Looking to revamp my 30-06 load for next fall. My go to load has been 180gr Hornady BTSP Interlocks over H4350. Works great on elk, but zips right though deer without much shock. So I'm thinking about dropping back to the 165's for a do it all load. (I only draw an elk tag about every 6 years so mainly a mule deer load). I don't often shoot past 1/4 mile so the BC is really not a huge deal and either FB or BT will still have plenty of energy out to 400 yards. Drop difference is also minimal so it is more a question of performance. What is your preference? Thanks.

FWIW: I have a fresh pound of IMR4350 that I plan to use with this load.

Partitions are your huckleberry

200 grain Partition

Can't go wrong with this, on deer or elk.

Should have added - I'm cheap. $28/100 has me waiting for a sale......I have shot a couple elk with 180gr partions, no complaints but don't really see the need for premium bullets from a 30-06.

My do all load is the same as your except I use the flat base Hornady #3070 180 grain bullet. I'm not changing--you shouldn't either.

http://www.shootersproshop.com/nosl...0-180gr-partition-spitzer-blem-50ct.html

Here ya go tight azz!!

I have been using the 165gr TTSX in the 30-06 for moose, caribou, and deer for several years and really like the way it works and the fact it does not tear up nearly as much meat as jacketed bullets when shot through shoulders...

I think if I only hunted elk every 6 years,I could convince myself to use two different loads.

My last SPS purchase was 180 gr Partitions, $13 /box of 50

I was shooting the 165 grain SP's for over a decade. Then Hornady stopped making them for a while, so I had to switch to the BTSP's. I saw no difference in performance. I'm shooting up the BTSP's and switching back to SP's as I run out. I shoot them out of 8 different rifles (30-06 and 308 WIN) This is my main GOTO load for Whitetail.

Most devestating deer bullets I ever used were the 150 and the 165 Sierra BTSP gamekings.

Early generation 130 grain Ballistic Tips from a 26" barreled 270 with a case full of H4831 left a pretty good mark.

180 grain Partitions over 56 grains of IMR-4350 is an ideal load combination for deer/elk out of the 30/06.

As previously mentioned, Shooter's Pro Shop blems are the way to go....

It's hard to go wrong with the 165 sp interlock in the ol 06. I've used them for so long, I know they work. Seeing how the OP doesn't hunt elk, I'd switch to the 165 in a heart beat. If hunting elk every year, I'd go 200gr. nosler partition for both deer and elk...Only to simplify things..

You can buy partitions for the same price as hornady interlocks. Hint...

Didn't say I hunted elk every 6 years, that is just how often I have been drawing a tag. In between good rifle tag years they get the arrow.

Did not say I didn't hunt elk, just that drawing a decent tag is about a 6 year average. Those blems look like the way to go. Would like to find some 165's just to see how they work.

http://www.shootersproshop.com/nosl...5-grain-partition-spitzer-blem-50ct.html

These??

Says out of stock on the page I looked at?

You are correct! Hadn't noticed that.

Will keep an eye on that site, that makes them reasonable. $40 for 50 is just not worth it to me. Why I quit using them a few years back.

I thought you recommended light for caliber TTSX's?

For a deer load consider working up to 59gr of 4350 behind a 165gr NBT.

165 TTSX is the ticket

I like 150s for deer out of a 308. The only exception is PA deer. They are way too tough for a 308.

The last several elk I took, fell to your basic 165 gr Rem CoreLokt. Basic works - fancy is not necessary.

Which ever one shoots the best. Had a Sako 270, would not shoot boat tail bullets well at all. Sub inch groups with flat base bullets.

I've been using 'almost' the same load in the 06 a long time.

Almost -- H 205 not 4350.

The bullets have always performed extremely well for me. Vel. is 2925--50 depending on lot.

Jerry

The Barnes 130 TTSX pretty much replicates 180 CoreLokt performance, IME.

With a lot flatter trajectory and a lot less recoil.

About 1/2 the elk I have killed with a rifle fell to the 'deadliest mushroom in the woods'. That was back before I found out they were crap and would not kill anything.......lol

The web sight called terminal ballistics research, out of New Zealand puts out a lot of comparative performance observations on the different bullets. My experience with " blemished" or seconds has been they do not weigh what they are supposed to. So if I use seconds I will sort the bullets by weight and then group them in batches of similar weights to get loaded together. I often wonder just how big of a savings they really are if there are three or four groups of different weighted bullets out of 50 bullets.

Funny how that works, ain't it ?


Jerry

Hornady 165 SST.

Used that exact load from my .30-06 this past season on bear, antelope, mule deer and cow elk. Everything fell quickly. No problems at all. Very accurate, very lethal. It's a bit over 2900 fps.

165 Nosler Ballistic Tip worked out GREAT on all four animals.

Regards, Guy

I don't shoot my 30.06 much lately, but I found that Sierra's 165gr BTSP would shoot to almost the same POI as the Nosler 165gr Partition out to 400 yards or so. That meant I could use the cheaper Sierra bullet steel banging, deer and antelope, then using the Partitions for elk. Finally though, I used the Partition for all my hunting and the Sierras for targets etc. I still do the same thing only now with my 280AI and 160gr Sierra/Partition combo.

And here I always thought . . .

The more I read here I'm thankful for the not so tough version of elk we have in NM.

the 165 sierra game king BTSP is the most unreliable bullet I"ve ever encountered in a 30-06 round...

Does anything from almost blow up inside to not expand at all.

I"d never use that one again... FWIW.

Have had the same experience with .284 gameking 160 btsp in a 7x300...

Shot one elk and 2 deer with 180gr SST's and another deer with 150 SST's they all blew up. The old interlocks work great, not sure what it is with that plastic tip but it sure makes the SST's grenade. Others may like them but I don't care to mess with them anymore.

Hi!
Think you could try 165 Accubonds and might not have to switch back to 180 anythings. Not much wrong with the Sierra and Hornady from an '06, however. Try 57 gr IMR 4350, or 58 of H-4350. Rl-17 and Hunter are also good. The old Springfield is mighty good at a whole lot of things, and I, for one don't see the accuracy issues that some people claim it lacks. This is true with several rifles.

Hmmm...never had one not expand. Usually wished they expanded a little less.

Granted, I have not shot that many deer with them...half dozen or so, back in my deer hunting days.

My X-Bolt 30-06 loves the 165 grain Hornady soft point (flat base) over IMR4350.

Deer hate it.

I could literally strangle Hornady for their stupid decisions to drop so many of the Flat-Base Interlocks in favor of the BT versions. My experience with them is that in every case it was easier to get the Flat-Base to shoot well across numerous rifles and they held together a little better across the board too.

The flat-base is what built the Interlock reputation and they are turning their back on it. Sucks!!!!!! If they need to clean up their product line, the dang SST should be the first thing to go, way too explosive on game. The Interbond has accuracy issues much of the time.

They should have stuck to Flat-Base Interlocks and the GMX line plus the V-MAX. Nothing else is really needed for game/hunting and varmits.

Mark in GA

This is how I'm leaning, and my original question was basically meant to be about that bullet or the BTSP version of the same. I do like the Partitions and if I can find blems I may just go that way. But for the $40 / 50 retail, I'll probably pass.