I've hunted with the 30/06 for the past 50 years. I started out with Remington Core-lokt. The 180's grouped better out of my Model 700 than the 150's. So I went with the 180. Killed everything from mule deer, elk , antelope and black bear. Found several bullets in elk----they were perfect mushrooms---just like the photos in the magazines. Then I drew a bighorn sheep tag & my reloading buddy said I needed to shoot reloads for accuracy. I tried both Hornady interlock & Nolser solid base. Interlocks were a little more accurate. FYI----I used up the 180 Nolser solid base on a couple cow elk----they worked. I used my interlock reloads on bighorn sheep, mtn goat and WY moose. They worked just fine---everything died. I never found any bullets. I decided that reloading wasn't for me and I went back to factory loads. I tested Federal, Winchester & Remington in wet phone books. The Winchester PP was a perfect mushroom & weight @ 140 grains--if I remember correctly. The Federal & Remington really didn't mushroom----they both weighed about 100 grains. So I choose to use Winchester PP & they worked great on black bear, elk and mule deer. I've never recovered a bullet from an animal. I've lost only 1 animal. A cow elk that I tried to break her spine----only shot I had & have regretted it very since. Young & dumb.
I site my rifle in 3" high @ 100 yards & go hunt. Everything is 180 grains in everything---factory or reloads.
I try to get a couple boxes every fall when there is a $5 rebate per box.
In all honesty any of the Big 3 in 180 grain will work in a 30/06 for anything in the lower 48. For AK grizzly, I would up it to 220 grain & use a Nolser partition. That's what I'm planning on using this June on my AK grizzly hunt. But many a grizz has been killed with 220 grain Core-lokt factory loads AK natives.
Colorado Bob
