Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting 30-06, 220gn bullets for whitetails?

Remember, this is a deer hunting thread. I'm looking for a 220gn bullet for my 30-06. Round nose, semi or Spitzer, I don't care. I just want something that is not too tough. I'm considering the Hornady RN, AS I assume it's not designed for magnums. I'm considering the Partitions because of their soft front. I am willing to choose others.
I am a big fan of Spitzers in my guns. I use the 150gn Partitions in my 7x57 and both 165gn Partitions and Ballistic Tips in my 30-06. I have begun to use 175 RNs in my 7x57 when pig hunting and I know that most shots will be 100yds or so. They are deadly and destroy a lot less meat. Sometimes I have a chance at deer. I'm thinking I might try using 220s to the same effect. What 220gn bullets should I choose for my 30-06? Captdavid

40 years ago or so, when I was very poor, I used a few Remington Corelokts that were 220 gr. to kill deer with. They were left over from a bear hunt my father had been on. They killed deer fine when shot thru the lungs. They did make the 50 to 100 yard death run just like you will see with many deer rounds. The plus side is little to no damaged meat.

Now are there better bullets for both hogs and deer, the answer is yes. Again I was young and poor and used what I had. A 180 gr cup and core bullet from a 30-06 will kill both hogs and deer better than the 220 gr., and a 165 gr. will be even better. You can get the 180 gr. in a round nose bullet if that is what you must have.

Too much of a good thing in my opinion. But if that is what I had they will kill deer. I wouldn't deliberately choose them for anything smaller than moose.

I shot some feral cattle with Remington factory 220-grain CoreLokts. Good weight for bigger stuff, but I'd pick something lighter for deer and focus on shot placement if you're concerned about meat loss.


Okie John

220 gr round nose bullets kill on one end of the rifle and cripple on the other end!!!! Too much punishment for a whitetail in my opinion but then I am 71 yo. Your 150 gr partition will be hard to beat IMO.

I used 220 on Idaho elk about 35 years ago. I am 4 other friends all used them. I loaded Hornady and a one box of Sierras. I can't remember any of my friends ever saying a bad thing abut them on elk, deer or bear and also 1 moose. There were 5 of us using the ammo I loaded. This went on for about 6 years. The 220s work great. Just a big fairly soft bullet at about 2500 FPS from the muzzle.

My friend Pete also killed a bison with one.
Nothing remarkable to report, but no failures at all. I know Pete recovered his bullet from the off-side of the buff under the hide. I don't remember anyone else recovering one from any animal. I never did.
Just a nice exit on everything and good sized wound channels about 1.5" around

I see you're really eaten up with this idea.

Have you given thought to the 220 gr RN from Sierra?

I shoot 150's at deer, doesn't take much to kill a deer.

^This

mathman, Speaking of eaten up, one can almost eat up to the hole when I use the 7x57 using 175 RNs!

Those big bullets work well without shooting up a bunch of meat. I was hunting with a buddy who used a 30-06 Federal 220 factory load to shoot a mule deer fawn at right around 250 yards. Bullet expanded adequately and deer was killed efficiently without hardly any bloodshot meat.
I personally used a 30-06 Lapua Mega 200 gr. RN to shoot a couple of roe deer in Germany. They are about half the size of Whitetails. Also used that bullet on a couple of young wild boar. Perfect results.
The only thing a faster lighter bullet would have done is shoot up more meat, it would not have killed deader, and could not have killed quicker. The recoil difference is irrelevant to an experienced shooter.

I've done it just to see how it would work and the results weren't impressive. The two deer I shot stayed on their feet longer than any deer shot by me with 150 grain PSP from Remington or Federal. My sporterized Springfield didn't shoot them well at all nor did my Browning BAR. Both averaged about 2.5 MOA at 100 yards. Good enough for deer hunting but not what I'm used to from a bench on windless days. Plus the recoil was noticeably more rambunctious than the 150's. Glad I tried them but never again for whitetails.

None.

Or a 165gr using a 30-06.

It shoots faster, less recoil. What are you looking to do. The 220 doesn't kill harder. It will recoil considerably harder.

