Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 180gn and up 30-06

Due to the success I've had with 175 RNs in my 7x57 in killing small deer and large hogs with very little meat damage, I've decided to try something similar with my 30-06. I suspect the main reason the 7x57 works so well is that the 175RNs were made for the 7x57. I know nothing can compare to the superior 7x57. Is there a 180-220gn bullet that would perform similarly at 2400-2500fps, in my 30-06. I'm pretty sure most will be good on hogs, it's the does I'm worried about. What say yee? Thanks captdavid

Yee say punt.

Can't tell you about the 30.06/220 gr RN performance on whitetail yet, but I can say that armadillos don't like'em!





Don't let the spire points in the shell holder fool you. I only had 5 RN loaded, one was used on the 'dillo and the other four were still in the magazine. The four spitzers shot close enuf to the RN zero to be used in an unusual event....like the need to repel boarders.

BTW, this was the entry wound. I was quite surprised what the RN did to the guy's shell.

I used to use 180 gr. round nose core-lokt factory loads out of my Rem. 760 carbine .30-06. I doubt they were doing much over 2500 out of the 18.5" barrel. They worked good on deer.

I suppose my question is, If you have a 7x57, what's the point?

I shoot 150's in mine, kills deer pigs quickly.

I know what u mean. The 7x57 is perfect for me, and most others, truth being told. I have a 280 also. If was built for long range, for me anyway. I use it occasionally. The last time I used the 30-06 was 5yrs ago. I'm just trying to find some reason to use it. Captdavid

Awesome rig there, Hookie!

Loading 150-165gr bullets down a bit will keep the velocity out of the explosive range and also kill just fine without added recoil. Careful shot placement helps too. If you must, heavy thirties loaded to the same velocity as your 7x57 should act pretty much the same way.

Pay no attention to RevMike. He wears special glasses while hunting that superimpose tiger stripes on everything he shoots.😛

I'm a firm believer in the 165 grain and 150 grain offerings in 30-06. We take nearly all of our deer here with them. I used to worship at the 180 grain shrine, but I found these lightweights offered as good performance with a lot less recoil and have stuck with them for the past 16 seasons.

The move to the 165 grainers was precipitated by the suggestions of folks on this august forum. Personally, I'd save the 220 grainers for bigger things besides deer.

I'm looking for some that will put Kudu horns on a pig's head as well.

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+ 2

Jerry

I've never been able to tell a bit of difference in recoil between 150, 165 and 180 grain bullets in my .30-06's. Guess I'm just not as in touch with my sensitive side as some.

Same here,even with 220's. Although I did make a stock that fits me and due to a bad s shoulder,I had a brake installed and limit my exposure to those heavy bullets

When I was a kid deer hunting meant the Adirondacks. I always had the idea that anything other than a 180 grain RN in a .30-06 was some kind of radical departure from tradition and accepted practice. I thought I was really getting out there with 165 grain handloads in my 03-A3.

Guys, come on, I know all that about the 165s. I've been using them for 30yrs. They are perfect for what I use them for, not any better than what 150s do in my 7x57, but fine. I'm looking for a heavy slower bullet that will perform well on deer, so I can find a use for my 30-06. Please let us get back on track. Captdavid

If you're still talking about the 150 yard and closer shots you've mentioned then many cup and core bullets will do. Speer boat tails are on the soft side. Just take one of those in 150, 165, or 180 grains and load it to 300 Savage velocity. Voila! A proven deer killer that doesn't blow things up.

I think you're caught up in round nose romance.

captdavid,

The reason the 175 roundnoses work so well in your 7x57 isn't because they have round noses, but because of the moderate muzzle velocity.

There were three reasons for round-nose bullets back when smokeless powder started to become the In Thing:

1) Most early smokeless rounds were military, and since previous black powder military rounds mostly used heavy, round-nosed bullets, that's what were used in most early smokeless rounds. But the switch to lighter spitzers started shortly, and was pretty much complete within 50 years.

2) The prevalence of tube magazines, especially in lever-action hunting rifles, made blunt-nosed bullets a necessity, in order to prevent setting off the primers of the rounds in front. But with Hornady's FTX bullets even that isn't true anymore.

3) Many hunters believed blunt-nosed bullets "busted brush" better, but that turned out to be BS.

4) Many people found that early round-nosed bullets sometimes expanded more reliably that early soft-nosed spitzers, but that's pretty much been solved for decades now. I used to use the original 200-grain Nosler Partition in the .30-06, a "semi-spitzer," at about 2550 fps for timber hunting, partly because it was the deepest-penetrating bullet available back then, and partly because it killed well due to the soft front core expanding easily, but didn't shoot up much meat.

But if you really want to use a blunt-nosed bullet, plenty of company still make them in .30 caliber, in weights from 150-220 grains. Probably the 170's made for the .30-30 would work as well as the 175's from the 7x57 if loaded to similar velocities.

Or a 6.5x55 with 160's, no need for that 7 thingy. Lol

Always liked round nosed 150 in 270 and 180 in 30-06, for most general wood guns.

The longer base to tip bearing surface in the bore of a flat based round nose always seemed to be forgiving and easy to load up accurately. I try to save the heart, and bullets run through the lungs on deer, above the heart, tend to make clean kills leaving little excess damage.

My rule of thumb, if I were tending to lose the heart, with excessive jelly bloodshot meat, I'd stop using that combo. The flat based round nose were reliable for me.