30-06 Elk & Boar Load
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Bwana John
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- Sep 10, 2004
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My brother's wife's second cousin, twice removed has a friend that said her husbands boss said that any factory 180 grain bullet should work just fine for elks and pigs out of a 30-06.
That is as long as YOUR rifle shoots 180 grain bullets OK.
Buy a couple of boxes of different manufactures ammo with 165-190 grain bullets and see which one shoots best in YOUR rifle.
If you are really worried about it try some commercial ammo loaded with premium 180 grain bullets (if you can afford them).
That is as long as YOUR rifle shoots 180 grain bullets OK.
Buy a couple of boxes of different manufactures ammo with 165-190 grain bullets and see which one shoots best in YOUR rifle.
If you are really worried about it try some commercial ammo loaded with premium 180 grain bullets (if you can afford them).
I use 150 grain Winchester Power Points on boar. Never had a problem. Boars can be big, you should use a real big game rifle on one, but they are nowhere near as big as an elk. For them I use Federals with 180 grain Nosler Partitions or Trophy Bonded Bear Claws.
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essayons21
Member
+1 to 180gr Federal TBBC. They are very accurate as well for a hunting bullet... 1/2 MOA from my rifle.
gga357
Member
Been using a 180gr Speer bonded. Plan to switch to Barnes Tipped TSX in 165gr as soon as I run out of the bonded.
browningguy
Member
I have used bith 150 and 180 gr. loads in my various 30-06's for both. With the Hornady SST loaded in both cases.
usmc1371
Member
I used good ole cheap remy 180 corlocks for years and killed elk, mule deer, black bear, jack rabbits and coyotes. I have since moved on to fed 180 nosler partition and its been a great elk load. I have killed close to a dozen cow elk with 30-06 so I feel I have a pretty good idea of what to expect, take reasonable shots, keep shooting, fire up the grill.
I have never lost an elk (knock on wood) but I have shot a few more than one time, even if the elk was dead and didn't know it I just keep shooting until they hit the ground. Seems they always run down hill and the road is always at the top.
I have never lost an elk (knock on wood) but I have shot a few more than one time, even if the elk was dead and didn't know it I just keep shooting until they hit the ground. Seems they always run down hill and the road is always at the top.
Huntin'Gun
Member
You use 150 gr SST on Elk? Really?
Maverick223
Member
Many an Elk has been killed with a 150gr bullet...it isn't like it won't do the job, if you do yours.
lefteyedom
Member
165 or 180, doesn't matter which. Just blow out the heart, both lungs or the shoulder joint.
The 30-06 is not a 338 win mag, but it does not have to be to kill elk cleanly,
The 30-06 is not a 338 win mag, but it does not have to be to kill elk cleanly,
browningguy
Member
Yes really, why do you ask, are the elk in Canada some kind of superduper elk. It's not uncommon at all for 150 gr. 30-06 loads to kill an elk. An elk is a relatively thin skinned animal, put one behind the shoulder at 2700-2800 FPS and they crumple right up. Some elk even get killed by 100 gr. loads in a .243, wonder how that happens??? And I have heard tall tales from back in the day when 150 and 170 gr. loads in a puny 30-30 killed them, of course the elk probably weren't as tough back then.
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Maverick223
Member
Well they weren't...that was before they invented body armor ya' know.
Contrary to what you read in gun mags and on the internet, the elk won't know any better. Or maybe you could tell us about the times you put a well contructed 150gr bullet going close to 3000fps in the boiler room of an elk and it didn't die...
For crying out loud I've shot 3 with a bow and none went over 100yards before dying.
Huntin'Gun
Member
Okay, okay, nobody needs to get all up in arms here. I'm just asking. The SST stands for 'Super Shock Tip'. It is constructed very much like the nosler ballistic tip, BUT it will hold a bit better since it has the cannelure. I'm not making this up, but this is what I was told when I phoned up Hornady. When I did call Hornady I asked them about using the 180 gr SST on elk. The guy on the other end of the phone said that the SST was not ideal, but I would be better off using the regular InterLock.
I'm not claiming to be an expert on elk. Far from it. But based on what the Hornady guy told me I was shying away from the sst for elk.
Then I looked at the Hornady Reloading manual. IT lists the 150 gr SST as adequate for heavy game like moose and elk. That's a bit of a disagreement there.
So when I ask '150 gr sst for elk?' I am not saying that it is not enough. But really I'm asking if you or others are very comfortable with this, because I'm unsure. Would you use a 150 gr nosler ballistic tip on elk?
Playing the devil's advocate here, what would happen if you used the 150 gr sst and hit the shoulder bone instead of just behind? What if you were right up close and there was a lot of velocity? Would the bullet explode and not penetrate the bone? What if the same shot was taken [ie: hit the shoulder bone] and it was a 300 yard shot with much lower velocity? Would it penetrate?
See, I don't know. It seems the sst is just too lightly constructed. Now a 150 gr Bonded bullet or partition or something would make me feel much more confident, but the SST? Seems sketchy to me, but not from practical experience. Most from what the guy at Hornady said.
jbech said:
I'm not claiming to be an expert on elk. Far from it. But based on what the Hornady guy told me I was shying away from the sst for elk.
Then I looked at the Hornady Reloading manual. IT lists the 150 gr SST as adequate for heavy game like moose and elk. That's a bit of a disagreement there.
So when I ask '150 gr sst for elk?' I am not saying that it is not enough. But really I'm asking if you or others are very comfortable with this, because I'm unsure. Would you use a 150 gr nosler ballistic tip on elk?