A 130gr ttsx would be even better.

I wouldn't pick a 220gr unless I was culling doe. You should go straight to the 240gr Woodleigh.

OK, but is that a property of heavy round nose bullets per se? Or, is it more the result of modest impact speeds which give less "splash" to the wounding effect?

I submit that just about any 180 grain bullet loaded to 300 Savage ballistics would do the same.

Thanks, I think, for all the responses, but could we PLEASE get back to my original question!?

What is the softest 220gn bullet, regardless of shape for my 30-06?

Captdavid

nowhere in your OP did you ask for the softest 220gr bullet.

You didn't like the answers the first time around so you're trying again?

Buy some Hawk bullets with the thinnest jacket they offer. I shot some of their .318 bullets in an old double rifle and they expanded well at velocity below 2500fps.

Perry

The softest would be cast, pure lead. However, you will probably have leading problems unless you keep the velocity very slow.

Perry

tzone, I said "not so tough" next time I'll be more specific.

In my responses I got recommendations for 150, 165, and 180 grain bullets while I specifically asked for 220s. I don't understand your response. Captdavid

Thanks Perry, I've sent emails to them, with no response. C

Steelhead, I've always considered them to be one of the tougher bullets. I'll look again. Thanks, captdavid

They aren't inexpensive, but I guarantee that they will expand and nicely.

I like heavy for caliber bullets. I used the Hornady 220 RNs in a 30-06 and 300 H&H to take a few (4 or 5) whitetail and mule deer does and the performance was good. I never recovered a bullet and all were heart/lung shots, some quartered away and some broadside, one running at 20 yards. The bullets all made 1-1.5 inch exit wounds with minimal meat damage. While none were drop on the spot shots, none of them went more than 50 yards.

I loaned my 300 H&H to a friend to take a small caribou meat bull using a 220 grain Partition. That was a nearly straight on shot with the bullet entering the front of the chest between the right shoulder and the center of the chest high enough to clip the spine and exiting the left flank. Similar performance. A 1.5 inch exit wound with little meat damage.

It's a Campfire thing, and I'll admit I'm guilty. But some of us are offering honest suggestions to achieve the terminal ballistic result you want without the machinations of getting just the right 220 and so on.

That said, if you gotta have a 220 then go for it. I've got my own handloading quirks too. For example, I like to load 180's in my 300 Savage but I rarely do in any of my 308's.

The Sierra 220 Round Nose gets good reviews for downing deer in 30-06.

I have been using the Sierra 220 gr in my .06 for years. both deer and elk.bNo complaints, they kill fine, text book mushroom of the ones I found..I did have two elk that I killed in excess of 300 yards and the died too. Two years ago. I put a brake on my .06 My shoulder was so bad,even 150 gr bullets were two much.I tamed the 220's and I can run 20-30 of them thru the gun now with no problem.

Spring of 2018 I am suppose to have full reverse shoulder implant done.That may be another story though, but the doc said could still shoot after I had it done

I got several boxes of 220 s. Pm me an address and I can send you an assortment for your reloading pleasure. John

For what you're hunting, try some Speer Hotcores, 165 or 180 gr. They'll give you a very good mushroom without blowing things up. I've shot a lot of deer and elk both with them with great results.

Oh, Capt Davod,
You forgot that half the people responding to a thread don't care about the OPs question, only their answer.
"I'm looking for a 220 grain deer bullet for 30-06."
I never owned one but...
I would use a...
Get a 243...
Buy a Steyr with a Swarovski...
My great Grandma's boyfriend's cousin's dog says: "You can't get there from here."

My favorite 220 grain bullet, .30-06, for deer: Lyman #311284, cast at a hardness of bhn 12-14, driven at 2000fps (duplicates the old .30 Army -.30-40 Krag- gov't load). That's my favorite 220 grain, but like most guys here I prefer a lighter bullet, a 190 grain flat nose cast, driven at the same velocity or a bit less.

Hey, you asked.

Deflagrate, yep, captdavid

Wrong. I do care about the OP's question. I suggested something else because I've shot deer with 220gr RN and they don't give you the bang for the buck as others do.

