30.06 in various grains

[stinger 327]

www.nosler.com

It is a round that was designed to expand well, have good weight retention, and solid penetration. While very expensive (they are 25 dollars for 50 projectiles, not loaded bullets), they are about the best round out there. Many bullets out there are sufficient for what you are wanting to do (and that includes hunting bambi, porky, baloo, and any other big game on the North American continent). If you are looking for plinking, stick with corelokts, if you are hunting deer, the corelokts will do, if you are punching paper in serious competition, use a sierra match king, if you are hunting BIG bears, use something designed for it like the nosler partition.

And even though your 220 gr corelokt will do the job, it may not have the best trajectory. Your corelokts are 50-60 year old technology, if not older. Bullets have been improved a lot since then.

You mean you have to handload these? You can't buy them ready to go?

 

[Abel]

The 220 kicks like a mule and has an undesirable rainbow trajectory. If I needed it, I'd be hunting very large animals & I'd want another caliber besides a 30-06. Moose is as big as I personally would go on the old '06, and 180 grain is fine & dandy for the moose.

 

[Art Eatman]

Sighting in: My regular routine is to boresight the rifle as best I can, getting the crosshairs somewhere close to what I can see in the center of the bore.

My 25-yard target is just a horizontal Magic Marker line on letter-paper with two or three vertical lines through it, taped to a cardboard box. I do one shot at a time from my benchrest, adjusting until I'm dead centered.

Then I move to my 100-yard target. With most centerfire cartridges, I'm within an inch or so for the horizontal, and commonly around two to three inches high.

I sight in almost everything for no more than two inches high at 100 yards. For most non-magnum deer cartridges above 2,500 ft/sec, that's close to dead-on at 200 and around six inches low at 300. Since most deer are shot within 200 yards, no further thinking is required. Just "Point it and pull, Hell ain't half-full."

As far as bullet brands and deer, I don't think it matters at all. Whatever gives you the best groups in your rifle is the best brand of bullet. My father always used Hornady 150-grain Spire Points for somewhere north of 100 tagged bucks. I've mostly used Sierra 150-grain soft points, both flat-based and boat-tails. I gotta admit that I've killed more deer with my .243 than with my '06, but the '06 deer tended to be "larger and farther". Depended on where I was hunting...

 

[308pilot]

220 Partitions are for Brown Bear defense

The 220 grain cartridges that I have loaded are for close in bear defense only. In a bear charging situation, what you have to have is a steady nerve and a well placed shot with an adequate caliber. Nothing else matters. If you don't place the shot well, a 458 win mag won't save you, which is the mistake many people make. Your 30-06 has plenty of power to drop anything in N America if you do your part. Don't let anyone tell you differently, because it is not true. The large magnums do not give you any extra margin for shot placement over your 06. Their bullets are not that much larger, when compared to the size of the target. This info from the Alaska DF&G spells it out. ....BIG MAGNUMS NOT NEEDED

http://www.wc.adfg.state.ak.us/index.cfm?adfg=hunting.firearms

 

[stinger 327]

Sighting in: My regular routine is to boresight the rifle as best I can, getting the crosshairs somewhere close to what I can see in the center of the bore.

My 25-yard target is just a horizontal Magic Marker line on letter-paper with two or three vertical lines through it, taped to a cardboard box. I do one shot at a time from my benchrest, adjusting until I'm dead centered.

Then I move to my 100-yard target. With most centerfire cartridges, I'm within an inch or so for the horizontal, and commonly around two to three inches high.

I sight in almost everything for no more than two inches high at 100 yards. For most non-magnum deer cartridges above 2,500 ft/sec, that's close to dead-on at 200 and around six inches low at 300. Since most deer are shot within 200 yards, no further thinking is required. Just "Point it and pull, Hell ain't half-full."

As far as bullet brands and deer, I don't think it matters at all. Whatever gives you the best groups in your rifle is the best brand of bullet. My father always used Hornady 150-grain Spire Points for somewhere north of 100 tagged bucks. I've mostly used Sierra 150-grain soft points, both flat-based and boat-tails. I gotta admit that I've killed more deer with my .243 than with my '06, but the '06 deer tended to be "larger and farther". Depended on where I was hunting...

I have 100 yards to work with so I'll sight in at that range. The Nikon scope I'm using has a Bullet compensator on it with tiny circles.
There is a 200 yard line but I don't have access to it.
Great info thanks.

 

[scythefwd]

Sorry for the delay, but you can purchase the nosler partition loaded ammo. How does 50 a box of 20 rounds sound? For deer smaller than elk, stick with the corelokts, they'll do the job just fine for you.

308 - I agree completely, I still want the largest thing I can handle though. The key part being "I can handle". I wouldn't feel under gunned with my garand though I'd rather have a .458 socom AR.

 

[stinger 327]

Sorry for the delay, but you can purchase the nosler partition loaded ammo. How does 50 a box of 20 rounds sound? For deer smaller than elk, stick with the corelokts, they'll do the job just fine for you.

