Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game 30-06- 1 Bullet for Everything

If I were topping out with smaller large game like caribou, I wouldn't go any heavier than 165, and a stout 150 would be more than enough 99% of the time. However, since I often use the 30-06 for moose, I prefer the extra weight of the 180 Partition.

180 Partition and 30-06. Match made in heaven.

That load right there with a 165 AB opened my eyes to how well a 30-06 can work. I'm too chicken to try it for myself, scared I might like it

Tough to beat this. Though I've tried quite a few others. One of my best was a 180gr Woodliegh Weldcore PP over H4831 or IMR4350. Great shooting bullet, incredible on game.

165gr sp This is a great alround bullet for 30-06, I have taken many mule deer, whitetail, and Moose with this bullet, its cheap too. Its boring though, so I like a 150gr sp for deer size game, it shoots flat too, and a 180gr for Moose size game, out to 300yds.

I like 180 grain Remington core lokt.

Nosler ETip 150
Ramshot Big Game

Best you're going to do for a true all-around. Flies like a Scenar but hits like a Barnes.

Thought real hard bout that combo, still may give it a whirl, the E Tip looks like a very well designed bullet.

165gr TTSX. As long as it shot good.

My choice as well.

Superformance to push them to just under 2,900.

I've also seen what the 165gr Trophy bonded bearclaw does on a lot of game from black bear (lengthwise penetration with exit) to mule deer. Excellent bullet and my favorite along with the A-frame for lead core bullets.

For a boring old, plain vanilla cartridge, sure seems that there are a few people who still use it.

I'd say if 200gr Partitions shoot that good, you have answered your own question...if that isn't enough bullet(and I would sure think it would be), you probably need a bigger rifle.

A RELATED Question -

For those of you who have USED both the 165 NP and 180 NP,

UP TO Elk - is there any OR much difference in these 2 ?

I have 165 HBTSP for deer and 180 NP for Elk (hopefully).

Jerry

Nope. Ive used both on both. the elk didn't seem to notice the difference. Trajectory is very close as well.
Likewise deer seemed to die OK with the 180 run through them...

We settled upon the Barnes 165 TSX or TTSX

for the 30/06 loaner rifles we have, we now use only this bullet. Over the years we have used all sorts of combinations. However for the last 8 years or thereabouts we have only used these.

Seeing quite a lot of game harvested seasonally really begins to show the gap between the success of this projectile compared to the others we have used. It's just as dependable as possible. When the hunter makes the proper shot the anime is typically found easily and close by.

I know that this is in regard to African game, however if we are shooting everything from 20lb Diker to 2000lb Eland with this cartridge then shooting deer elk and bears should not be any problem either.

There are a lot of good bullets that we have used over the years. For smaller species the Hornady interbond and Nosler Accubond were great, as were the Partitions. When the game begins to get heavier and bones bigger then I feel the Swift A frame and the Barnes TSX begin to shine.

The advantage to the 165 is that they get down the barrel about 2900 plus with a 24" barrel which puts this speed darn close the the 300 win mag using a 180 bullet. I would almost always default to weight over speed, and this is no different. Even thought I'm choosing 165 over 180, the time spent in transit is not were the weight is critical. The weight becomes important to me once impact is made. Using a 165TSX, the weight stays at 165 grains, using 180 of almost any other design the weight quickly becomes lower as the lead and copper begin to separate and crumble apart.

When using the bonded bullets the mushroom does not lose much weight, but the diameter increase frequently reduces the penetration with the much greater diameter bullet. I can say confidently that the TSX exits more then twice as often as the Swift Aframe. Depending upon the species both of these situations can be a benefit, when uncertain species, and uncertain conditions and ranges are concerned, more penetration and two holes is our preferred desire.

Thanks Ingwe. I appreciate the experience of those who have used them.

****270 Win ALL THE WAY****

Jerry

I plan to do the same thing when my 30-06 is complete and I will be starting with the Barnes 168 TTSX and the Nosler 180 Accubond.

They did shoot good. I was just hoping for another 50-100 fps. I've tried 3 different powders. Just don't get much past 2500. Some of them shot horrible too. I'm sure I could do worse than a 200 partition at 2500.