Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters So Why the 308?

A while back I probably would have picked the 200-grain Partition with enough H4831 to get around 2700 fps. Liked (and still like) that load a lot, having used it ever since the last year or two of the "sem-spitzer," lathe-turned version of the bullet. Have taken game from pronghorns to elk with it at various ranges, and it always works. Generally have used 59-60 grains, with whatever brass and CCI 200s. The charge with the original mil-surp H4831 mostly varied with the thickness of the brass--thicker brass resulted in the same velocity with a little less powder. But with H4831SC it works even better, and getting enough powder in the case isn't a problem.

But have also killed a lot of big game with various other .30-06 handloads, partly due to having to experiment with new stuff. My most recent I worked up last summer, the 175 Barnes LRX with IMR4451, one of my favorite newer powders. Hodgdon's max listed charge got a little over 2800 fps, and the very first 3-shot group from the NULA was right around 1/2" at 100 yards. It kept shooting like that, and I used it to take a mule deer doe at 327 yards. The shot was angling away, and the LRX landed where it was pointed, dropping the deer quickly with very little meat damage. Will probably be using that combo quite a bit for local hunting in the future, as our valley has more grizzlies every year.

But have used a pile of .30-06 loads over the years. Sometime I might have to list them all in an article, maybe for RIFLE LOONY NEWS.