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

I have a few boxes of Winchester silvertip 220 grain 30-06 ammo that I picked up cheap several years ago. I have never used them for any serious hunting. But was considering using them for moose, bear or elk at typical bush ranges, well under 200 yds. My usual load of 180 grain Nosler Partition or a 180 Speer Grand Slam has always worked well, and given deep penetration. My only experience actually shooting game with 220 gr bullets was in Germany, where I used some Hornady ammo on a couple of tiny roe deer and a very small wild boar. Hardly a test of the bullets capabilities. Likewise back home I have only accompanied one hunter who used the 220 gr,, in that case a Federal factory load. He shot a running mule deer fawn at about 300 yards. One shot placed in the shoulder crease and down it went. Again, a pretty odd application for that sort of bullet. I'm wondering whether to just burn those 220 silvertip loads up on offhand target practise or actually hunt with them.
So my question - when hunting game bigger than deer, is there anything that the traditional 220 gr cup and core 30-06 load does that a lighter controlled expansion 180 gr. does not do?

I like heavy bullets, hardly ever met one I didn't care for.

Smokeless powder is a passing fad.

A crafty fella can put a jacket on a lead bullet. With paper. If you feel the need for speed one can knock on the 3,000 fps door with such things.

I admit that J-bullets are less time consuming and likely of better construction these days. Lead is more fun.

.44 Mag bullet, 320 grains, 30:1 alloy. Splat

Can some one please show their two side by side 10 shot groups so I can decide the validity of this 220 grain bullets worth.............

I guess these never caught on. Vintage Barnes 30 caliber 250grain.

Not a gun writer, but about the only good application I have ever used them for is to give someone scope eye. Save them for sight in day at the local range, give them to the a-hole that wants to handle his o6 when every one is down range.

How so?

If I'm following, you'd rather a 220gr Silvertip in a 30/06 facing a 10 foot brown bear or shooting up the ass of a moose over say a 250gr Partition in a Whelen or a 225gr X in a 338/06? Is that the sheit you're slinging?

It's normal, but many people on this board and others think only about their hunting. They do not consider that the requirements of others living elsewhere in the US, or the world for that matter, may be different. For example, if you live in a place where long shots are the norm, you would forego using a 220 gr. RN bullet in favour of something that has more reach. Conversely, there are people who have never shot farther than 100 yd at medium/large game and a round nose cup and core is just fine.

Some folks hunt completely different animals with the same calibre. The 30-06 is a great example of that. There is precious little on the planet that the 30-06 is not capable of dropping. From groundhogs to grizzlies, the 30-06 is potent medicine. To even the odds, only the bullet needs to be changed. But that doesn't mean you have to use a copper bullet, a bonded core, or a Partition. You could use a heavy cup and core bullet. Or something frangible like a VMax. Choices are great.

There is also an age divide on some boards, with hunters under 45 or so thinking that Partitions or Barnes bullets are the only bullets that can get the job done. They are victims of marketing hype. But that's fine, it's their money. Choices are great.

All of us joke at one time or another about new hunters 'needing' a copper bullet to take that deer - even if it's only 50 to 100 yd away. They are convinced that premium bullets are the only option. But I think that they haven't learned what is required to drop their game of choice. Their mind is fixed, until they get more experience. But that's okay, choices are great.

I wonder why clunky old cartridges like the 30-30, 303 British or the 45-70 have managed to survive when there are so many other, supposedly better cartridges and bullets available?

We're all lucky to have choices!

...Well said!

Can some one please show their two side by side 10 shot groups so I can decide the validity of this 220 grain bullets worth.............

Derailed in 4 posts. That may be a record.

So it was dark, real dark and was using one of those lousy Leupolds (VX3/30mm tube 3.5X10X50 ill German 4). Range was 52 yards facing. I was up about 20 feet shot between shoulders, severing spine and angling down destroying stuff inside. Recovered on offside ham (note to JB, I DID NOT use "rear ham"). Hornady 220gr RN Interlock. Recovered bullet weighed 159.2 gr. Pass or fail?