Bullet Speed or Heavier bullet for 300 yard shot?

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huntingfish

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Looking for some opinions, what would be better, provided all things are kept constant for a 30-06:
- a lighter bullet travelling faster (165gr gmx bullet superformance)
OR
- a heavier bullet travelling a tiny bit slower (180gr winchester etip)

Would you still have the same answer if the lighter bullet was a 165gmx superformance from Hornady vs winchester etip 180gr?

These will be used on moose.

Fish
 
idk why you would try to take a shot past 100 yards on game unless you know it will work. my ideology is if you cant hit a 2" target reliably at a set distance then don't try to take that shot. go get some ammo of different types brands and weights test them to see what shoots best in your rifle

for .30-06 id stick with a 100 yard max and a 180gr bullet if you can't get a moose within 100 yards or don't have the patients to let the game get close stay out of the woods im pretty sure there's another thread made by you where I've said pretty much the same thing
 
Hi Antiqueguy, indeed, the other thread is mine. I guess I'm not allowed to dissect and learn from my mistake and try to figure out what went wrong?

Thank god I didn't also post in that thread about having that "sick feeling" too, otherwise I'd be officially "flagged" ;-)

Fish
 
Don't think the OP was looking for opinions on who would shoot what and how far.

Either of those projectiles will work fine on moose out to the distance you require.The speeds they both will be traveling will get you nice expansion and penetration.

Hit your game in the vitals and you will have steaks with either bullet.
 
Not likely going to make a lick of difference, in my experience unless you are shooting an ultra magnum just a run of the mill cup and core bullets cant be beat for reliable killing power at modest speeds. Either bullet you mentioned is so well constructed I wouldnt even use them for deer for fear of next to zero expansion and light blood trails if any. For moose as you mentioned these bullets are likely better suited and also pushed hard to ensure expansion. I would use which ever shoots best and for heavy game only
 
I killed a 700 lbs bull at about 100 yards last week .... With a 180gr win supreme SP in .303 brit :D , one shot, dead moose.

So.... Seen as a 30-06 is rippin along much faster , a 300 yard shot with a 30-06 on big game is absolutely "ethical" providing your skills are up to snuff.

I'd look at the BC and energy of the load you want to use and compare them at 400 yards on the chart. Then look at bullet drop ect.
My preference would lean to the heavier bullet.
 
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my choice would be a 180 bonded or noz partition. that 30 06 is slowing down at 300 yrds and i'm not so sure of a mono expanding well. if using a mono i would be happy with a 165 gmx. the added weight isn't required with a mono bullet as they loose very little weight. i use a 139 gmx in my 7 mag.
 
Speed for mono metals is far more critical than weight. At ranges like you describe, absolutely the lighter bullet.
 
Moose, 300 yards or less, 30-06, any hunting bullet will work, 150, 165, 180, 200.... Take your pick. 300 yards is NOT far for a 30-06, and either bullet you mention will put meat in the freezer ethically.

I prefer 180's in the -06, and partitions, but that's MY preference. Don't listen to the "stay within 100 yards with a 30-06" no matter what weight the bullet is. Your not hunting Cape buffalo....
 
Staying within 100 yards for moose would be reasonable advice if we were talking 30-30....its pure rubbish when talking 30-06. Any bullet weight mentioned will work fine on any moose at ranges up to 300 yards and more.
With todays advances in optics with range compensation systems the fast, flat shooting calibers no longer have the same advantage they use to have. If I use a range marked reticle or a elevation dial, a 15" difference in drop at say 400 yards becomes meaningless.
 
hawk-i said:
Staying within 100 yards for moose would be reasonable advice if we were talking 30-30....its pure rubbish when talking 30-06. Any bullet weight mentioned will work fine on any moose at ranges up to 300 yards and more.
With todays advances in optics with range compensation systems the fast, flat shooting calibers no longer have the same advantage they use to have. If I use a range marked reticle or a elevation dial, a 15" difference in drop at say 400 yards becomes meaningless.
Click to expand...

Absolutely....a 30-06 still offers up plenty of speed to 500+ yards for even a mono-metal bullet to do more than do its job.
 
As mentioned to antiqueguy (and in another thread), I did lose a moose this year. I was shooting 180gr winchester etips. So, I`m curious as to whether the bullet performed ok or not, as I saw the moose drop like a ton of bricks, but after several seconds, the moose got up and went into the forest (she was 20? or so ft from the treeline, in the open, when I shot it). Never to be seen again, no blood could be found.

I was thinking (alhough I can't confirm this), that maybe the bullet didn`t perform that well and started looking at other options. The only reason I use monolithic bullets (etips) is because they are lead free, never really gave much thought to weight retention and all. Would there be any reason for going with a lead (bonded or whatever) bullet instead?

Thanks for your input guys!

Fish
 
More than likely with the moose that got up and walked away, it was poor bullet placement more than bullet performance.....even any old cup and core bullet is enough to kill a moose if hit in the lungs.
You read these stories on the internet a lot....I shot a "whatever" and it just walked away....blah, blah blah, the bullet I used was crap and I will never use that product again....when the real story should be I made a lousy shot and I really need to practice a lot more before I go hunting again!!!
 
hawk-i said:
more than likely with the moose that got up and walked away, it was poor bullet placement more than bullet performance.....even any old cup and core bullet is enough to kill a moose if hit in the lungs.
You read these stories on the internet a lot....i shot a "whatever" and it just walked away....blah, blah blah, the bullet i used was crap and i will never use that product again....when the real story should be i made a lousy shot and i really need to practice a lot more before i go hunting again!!!
Click to expand...

x 77,893...
 
hawk-i said:
Staying within 100 yards for moose would be reasonable advice if we were talking 30-30....its pure rubbish when talking 30-06. Any bullet weight mentioned will work fine on any moose at ranges up to 300 yards and more.
With todays advances in optics with range compensation systems the fast, flat shooting calibers no longer have the same advantage they use to have. If I use a range marked reticle or a elevation dial, a 15" difference in drop at say 400 yards becomes meaningless.
Click to expand...

yes if the OP was able to place the bullet where it needs to be he already admitted to shooting at a moose and not knowing if he hit it or not
 
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