I have a pretty good pile of 30-06's. I've shot more deer with those than any other.

I don't understand. I asked a simple question, I thought. It had to do with finding a 220gn bullet that would work on deer. I stated the reason, clearly I thought. I said that I had successfully used 165s. I didn't ask for any suggestions about other bullets, only about 220s. I even reiterated this in another post.

Now I am asking for suggestions.

How should I have asked the question, so as not to get all the extemporaneous BS? :):)

Captdavid

...on a different forum?

love both the sierra's and the hornady 220's, they shoot real good in my Winchester model 54 with open sights

I think the Sierras.

Hey Cap'm!

RJ

Along with the Sierra's,Woodleigh makes a 220 gr bullet that might fit your needs.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/7...weldcore-round-nose-soft-point-box-of-50

I think my FN commercial Mauser has a 10" twist. I'll find out.

Thanks for those who helped. I haven't made a decision yet. Although I don't believe anyone mentioned them, I'm seriously considering Hawks, or Partitions.
Angus has graciously offered some bullets to try. After trying them I'll make up my mind.
Thanks again,captdavid

Sorry perry, after checking, you did mention Hawks captdavid

IMO,the 220 gr Partitions are for really big game,like the big bears or moose etc...

You could just double tap them with 110gr Barnes TTSX's

Or maybe those pesky NM jackwabbits...

Seriously, WT's will probably drop faster with lighter '06 bullets. They're moving faster, expanding better, messing up more vital tissue.

I've posted how impressive I've been chest shooting WT's with the 130 gr. Hornady at 3,100+ fps. Good exit, lots of tissue damage, bleeding from entrance and exit wounds, mostly DRT. I'd be surprised if a 220 would do that, same hit.

DF

Now, 220 really works...

DF

Only when conditions are perfect.

I've used 220gr Core-lokt(s) in my '06 HVA Lightweight. They were punishing on the shooter (me). If your looking to harvest does 2x at a time and can line'em up broadside, 220(s) would be a decent choice.

Ahhh...

Another bonus, lighter bullets kick less, sometimes a LOT less...

So, if lighter recoil leads to better bullet placement, lighter bullets could end up being much more lethal.

DF

Yep another vote for the Sierras 220 gr . For the deer I killed with them out of an .06 they worked great

I too, had a Husqvarna Lightweight .30-06. And 220's were absolutely punishing out of that gun!

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/8948791/1

This LW HVA is the reason I started light, 130's. They shot so well, I never looked back.

DF

My son has the HVA lightweight now and he's tired of the recoil so he put it out on Armslist. I hate to see it go but I don't want to shoot it either.

HVA's also have 1-12" twists and not 220 works in them.

I've owned 2 in 30/06. One is in the link above and the other became a 7x57

I only use 220 RN's in .30 US Army ctgs.

Has he tried lighter bullets?

Turns an '06 into another gun...

DF

He's all about his Armalite AR-15 and his Weatherby Vanguard 6.5 Creedmoor now. I don't think he much cares about light bullets in a .30-06. All he shoots are heavy for caliber , high bc bullets.

My thinking on light '06 bullets is an effective deer killer that doesn't stomp the shooter.

To me, not so much for LR shooting, more for WT's within 300 yds or so.

I have other rounds for going long. Most deer shot at less than LR.

DF

Not to get too far off topic, but I attribute much of the HVA's felt recoil to the stock's design. They have lots of drop and seem best suited to irons. I've considered attempting to bend it like you would a shotgun stock with heat lamps, mineral oil, and rags.

Spot on.I make my own stocks. Mostly patterned after Weatherby stocks. Plus I put some cast on it for a Rt Hd shooter

My Mod 70 weighs about 7.5 with scope. Up until two years ago I use d it with 220 gr Sierras and I'm a light weight in regards to recoil

A gas-checked lead 220gr w/a soft front end at about 2200-2400 is probably what you're 'dreaming' of.

I used to love heavy for caliber. Now I'm about 150 grain in 30-06 and 8mm. I spend more hunting time with the 257 Roberts now. I'm not ready to get old yet, but my body keeps warning me it is.