308 - I agree completely, I still want the largest thing I can handle though. The key part being "I can handle". I wouldn't feel under gunned with my garand though I'd rather have a .458 socom AR.

$50.00 dollars a box
The Remington Core Loks are more in my price range or the Federals for $16.00 but those for that price are the 150 grain and the 180 grain o nly.

 

[scythefwd]

I said they were expensive didn't I? You can reload with partitions for about a dollar a round. Personally, I'd find what you are most likely to buy (price is a big factor here) and buy a couple of boxes in different weights that you have available to you. Shoot the boxes and see what groups best.

Couple of tips - your .30-06 might kick more than my .308 (not a guarantee) so unless you are used to handling recoil all day long... take a break every 10-15 shots. Muscle fatigue will have a negative effect on your groups and it doesn't take much to get there. You might not feel it but your groups will see the difference as you get a little more tired. On the other hand, shooting too long (again unless you are very used to it) is a good way to develop a flinch. You stated that you don't need to worry about bruising more with the lighter grain bullets and that indicates you are :
1. not used to shooting something that kicks like this
2. may not be very experienced with shooting at all (your fascination with very heavy for caliber also points to this a little)
3. still learning (again, several things in this thread imply this).

There is nothing wrong with this, we ALL were there at one time. I feel comfortable shooting my friends .300 wby mag, but I still developed a flinch when I sighted in my .308. His .300 fit me better, and the sighting in session on the .308 was extended. I pushed it too far, and I left a bruise (that doesn't happen very often). As a matter of fact the only other time a gun left a mark on me was when I put a few boxes of HOT slugs through my shotgun before I cut the stock down. I now have to concentrate and get rid of that flinch before I can have confidence in my shooting abilities with that gun (along with a lot of other stuff, but that is a whole different thread). Shoot what you can afford. Those corelokts will do everything you want them to do admirably, so don't worry about premium bullets unless you are hunting dangerous game. If you try to get the expensive stuff, you will shoot less, and therefore will be less proficient.

50 was a guestimate on price... exact price is...
42.98 at sportsman guide.

 

[stinger 327]

I said they were expensive didn't I? You can reload with partitions for about a dollar a round. Personally, I'd find what you are most likely to buy (price is a big factor here) and buy a couple of boxes in different weights that you have available to you. Shoot the boxes and see what groups best.

Couple of tips - your .30-06 might kick more than my .308 (not a guarantee) so unless you are used to handling recoil all day long... take a break every 10-15 shots. Muscle fatigue will have a negative effect on your groups and it doesn't take much to get there. You might not feel it but your groups will see the difference as you get a little more tired. On the other hand, shooting too long (again unless you are very used to it) is a good way to develop a flinch. You stated that you don't need to worry about bruising more with the lighter grain bullets and that indicates you are :
1. not used to shooting something that kicks like this
2. may not be very experienced with shooting at all (your fascination with very heavy for caliber also points to this a little)
3. still learning (again, several things in this thread imply this).

There is nothing wrong with this, we ALL were there at one time. I feel comfortable shooting my friends .300 wby mag, but I still developed a flinch when I sighted in my .308. His .300 fit me better, and the sighting in session on the .308 was extended. I pushed it too far, and I left a bruise (that doesn't happen very often). As a matter of fact the only other time a gun left a mark on me was when I put a few boxes of HOT slugs through my shotgun before I cut the stock down. I now have to concentrate and get rid of that flinch before I can have confidence in my shooting abilities with that gun (along with a lot of other stuff, but that is a whole different thread). Shoot what you can afford. Those corelokts will do everything you want them to do admirably, so don't worry about premium bullets unless you are hunting dangerous game. If you try to get the expensive stuff, you will shoot less, and therefore will be less proficient.

50 was a guestimate on price... exact price is...
42.98 at sportsman guide.

Yes this is my first large caliber rifle. I have a Mini-14 also. I have 125, 150, 160, 165, 180 and 220 grain 30.06 rounds I will have to experiment to see which one the guns likes and shoots the most accurate. I am using a Caldwell stand with 50 lb. weights to stabilize rifle.
I want to see if I notice the difference in recoil between the different grain bullets mentioned above.
Yes fatigue and flinch not good.

 

[scythefwd]

I notice the different between 168 gr and 150 gr round in my .308, some people wouldn't. If the only other thing you have shot is a .223, you won't feel the difference, it'll feel like getting kicked by a horse the first couple of times. You slowly get used to it, and may even come to enjoy large recoil. For someone used to shooting with that much kick, little difference are more noticeable... For someone making that large of a jump in kick they will all feel the same at first.

 

[stinger 327]

I notice the different between 168 gr and 150 gr round in my .308, some people wouldn't. If the only other thing you have shot is a .223, you won't feel the difference, it'll feel like getting kicked by a horse the first couple of times. You slowly get used to it, and may even come to enjoy large recoil. For someone used to shooting with that much kick, little difference are more noticeable... For someone making that large of a jump in kick they will all feel the same at first.

