Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 250 grain factory .30-06

Anybody familiar with any 250 grain factory loads for the .30-06, either past or present? A friend is sure that he has some somewhere that he is looking for. I was curious as to what brand they might be. Thanks, John

Only heard of 220s.

BMT

Same here, but I continually am amazed by things that I don't know about, so thought I'd ask. Will report back if he finds them. Thanks, John

Barnes used to load the "old" style (Barnes Original)250 gr/.308 dia boolit in .30-06 and .300 Winny factory loads. I know, cuz I used 'em in the 300.

They were cup 'n core boolits w/0.035" pure copper jackets and a swadged lead core. Killed a few deer with them, but it was mostly in case I ran into Bruno. I started handloading shortly thereafter and never looked back since.

I was using WW Silvertips (150 or 180 gr IIRC) and couldn't get pass thru's on little 'ol blacktails standing broadside at 25 yds. The 250's plowed right thru 'em.

MM - thanks for the info. I knew that Barnes made the 250s, but wasn't aware that they loaded them. Best, John

Learn something new every day.

BMT

If memory serves me well, I believe the 250gr bullets needs a faster barrel than the 1 in 10" offered in most 06s, but this is only something I read years back.

I had the impression that the 1-10" twist in the 06's was designed for the 220 grain bullet from way back in the early days. If that is true then the 250's would surely need a quicker twist to work very far out. For bear or moose at short range maybe it wouldn't make that much difference.

Jim

Up close and personal would be the only reason to use a 250 in 30 calibre anyway, and I believe the 1:10 twist rate will stabilize a 250 out past usable ranges. Even the 220 would be a 200 yard bullet for most applications. With the newer technology, I really see no need for anything over about a 200 gr if that.

"Yukoner" was kind enough to send me a few 250 grain roundnose Barnes "Originals" to test out a few years back.

From a few simple back yard tests, I found they didn't penetrate as well as new 200 grain TSX's - or even the 180 grain TSX's. In addition, in comparison, they dropped liked stones at any distance. They were about the "bluntest" looking bullets I've ever seen. That shape might explain why they did stabilize out of a 1 in 10 twist.

I think newer bullet technology has made extremely "heavy-for-caliber" bullets obsolete.

Brian,

Maybe not "obsolete" but certainly raises the question, "Why?"

Woodleigh currently offers a 240 grain Centenary bullet designed specifically for the 30-06 with a 10 twist.

Designed for shooting water buffalo, I believe. Sounds fun!

I would have to think speed would be a big issue when you go to humongous bullets. The 220's only start at 2410 in factory form...the 250 must go pretty slow. Maybe okay for stopping a big bear or shooting a buffalo at 50 yards...what else could it be very good for?

From Woodleigh's 2006 catalog:





Cheers!
-Bob F.

Hawk makes them in a RN.

http://www.hawkbullets.com/Pricelist.htm


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I have a friend who wanted to work up heavy bullet loads (over 220 gr) for his .300 RUM at long range. He gave it up because the 240 gr and up bullets in .308" had such long bearing surfaces that he had passed the point of positive returns. If you check the photo of the Woodleighs, you will get the idea. Definitely too much of a good thing.

jim

1/10 should stabilize the 240/250 roundnose flat-base.

I shot some 240gr Matchkings through my 1/10 30-06 at 2610 fps. Being a BTHP design they are rather long. They were very accurate way past 1000 yards.

Load development didn't take long, this was the first recipe I tried at 100 yards, and stayed with.

Nice shooting Shane.

240 @ 2610 sounds pretty impressive!

That comes out to 3,630 foot-pounds at the muzzle.

I loaded up some 250 Barnes and shot an elk or two with them. I used H4831 in my pre-64 30-06, which I am pretty sure is 1-10 twist. They shot as good as I expected them too with little load development. The next year, Randy came out with the X bullet so I quit fooling with them.

I shot elk with 200, 225 and 250 Barnes soft points. I recovered one 200 grain bullet and it was from a bull that I shot right in the brisket and found the bullet in the hindquarter! The bull ran about 80yds as though nothing had happened before succumbing to a second shot in the neck at 5 yards (ran right to us) Found a hole through his heart and the bullet 3' further back.

I found that the faster bullets (X bullets in this case) put them down faster so why bother with the big ones anymore?