Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Need 30-06 advice.

I like it!

The 30-06 is a remarkably versatile round.

All of the guys on our lease except the 1's that handload all went to the Federal Fusion ammo.It's reasonably cheap,7 different calibers shot 3/4in groups or BETTER,performed very well on deer,hogs and varmints.

I realize you do not have to use premium bullets for deer or moose, and I haven't always done it. I do now, because I can afford it, and they work so well. If I ran low on shekels, I would revert to using Hornady BTSP Interlocks. They shoot good in all my rifles, and work well on game animals as large as moose.

Something about those shiny TSX's does it for me right now, though. In my 6.5 Swede I have successfully used a Sierra 140 BTSP and it performed well. (But I did buy a boox of 120 TSX's. )

I ran my .30-06 at 2700 and some change with 165 Sierra BTHP. Very accurate and not so destructive.

Using the same bullet in my .308 at 2690 fps, well behaved with good blood trails.

168 ttsx and h4350 a match made in Heaven for my 30-06.

I love my 06's also. My "go to" load is 56gr. of IMR4350 and the plain Jane 165gr. hornady sp interlock bullet...All of my 30-06's love it..

As is mine, bear , moose , deer no problem. Does the 5 shot 1" thing Sako advertises as well.

I have run Federal's loading of the 165gr Sierra GameKing out of several 30-06's. GREAT results on all whitetail I've shot with it (about 6 or 7) shots from 15 yards out to 200.

In those deer taken I've made neck shots, behind the shoulder double lung shots, and a high shoulder shot to break it down right there. In all instances it performed great and I've yet to recover a bullet.

For the non handloader I always suggest they give this loading a try, it has shot 1.5moa or better out every rifle I've tried it in and performed great on game. Plus it is a mid priced factory load, not as cheap as say federal's blue box stuff, but not as pricey as their premium loadings with Partitions and TTSXs. Listed muzzle velocity is 2800fps.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/69...-gameking-soft-point-boat-tail-box-of-20

As others have said, don't shoot into the meat if you do not want to blow it up.

I don't know what your hunting conditions are, or whether you reload. If you hunt brushy areas with short range opportunities here is a reduced load combination you might want to try. 47 gr. R15 under a 170 gr. Hornady 30-30 bullet. Hornady says these can be used at up to 2500 fps. This load is like an improved 30-30 or a 300 Savage. Mild recoil and a good practice load.

Jim

I loaded up some of those 170grain 30-30 bullets at reduced velocities but did not get a shot at a deer with them. Since then, I've concluded that bullet shape and velocity has no effect on straight-line penetration of brush provided that the bullet holds together. I shot two pronghorns and a mule deer with a 150 grain Sierra cup-and-core bullet at about 2950 fps years ago. No excessive meat damage but then again I didn't hit any of them in the shoulder. Since then all my hunting has been with .300 magnums. If I had to use a 30-06 on deer, I think I'd use 165 grain Nosler Partitions at a reasonably high velocity.

That pretty much ranks right up there with E=MC(don't have the keyboard capability to make the raised 2, so just pretend that I did it).

I worked up a "carbine load" for my 20" sporter. 43gr RL7, 178 AMax, 2500 fps from 20" bbl.

Not a book load, but something I worked up using Quickload. QL calcs pressure at 57K psi at 70gr case volume.

It's a very accurate load, modest recoil. 2500 fps shouldn't nuke a 178 AMax, but it should open up just fine on deer.

Lots of good replies here. If your shots are under 150 yards or so, a 180 roundnose at around 2600 is a fine choice. It'll knock the snot outta deer and not make a mess doing so.

Yep. I've also used the 170 Nosler Partition designed for the .30-30 at that velocity and it works well.

A lot of people have advised cup-and-core 165's loaded pretty much full up. I haven't noticed those resulting in much less damage than C&C 150's at top velocities--but there is a difference in 180's at the traditional 2700 fps or so.

Off the top of my head I've shot deer-sized game with the .30-06 and a few different bullets in the 150-200 grain range including the Barnes TSX; Berger Hunting VLD; Hornady Interlock and Interbond; Norma Oryx, Nosler AccuBond, Ballistic Tip, E-Tip and Partition; Remington Core-Lokt and Core-Lokt Ultra; Sierra GameKing and ProHunter; Speer Hot-Cor; Winchester Power Point, Silvertip and XP3--and a few others I've probably forgotten.

The monolithics do the least amount of damage at muzzle velocities over 2700, but at 2700 or less the lead-cores are pretty good too.

Hunt with whichever weight bullet you shoot the most accurate in your rifle. Then you can place the bullet where you want it.
On a 100-300 lb critter using a 150 grain versus 165 grain versus 180 grain bullet isn't going to make any difference. They all kill Deer, hogs, pronghorn, etc...

What length barrel? Is the 2915 chorno'd?

thanks

Wow...those deer look like they were shot with a 30-30....or an arrow! How far did they run....or did they?

This. But I like my 165 Sierra GameKings and H4350.

If this is your first big game rifle and your first year hunting perhaps you should find a range where you can sight the rifle in.

Before you do that you will need ammo and perhaps want a scope.

So go to a gunshop near you and ask them where to sight the rifle in and what scope and mounts they suggest.

Don't worry about meat loss!

You will be lucky to see a legal deer and to get a shot let alone hit it!

Study on line advice on where to shoot a deer for best results.

http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/big-buck-zone/2012/09/where-aim-kill-deer-one-shot

If you don`t want to ruin meat ,head shoot them with any bullet you like!!!!