Also trained on 12 gauge #00 and a few others.

 

[Maverick223]

For hunting paper I like a 168gr. or 190gr. SMK depending upon range. For hunting I prefer 165gr. ballistic tips. They can handle any task the .30-06 would be called upon to take care of. IMO anything greater calls for a larger bore, with the appropriate load (.375H&H, 9.3x64Brenneke, .35Whelen, or .338WM).

 

[scythefwd]

The kick on a shotgun is different. You might feel the difference, you still might not. It's what you're used to, not what you have shot before. If you're used to it.. rock on.

 

[stinger 327]

For hunting paper I like a 168gr. or 190gr. SMK depending upon range. For hunting I prefer 165gr. ballistic tips. They can handle any task the .30-06 would be called upon to take care of. IMO anything greater calls for a larger bore, with the appropriate load (.375H&H, 9.3x64Brenneke, .35Whelen, or .338WM).

I don't see any 168 grain 30.06 ammo available.
Mostly 125, 150, 160, 165, 180, 220

 

[Maverick223]

I don't see any 168 grain 30.06 ammo available.
Mostly 125, 150, 160, 165, 180, 220

That is because it is match grade, I didn't read the entire thread so if you mentioned not being a handloader I missed it, but there is little match grade ammunition available for the .30-06 (when compared to similar cartridges such as the .308Win.). Best to look at Federal Gold Medal, Black Hills, HSM, and select Hornady (those loaded with A-Max projectiles) for factory cartridges. Keep in mind that most of the aforementioned ammunition is for target use only, so if and when you decide to start hunting it would be best to switch to projectiles designed for good expansion and weight retention.

 

[Maverick223]

Just wanted to add that the A-max bullets are a decent choice if you plan to hunt in the near future. Using match bullets for hunting is a controversial subject (never use something like an open tip match bullet), but I am considering using 208gr. A-max projectiles for deer hunting this coming season (in a 300WM, would go lighter in a '06).

 

[stinger 327]

That is because it is match grade, I didn't read the entire thread so if you mentioned not being a handloader I missed it, but there is little match grade ammunition available for the .30-06 (when compared to similar cartridges such as the .308Win.). Best to look at Federal Gold Medal, Black Hills, HSM, and select Hornady (those loaded with A-Max projectiles) for factory cartridges. Keep in mind that most of the aforementioned ammunition is for target use only, so if and when you decide to start hunting it would be best to switch to projectiles designed for good expansion and weight retention.

No not a handloader. I buy ammo. Thus far I have used Federal in blue box that costs 17.00 per 20 rounds. Used alot of Remington CoreLoc 30.06 in 220. I think the Remington would be a good go between the two for match and hunting.

 

[USSR]

Just wanted to add that the A-max bullets are a decent choice if you plan to hunt in the near future. Using match bullets for hunting is a controversial subject (never use something like an open tip match bullet), but I am considering using 208gr. A-max projectiles for deer hunting this coming season (in a 300WM, would go lighter in a '06).

The Hornady 178gr A-max is an EXCELLENT .30 caliber bullet for deer. I took 2 deer last fall with that bullet in my '06, and bullet penetration and expansion was superb.

Don

 

[Maverick223]

Used alot of Remington CoreLoc 30.06 in 220. I think the Remington would be a good go between the two for match and hunting.

Remington scarcely shoots well for me, if you want to go cheap (nothing wrong with that), I would stick to the Federal Power Shok ($13.00/20 @ WW).

The Hornady 178gr A-max is an EXCELLENT .30 caliber bullet for deer. I took 2 deer last fall with that bullet in my '06, and bullet penetration and expansion was superb.

Thanks for the info, Don. I have been hearing good results out of the A-Max, but little info about the 208gr. fodder. I suspect that is simply because most folks use .30cal in .308s and the like, and have no reason to believe that the 208s will perform any worse (perhaps better?). I might have to give the 168s (or 178s) a shot in my .30-06 as well.

 

[stinger 327]

Remington scarcely shoots well for me, if you want to go cheap (nothing wrong with that), I would stick to the Federal Power Shok ($13.00/20 @ WW).

Thanks for the info, Don. I have been hearing good results out of the A-Max, but little info about the 208gr. fodder. I suspect that is simply because most folks use .30cal in .308s and the like, and have no reason to believe that the 208s will perform any worse (perhaps better?). I might have to give the 168s (or 178s) a shot in my .30-06 as well.

I just ordered about 100 168 grains of 30.06.

 

[Maverick223]

Hope it shoots well for you. Make sure and follow up with a range report showing your findings.

 

[stinger 327]

Hope it shoots well for you. Make sure and follow up with a range report showing your findings.

I will keep you posted. But first I have to site in a Mini-14 with peep iron sights.