Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 30-06 bullets for Pa. woods deer ?

I spent the first 20 years swearing by 180 grainers

Then I tried 165 grain Hornady IL SP and they were the schizz.

My son's rifle's all shoot 150 grain Rem SPCL they did just as good.

I recently fell into a lifetime supply of Hornady IL SP in 150 grain. When the 165s run out, I'm going to switch.

Keep in mind, alot of the counties have bear season along with deer now.

Timely post as I will be hunting the Allegheny NF for the first time ever this coming season. I was thinking about using my 7600 carbine but leaning towards something else right now. Was fretting over bullets but figure if it kills a deer here in Maine I should be able to do the same there.

I will be wearing wool however.

That's what drove me back to my 30-06

Why? Is there something better than a 7600 Carbine?

It's a deer. Pick a bullet that shoots well and put down some brown. Since you asked, my buddy uses 180gr TTSX. Puts em down well. Just as well as the green and yellow box core-lokt.

In my opinion, yes. Others may not feel the same.

I'm planning to use my father's old Sako.

^^^^^In the Vermont deer woods as well.^^^^^

No matter what you drink
No matter what you eat
Wear Blaze orange and lots of it, if you hunt public land!!

When I started hunting in the 80's that was definitely true. Even we used them. But now its slanted heavily in favor of the 150 Core-Lokt which we switched to years ago as well.

In the last 50 years I have killed deer with about every size bullet made from 110 gr to 220 in my 3006. If you do your part it will kill deer.

And I have to ask,
Why a Remington 180 gr roundnose ?
What is it with round nose bullets ?
The myth of bucking brush ?
Or is there a wider frontal area that transfers energy faster?

splattermatic,

A few years ago (actually more than a few, say 15- 20) the 180 Remington Core-Lokt was still made with thicker jacket "sidewalls" than the 180 Pointed Soft-Point Core-Lokt.

The thick sidewalls were essential to the original "Core-Lokt" design, which included a deep cannelure to help the core stay in place during expansion. Around 30 years ago Remington changed the PSP to thinner sidewalls, which turned it into basically another cup-and-core. This was probably done to save money, but it definitely made a difference. Prior to the change, PSP Core-Lokts were pretty reliable eve, when they hit bone.

The round-nose Core-Lokt retained the heavy jacket for a while, because not as many hunters wanted round-nose bullets--and those that did really didn't care if they grouped under an inch. Thus the forming dies were used longer, even after they started to get pretty worn.

Haven't looked at the Remington website much lately to see if the 180 RN Core-Lokt is still produced. If it is, might have to buy a box to see if they still have the heavy sidewalls.

When I began hunting I was told it was for brush busting.

They're still produced but they're not as tough as they once were. Which is good! Years ago if you didn't hit bone with that bullet you'd have a long tracking job.

Different lead used inside to give reliable expansion under all conditions ?
I used them for many years. Never caught 1. I have a Hornady rn around here somewhere.
Perfect mushroom.

I've killed them with 125, 150, 180, and 220 grains.

Well, we used to rationalize using RN bullets with the old “brush-busting” myth, because it made sense to us, but mostly, RN bullets were customary to those of us who were too young to know anything first-hand about M2 ball and other spire point bullets in the ‘06. Hell, we bought our ammo at the corner gas station and the plumbing and heating store, and RNs were what they carried! A lot of us graduated to the ‘06 as the first rifle we bought with our own money. As for me, in 1968 I paid $70 for a used but pristine 760 with the fancy, glossy stock. I had worked six days a week all summer washing pots and pans in a hot kitchen at $40 a week plus room and board. I moved up from the hand-me-down Savage 340 chambered in .30-30. It went to my younger brother as his first centerfire rifle, and was handed down twice more. So we all graduated from .30-30 150-grain Remmy RN Core-Lokts to 180-grain ‘06 RN Core-Lokts just as a matter of fact!

I bought my first pump in 1976 with my tip money from my paper route. A buddy and I, got consecutive serial numbers.
My mom took us to the gun store.
Some years later I traded it off for parts for my Mustang.
Stupid......
Still have the little rack from my first deer I took with it tho !

I was stupider! I sold mine to my younger brother to cover the insurance on a 1968 half-cab IH Scout that I just HAD to buy. He shot a couple of nice bucks over the years with that rifle, too.