Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game 30-06 250 grain factory ammo question

Reading somewhere on this forum about this Barnes bullet, a member said he shot factory Barnes 30-06 ammo with their 250 grain bullet. I was and am unaware of this loading. Was it a misprint or did someone actually factory load a 250 grain bullet in a 30-06. If so when?

I don't believe commercial 250 grn 30-06 ammunitiomn has ever been produced. Several 220s but no 250s that I have ever seen or found in research.

I bought a box of Fred Barnes 250 gr bullets (just bullets, not ammo) from Northern Commercial in Fairbanks in the late 60's. As I recall they were crude looking with lead slopovers around the tip and I can testify they did not seat well with my Lee Loader which was made for spitzers I suppose. I can't recall if there was anything good or bad, it was over 50 yrs ago. I think Barnes sold a Pioneer brand ammo, but I never saw any.

I have used a 250 grain Barnes from a handloaded 30-06 to kill one elk. I recovered the bullet and it was text book perfect mushroom. I like hunting with exotic heavy for caliber bullets and I was surprised when someone on this forum said Barnes once factory loaded this ammo. That is the reason for my inquiry.

My 30-06 Lee Loader does better with round nose than pointed. No tip deformation

I know I had a box of .300 Winny loaded with the 250 gr RN. Late 80's? Like a year before I took up hand loading.

Were they factory MUSKEGMAN? If so what brand were they?

Dont know if ever factory loaded, but use to carry some reloaded stuff in my Winchester 54 carbine.
Never got a chance to kill something with them. Still have a few hundred in the loading room.

I can't figure how to post pictures from my phone, of the bullet I recovered from the elk. The wife says she will help this rather computer challenged bumpkin tomorrow.

Factory Barnes in a black plastic box

I have some 06 factory with 250 grain woodleighs.

I have read somewhere that one of the U.S. military ammo factories produced 250 grain 30-06 loads that were issued to DEW Line radar sites and were intended to be used for killing polar bears that got into the buildings or posed a threat to the people working outside the buildings. I assume that they were intended to be fired in M1903s and M1 Garands. I don't recall having ever seen any of these cartridges, but some old guys who served on those isolated radar sites might have.

I 've still got a box or two of the old Barnes " Original" 250 grain RN, 30 caliber bullets..

I might have seen some factory made ammo with them, but at the time didn't have an interest so never picked up any..

My world always worked just fine with 220 grain RN factory ammo from Federal... they used Sierra's 220 I believe.

When I started handloading, I was using Hornady instead tho...

Don't think I ever loaded or shot the Barnes 250 grainers that I have.

Seems like that original line of Barnes ammo from the mid -80s was called "Barnes Supreme".

I have a factory Orange plastic box, Barnes 250 Gr round nose ammo bought about 1984 shot a bull elk with it. It shot to 100 yard zero when my 180 gr handload was 2" high in my Rem 760. Barnes also sold the 250 gr round nose bullet.

Have 2 boxes paid $19.60 in 84 and they were reduced so older than that. Have 2170 FPS marked on the box. Shot a raghorn elk in WY stepped forward and up as I shot and hit it in the horn base. Broke the base dead right there with the 250 gr out of an 06!

looks like we learned a little history of the 30-06 ammo and bullets ,i too only thought 30-06 ammo went too 220 gr.ammo. thanks for posting pictures and posting what you guys know,Pete53

I recently purchased a box of new old stock loaded by circle B with 250 grain Barnes. Have not got to range yet.

I have a partial box of the Barnes 250 grain Original RNSP and also a partial box of the Barnes Original 220 grain semispitzer that I would part with if anyone is interested.

Huh. Didn't know about the 250's. I've been loading the 240 Weldcore's for a while now...