Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What bullet for 30-06

New Hunter need suggestions on bullet type and weight. Hunt thick woods but also a couple field requiring 150 to 175 yard shot.

I've always favored 165 gr bullets in the 30-06. i recently got rid of a 700 BDL SS in 30-06 that loved 165gr Winchester silvertips. To me this weight is ideal for the 06,,,BEARHUNTER

165-180 grainers form a 30-06 will handle deer and elk sized game just fine--they tell me. I will be using a 30-06 for the first time on deer this fall (had been using a 300 Win and 7mm Rem Mag). I plan to use 165 grain Swift Sciroccos.<P>Blaine

Try a box of Hornady Lt. Mg., 165 gr. BTSP's. If your rifle likes them you will have it made. Good luck at the range.

If you reload,get some Remington Pointed soft point cor lokt`s. 165 is a good compromise for the 30-06. This is a bullet that has performed well for years and is slipping from favor to so called premium bullets for no good reason. If you don`t reload get Rem ammo with same bullet. Sometimes 165`s aren`t available. You will ave a choice of 180`s or 150`s. I get 150`s only because they recoil a little less. Do not buy into the premium bullet balderdash with moderate cartridges. Standard bullets perform just fine at the velocity they produce.

Anybody's 150 gr. bullet will work for deer out of the '06. Ditto on the 165's. For elk, I'd strongly recommend the premiums. Much bigger, tougher animals. <BR> The 180's are all designed to hold together on larger animals. They don't open well on deer. Your better off with the 150's on them. E

thanks for you help and advise. I think I will try the 165 remington core lok soft point to begin.

Ditto E's comments about the 150 and 165 grainers. I like the CoreLokts for deer, despite the fact that they often won't exit on a short shot using the .270 130 grain PSPs.<P>I would definately use a premium bullet in 180 grain on elk. This is the versatility the '06 is deservidly famous for.<P>Blaine, it's killing you to use a weenie little '06, isn't it? Oh, yeah, it's for the wife. I forgot. [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img]<P><BR>Regards, Talus

Talus,<P>No, the 30-06 is mine, the M-7 Youth in 7-08 is for the wife.<P>Like most guys, the more I shoot and hunt the clearer things become. If I want more power than the 30-06 provides, then it's time for a 338, 375, or 416--not just the same 30 caliber bullet going faster. Then again, it is highly probable that my funky 30-06 will be shooting as fast as a 24" barreled 300 Win, so maybe I am talking out of both sides of my mouth.<P>Blaine

I think 150's are the local .30 cal bullet of choice for our little ole' deer.<P>Mike

Mike,<P>I agree that the 150mm is a good deer round. But the question is about 30-06 bullets. [img]images/icons/laugh.gif" border="0[/img] <P>Blaine

A poster here recommended Speer HotCor's to me for the 06 and I just took my first big game animal with it a couple days ago. A 350 lb black bear. Gotta say, I'm pretty dang impressed. My .300 Wby didn't do it any better. As someone mentioned, don't worry about premiums with the .30-06. Most non-premium bullets are designed around "normal" cartridges and perform nicely at "normal" velocities. Worry about premium bullets when you decide you need the ultra or Wby.

Here are some actual results of the 165 Sciroccos on Caribou form a "real deal" hunter/shooter/writer. They were fired from a 308.<P><BR>"Both bullets exited on the longer shots, excellent internal damage including shattering the spine, exit holes about 1.5 - 2 inches - expansion was immediate from the size of the hole in the rib impact area. The 50 yard shot was into the lungs, above and just back of the heart. Ribs were cut, dramatic expansion, lungs destroyed, exit about 2 inches."<P>Realize that is from a HIGHLY accurate bullet wuth a very good BC.<P>Blaine

After reading an article on the NEW Hornady SST's, I wouldn't hesitate for one second to use them in an '06. Apparently they did excellent in shots (hogs) from all angles and distances. Final Verdict: superb bullet for big game, debunking the "no ballistic tip bullets on big game argument" <P>PS, they're cheaper than the Sciroccos too.

I would like to take the time to express my heartfelt appreciation to all who have posted here for refraining from the use of the word "pill" in referring to bullets of various weights and calibers. [img]images/icons/wink.gif" border="0[/img]

Old Dog -- AMEN and God Bless you!

I use 165gr Speer Grand Slams in my .30-06 ... seem to do just fine (they do not blow-up like the sierra boattails do).

I thought "pill" only referred to bullets that weighed less than 50 grs.