30-06 Deer hunting bullets

[jaybee]

They're a great round and you can get them almost anywhere if you run out or leave home without your ammo. (like I did once).

that why I bought a Remington pump 06

every country store carries the 06 ammo and I can get off a quick second shot with a pump and it's legal in PA - not that I ever ever needed a second shot

 

[Raineman]

I use a 165gr Sierra game king..

Same here. Soft point Boattail. I load my own and have practiced out to 300 yards. Very accurate, very devastating cavity.

 

[midnightSGT]

Cant go wrong with 150 gr core-lokt. I have been using them in my 760 pump since 1984. Never needed a second shot unless I missed.

 

[midnightSGT]

I have also used hornandy Interlock in reloads with good success.

 

[Erno86]

At the moment...I personally use: BARNES VOR-TEX 30-06, 150 grain tipped Triple-Shock X bullets --- 3,080 fps with a 22 inch barrel. The top speed from a 180 grain bullet was 2,770 fps --- That's a significant advantage for the 150s at 400 yards.

http://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2010/10/18/a-new-ruling-for-the-30-06-sprg

Hornady's ELD-X bullets are very interesting, but I've never shot them.

http://www.hornady.com/store/ELD-X

 

[HogCommander]

I use a 165gr Sierra game king. I've taken a deer every time with them.

+1 for 165 Sierra Game King. Great accuracy!

 

[DaemonAssassin]

Most .30-06 expanding construction bullets will be fine. I'd personally go 168gr in .30-06.

Are you for real with that statement? If you are, you may want to read up on what the bullet weights mean in .30 caliber.

A quick overview for you, from somebody that handloads match ammo and hunting ammo for 308 and 30-06.

168gr HPBT bullets are not acceptable for hunting, because they are designed for precision shooting and not designed to expand. 168gr bullets have a much higher ballistic co-efficient than other bullets, because they are known as MATCH bullets. 168gr bullets will make a .30 caliber hole going in and a .30 caliber hole going out, with zero expansion, inside the target animal.

165gr bullets are acceptable for hunting, because they are HPBT, but they are designed to expand on impact, like a hollowpoint should. As such the 165gr bullets have a lower ballistic co-efficient than a MATCH bullet will.

I cite load data from the Sierra 5th Edition reloading manual. Specifically pages 5 (165gr Game Kings) and page 6 (168gr Match Kings). Take special note of what it says at the bottom of page 6.

http://m-b-r.co.uk/PDF/Sierra 30-06 Springfield.pdf

Sierra does not recommend MatchKing bullets for hunting applications.

 

[DaemonAssassin]

OP, in 30-06, I am running 44.0gr of IMR-3031 on Remington brass, with a CCI 200 primer, and a 165gr Sierra Game King on top of it. The COAL I am set to is 3.180.

Take my load data with a grain of salt and work up your own loads, to find out what works best in your rifle.

If you don't reload and want to buy ammo off the shelf, I highly recommend that you get ammo made with a 165gr Sierra Game King.

 

[Derwood]

My .02: Get two or three brands and see what your rifle shoots best. Maybe it will shoot all the same, maybe not.

Personally, I have a Savage Axis and it "likes" Remmington Core Lokt 165 grain. It also likes Fusion and the Winchester black box that has a picture of a bear on it--I forgot the brand they put on it.

Any 30-06 will put a deer down fast. Just go with what shoots best out of your rifle.

...and bring ear plugs to your stand! I know a lot of people don't do that, but I definitely regret every shot I've taken while hunting without remembering to put my ear plugs in. 30-06 is loud as F.

 

[jimbobborg]

Are you for real with that statement? If you are, you may want to read up on what the bullet weights mean in .30 caliber.

A quick overview for you, from somebody that handloads match ammo and hunting ammo for 308 and 30-06.

168gr HPBT bullets are not acceptable for hunting, because they are designed for precision shooting and not designed to expand. 168gr bullets have a much higher ballistic co-efficient than other bullets, because they are known as MATCH bullets. 168gr bullets will make a .30 caliber hole going in and a .30 caliber hole going out, with zero expansion, inside the target animal.

165gr bullets are acceptable for hunting, because they are HPBT, but they are designed to expand on impact, like a hollowpoint should. As such the 165gr bullets have a lower ballistic co-efficient than a MATCH bullet will.

I cite load data from the Sierra 5th Edition reloading manual. Specifically pages 5 (165gr Game Kings) and page 6 (168gr Match Kings). Take special note of what it says at the bottom of page 6.

http://m-b-r.co.uk/PDF/Sierra 30-06 Springfield.pdf

You seemed to have missed the "expanding bullet" part of his post. Here's a nice 168gr bullet for hunting http://www.midwayusa.com/product/19...iber-308-diameter-168-grain-spitzer-box-of-50

 

[DaemonAssassin]

You seemed to have missed the "expanding bullet" part of his post. Here's a nice 168gr bullet for hunting http://www.midwayusa.com/product/19...iber-308-diameter-168-grain-spitzer-box-of-50

So there is one bullet. Woo hoo.

