Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting 30-06 Mule deer bullet?

Lotta stuff written about how small calibers are so great for deer.
Then, very specific bullet choices for them.
If someone calls that into question, they are immediately attacked
using their marksmanship as the target.


That crap show doesn't circle the 30-06.
Choose a decent bullet from 150-180gr and go kill stuff.
Stay away from the softest and hardest bullets and it's an easy thing.


I'd use the Ballistic Tips.

I used a Barnes 130 TTSX in a Mule Deer once. MV was 3100 fos. It dropped the deer right there. The shot was about 80 yards; entered the ribs on the left side and exited the shoulder on the right side. The size of the exit wound was only slightly larger than the entrance.

I, me, myself wouldn't hesitate using that bullet again on a deer BUT this is your 10 year in the making hunt.

I have had good results from Hummer bullets out of my 243 and 7mm-08. I haven't taken any game with them yet. If I do get drawn for deer, that 243 will get it's chance.

use to be a 180 and 220 grain RN guy in the northern woods of Minnesota and Wisconsin..

but here in Oregon... if using an 06, I tend to either load a 150 grain Ballistic Tip or a 150 FN Speer..

and my load is usually 30 grains of 4198....

150 yds is normally about as far as I would shoot one, as I am usually in some thick cover it seems...

but either choice has never failed to drop the deer, if I hit the vital zones...

when I manage to miss, I have to laugh, but when I miss, it wasn't even close...

I'm a good shooter and a schidt shooter the other times... with very few times in between the 2 extremes....

Love me some 06!

i never read all these post on this forum but i do own a few 30-06 `s also ,if your a hand loader i think if i was too buy bullets to load a 30-06 i would seriously buy some Hammer bullets in the 120-130 gr. this should shoot accurate and fast enough too. good luck,Pete53

180 grain Hornady spire point out of my 30/06. Same one I use on elk.

'06 on deer? Just use the most accurate one you have. About anything can kill a deer cleanly if you hit it right.

Terminal performance is more important than a small advantage in accuracy. An inch and a half gun can kill any deer to 500 yards or more.
A slow expanding bullet May let a deer get back onto private property.

Agree and worth a try.

I’m a Hammer fan. New bullets, new powders are interesting developments for an old, proven round.

I also like faster, lighter bullets in the ‘06. But of course, bullet construction and the game critter being hunted is always a consideration.

DF

My one and only muley I’ve ever taken … Fall of 2020 out in Montana. Shot him with my Win70 in 30-06 using Hornady American Whitetail 150gr ammo. It did the trick for me!

I was out in the hills not too far from Livingston last month. Saw lots of mulies, thousands of elk, couple Grizzly and my first ever mountain lion. I would factor in the bears when considering my bullet choice. It's a highly unlikely scenario that you would have to use it but I would at least keep it in mind when choosing a bullet to hunt with in that area. My 2 cents.

Yep

180-200 grain for a deer? They have Mulie Elk where you live or something? 😎
I’ve used bigger bullets on deer but didn’t kill ‘em any deader.

That is a beautiful deer!!!

I think the heavier bullets in the 06 are ballistically superior at ranges over 500 yards.

I like 165 and heavier for the 3006

I use a 160 grain ftx for 300 sav and 30 wcf

There’s many bullets for the 30-06 that will work great. I used to only shoot 180 grain bullets after a 165 grain bullet failed. But that was just an early design that failed. If I were shooting 180 grain now I’d think almost any cup and core would work well. If I were shooting 150 grain, I’d be looking more at premium bullets. I think you said you have 165 grain ballistic tips which should work fine as long as they’re not first production year bullets.
I had a suppressor put on my 30-06 and I shot a very nice group with it (<1/2MOA). It was with 180 grain interlocks. The suppressor not only knocked the noise down but also cut out recoil quite a bit. I’m hoping to get a few tags this year, maybe I’ll use that combination on one.

They work damn well on deer. The plus to using a bullet like the 200gr partition is you can use the same load and bullet for elk. 1 and done. No fn around with loading different bullet weights for deer and then switching to a heavier bullet for better performance on elk. Keeping schidt simple is foreign to some people here.

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Yeppers

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Oh I know and I fully agree. I was just messing around.

Thank you much! I’m happy for just the experience. It was my 1st out of state hunt and hunting trip out west. Great trip with some good friends! Deer was just a bonus.