Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting 30-06 and factory ammo

While I do reload some I’ve recently been on the search for a factory ammo that my rifle likes. I have tried more than a dozen or so different manufacturers and different weight bullets and have landed on 2 that my particular rifle tends to like and both are a 150gr bullet. They are the Hornady American Whitetail and the Federal Fusions and both shoot equally well. Which ammo would you go with for Mule deer from close range distances out to say 350 or 400yds? Or do you think difference would be unnoticed?

Flip a coin. Both have been fine for the factory ammo shooters at my deer camp.

I've shot multiple deer with both. No issues.

I prefer the American whitetail over the fusions. Based on nothing other than my preference.

-Jake

Can’t go wrong with either bullet. I’d shoot a couple groups with each load at 400 and pick one.

In my area at least, American Whitetail ammo is easier to find, in my handloads Hornady bullets have performed well on whitetails that I have harvested. I don't have any experience using Federal ammo on deer, if other posters have had success it sounds as though it's a matter of individual preference.

My experience with factory 06 ammo is that, sometimes different lots of the same load will shoot to a different zero. So, if you want to hit a buck at 400 yds., I'd make sure I know where that load shot at 400 as well as 100. E

I've been doing the same thing using several rifles over the last few years. Most cheap factory loads are around 1.5 MOA and 50-75 fps below advertised velocity in most rifles, but most rifles will shoot one or two of them exceptionally well.

I had an FN Mauser that averaged 1 MOA and exactly 2,700 fps with 180-grain Winchester Power Points. That load was about 1.8 MOA in a Tikka T3x, but that rifle 1 MOA and 2,690 with 180-grain Federal Power Shok and even better with the 150-grain Federal Power Shok. My current Model 70 does that with plain old Remington CoreLokt 165- and 180-grain loads. They're also cheap and I can find them almost anywhere, so they would be my choice for that rifle right now.

In terms of terminal ballistics, almost any factory 30-06 load would be fine for the shots you describe if your rifle shoots them well and if you know your drops. 30-06 factory ammo is so good that I've stopped looking for good loads and started looking for bad ones.


Okie John

Well if it would shoot 150 grain Power Points that is another excellent factory load. Easy to find and I like the quality control better than what Remington does with their Corelokt line.

Yes ... I will have to agree with you on this. Lot to lot can definitely have a different point of impact! I always check my rifle and where it’s hitting when moving into a different lot. I have had to make scope adjustments on multiple occasions.

My go to factory load for my old Mauser has always ended up being the Federal Premium 165 gr. BTSP Sierra Game King rounds. Never had a deer walk away from this one. It's scary accurate out of this old sporterized infantry rifle.

Have used both with very good success

165 gr federal trophy bonded bear claw tipped is outstanding in both of my 3006. under 1. always. drt on deer and in and out out on black bear. usually right on in velocity listed. my barrels are 23.5 inch. I stoped loading hunting loads for them it is so good. the nosler 165 b-tip is also great for deer east and west. don't rember the last time I had to shoot twice. good luck in your quest and God bless, D O M I T !

I don’t think you can go wrong with either of those. I’ve used 165 fusions and had 0 problems. Interlokts are great bullets also. I doubt you’ll see much difference in performance

I’ve shot Winchester deer season out to 400 and it was MOA. But that was in my 270. So I bought box in 06, but haven’t shot them yet. I know, I’m sorry it’s no help.
But I’m not really a fan of 150 cup and core in 30 cal. They also have their copper version now and reasonably priced.
If cup and core I’d go 165/8

I have found that good old cheap Remington 150 gr Core Lokt has always shot well for me and worked on deer out to a little over 400 yds. I don’t think you need a premium bullet for deer unless you just want to use one

For a deer as large as the mule deer, I would try to find something in a 180 grain load that the gun likes.

I second the Federal Premium 165 gr Game Kings

For deer, between the 2 loads you list there will be NO difference in how well they work .
Flip a coin or buy which ever is least expensive so you can shoot more for the same money.

In my experience a 150 grain 30-06 with a bullet that holds together will break bone and exit elk about 1/2 of the time . Hit right ,elk fall to them all the time. Those that don't exit make it to the far side and are under the skin in most cases.
Elk are WAY larger and tougher then deer. So it's it's OK for elk, deer are NOT going to give you any problems. Of those 2 the Hornady is likely to break up a bit more, but I have doubts you'll keep one in a deer even with some weight loss.
Bullet HOLES are what kill. Once you get a good size hole that goes clear through, nothing more can be done for that bullet's performance ,so the details past that point mean exactly ZIP. If you get straight through penetration with good expansion you've gotten all "kill" that bullet can give you.
I think both those you list will do that for you.

If I shot factory ammo, I’d buy this.