So I decided to see what all the fuss was about regarding the Berger VLD Hunting. I already worked up a sub-MOA load for my Tikka T3 Superlite 7mm-08 using the 140 gr VLD Hunting but I wanted to move up to the 185 grain in .30-06.

So it was time to move up. I bought some 185 VLD Hunting to try in my Weatherby Vanguard Back Country .30-06.

First, I established the max OAL at 3.428". I found this figure using the highly technical Sharpie method. Next, I loaded 6 rounds each, starting at 3.428" and reducing the OAL by 0.04" each time, for a total of 4 different OAL (24 total rounds). I used once-fired Remington brass, WLRM primers, and 58.0 grains Hunter. Disclaimer, this load is safe in my rifle, start lower and go slow.

Today was Range Day. I took my .223 and 7mm-08 to shoot while the barrel cooled on the BC. Very, very windy and hot.

I started with the shortest rounds, figuring that if I got crazy accuracy I could resize the longer shells. One three-shot group later dashed that hope.



It wasn't a group, it was a pattern. And did I mention the recoil? Holy Hannah, I think I sprained something.

After a welcome respite shooting clay pigeon fragments at 200 yards with the .223 and 50 gr TTSX, it was back to work.

A much better group this time, not much over the Magic Inch:



But boy howdy, once you get used to the 7mm-08 with a Limbsaver its hard to go back to a hot .30-06 load from a light rifle, Pachmayr or not.

I shot more fragments, this time with the Mighty -08, then I faced the music yet again.

Hmmm, I may be on to something. Just for fun I fired four shots, not three:



By that time the Fun Meter was winding down, so I didn't even try the longest load. The wind had really picked up and I had some Keystone Light in the reefer so I called it a day.

I'll be interested to see what kind of numbers pop up when I plug a .558 ballistic coefficient, 185 grains, and 2845 fps MV into the program.




P

Unless I'm going moose hunting or maybe headed to Africa, I really have no use for a 30/06 any longer. I don't think I've shot one in a dozen years.

I would just use the 3.388" COAL load and call it good and not even worry about the last load.

It will output quit drinking that Keystone Light crap.

185gr @ 2845 would get anybody's attention but don't know why you would use it other than big bears and moose in NA. I've come down to 150's or 165's for everything else. Not that I mind a little recoil now and then

I agree. All the pain and none of the gain over medium cartridges with good bullets. I used to think I needed a 30.06 to kill a deer, lol.

Another solution is to go a bit light on bullet and powder. The last deer I popped with an '06 fell to a 150gr CT NP non-moly over 46gr of H4895, the starting load in the Hodgdon manual. Accurate, deadly, and pleasant. With that powder, I could easily go lighter without issue.

No need to abandon our nice old rifles just because we get a little old and soft.

By god, I think he's got it...

I hunt everything these days with a 7mm-08 and 140 gr Partitions. Deer, elk, antelope. I was just curious after reading about JB's hunt in NZ.

It's nice to know that I have a load if I ever want to shoot a loooong way.





P

I still love the 30-06 with 180g Interlocks.

I always wished I started with 7mm-08. I've mainly used 30-06 and it's what I'll likely use.

The only other hunting cartridge I've used is 30-30 but my brother borrowed that rifle about 20 years ago and it's still at his house lol!

If I can buy myself the Merkel K3 that I've been lusting over I'll probably get it in 7mm-08.

Would chose a .30/06 with either 180 or 200 gr bullets long before I would even consider a 7/08.

I am with you elk..

I didn't think they made any other bullets for the 06, except for the 165's... . I've been loading a lot of 200gr. partitions lately and those should get the job done on damn near anything... I've also been shooting the ol 06 since I was 12. The mild recoil has never seemed to bother me. I can shoot 100 rounds in a range trip with no problems..

Get out of the sun, it's baking your brain.

Would pick a 7x57 before a 7/08.

Lots of bulls die from a 7mm-08 every year.

I'm 2-2 on bulls, one shot each.

My dad is 1-1 on a big 5x5, one shot.

I'll stick with it.





P

Congrats.

I prefer a .30/06.

Nice work there Pharmseller I think that last load is the ticket; I've grown addicted to Hunter!

I, like you and others, more often reach for much smaller cartridges these days, but I added an extension and decelerator to my trusty old 06 and LOVE it.

I've been running 168 gr NBTs & Hunter. It's my most trusted rifle and always comes on my hunts as a backup.

Hard not to like a good .30-06 IMHO. A 165 grain Game King is a stud, over a stiff load of IMR-4350.

wilks, that powder and the Sierra 165 HPBT was one of my 2 favorite loads for my old 06 when I used it quite a bit.
It probably has been 10 years or more since I fired a round though it..

