Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game good factory load for the ole -06?

I have for many years I shot a 300wby with 180 grain partitions for all big game animals here in Montana. I have just bought a new Mark 5 lightweight 30-06 with 3X9 leupold everything stainless. I want another good all around load for everything from antelope to elk. I probably will not be reloading this next year. I was on the Federal website and they had 165 bearclaws premiums @ 3140 fps from a 24 inch barrel out of a 30-06. WOW that can�t be true, is it? What do you guys like in the good ole 06? I want to buy a few premium boxes of ammo and start shooting and see what this rifle likes. I heard Hornady can add 200 fps in their light magnum rounds. I was thinking of lighter bullet (150-165) that retains a lot of weight. I have never shot the barnes bullets, is there extra work cleaning the barrel because of the copper. Thanks all comments welcome. Montanaboy

The Federal High Energy load should be compareable to the Hornady Light Mag. With a 165 grain bullet you would have a great combination of trajectory and retained energy.
<br>I shoot mostly whitetails, hoping to get a nice black bear, and I've always just used the 150 grain Corelokt factory or the Winchester 150 grain Silvertip, or a run of the mill Ballistic tip handload. The Silvertips equal my handload in accuracy, and the Core-lokts shoot almost as well, and are easy to obtain, so I'm all set.
<br>For elk I would imagine you are right on the money looking at the High Energy or Light Mag in the 165 grain.

The Federal ammo-with their Trophy bonded bullet- is far superior to the Hornaday. JJ uses the 165 gr. Swift-A-Frame alot. Head over to his post, on the African Board, for his pictures of recovered Swift bullets. The TB works basically the same. E

I'll vote for the Fed. Premium TBBs.
<br>
<br>Cheers, Jeff

montanaboy:
<br>
<br>I use the following factory loads in my 30-06.
<br>
<br>Antelope - Federal "Classic" 125 grain Sierra Pro Hunter
<br>Deer - Federal "Premium" 150 grain BTSP
<br>Elk - Federal "High Energy" 180 grain Nosler Partition
<br>
<br>These loads have essentially the same trajectory, there's only 0.5" difference at 300 yards. So you can switch your loads to match the game and you don't have to adjust your scope. Also you can use the cheap "Classic" loads for practice and hunt elk with the deadly Noslers.
<br>
<br>KC

While I have been using the Hornady 165 gr. BTSP Lt. Mg. for several years I have got to think that the Winchester Supreme with the 150 Gr. partition gold will prove to be far superior. I plan on seeing how they work in a couple of my rifles before the next season.

For a 30-06, it's hard to ignore the Federal Premium 165 grn partitions as a factory one load offering as long as they shoot well in your gun.
<br>

MontanaBoy,
<br>The 165's at over 3,100 is real!!! I shoot the 180 High Energy 180 grain Trophy Bonded bullets out of a 27" .30-06 and I averaged 3,023 fps!!!! Now that is smoking for a .30-06 and is close on the heals of the .300's with hand loads. The Trophy Bonded bullet is far superior to the partitions, A-Frames and everything that is out on the market, in my opinion. My first 200 yard 3 shot group went .78"....at 200 yards!!!! My buddy and I have blasted jackals, MANY african antelope, Kudu, Zebra, elk, deer, moose, pronghorn antelope...etc. We have plugged them at 30 yards out to 300. We have recovered 4 bullets and ALL were textbook mushrooms retaining 98% of their weight. Even the small critters get large exit holes and drop at the shot kills. You will LOVE the Federal Trophy Bonded loads. They are the premium of the premiums (IMHO). The back half of the bullet is solid copper and the nose cavity is filled with lead and bonded to the jacket. You CAN'T blow one of these up on a critter. We have tried, yet they still open up at long range perfectly. Good bullets and great loads. Federal has a winner. Flinch

Flinch, at nearly $30.00 a box they darn well better be the premium of the premuims!