The problem that I was pointing out is that he recommended a bullet weight that is match bullets, as an industry standard. If you don't know anything about ammo, he gave horrible advice. Considering that there are people that read this site, he has the potential to give them the wrong information.

 

[tomandjerry00]

I'm partial to Federal Fusion. Great round for the money. I shoot 180 grains bc I use the same gun for elk and deer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[madmantrapper]

I use a 165gr Sierra game king. I've taken a deer every time with them.

And they don't go far, barely a step.

 

[kstone803]

Remy corelok.

Yup

 

[ChrisD]

I hunt WV, and been using a 30-06 for nearly 35 years. 150 grain PSP Core-Loct Remington works very well. I used to use 180 soft point bullets years ago, but in my rifle, the 150 PSP shoots better and dispatches an animal quickly. The 150 seems to be easier on my shoulder while shooting from the bench than the 180 too. I used to use a 700BDL, but now use a 7600 pump. Great rifle for the mountains.

 

[dist1646]

You seemed to have missed the "expanding bullet" part of his post. Here's a nice 168gr bullet for hunting http://www.midwayusa.com/product/19...iber-308-diameter-168-grain-spitzer-box-of-50

So there is one bullet. Woo hoo.

The problem that I was pointing out is that he recommended a bullet weight that is match bullets, as an industry standard. If you don't know anything about ammo, he gave horrible advice. Considering that there are people that read this site, he has the potential to give them the wrong information.

Check out Berger 168Gr VLD hunting bullets. Devastating performance! Check out the info. and videos on Berger's site.
For the average guy though, 150gr. soft point bullets will get the job done and cost less.

 

[Park ranger]

So there is one bullet. Woo hoo.

The problem that I was pointing out is that he recommended a bullet weight that is match bullets, as an industry standard. If you don't know anything about ammo, he gave horrible advice. Considering that there are people that read this site, he has the potential to give them the wrong information.

How many match only bullets are there in 168 grain weight? 4 or 5 companies? Berger, Sierra, nosler, hornady, speer if you consider them a match bullets. Maybe Barnes has a match burner in 168?

I think he prefaced his statement fine with saying expanding. Such as 168 nosler BT, and berger VLD.

To say a match bullet won't expand is incorrect. They are unpredictable. They may stay together, they may expand sufficient, or they may come apart very quickly.

 

[DaemonAssassin]

Check out Berger 168Gr VLD hunting bullets. Devastating performance! Check out the info. and videos on Berger's site.
For the average guy though, 150gr. soft point bullets will get the job done and cost less.

How many match only bullets are there in 168 grain weight? 4 or 5 companies? Berger, Sierra, nosler, hornady, speer if you consider them a match bullets. Maybe Barnes has a match burner in 168?

I think he prefaced his statement fine with saying expanding. Such as 168 nosler BT, and berger VLD.

To say a match bullet won't expand is incorrect. They are unpredictable. They may stay together, they may expand sufficient, or they may come apart very quickly.

Ok, I wasn't responding to the OP, I was responding to lazarus. He gave bad information, by not explaining what bullet in the 168gr lines to use. Just by saying 168gr, somebody will see a 168gr on the shelf and not see that it is a MATCH bullet. Just because he said expanding 168gr, doesn't let him off the hook for a screw up that severe. A lot of people reload, but I don't think the OP reloads, so he would be buying store bought ammo.

lazarus has been giving incorrect information a lot, or information with no explanation as to why he said it. Like what he posted above.

As hunters, we need to be ethical it what we do and strive for a clean kill. His advice throws that out the window.

You guys understand my position now and why I corrected him?

 

[rob257]

Hummm..

I am not a big fan of thin jacket ballistic tips. While they are very accurate, I have seen the take the entire shoulder off a deer on exit. A lot of wasted meat. While I don't shoot an 06, but I do use the 150 Grain Swift Scirocco Bonded in my 7mm Rem Mag and am very please with the performance on white tails.

Mini..are you sure your not undergunned

 

[byf43]

For .30 caliber (specifically, .30-'06 and .308) the Hornady 150 grain Spire Point (soft point) and Sierra 165 grain GameKing boolits are incredibly good.

Personally, I like the 165 grain Winchester Ballistic Silvertips for factory ammo.
(My .30 caliber rifles like 'em, too!)


With that said, a very good friend of mine uses nothing but a 180 grain RNSP in his Ruger No. 1, in '06.
He's used that rifle for decades, and has taken deer (in Nebraska) at over 300 yards, and they have dropped where they stand.