Playing the devil's advocate here, what would happen if you used the 150 gr sst and hit the shoulder bone instead of just behind? What if you were right up close and there was a lot of velocity? Would the bullet explode and not penetrate the bone? What if the same shot was taken [ie: hit the shoulder bone] and it was a 300 yard shot with much lower velocity? Would it penetrate?
See, I don't know. It seems the sst is just too lightly constructed. Now a 150 gr Bonded bullet or partition or something would make me feel much more confident, but the SST? Seems sketchy to me, but not from practical experience. Most from what the guy at Hornady said.
jbech said:
But the SST isn't a well constructed bullet. It's a very frangible bullet designed for explosive expansion. That's the crux of my question.
browningguy
Member
I didn't say it was ideal, but I have used it on one elk and a bunch of feral hogs. Now one is not statistically significant, but I generally don't aim for the shoulder of any animal, unless I'm using something like my 7x57 with the 140 gr. Barnes TSX which seems to penetrate any kind of bone. It just so happens that my .308 and one of my 30-06's are really accurate with the 150 SST bullet, I've shot enough game with it that I'm comfortable using it and I always try for heart/lung shots.
Huntin'Gun
Member
So, what I understand you to be saying is: You don't trust the 150 gr SST to bust through the bone. You limit your shots to ideal placement shots, and trust the accuracy you have to get those perfect shots placed right behind the shoulder. I'm down with that. Now that makes perfect sense, and I agree with it.
Just to stir the pot a bit more... What would everyone say to using a .280 REm with 139 gr InterBonds for elk? The caliber is a bit smaller, the bullet a bit lighter, but the SD about the same and the BC is higher. The bullet is more well constructed, because it is bonded. Should be able to do the job at least as good, and maybe bust bone better than the SST, no?
Just to stir the pot a bit more... What would everyone say to using a .280 REm with 139 gr InterBonds for elk? The caliber is a bit smaller, the bullet a bit lighter, but the SD about the same and the BC is higher. The bullet is more well constructed, because it is bonded. Should be able to do the job at least as good, and maybe bust bone better than the SST, no?
Maverick223
Member
The .280 should have no problems using a well constructed bullet and proper shot placement, nor should the .30-30 or even the lowly .243 with the same, though neither would be my choice for elk.
Sierra 165gr btsp game king over 56 grains of 3100. Federal brass, WW primers.
You can knock the snot out of a boar or an elk with it.
You could also buy Federal Premium Vital-Shok ammo loaded with the same bullet.
You can knock the snot out of a boar or an elk with it.
You could also buy Federal Premium Vital-Shok ammo loaded with the same bullet.
browningguy
Member
I'd have no problem with the .280, as I mentioned I know guys personally that have used .243's, you just have to take the right shot. I think once you join the over 50 crowd, assuming you have been hunting most of your life, waiting for the right shot comes easier. I know in my younger day if a deer didn't give me a good shot pretty quick I was taking whatever shot I had.
gearchecker
Member
Remington Core-Lokt 150 or 180 Gr. Bullets - Doesn't matter, as long the bullet goes where it is supposed to. Take your time, place your shot and hopefully drag the elk down hill. They always seem to be down below the road every time I need to retreive them.
150 Yds or less, both are perfect. Over 150 yds the 180 will give you an edge up to around 300 yds.
As important as the right bullet, is correct placement of the bullet on the game.
Get to a long rifle shooting range and sight in yuor rifle at 100 yards actual distance so that you can learn to hold the rifle still at that distance. It's amazing how accurate you may be at 25 yards sighting in and then finding out how much shooters error shows up at 100 yards. If the rifle is benched in at 25 yards, then the bullet will place the same if benched at 100 yards.
Try to place 3 rounds by hand free shooting at 100 yards within your planned 1" POI, and find out just how much error is in your stance.
If you are really good there will be very little difference between the 25 and 100 yard acquisitions.
Then practice at 50 yds and 200 yards, to balance most of your shooting capability.
150 Yds or less, both are perfect. Over 150 yds the 180 will give you an edge up to around 300 yds.
As important as the right bullet, is correct placement of the bullet on the game.
Get to a long rifle shooting range and sight in yuor rifle at 100 yards actual distance so that you can learn to hold the rifle still at that distance. It's amazing how accurate you may be at 25 yards sighting in and then finding out how much shooters error shows up at 100 yards. If the rifle is benched in at 25 yards, then the bullet will place the same if benched at 100 yards.
Try to place 3 rounds by hand free shooting at 100 yards within your planned 1" POI, and find out just how much error is in your stance.
If you are really good there will be very little difference between the 25 and 100 yard acquisitions.
Then practice at 50 yds and 200 yards, to balance most of your shooting capability.
Huntin'Gun
Member
Definately an interesting article. Seems like the SST isn't as frangible as the guy at Hornady made me believe. After all, the Hornady reloading manual lists the SST as suitable for heavy game. My only experience with them on a penetration experiment was shooting them through a railroad tie at 100 yards. Right behind the tie was a dirt bank that hadn't been shot into before [as far as I know]. I only found 2 of the bullets in the dirt. Both shed a lot of weight, and were pretty shredded, but they were still recognizable as bullets.
wheelgunslinger
Member
Here's another for the cheap Remy Core Lokt ammo.
I'll stop buying cheap ammo when it stops killing stuff.
Hogs= DRT with it.
I even use their Core Lokt 357 mag ammo on hogs with success.
I'll stop buying cheap ammo when it stops killing stuff.
Hogs= DRT with it.
I even use their Core Lokt 357 mag ammo on hogs with success.
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