Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 30-06 and 180 grainers?

Got me an 06 this past Christmas. Have loaded a little for it. Dad gave it to me, and has some data...but all for 165s. I don't know why, as I don't need them on our Alabama deer, but I bought some 180 Accubonds for my 300 winnie, and I just hanker to shoot them in the '06.

Gun is a custom Mauser 98 with a 23.6" bbl. What kind of velocity can I reasonably expect? What loads have worked for any of you with 180s? Anybody use 180 Accubonds on deer from an '06? Any other 180s on deer at '06 velocity that you'd recommend? Will they expand on our small deer at '06 velocity?

My current load is 61grs of R-22 with a 165 Hornady at about 2850fps. Good load, just want to try 180s and see. Suggestions please!

280, RL22 works nicely in the 30-06. I prefer H4350. Typically I run 57.5 gr's H4350 with 180's for around 2,750 in my 21" bbl. The 180 AB's are wonderful-accurate in my 06 and 300 WSM.

My father and brother run 57-58grs of H4350 as well in 24" 06's with very satisfactory results.

Both guns are also showing real promise with higher end loads of R19, playing with seating depths now to tweak them up a tad

My M700 loves the 180 gr. NP pushed by max. amounts of IMR4350. The 180 in a 30-06 can be an everything (big game) rifle if you so desire. I use it as a back-up rifle for elk hunting, but would not hesitate to use it as a primary if need be.

Stay with your RL22 only drop back and work up from about 56g. You should find something around 58g or possibly a bit higher. I have a 10 shot group I fired with RL22 that's in the 6's. I've never had one NOT shoot that powder at anywhere from 58g to 62g (which is highly compressed,) at over 2800 fps.

FWIW, I've done some recent tests using H4350, 180 Nosler Partitions and CCI 200's in new WW cases in a Remington 700 (22" barrel). With 57 grains, I got 2720, with 57.5, 2740, and with 58, 2765. With a new lot of powder, I got 2699 and an SD of 3 with 57 grains.

I'm with Brad 57.5 grains of H-4350

IMR 4895 also is reportedly good with the 180's as well. I have yet to shoot my reloads so I will post back on the results. Esox357.

So far....

Sounds like, with my 23.6" bbl that 2800fps is not out of reach. H4350 or R-19 might be the best bet to start playing with. I also have some VV-N160 and H4831SC too., as well as an abundant supply of R-22.

Basically I thought if I could move them @2800fps, and could find an accurate load Id have me a dandy all around round to shoot.

I'm with Mallard on this one. I love 4350 in about everything and my '06 loves IMR 4350 with 165 grainers. But, I couldn't get anything spectacular with 180gr Partitions. I switched to RL 19 and things got better. I shot 59.0grs and got a 1" group. I moved up to 60.0grs and got another 1" group. Then, I split the difference at 59.5grs and I went down to 3/4". Good enough for me. FYI...I'm thinking about those 180 Accubonds too. Good luck.

180 TSX - H4350 (57.0) 2800 fps with good accuracy. I'm working on seating depths currently, just waiting on some good weather to shoot em up.

They will open up on little bitty whitetails and kill like the hammer of Thor.

You don't need any of the premium bullets for deer. I've used 180 gr standard Speer hotcores for many years on deer and elk and they do an excellent job. They're also cheap compared to many other brands and they're accurate.

Dick

I know I don't need premiums on deer. What I have on hand is Accubonds, BT's, and Hornady Interlocks. IMO the X bullets would be a tad too heavily constructed for deer. Im hoping the Accubonds will shoot.

TSX work well on Deer and Antelope.with over 20 head of game (Deer and Antelope) taken with TSX between myself and hunting partners all were bag flops

It's hard to find an expanding big game bullet that is "too hard" for any sort of big game anymore. In fact, I have not seen one in decades. The modern bullets will all expand easily on a pronghorn or 100-pound deer, out to 400+ yards, even with a 180 .30-06.

It is also hard to find a 180 that won't for work for about any kind of game, large or smal, in a .30-06, one of the reasons that bullet weight has worked for 100 years in the caliber.

I have owned so many .30-06's over the decades that I've lost count, probably two dozen or more, but have pared it down to 4 right now. Have had excellent luck with various 180's and IMR4895, IMR4350, H4350, RL-15, RL-19, RL-22, H4831 and Ramshot Hunter, to name some off the top of my head. Probably a very long bullet like the AccuBond will shoot better at higher velocities, but it is also so long that you may have trouble loading enough of the slower stick powders listed to get up to 2750-2800. Consequently I would probably started with H4350 and Ramshot Hunter and see which one shoots better in your rifle.

MD

If I had to choose just one bullet weight for all big game hunting in North America, it would be a 180 grain Nosler Partition Bullet which has a sectional density of .271 insuring deep penetration and a ballistic coefficient of .474 insuring good down-range performance.

Naturally, we do NOT have to "choose ONLY one bullet"... therefore, we can choose the best suited bullet design and weight for the intended game hunted.

Another sure winner (weight-wise) is the relatively new 165 grain, .308 bullet which also has excellent "numbers" and adds a bit more velocity to the "menu".

Of course, the performance of the Nosler Partition Bullet is a "given"... I used them exclusively for many years on all my hunts... and it is/was undoubtedly one of (if not "THE") best big game bullet ever designed. I believe the newer "bonded-core" bullets will also prove to give excellent performance.


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

MD,

Excellent info...thanks! I have a good supply of H4350 and will start there.

Sectional density is not realivant when compairing expanding bullets, it's realavance is in compairing solids to solids.

I settled on 55 grains of IMR4350 powder and 180 grain Hornady BTSP IL. (gasp!) They killed deer, bear, and several moose quite effectively at ranges from about 50 feet to 250 yards. Very accurate. Excellent terminal performance. But how can you beat 100 years of success?

180 grainers and 4831 have ben a good combination for many years. However, it has been said if you can't get your .06 to shoot well with 4350, probably something is wrong with the gun or shooter.