Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Why does the 220 grain .30-06 load still exist?

Talking about heavy bullets is a subject on its own. The fast and dirty story is that firearms of yesteryear used larger projectiles. Over the years, driven primarily by military advancements, bullets have gotten smaller.

Black powder was eclipsed by smokeless powder,which meant that bullets could be driven faster and farther. To reach out and hit something hundreds or thousands of yards way required higher pressures, and subsequently, higher velocities. Lead bullets couldn't take the stress and were wrapped in jackets. Gun metals and cartridge alloys had to be developed to take the higher pressures. Powders, bullet design and primers have advanced too. These changes affected what successive generations used on the battlefield and hunting.

The short of it is that 220 grain and other "heavies" were among the first generation of jacketed bullets. The bullets were heavier than what we see today, but were they truly heavies? Earlier generations used heavy lead bullets. A 220 grain bullet in a 30-40 or a 30-03 would have been thought of as a lightweight when thirty yrs or so earlier 450 gr. 50/70 or 405 gr. 45-70 bullets were the standard.

Is there a use for them today? Sure. It depends where on the planet you hunt, and the species of game that your pursue. I have taken moose with 215 gr. 303 British handloads and 400 gr. lead bullets shot from my 45-70.

Should we get rid of 220s and use lighter weight bullets instead? No. Chat with a BP cartridge shooter or someone who uses a muzzleloader. Choices are great and variety makes the world a fascinating place. I cannot imagine a world where the only rifle that exists is a 6.5 Creedmoor.

I worked up loads using 220 grain Hornady bullets for my 30-303. They do a great job on moose where I hunt. Thank goodness for diversity.