blackbearaddict
Member
is 165 or 180 grain 30-06 better for deer and bear?
165 or 180 for bear and deer
- Thread starter blackbearaddict
- Start date
- Status
NCsmitty
Member
My choice is 165 on deer and 180 on bear but either will do the job on the respective quarry. The 165 offers faster expansion on deer where as bear generally need more bullet weight for penetration. At least that's the rumor going around.
NCsmitty
NCsmitty
dmazur
Member
.30-06 used to be available with 220gr as a factory load. I checked Remington's site and, by golly, they are still listed. I haven't seen them on shelves, however.
If you want to knock the slats out of something at fairly close range, try 220 gr.
If you want to knock the slats out of something at fairly close range, try 220 gr.
Blackbearaddict;
Personally, I use 150 gr bullets for deer. Really, anything over that is also overkill. Deer aren't armor plated & neither are black bear. Shot placement trumps magic bullet every time in my book. I don't use my .30-06 for bear, I have another gun for moose elk & bear, but I could. If I were to do so, given the shorter ranges I expect to encounter bear at, I'd probably handload some 200 gr bullets. If I were limited to buying factory ammo, I'd buy a 180 gr premium bullet.
The .30-06 is perfectly capable, given a solid gun & careful load work-up, of flinging a 150 grain bullet out the muzzle at 3000 fps, or something very close to it. That gives both the flatter trajectory & kinetic energy to humanely take a deer out to any reasonable range. Proper shot placement will drop the animal in it's tracks. Hornady states that their 150 grain flat base spire point will retain over 1300 ft lbs of energy at 400 yards when exiting the muzzle at 3000 fps. That's enough oomph to do the job. Your job is to deliver the oomph in an 8 inch circle at whatever range you decide to take the animal at out to 400 yards.
900F
Personally, I use 150 gr bullets for deer. Really, anything over that is also overkill. Deer aren't armor plated & neither are black bear. Shot placement trumps magic bullet every time in my book. I don't use my .30-06 for bear, I have another gun for moose elk & bear, but I could. If I were to do so, given the shorter ranges I expect to encounter bear at, I'd probably handload some 200 gr bullets. If I were limited to buying factory ammo, I'd buy a 180 gr premium bullet.
The .30-06 is perfectly capable, given a solid gun & careful load work-up, of flinging a 150 grain bullet out the muzzle at 3000 fps, or something very close to it. That gives both the flatter trajectory & kinetic energy to humanely take a deer out to any reasonable range. Proper shot placement will drop the animal in it's tracks. Hornady states that their 150 grain flat base spire point will retain over 1300 ft lbs of energy at 400 yards when exiting the muzzle at 3000 fps. That's enough oomph to do the job. Your job is to deliver the oomph in an 8 inch circle at whatever range you decide to take the animal at out to 400 yards.
900F
Bartkowski
Member
It really doesn't matter. Either will work fine, but the 180gr. bullet is a lot more than you need for deer. (so is 165gr. so I guess it doesn't make a difference)
Unless you have some huge bears the 165gr. will work for them too.
Unless you have some huge bears the 165gr. will work for them too.
Shawnee
member
+1 for what "Bartkowski" said.
I shoot 165's in my 30-06 for everything. Mainly because they seem to be the most accurate weight in my guns. This is really a bit bigger than needed for deer but any 30-06 round is overkill for deer. They retain energy better than the 150's at long range and bullet drop is so close to the 150's to not matter. If you need a bullet bigger than 165 gr I believe you probably need a bigger gun than a 30-06.
Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow
member
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2007
- Messages
- 13,146
150s for normal-range deer.
165s for black bear, hogs, caribou, and long range deer
180s for elk & moose
220s or premium bonded 180s for brown bear or bison
But then again, as Schultz used to say.... "I know nothing!"
165s for black bear, hogs, caribou, and long range deer
180s for elk & moose
220s or premium bonded 180s for brown bear or bison
But then again, as Schultz used to say.... "I know nothing!"
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
I'll echo Premium Sauces about the 150-grain for deer to normal distances, as long as "normal" goes to 400 or 500. The issue isn't the bullet; it's the shooter's skill. They're "plenty nuff" for anything to around 300 or 400 pounds, as near as I can tell.
If you're getting into larger bodies like bear above the 300- to 400-pound range, or for elk, yeah, I'd look into using a 180 grain for the more reliable penetration on an angling body shot.
I've used the Sierra 165 HPBT, but they seem to open up sorta ambitiously if you drive 'em fast and the critter is sorta close. Same for the 150-grain SPBT. Flat-base in those weights is better. The 180 Sierra SPBT is really good, but it's more than is actually needed.
Head, neck or cross-body, a 150 out of an '06 will kill anything you're ever likely to hunt in the Lower 48.
Art
They're "plenty nuff" for anything to around 300 or 400 pounds, as near as I can tell.If you're getting into larger bodies like bear above the 300- to 400-pound range, or for elk, yeah, I'd look into using a 180 grain for the more reliable penetration on an angling body shot.
I've used the Sierra 165 HPBT, but they seem to open up sorta ambitiously if you drive 'em fast and the critter is sorta close. Same for the 150-grain SPBT. Flat-base in those weights is better. The 180 Sierra SPBT is really good, but it's more than is actually needed.
Head, neck or cross-body, a 150 out of an '06 will kill anything you're ever likely to hunt in the Lower 48.
Art
Floppy_D
Member In Memoriam
"Overkill" suggests "overdead." I'd say either does nicely, provided your rifle patterns well with the selected load.
azhunter122
Member
I'm using 180 GR for Mule deer this year, no bears in my area though.
blackbearaddict
Member
thanks for the advice guys it is appreciated
Pay less attention to bullet weight EXCEPT as it affects accuracy in your rifle. Bullet construction and style is far more important, as it determines penetration and expansion. Not all bullets of the same weight deliver the same results, and the bullet type should be chosen for the game pursued.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
+1 to Jst1mr!
Thats the most important thing to consider now days.
Bullet technology had progressed to the point a 150 Barnes or Nosler may give better penetration and performance then grand-daddy's 180 or 220 soft-points & round noses.
rcmodel
Thats the most important thing to consider now days.
Bullet technology had progressed to the point a 150 Barnes or Nosler may give better penetration and performance then grand-daddy's 180 or 220 soft-points & round noses.
rcmodel
Vern Humphrey
Member
The 165 grain bullet is the best "balanced" in the .30-06. Try a Nosler Partition Jacket and you won't lose much if anything compared with a 180 grain bullet in critters like elk and black bear. For moose and grizzley, I would go to 180 grains -- again in a Nosler PJ.
- Status
