Now that we have decided the ole 06 is not too big for deer let's figure out the best deer load. In my two 30-06's I like 57.5 grains of IMR 4350 under the 150 grain Speer Hotcor spitzer. This gives around 2800 fps I suppose and solid deer performance. However I have used the 165 grain Sierra BTHP and the 165 grain Rem. PSPCL on the same powder charge with outstanding success also.

I would like to know how you got a cup core bullet @ under 3000 FPS to actually kill something!

All jokes aside, pretty much anything that goes "bang" in a 30-06 is a "good" deer load. But finding / arguing the Absolute Best, wow. I am just going to set back with some popcorn and listen to the fireworks. lol

I hope the Factory Federal Fusion 150gr load I am going to try this year is high on the list, my rifle just Loves them, like .5" loves them...

I'm not into handloading yet but I'm hoping to get into it very soon. My '06 really loves the 150 grain Hornady Interbonds. That's my factory round of choice and once I get into handloading that's going to be my first bullet of choice too.

Glad we've decided the '06 isn't too much for deer because that's the only rifle I own right now

57 gr. of IMR 4350 under a 165 gr. bullet. 2850 fps in my rifle, according to PACT. My preference in bullet for deer goes to the Nosler Ballistic Tip, when I go after elk it will be the same load, but with a 165 gr. Nosler Partition. For those of you who don't like the Nosler Ballistic Tip, pick YOUR favorite deer bullet and put it on top of 57 gr. of IMR 4350 and go kill deer!
Selmer
PS This is a MOA load in all three .30-06s I load for, all different brands.

I don't load for the .30/06, as I don't shoot them all that often, and they are really more than I need for Florida Deer.
When I do take my Remington 742, or my 700 BDL hunting, I use the Remington 165 grain CoreLokt factory loads.
Those have been consistant killers for me for many years.

Before I'd offer an opinion, I'd want to know more about your hunting location/style. Woods hunting (e.g. Oregon's Coast Range or Michigan's Upper Peninsula's timber) might merit a different answer than hunting over open fields or sage flats or across canyons.

I've loaded Hornady 180 gr. RN bullets down to about 2500 fps for my woods hunting. There'd be a lot better choices for more open places.

I loaded my friend's .30-06 with 150g E-Tips(2nds) with IMR4064 to about 3050fps. We will see how it works in 57 days hopefully.

56gr of H-4350 under 165gr Hornady SPs is what I use now. As for "the best" I believe so such load exists.

165-gn Accubond loaded to 2900 fps or so...

I'd say the "best" 30'06 deer load is the one that works best for your style of deer hunting.
Most people find that a fast opening 150 gr. load is more than enough for any deer. They, for instance, have been known to put down and kill a buck at ranges up to 250 yds. even when hit too far back.
Personally, due the the closer ranges, seconds to shoot conditions where I hunt and the possibility of hitting some sort of brush with the bullet, I prefer a premium like a TSX, either the 150 gr. or the 168 gr. weight. Not the fastest, or widest opening bullet, but it does open very well at any range, and above all, will hold together. Something I've found important if the bullet hits brush on the way to the buck.
You should understand that some of the 180-220 gr. bullets are not designed to open nearly as fast as the lighter 150-165 gr. bullets. If you insist on a heavier bullet, I'd look at either the Remington Cor-Lok or the Hornady,Speer or Sierra 180 gr. bullets in a round nose form. E

58 grains of H4831 or H4831sc. Federal 215 primers. Either Hornady 165's or Nosler Ballistic Tips or Partitions. You can cover the groups at 100 yards with a Nickel. And the Deer drop dead. Elk fall pretty hard as well.
Never checked the speed.

T

Super post. Ill Be BAK as Arnold says. I havent loaded for the 30-06 yet, but planning too. Still contemplating dies.

DID pick up some Winchester Gold Partitions C H E A P, I thought.

Anyone shot anything with these to be able to comment or should I shoot em at targets and reload.

OFF TO WORK. Back in the AM......YUCK!

Thanks in advance for all the replys here and anyone that can tell me about the above.

SKR

I bought a couple boxes of Hornady Custom ammo with 165 Gr Interbonds a few years ago. Very accurate in my Finnbear and they have been deadly: 4 shots - 4 deer.

I bought a box of Federal Fusion 180gr 30-06 just to use as foulers for my reloads....they shoot so darn good (well under one inch and several times 3 touching) that I am thinking about scrapping the reloads and just shooting the $25 a box Federals...

My favorite 30-06 deer load is 55 grains of H4350 under just about any 180 grain bullet that shoots well in my rifles. Solid, dependable performance.

