Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Hot factory 180 grain 30-06 loads?

I have been out of the sport for years. Are there any current factory loads of 30-06 that are similar to Hornady's 180 grain Light Magnum factory load from several years ago?

In the heavy brush and woods, that stuff hit like the hammer of Thor. A Handi Rifle with the old Hornady Light Magnum load was a mean combination...

Down to my last ten rounds, wondering if anyone is making similar factory stuff now.

A few years ago, I loaded some 220 grain Hornadys for my sons HandiRifle. They hit your shoulder like the hammer of Thor! 😉
Sorry I cant answer your question.

Hornady makes a Superformance .30-06 180 grain SST load. I've never used it. Here's a link to it at MidwayUSA:

Hornady Superformance SST Ammunition 30-06 Springfield 180 Grain SST Box of 20 .



More product description there if you want to check it out and reviews. I'm curious as to how well the SST holds up at high velocities and terminal performance though.

Remington also makes one: Remington HyperSonic Ammunition 30-06 180 Grain Core-Lokt Ultra Bonded Pointed Soft Point Box of 20

Only 1 review that wasn't too positive. Stated it was slower than Remington's claimed velocity (2780 actual vs 2832 fps claimed). But it is a bonded bullet. A few fps might be worth the trade off if the bullet has better terminal performance. Hornady claims 2820 fps.

Superformance is the replacement for the Light Mags.

Better bullets, not extra speed, unless you like jellied venison.

My gun didn't find the light magnums especially accurate. Superformance powder is the bees knees for the .30-06 and for deer the SST is a fine bullet even though I am a monometal fan today

I've found the Hornady Superperormance ammo to less accurate than their regular grade ammo. Sometimes a little slower seems to work better. I now shoot 180s out of my .30-06 with the tame handload of 58 grains of H4831. Works good and very accurate out to 300 yards with SST. If I'm hunting big hogs at night I use the same load except 180 Speer Hot-Cor round nose.

I've chronographed a bunch of 30-06 factory ammo over the last several years. Most of it is loaded to about 308 velocities. I haven't seen anything like the old Light Magnum loads in ages. On the bright side, 308 velocities are still pretty effective, especially with the better bullets we have now.


Okie John

That's kind of what I do, load to good hot .308 velocity but a little slow for .30-06. Easier on the shoulder and in my two favorite .30-06 rifles a little slower shoots tighter groups. Neither one can handle the listed max loads for some reason. I have a friend that has a 22 inch Rem. 700 that requires more than a max load and then has trouble getting decent velocity.

Barnes Vortex 150TTSX will do it all for you Pard.

Superperformance 165gr GMX is where I would start

Keep It Simple Stupid is my go to expression. I load a 200 grain SGK over 56 grains of IMR 4831 to 2700 FPS in my 06 and the same bullet with RL-25 in my .300 Whetherby at 3000 FPS. The Game King is tough enough to get through he skin and into the vitals where it Wreaks Havoc and brings down anything I shoot with it quick.

I've never shot an elk with it but I've nailed a few hogs and a deer with it and they don't even think about running off. My grand son shot a young buck with the .300 at 100 yards and it never moved out of its tracks. One hog I hit high in the ass with my 06 with that load and it went out the brisket.

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/30-06-springfield-165-gr-gmx-superformance#!/

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/30-06-springfield-180-gr-sst-superformance#!/

I stockpiled several boxes of Federal High Energy both the Nosler Partitions and the Trophy Tipped versions when it was available.

I think the Hornady Superformance is good, but I'm not exactly a fan of the SST.

Why not just shoot some 180 round noses.

and that wouldn't be a bad start at all.....

Barnes VOR-TX in TTSX 150 gr is bad medicine for whatever it hits. I’m sure would be effective in 165 or 180 gr as well.

Got some good ideas from this thread. In the briar jungles, you want game to be dead right there, right then.

Auk - I have several boxes of federal high energy 180 nosler partition and bear claw. both gave high velocity in my rifle. 2888 fps. . my 300 win mag was 2980 . I used the 180 partition to harvest a big 6 point bull elk. it was the 67th bull I had seen, and was 28 yards. it worked real well. this was 11 years ago. there are powders that will approach this safely with by handloading. however for deer in ky; a 165 grain and either 4350 or re-26; lapua brass and a 210m should be plenty. or any of a bunch of factory loadings. we have used the 30-06 for quite a few elk here. it is awesome. both 165 and 180 grain bullets.

Aux the Hornady superperformance and the Remington hyper sonic are current factory equivalents. I would lean to the 150 Remington bonded.