'm 68 now and have been reloading for over 47 years and I was 26 when I bought the 03-A3 for $60.00 for a rain gun and backup rifle.

Bottom line, even today I would not hesitate in using this bullet and load on deer and this load happened by chance simply because this bullet gave me the best accuracy.

Below I would never dream of taking my 1950 Long Branch or my Winchester 30-30 Trapper model with a 16 1/2 barrel out in the rain.

 

[WhelanLad]

hey- i shot a DEER with these 170gr FN..................... heres what happened

stalked into open feild to around 200* meters (*maybe 250)

foolishly decided to cycle a 170FN into the action as opposed to the Accubond.............

fairly unsteadily , laying down but using elbows as my stand / stability.......... i sent one when i felt good

sounded like a good hit , then i see another deer run around up the hill a bit an dissapear... "sweet one down another one the go" i think to myself

after chasen the other around a while i never caught it , back to where my deer should be and its not, it moved into the blackberry and layed 'doggo' until i was 4 m away, so it took off an i catch it about 200m away looking over its shoulder, im within 50m now an i give it a Accubond----- in the lungs. it runs off and dies- the light fades an i dont find it.

i decide to camp in the hut and find it first thing in the morning.
15 mins after light i have found my deer.

it has 4 holes in it.
pass through for both bullets, foolish me uses a 170fn for 'long range shot' and uses a accubond for in close.... nevermind.

the 170fn was LOW of aim, id say my guestimate was out a little, only needs to be a little by the looks. ive just tested 150M and 200M poi with the 170fn........... looking like almost zero at 150 and a 8 inch drop at 200 meters......... enough said. its a full on bush stalking load from here on!!


Accubonds always stellar in performance,



im willing to continue using an trying these 170fn, i personally think its a good bush bullet under that 150meters and Most hunters will tell ya, 150m is a long way in the bush.

Good stuff,,, lesson learnt

** Edit-- Cannot say I was NOT warned by CGN regarding keeping 170gr FNs under 200meters !!! due to their awesome aerodynamic shape ha ha

 

[Fox]

** Edit-- Cannot say I was NOT warned by CGN regarding keeping 170gr FNs under 200meters !!! due to their awesome aerodynamic shape ha ha

You can kill deer out beyond 200m but you better know where you are hitting and practice.

Lots of guys shot game at extended ranges with guns that have rainbow trajectories, nothing wrong with it, but you need to adjust accordingly and not assume it will not drop too much or assume what the books say.

I know people who think the 30-30 sighted in at 100m drops 4ft at 200m, I also know people that think the 270 is a laser out to 500 yards.

 

[WhelanLad]

You can kill deer out beyond 200m but you better know where you are hitting and practice.

Lots of guys shot game at extended ranges with guns that have rainbow trajectories, nothing wrong with it, but you need to adjust accordingly and not assume it will not drop too much or assume what the books say.

I know people who think the 30-30 sighted in at 100m drops 4ft at 200m, I also know people that think the 270 is a laser out to 500 yards.

ha ha thats Spot on!
an you;re so right, im goin to use backline hold for 200m if i need....

people have always said that use one gun and one load and kill everything with it...... confusion is too common with mixed magazines of rounds- but many still do it from time to time... im experimenting i guess... love dabbling an discussing, even if it seems pointless to yo guys