-

for me personally, 57 grains of imr 4350, 150 grain barnes tsx for elk, bear, or deer. i also use 150 nosler accubonds, and ballistic tips. all of them average between 2800, and 2900 fps, and all kill equally indescriminantly for me, and shoot well under an inch in my ancient mauser.

i just want to say that you can probably reload those cheaper than buying them. you may also tinker a little and find a more accurate load by messing with the seating depth. i got way better results when i loaded my barnes tsx bullets farther out than in.

150gr Nosler Partition in front of 59grs of IMR-4350. Killed a [bleep] load of stuff with that.

Mark - I have to agree on the accuracy of the 150 Fusions. They shoot better than either my rifle or I are capable of shooting. Best, John

+1 on these loads. They are very close to MOA in my two '06's.

I think it's hard to beat regular old 150 and 165 gr Remington CL factory loads for deer hunting with the 06. In handloads, I like 150 hornady SPZ and IMR4350.

Lou

ironeagle: where can you buy Fusion bullets to reload?

Another old standard that shoots well out of a lot of 30-06 rifles is a 150 grain bullet over 52 grains 4064. Out of my pretty much stock 700 Remington, the average for 20 3 shot groups was 1.04 inches. Ed Matunas used to recommend this load also.

When Midway had one of those "winchester is going to quit the 150 grain partition gold' saled, where boxes of 50 were $4.99, I ordered a thousand (20 boxes).

60 grains of H4350 under one of those or a 150 TSX, or 60 grains of RL22 under a 180 partition works pretty well on everything.

Truth told, my son killed a HUGE cow elk a few years back with a 150 partition Gold over 46 grains of Varget in a 308. Clean-through DRT performance.

My "BEST" 30-06 load is 165 grain Hornady SP Interlok over 47 grains of H4895. It's a light load, but it has been a death ray on deer. My longest shot with this load to date was on a coyote at 165 yards in 2002, and I had excellent performance. Most all of our shots are inside 80 yards. It has such light recoil that my #2 son, Moose, used it for his youth load.

I am back experimenting with a 150 grain SP Interlock and H4895 this year, more to use up a bunch of 150s more than anything else.

I have 500 165 grain Ballistic Tips, but feel they may be suited for more open country than I have at my lease. I might try some of The Federal Blue Box Power Shoks in 150 grain this year and if I do they will be the first factory loads I have shot deer with in 30 years.

My favorite is the 150gr BT. If you have 500 165gr BT's you should be using them. They are a great bullet, 10yrds to 300yrds = dead deer.

I don't think they are available yet....

My favorite for deer is 57 H4350 with a 180 C/L, Interlock or partition.

I load a light load with a 150 gr Hornady/4064 for my Brother-in Law and It works very well also.

My favorite deer load in my 7x57 uses the 150 grain Ballistic Tip at something under 2700 fps. The perfect deer load. I also like the 160 grain Sierra BTSP at about the same speed.

58.5gr IMR4350 and a 150BT, Fed 215 Primer...filled lotsa freezers with. Now I mainly use a 180 Federal blue box, wallyworld had them for 12 bucks a box...bought 11 boxes of the same lot #...set for a bit.

I'll agree with the many who have stated that any 150-180 bullet will work very well on deer. I use the 165 Gameking powered by 58 grains of H4350 which chronies about 2820 in my rifle. This load is absolute poison on deer, but I'm betting many other bullets are too. Its danged near impossible to make a bad bullet choice when it comes to the .30-06 and deer if you stick to the 150-180 grainers.

Just got back from the range. My Cooper mdl 52 Jackson game rifle with a 3-9 vx 2 leupy shot a 0.350 inch 3 shot group using 130 gr ttsx bullets and 55gr of Varget at 3152, 3115, and 3108fps
Can't wait for October to try it on Bambi....oh yeah, it is an "06

when i hunted in pa., i used 59.0 grains of h4350 behind a hornady 180 grain round nose.
devastating on whitetails.

59 grs. of rl-22 with a 180 gr. speer hot cor.

A little trick for the handloader for the 30-06, is to load 150 bullets for the 30-30 in the 30-06 to about 2700 fps (quite a mild load).They are really good for broadside lung shots,on deer inside 200 yds.I got this idea from reading jack o'connor years ago and tried it for a few years myself with some good results.I picked my shots carefully ,as a hit in a bad spot would ruin a lot of meat.Well placed lung shots are very destructive ,usually they drop right there,or at least offer a huge blood trail.

My dad used to get me to load 170 grain flat nose Sierra bullets in his 30-06 at 2600 fps. Short heavy blood trails.

I'm not gonna tell you it's the best but the 150gr SST works great for me. Hell just about any 30-06 load will work great on deer.

