Never owned a 30/06, wondering which bullet folks prefer in theirs for elk.

Thanks

Barnes 150 grain MRX Bt.

Oh, boy.....


LOTS of good ones.....

This should be interesting...

I'd start with a garden variety 180 gr. flat base Hornady Interlock, good price, good accuracy, good performance...

here we go ........ simple.. Sierra BT Game King 150gr.

180 gr nosler partition..many others, but the old standby works consistently.

180 Horn or 180 Noz along with one of the 4350's. Always worked for us and if I had to go with one load in a 06 for life this is what it'd be 4 me.

And yes I have used it and seen it used a ton..

Dober

I know I've killed more elk with a .30-06 using the 200-grain Nosler Partition than any other. However, that's mostly because when I first got serious about elk hunting, back in the late 1970's, most of my hunting was in thick timber where 100 yards was a long shot. It was handy to have a bullet that could penetrate from almost any angle, and the 200 Partition was the deepest-penetrator available. (It still ain't bad at all! I've since used it on elk from the .300 Winchester and Weatherby Magnums, and still haven't recovered one, even from mature bulls.)

But these days there are a bunch of good bullets. I'd be quite happy using either the 150- or 165-grain Barnes Tipped TSX or Nosler E-Tip, in any kind of terrain. About any 180 will also work, because even a fast .30-06 load will only give them 2800 fps or so, not enough to discombobulate cup-and-cores.

In other words, a lot of bullets will work, but only if you put them in the right place.

200 grain BBC or Nosler Partition for Elk and Moose...

Ordinary 150 grain Hornady Interlocks, since before they had a name. Over 50 elk kills among those of us using my '06 handloads. Don't need the heavier bullets or the extra recoil.

Sierra 220 gr RN

Havent used my little 06 on elk, but the 200NP load @2700 would def. do the job.

Gunner

Thanks.

My 300 Win likes 180 Accubonds, I was thinking about trying 165's in a 30/06. I've used the crap out of the regular Hornady interlocks in my 270, but the biggest thing I've shot has been a few truckloads of deer with it.

200gr Nosler Partition, 150 gr TTSX, 180 Nosler Partition, 165gr Nosler Accubond. There are sooooo many great choices out of the '06!

I'm not into using fancy designer bullets. I killed the first dozen or so elk using 150 grain Sierra GameKing BTSP and was satisfied until one day it took four in the lungs at 30 yards to kill a cow elk. I switched to 180 grain Nosler Partitions and have killed a couple dozen more using that bullet. Not sexy, but still works fine.

KC

180 Remington core locks work great

I have killed around 8 with 150 grain Hornady interlocks. Another 4 or 5 with 165 grain Nosler ballistic tips. A couple more with 150 grain MRX. One with 165 grain partitions. All worked exceptionally well in the old .30-06 work horse, except the partitions. Only had two move after the shot. One I muffed the shot on with the 150 Hornady. The other was 165 grain partition (3 good hits, just no internal trauma, pencil holes in, pencil holes out). Flinch

I've killed a bunch with the 180 grain Core-lokt that isn't supposed to work. mtmuley

I haven't found any cup and core bullets that don't work in the .30-06. Some of the premiums are too hard. Flinch

I have just killed one elk with my 30-06 and I used 150 grn Accubond but this year I will be using 180 Accubonds or Partitions....

Depends on the one that shoots the best goes with me this year.

I have only killed one Elk with the 30-06 and it was with Nosler 165 gr Partition .The Elk was a cow and she dropped in her tracks at around 100 yards.

180gr partitions with imr4350 has worked for me for alot of years. i ain't changing anything!

168 tsx worked good for me.

Another tip for the 168 TSX, and 180 Partition, and 165 anything, and most 150s. In fact, I vote for most! Killed most of my elk with Partitions. They always work!!

I'm with Flinch and Ingwe on the cup n cores. Others I've used and liked are the 165 Sierra HPBT (about my all time fav, though it has the bc of a apple..). And the 200 Sierra Bt is one heck of a bullet if a fella wants to toss some weight around. If I wanted to shoot factory ammo in an 06 the old Fed load with the 200 Sierra would be a good one.

The 150 Horn, 165 Horn and the 165/168 NBT's are rock stars as well. And one other goody is the 190 Horn.

Tons of good bullets, one needs to shoot tons and hunt tons more.

Life is short, hunt hard!

Dober

Blah blah blah blah blah...Premium, solid copper, bonded, etc.

Simply put, a 30-06 is not a long range gun so the need for BC and lots of other terms is just foolish. A 30-06 with a Hornady 165 grain spire point has taken over 40 elk for me. Nothing fancy, just plain simple reliable performance.

Last falls volunteer taken at a bit over 400 yds with the 165 Horn Bt's. I double tapped him behind the front left, he danced around for a bit longer than I am used to (with my Mashburn) but he did tip over and offer to be table fare for the year...grin

Dober

Probably c-ya Sat morn over at the fair grounds Shrap.

Dober

Dober,

I spent a lot of time with George Cobb this past few days, we should talk about it. I believe you could be real help...

