Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 30-06 didn't impress me.

I started following my dad elk hunting as a kindergartener in the early 60's. Over the past 60 years between myself, guiding, family, and friends I've seen a lot of elk killed and saw the aftermath of many more. The Partition is still the most consistent, generally accurate, deep penetrating bullet across the widest range of velocities I've seen.

There are other excellent bullets out there these days, and I'm slowly transitioning to copper bullets, but it ain't easy giving up on a bullet that has been as reliable as the NPt's.

Casey,

These days a lot of hunters judge big game bullets on two things: Whether they exit, or if they don't exit how much weight they retain.

I'm kind of old-fashioned, so judge 'em more on how well they kill stuff--and have basically the same opinion.

Have also run into a lot of outfitters, guides and African PHs who agree.

Why switch to all copper?

I know a partition will work. So will a 50 caliber round ball. I just like an interlock better. And from my experience, I see better performance for my needs with an interlock. I used to think I had to have a berger vld until I bought some interlocks one day because I couldn't get bergers. Never went back. Just me. Shoot what you want. But an 06 with a 165 IL or NAB is what I've got in my rifle. Different strokes for different folks. Also, like I said, my experience with a partition is with deer, not elk, but I have confidence in a Hornady.

I think there’s a third these days.

If they exist on a shelf or through the net to be purchased. I know it’s softened what I must have to what will work…

Yep!

Totally agree. But I'm not huge on the exit and weight retention as much as I am the trauma inflicted on a big game animals chest cavity and central nervous system. An exit is nice though, or an added bonus. Now with that being said, a quarter to shot must penetrate shoulder and travel into the vitals of an elk at say 300 yards is asking alot from a bullet and an 06 in my opinion. A partition would be a great choice for that situation. One broadside at 300, partition will get it done, but so will an interlock. So I guess it all comes down to shot placement in the end with any cartridge. I am old fashioned too. I shoot wood stocked rifles with 10 power leupolds, andd flat based bullets. Love that old 06 though.

Then there are those who seem to think there is only one criterion that matters: BC😉

With zero patriarchal influence growing up, I decided on my first hunting cartridge with the only input being a reloading manual where I wore the pages out. Initially I was a proponent of short action cartridges. In 1978 the 308 made the most sense to me, so it was my first rifle purchase at age 18.

To answer your question, everybody I knew were either 30-06 or 270 fans. I just did not want to follow the crowd as I have always preferred to swim upstream. When I finally stepped into the waters of long action choices in 2005, I chose the 280 for that same reason.

Now, I hunt alternately with 308 Win, 300 WSM, 280 AI or 7 Wby.

With ya on that. I could care less about bc. I don't even look at it when buying hunting bullets.

B.C. Is waaaaay overrated!

It's overrated for hunters but not for the new breed you cannot stand anything less than 800 yard pokes at game animals.

I don't wanna pay for a scope that gives me a chance at even making an 800 yard shot lol. Everyone's long range now. With a creedmore...30-06 is the king. Make a good shot, it'll be fine.

It certainly has. I'm one of those elk hunters and a bunch of elk have found my 30:06 deadly impressive. Today, there are many excellent cartridges/bullets that work great in elk hunting, but don't quite see how any knoweldgeable elk hunter would deem the 30:06 as deficient.[/quote

for years the 06 was the gun most carried in Ak., my .02 I would carry it before the 7mm mag

The ‘06 is and has been a classic hunting round.

New bullets and new powders do liven it up a bit.

I like mine, have more than one.

DF

About those Partitons - I've shot elk with both PT's and Speer Hotcores out of a 300 WSM. I saw almost no difference in performance. They both retained the same amount of weight. With both bullets, I'd usually find it under the hide on the far side. The only difference I could see was the HC's deformed a bit more but it still hung together just fine. The elk didn't judge it on prettiness.

Ultimately people should worry more about their skill in getting close, and then get 10 yards closer as the old saw went and placing their shot where they call it rather than the LR jackhats with the next big whizbang game hammer underneath an equally stupid scope. Real men still shoot off their hind legs where I live.

I have killed more elk with the .30-06 than any other cartridge--and have taken them with three .300 magums--WSM, Winchester and Weatherby.

Started using the 200-grain Partition back when it was a "semi-spitzer" or "blunt-nose"--Nosler used both terms over the years. Switched to the present spitzer when it appeared in the late 1970s. Have yet to recover one, whether from a .30-06 or the magnums, even when the bull was quartering toward me and the logical placement was in the big shoulder joint.

But whatever....

5 or 6 years ago I got my hands on a bunch of 165 gr Accubond seconds that I use in my '06. I've shot 4 elk with them since then. AB's open up and destroy the chest cavity and seldom exit. I've found them under the far side hide more than anything. None of those elk have gone anywhere. I have about 200 of them left and they'll likely last until I'm too old to chase elk.

Shot several big whitetails with a 150 interlock out of an 06. A couple made Boone. All are in the 190 to 240 pound range on the hoof. Every one either dropped or ran a short distance and took a nose dive. Shots are on average 200 to 250 yards. Most of the time I find that bullet under the skin on the off side. Sometimes they exit. But if they do run with that interlock, the blood loss is massive.

Now, I've shot more does than I can even begin to remember. Shot them with all kinds of different bullets out of that 06, but I do remember some runners with a partition and a berger that the blood trail was specks, and they were all exits from various ranges out to 200 or so if I remember right. I know these aren't elk but you elk hunters are really informative of bullet performance. Always want to learn from others. But I prefer an interlock or accubond for whatever reason.