I've had good luck with Federal blue box 150 grain soft points from my .30-06. Just about any factory loaded 150 or 165 grain bullet is perfect for deer. Figure out what you want to use, test it for accuracy and practice with that load out to the farthest range that you plan to shoot, and go hunting. Place your shot and you will have a dead deer. Good luck!

Yeah, it is kind of strange considering after 3 years that the bullets still aren't available to reloaders.?

Interesting note: Bullet was conceived and designed by Speer engineering team with all the credit going to Federal and none to Speer for their efforts. Go figure!

Factory Fusion doesn't shoot well in my 06' or 270 but does fairly well in my 243.

As for an 06' load Hornady 165 IB, over 55.5 grs. IMR 4350, with a 210 Federal primer gives less then MOA and very effective on deer.

2Seventy

The 180 gr. Fusion load shoots under a inch in my M70 '06, but I have also used handloads with 180 gr. BT and Nosler Solid base.

None have complained about the 165gr TSX I have been used. Dont know if they are the best but after last years performance I will stick with em. For awhile anyway

My 30-06 Ackly Improved Mauser likes 165 Gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets (hit like a ton of bricks)and about 60 grains 4350. I get somewhere aroud 2900 FPS.

My favorite load is a 165 grain Hornady SP Interlock over a 5% reduction off-max of H4895. In Winchester Model 70, it printed a .5 inch group at 100 yards this weekend. That same load also goes in my M1 Garand.

My pre-'64 Win. model 70 likes 58 grs. of H4350, 165 gr. Hornady Interbonds and Fed210Ms in Lapua brass. I get sub MOA 5 shot groups.........................and dead deer.

My 30-06 load of choice is 50gr of IMR4064 under a 165gr Sierra Gameking. I have always had good luck with this load on deer. My dad, brother and uncle have all used this load very successfully on elk as well. I keep thinking that one of these days I need to try some 4350 but I guess if it isn't broke it doesn't need fixing.
BP

Never did like the 30'06...until I owned one! 170 HDY 30gr 4198 for allaround fun and little deer, 125X and 748 death right now deer and Black bear, 165 BTs has killed two sheep and a few
Bou, no complaint there, but the universal fix all even in big bear country is a 220 and a case full of RL22 2600fps amazing accuracy and slap!

H4350 + 165 NBT = bang flop

Agree on the powder; 57gr+165 Hornady BTSP.

Remington 150 grain core's, PSP!!! EVERY animal I have pulled the trigger on dropped like they were hit by lighting!!!

+1 Never had a deer complain about getting hit with one of these.

Rather than anticipating a pie fight over the best load, how about folks jus submit the loads they've found that wored the best for them in several rifles, then we all load and compare them?

I'm STILL waiting for the leverevolution bullets to come out as components!

IMO, the 30-06 will handle anything on the North American continent (including the big bears) with appropriate bullets and loads. (Of course, I'd prefer having something larger and heavier if a big critter is wounded and angry!)

For deer, a 150-165 grainer at 2600 fps is sufficient.

150gr Ballistic Tip over 52gr IMR 4064 has produced excellent accuracy and many one shot drops on whitetails.

"Best" is such a hard idea to grasp when you're talking '06 and deer.

The standby through my rifle has been the Speer Hot Cor or Winchester Power Point over 52 grains of Reloader 15 in RP brass w/ CCI lrg rifle primers. That is now listed as a max load and likely produces "only" around 2800 fps (I've never chrono'd it) but when I started loading the max was listed at 53.6.

Another favorite of mine is a 180 gr RN Interlock over 54 grains of H-414 (same brass, same primers in all my loads). It doesn't produce max velocity, but I don't care cuz with a bullet like that you really can't go wrong at Michigan distances. I've killed a couple of deer so dead they couldn't complain about the lack of velocity and "oversized" projectile on that load .

I haven't tried it on deer yet but my Mauser Model 1996 Straight-Pull '06 LOVES 165 gr SSTs over 61 grains of Reloader 19. It produces 2850 fps and sub-minute groups every time.

I've loaned this rifle to a first-time hunter for the upcoming whitetail season. He is going to use the Remington "Reduced Recoil" loads with 125 gr soft points. Assuming he picks his shot I'm certain that'll be a wonderfully suited deer load as well.

59 grs. of rl-22 with a 180 gr. speer hot cor.

Best? Impossible question to answer.

What works great?

Well, for me for a about three decades now has been a 700LH BDL the last couple or so with 50 something grains of IMR 4064 topped with 150 PSP Core-lokt's for a boat load of deer, dozen or so elk and some antelope.
I don't change bullets for different game and the critters don't seem to mind.

Bought a 1000 of these bullets from Midway back when they had free shipping. The dang things work/shoot so well I have since bought more. They did two more deer Monday, one from my '06, one from Dad's 308 but the same bullet. Both shot through the lungs, both bullets exited, both nice clean kills with no meat damage.
Elk soon I hope.

