Here's the situation, I pretty much only hunt moose. I shoot a 30:06 with 180gr cheap federal ammunition. Does the job just fine. However, I'm planning a sheep hunt for the upcoming season and am not so sure I want to trust cheap 180gr soft points to a 300+yard shot. I've tried some federal trophy bonded ammo and my rifle seems to like it quite well. However I haven't shot game with the trophy bonded ammo so don't know how well it's going to provide kill power. I've seen a few complaints on other forums where hunters about shots taken with this ammo where they end up trying to track a hit deer without much of a blood trail. So does anyone have experience with this ammo that they can share? Works well? Doesn't work well?something else I should try? By now it should be obvious I don't hand load my own ammo. Looking for your wisdom.
Help with bullet selection
- Thread starter Kgstewie
- Start date
- Location
- Haliburton County, Central Ontario
CreamySmooth
CGN frequent flyer
Well, other than going lighter weight, if you gun shoots blue box fine then why change? On smaller animals like sheep you want massive energy dump ASAP. A bonded bullet will get you better penetration, but do you want that? I use good ol SSTs most of the time on almost everything, mostly because I personally think the non-tipped blue box isn't as accurate at longer ranges. My experiences with TSX bullets has been deer and an elk that go for several hundred yards before dropping because of small holes. Could just be me and bad luck I guess...
For potentially longer shots with a 30-06, this would not be my choice. The TSX/TTSX perform best at higher velocity, so I would not use a TSX/TTSX heavier than 165gr or 168gr out of a 30-06. The 165gr Accubond would also be a great choice.
My experiences have been the opposite, the TSX/TTSX have provided very quick kills on all of the game that I have used them on.
I'd consider useing what you have, or think about dropping down to 165 grains with an Accubond or Ballistic-tip.
TSXs work by tradeing a big hole for a deep one. They are at their best when driven at high speeds into big animals, used at close ranges that might stress softer bullets, and when pushing a smaller caliber into service on animals that seem a little bigger than good sense would advise. They also have a use for bad angle shots (Thats gun-mag speak for Texas heart shot for those that prefer to call a spade a spade), and against the hardest and heaviest animals.
A 30-06 and sheep meet none of those criteria.
TSXs work by tradeing a big hole for a deep one. They are at their best when driven at high speeds into big animals, used at close ranges that might stress softer bullets, and when pushing a smaller caliber into service on animals that seem a little bigger than good sense would advise. They also have a use for bad angle shots (Thats gun-mag speak for Texas heart shot for those that prefer to call a spade a spade), and against the hardest and heaviest animals.
A 30-06 and sheep meet none of those criteria.
Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
If you don't currently have a problem don't go looking for one.
Practice with your current ammo out to a little ways farther than you expect to shoot your sheep and you should be fine.
Practice with your current ammo out to a little ways farther than you expect to shoot your sheep and you should be fine.
X3, I would try this too and see how they shoot out of your rifle.
If you expect a longer shot, or possibly may have to take a shot at 300+
the 165 grain bullet will shoot a bit flatter than will a factory 180.
My Chronograph says that most factory 180's are loafing along in the 2600 fps area out of a 30-06,
so the trajectory is a bit of a rainbow out further.
As stubblejumper suggested, I would avoid the 180 TSX or TTSX.
The 165 Accubond or Partition would make good choices.
Eagleye.
the 165 grain bullet will shoot a bit flatter than will a factory 180.
My Chronograph says that most factory 180's are loafing along in the 2600 fps area out of a 30-06,
so the trajectory is a bit of a rainbow out further.
As stubblejumper suggested, I would avoid the 180 TSX or TTSX.
The 165 Accubond or Partition would make good choices.
Eagleye.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
This is the way to go. Trophy Bonded are good bullets and will work just fine. If your rifle likes them and you're not inclined to start reloading, then, Mazel Tov...it's a boy!
My 180 grain Nosler Partition handload in the '06 runs along at 1750 FPS. Works like a charm.
I have shot many sheep and I would use a 150 or 165 in the '06 and don't worry about bullet construction. Sheep are quite fragile and as long as you put the bullet where it belongs any bullet will do the job. I would be trying out all the 150-165 factory ammo I could find to see which one shoots best. The '06 will not drive a 150-165 bullet into the velocity range (especially factory) where you have to worry about bullet blow up, so just find one that shoots well and practice.........practice........practice, out to 400 yds. Being able to put it in the front 1/3 of the body is far more important, on sheep, than bullet construction.
Sask_Hunter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Saskatchewan
Sheep dont take much to kill and half decent bullet in the right place will work. Use what ever shoots best in your rifle if the cheap stuff shoots good at 300 run those and alshoot straight.
Thanks for all the feedback guys. I think I'll see what happens with a Trophy Bonded this spring on a Black Bear and go from there. If I don't like how it works I'll just have to try an accubond on a second bear
See which results I like best and use that for my sheep hunt. Thanks for taking the time to respond.
See which results I like best and use that for my sheep hunt. Thanks for taking the time to respond.
stevesummit
CGN Regular
- Location
- spruce grove
Buy a roast or a ham and test them at the distances you think you could shoot at and maybe a little farther just to be safe !