See you at the show, we will have the nicest display of historic rifles seen this side of the Cody Museum.

180 or 200 gr Partition.......everything else is just messing around.......

Although the 200 gr Sierra is another good one........

I use 165-NP or NAB for coyotes to elk. No complaints yet although all my elk have died by arrow. The deer and antelope have dropped well though.

I would go 165's...cause that is what I have and have used....

I've used the 30-06 with 180 Partitions with good results. Ditto the 168 TSX.

As pointed out, there is a nearly unlimited variety of fantastic bullets for the 30-06.

No lack of good bullets for the 30/06....

180 Partition.

Jayco

The .30-06 is just so easy on bullets. No harsh velocity to worry about breaking a bullet up on impact. No copper fouling, just easy to shoot and hunt with. Premium bullets aren't needed, no matter what the game, but they still work.

It is a long range performer as well. I have made several 500-600 bang flop shots. That isn't extreme range, but further than most care to shoot. I still get exit holes and dead critters. Me likey the cartridge a lot. Flinch

I'll stay out of the bullets question, other than to say that when I've hunted elk with a 30-06 it was loaded with 180-gn Partitions, but I'm with Flinch and Dober; 30-06 is quite capable of "intermediate" range hunting/killing and I would (politely) contest that bullet BC is not relevant. It may be completely irrelevant for some or most '06 users, but not because the cartridge won't do it.

To that end if I were hunting elk tomorrow with my '06 it'd be sporting a 180-gn Accubond this time. I have killed a deer with that load, through the shoulder at a hard angle quartering-towards. Bullet did great. I'd poke an elk with one plus, it will give the /06 near rock-star ballistic performance <g>.

180NP's, although I have used 165NP's also with no ill effects, except to the elk...

200 grain nosler partition,the old style.The ones that were made on screw machines.
Lots of lead exposed,absolutly devestating on every elk I've ever shot!
Fortunately I have a large stash!!

+1. I haven't caught the high velocity bug (... yet). My cartridges of choice push cup & cores at deadly speeds, but not so fast as to break 'em up. Last week, I found a box of 165 grain CoreLokts I'd forgotten about, & took 'em with me to the range. 5 shots in 1 ragged hole made me wonder why the hell I bother handloading for that rifle.


FC

I like 180 grain Trophy's in the '06 I have that shoots them well.

I use 180 grain Nosler Partitions in the other one.

They will both work as will several others.

That's funny, because I bought my brother a 30-06 and before I gave it to him, I played around a bit handloading for it. It'd do OK, around 1.5" groups at 100 yards, maybe a bit better. Nothing special. But then I tried some factory 165 CL's in it and damned if it didn't bughole 'em!

I favor the 180 Hornady SP, 168 TSX, and Nosler 165 AB for the elks and deers, oh and bears. Been wanting to try the Scirrocco II's.

Joseph

I suppose I would pick the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw for the 30-06 or the Nosler Partition, either in the 180 grain bullet weight.

I killed one bull elk with the 180 gr. partitions out of my 30-06. Dropped him on the spot.

The 168 TTSX is a perfect bullet for the .30-06...

[quote=blargon]The 168 TTSX is a perfect bullet for the .30-06... [/quot

Probably right on that one.

I don't use my 30-06 much anymore, but my buddy uses his with a 165gr np on the last 27 Bulls.

I've shot five average sized bulls with my '06 and the 180 A/bond started at 2725-2750 with good results. Two at 25-30 yds, one at 150 yds, one at 250 and one at 475 with good penetration/expansion on all. All bullets either went all the way through or stopped under the hide on the far side, some after breaking shoulder bones;/shoulder blades on both sides. These were all at 9-10,000' elevation so retained velocity was on up there with the .500+ BC.
__________
NRA Life,Endowment,Patron or Benefactor since '72.

You mean guys use the ol 06 for elk hunting ??

Gosh I would.. I would even use my .308 lol

Say it aint so, not the wondering which bullet part, but the part about never owning a 30-06

Oh my gosh..... He may be a troll doing some fishing Every sane rifle loony has owned atleast 4 30-06's in their lifetimes!!!

I'd be willing to use almost any 180 grain offering.

168 TSX, max load AA4350, CCI 250s.

No, but I've got 3 270's lurking in the safe. Kinda the same, just different! Does that affect my troll status?

Does it get better than a 180 Partition sitting over H 4350 or a 168 TSX sitting over same?

I haven't used a 30-06 all that much, but I've taken quite a few elk with a 270 and 300 WSM. I've found Speer Hotcores to be very good, 150 gr in the 270, and 180 gr in the 300 WSM. They hold up very well and have very good penetration.

My last one liked the TSX 168-gr really well. Will have to find if the new one will do the same.. Or the 168 VLD would be ok too.

And all this time I've been talking to you and I find out your a 270 guy . Glad that stock came off your 338........ or did it? I don't want no 270 stock on my 30-06. Hmmmm.......

I've been wondering about the 175 gr LRX from barnes. Wished they would get them out, that may be the bullet for elk hunting. Working with 180 gr Partitions right now but haven't hit that perfect load yet. I have a good load with 165 Hornady's though.