I use the 165 grain Remington PSPCL in my 308 simply because it shoots so well in that rifle. It also seems to penetrate and expand in a proper fashion. My 30-06 holds it's zero year after year so I don't empty a lot of brass and at one time I filled 100 pieces of brass using the 165 grain PSPCL, the 165 grain Sierra BTHP, and the 180 grain Speer Mag Tip. I use it to take a deer or hog every year and I can't see a lot of difference in how these bullets kill deer other than to say all do it well.

Federal 165gr Barnes TSX have been doing it for me last couple seasons. No complaints. Electric shock on deer.

Federal 165gr. Sierra GameKing works well for me.

Has anyone tried......I have all 3 loaded over 58 grains of
IMR 4350.

1 150 grain Speer Mag tips
2 180 grain Speer Mag tips
3 178 grain Hornady A tips

58 gr RL22, 200 gr speer HC, 2700ish

The 150, 165, and 180gr bullets are the most popular loads for the 30-06. Of those weight, I have three loads for the 150gr:
56gr H414
47gr H4895
57gr IMR4350

All sub MOA with the IMR being my favorite. I tend to load Barnes a little different (see below).

But my database has a couple of more unlisted weights:
110gr Speer on top of 56gr Varget. Could I use it to kill deer in our parts? Yes. Would I? No, too many other options. Javelina? Oh hell yea.

130gr Barnes TSX or TTSX on top of 55grs of Varget. Could I use it to kill deer in our parts? Yes. Would I? Absolutely.

I also load 180gr eTip on top of 52grs of 4350 for Elk. A lot of folks think this is a light load for the 180gr, but the length of that bullet creates a lot of pressure.

Loads I'd like to try include:
50grs of IMR4064 behind 165gr non-Barnes
52grs of IMR4064 behind 150gr non-Barnes
58grs of H4831 behind 165gr non-Barnes

The Non-Barnes bullet thing:
In short, when I use a Barnes bullet over any load I developed without using a Barnes bullet, it does not give me the same performance. I called Barnes, spoke with a John(?) and he agreed. Because of their make up they shoot a little different. I've only ever loaded the 130gr TSX and TTSX for the 30-06, but I do load the TSX, TTSX, and VG's in a lot of other calibers. I believe this is the frustration a lot of people who reload have with Barnes. (again YMMV)

Happy Hunting

165 grain Partition and enough 4350 to tighten the groups up. Been working for me forevef. (It'll work on bigger stuff too, but why bother when Nosler makes 180 and 200 bullets for elk and the like?)

my model 70 loves that hand load and it was the first load I ever had loaded when I started as a kid and its the only one i've ever used in that rifle.

But i have to say the absolute best deer load for the 30-06 is....... Get a 270WCF hhaha sorry guys but I had to

That's what an buddy thought also before he went brown bear hunting in alaska with one. After a "good shot" at about 100 yards, and a very scarry tracking job in thick alders, he lost his bear and was left with an extreemly disappointing hunting experience. This, dispite his hunting buddies insisting he was undergunned.- I love the '06 for just about anything, but the big bears are not an appropriate target in my opinion.

I'd have to agree with selmer, I've used the nosler solid base (old style before the ballistic tips) boat tail bullets, that I found at a yard sale, over 57 grains of IMR-4350 and get excellent results. I shoot a sporterized m1917 enfield and with this load I consistantly shoot into 1/2 M.O.A. I've killed deer with these same bullets out of my 300 win mag running around 3150 fps with devistating results. Last deer was shot at 70 yards and I was surprized at how fast it went down and also surprized with the minimal amount of blood shot meat. Why don't they make these bullets anymore? Are the accubonds better?

59 grains of IMR 4350 powder and a 150 Nosler partition

Beat me to the punch. I run a military action 98 Mauser, and the Federal Premium 165 gr. Sierra Game King BTSP has consistently been a very accurate, hard hitting deer stopper for me.

This year I'm shooting 180 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips powered by 58.0 grains of WC852 for 2700 fps. very accurate and I think it will produce dead deer.

Seriously what is it with you dragging up old threads?

gophergunner,

Yeah, WaterMan "beat you to the punch" with his 165 Sierra load by seven years! He hasn't even logged onto the Campfire since August of 2015. :-)

I didn't even realize that. Guess I should learn to check the time lines.

To reiterate what I posted 8 years ago 😊, the 165 Gameking BTSP is my favorite but I wouldn't be so arrogant as to claim it's the best.

55.5 grains H414 with Hornady 165 BTSP kills everything I hit with it big and small. Deer will hit the ground half the time the other half they will make it 20-30 yards, if that.