Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 30-06 favorite deer hunting loads

Back in the Mid 70s RCBS recommended 56gr of 4350 for semis, pumps, and levers. Nominal mv 2650fps. That load with Speer 150s killed deer way out there.

200 grain Nosler Partition
RL 17

165 grain Sierra GameChanger
RL 17

note: start at lower-to-mid-range powder charge using Alliant data, and work up in .5-grain-inrements until hitting a good accuracy node, then stop and load!

I always had great results with the standard Remington Core-Lokt 150 gr.

Pick almost any good 165gr bullet, I happen to like the Nosler BT a lot, start with about 55grs of H4350 and add powder until your chronograph reads 2900fps or so. Then tweak that load to get a level of accuracy that suits your needs. Don't point that combo at any deer big or small, near or far that you don't want dead. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I used Barnes 150 gr TSX. A grain or 2 over most max loads in the reloading books using H4350 would give me about 3000 FPS. I’d give you the exact load but my son has my Nosler book and the data is in it. Incredible accuracy and bang flops. Keep in mind that most books keep the pressure low due to so many older rifles in 30-06. Really easy to get more velocity than most books show without any pressure signs.

However, your hunting deer. Just about any box you grab off the shelf will kill any deer planet earth has to offer. When I think of the 30-06, I think 350 Chevy small block. There’s less and there’s more. But not many that are as good.

Great post!

150 grain Nosler BT and H4895. My old 78 Remington hit 2944 fps about a half grain under Hodgdon's listed max and kept three in a 3" circle at 200 yards. Kills like lightning... whacked this guy at about 310 yards and the impact sounded like a ball bat swung hard against a side of beef. He went down like you had dropped a safe on him.

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The 200gr partition at 2700 fps in several 06's over the years, one bullet, one load, per rifle, makes life much simpler, will kill 60lb doe deer or a 1 ton bull moose, I like simple effectiveness.

Nice buck Sarge.

For a good combination deer/moose/wolf load for my 120 pound wife, I use 46 gr of H4895 behind a 150 gr Barnes TSX. Very accurate, and powerful enough to anchor any deer she has shot as well as a nice bull moose without punishing her shoulder. We get about 2800 fps and she shoots groups of an inch to an inch and a half.

My combination load for the same animals is a Barnes 168 TSX ahead of 57 grains of RL 19 for 2900 fps. My groups are usually in the 3/4 - 1 inch range. I love those unleaded bullets.

A buddy of mine swears by my loads for him of 57 gr of IMR4350 and a Hornady 165 gr BTSP Interlock. Kills moose and deer every year out to 250 yards.

The '06 is a killing machine.

50 gr of IMR 4064 & 150 Sierra Pro Hunter. 2800 fps out of my Model 70 with a 22" barrel. Low recoil VG accuracy.

This has been my MO for most rifles I load for. Start in the middle of the load book(s) and work up until solidly MOA or better. No worry about summer/winter loads. Just hunt.

I have 4 30-06 bolt action rifles. All shoot this load the best of any other I tested. 61.5 gr Re19 with 150 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip. Need to work up to it since it is at of approaching max. I think I found it originally in a Nosler manual as the "most accurate load" and it certainly worked out that way.
Phil

That 130 ttsx sounds interesting.

I need to give that one a shot with Partitions. I couldn’t get enough H4831SC in the case with a 200 AB and keep Bullets seated.

Might have to try it RL17 or something that takes up less space.

59gr RL-22 is averaging 2725 in my latest '06, to get in enough H-4831SC a man needs to use a drop tube, those loads were in a pre-64 '06 at 3.340 inch, this Sako runs 3.360 inch, the h-4831 loads went to 2800 fps and were extremely accurate, brass held up very well at those pressures.

Didn't shoot the '06 after starting handloading. But the 150gr Interlock in factory dress does a wonderful job of killing whitetails. Just knocks their little socks off. Load to whatever pleases your rifle and kill. Option: just buy some Hornady factory loads

I used a long one but the 200 ABs were just enough longer that I was danged near in the rifling in my P64 FWT while trying to keep them in place. The Partitions should be good.

I’ll reengage this one though.

165gr Deep Curls at 2800 fps work great, no surprise there...

It amazes me how the 06 works well with so many different recipes and boolits! I’m crazy about my 06 ... she can do anything I could ever ask of her and she does it well. I am constantly asking myself why I think I need anything other than the 06.