My 7mm-08 has killed a couple deer and antelope.. But mostly I plink water jugs with it, and keep it here for the grandkids to hunt with..

Ya know, all things considered, if I had to pick the "perfect" all-around hunting round for everything I do, antelope to elk, it would be the 7mm-08. A truly great, and supremely balanced round. It just hasn't been around long enough to achieve the status of the 270 or 308. But it's just as good. And even better in some regards.

That's what I do with mine. With 150 gr. TTSX bullets, mine likes 52 grs. of IMR 4166. With the 125-130 gr. stuff, 47.5 grs. of H4895.
Real recoil reduction from the 180-200 gr. bullets with 58-59 grs. of powder. E

As this is now a 30-06 vs 7-08 thread, I'll throw in...

The 308 is better than both because it puts nice big .30 calibre holes in game just like the 30-06, with the same mild recoil of the 7-08.

I've seen 30-06 bullet weights as light as 110 gr so I imagine it can be loaded for anyones recoil sensitivity.

Regarding 7x57 vs 7mm-08, ammo availability would be the deciding factor for me. I haven't seen ammo in 7x57 on the shelf at any of my local gun shops. Even 7mm-08 isn't readily available here.

30-06, 270, 308, 30-30, 7mm mag are the big game cartridges I see most available.

Here's some 30-06 load work I did on my sporter.

Loaded a moly'd 208 Amax over 54.0 gr RL-17. Runs about 2650 fps in the 20" bbl.

Started off kissing lands at 3.55", backing off 10/thou at a time. Not bad kissing, but got better about 30/thou off.









Shane

My 308 is my big gun now. The 243 is the utility rifle, and the AR is for pigs and "social work."

I shoot Tikkas with limbsavers, and that's about as light as I want to go anymore.

aww, didja git '06 PTSD ?

Any relation to Gersh [bleep] ?

“It felt to me like a bazooka — and sounded like a cannon…The recoil bruised my shoulder, which can happen if you don’t know what you’re doing. The brass shell casings disoriented me as they flew past my face. The smell of sulfur and destruction made me sick. The explosions — loud like a bomb — gave me a temporary form of PTSD. For at least an hour after firing the gun just a few times, I was anxious and irritable.”

please turn in your man card at the nearest firing range ASAP,

why is this site "bleeping" out the sissy reporters real name ? Ge rsh Kun tzman .....
the Campfire going full Libtardocrat ?

I like to name my best loads. I load 168 NBT for my brother with 60.0 gr Hunter, we call the load "Tatonka" after he shot a bison through both ear holes with it.




P

It recoiled so bad I sprained my cooter.

Happy now?




P

hahaha, I recommend you have a cooterologist take a look at your injury !

just messin with ya although I find it ridiculous when recoil is excessively over exaggerated with mild recoiling cartridges, I've hunted and played with big 30 cal magnums for many years, most of my loads were max loads with 200 gr bullets at 3300 fps and 180 gr at 3500 fps but never gave recoil any thought as I understood that's what rifles do when you fire off a live round, now I shoot 236 gr bullets at 3200 fps in 30 cal and much heavier in 338 cal and 375 cal in cases with 110 gr to 160 gr in capacity and I still haven't died from recoil

America is getting so vaginalized even the shooters are whining like limp wristed sissies about recoil, rifle weight and barrel length, now you see adult grown men shooting with ladies and childrens size rifles and cartridges, then bragging about how well they shoot,

it's so pathetic that nobody even knows which bathroom to take a dump in anymore

What's a bathroom?

A tall tree.

That sounds too oldschool to me..

That's not true. I thought it was gay as soon as it came out....

Maybe its not a matter of someone being afraid of recoil...science proves that you can often get the same or better performance from a sleeker bullet bullet in a smaller cartridge. Why sit behind a 30.06 shooting 180's, when you can sit behind a 6mm with 105's?

Fixed it for ya.

You should write this in a Valentine's Day card and send it to yourself.





P

I used to work with a guy that ate habaneros like popcorn. I guess they really aren't hot.


Now where's that friggin 577 TRex chambered Montucky?

Lol

A little off topic (but hey you started it). Of all my rifles in the safes, my go to rifles are the 22-250 and 30-06 with any number of back ups from 270 up to 300WM. For the 06 I have one load for the 180 C&C, 1 for the 130gr Barns TTSX, and 10 for 150gr C&C to Mono.

HaYen

Now, that is funny....

Will do , thanks for the idea !

Hey, you can send a Get Well Soon card to yourself !