30.06 Round For Whitetails

[countertop]

I usually can blow a tiny .284 inch hole one side and a softball sized hole (blasting massive amounts of blood) out the other with 150 grain Prvi Partizan Spitzer softpoint boat tail bullets and 54.4 grains of H4831sc out of my Remington 700 in .280 Remington moving about 2600 fps. I'd assume a similar sized and constructed bullet out of a .330-06 would do similar damage (but with a .30 entry hole)

 

[sugarmaker]

40 or 50 yard run is pretty typical of a 30 cal through the boiler room. It's hard to improve on an '06 180 for whitetails. Use a Nosler if you need an exit hole.

 

[nathan]

The new Federal Fusion in 150 gr is a killer bullet. Its getting more popular nowadays.

 

[gunner69]

I agree with RidgeRunner, I too like the 165/168gr Noslers. I have settled on the 168gr too as that is what my 30-06 rifle likes. My .308 rifle likes the same bullet too.

 

[quartermaster]

I like the 150 gr Ballistic tips although there isn't a blood trail, just a puddle.

I think there is a ton of bullets out there that are good penetraters. It's been stated a million times in this forum as well as all the others that shot placement is the most important factor.

I would experiment with as much of a selection as you are able to and select the one that shoots most accurately out of your rifle. It doesn't take very much energy to kill a deer if your bullet connects in the right spots

 

[ms6852]

Biggest deer I shot with a 30-06 I used a 125 grain remington corelokt. Hit the should shattered and made a devastating hole. Deer dropped dead on its track. I went to heavier bullet the 150 grain remington core-lokt still does the job but does not destroy to much meat.

 

[LoonWulf]

Another vote for the 165/8 grn balistic tips, 180s even if you really want. Ive also had good luck with Hornadys SSTs in both 165 and 180, they seem to open quicker so i DO like the 180s in sst form.

 

[Win73]

Yesterday I put down a buck with one shot at 75 yards using 150 grain Remington Core-lokt out of my NEF .30-06. It fell where it stood. In fact it was almost like it was knocked down. It didn't sink down, it hit the ground on its side.

I have had deer run after being hit with the 150 grain Core-lokt but they always left a good blood trail when they did.

 

[RevGeo]

I hunt for whitetails, muleys, elk, bear and moose and use 180s for everything. That way I don't have to sight in my rifle for different loads. I've never lost a deer due to using too heavy a bullet.
I like high shoulder shots if I have the option.

George

 

[northalta]

I use 165 hornady btsp works very well on deer,moose and bear use my 338 for elk.

 

[gunner69]

Every barrel has its "likes and dislikes" as far as bullets. What works for one guy, doesn't always work from anothers rifle (barrel twist) If you reload it's easier, and cheaper, to short through the choices. If I find a really "sweet" load, somethimes quit looking.

Good Luck on your search.......

 

[castingdonkey]

Shoot whatever is accurate out of your gun. Use remingtom core lokt if you want to plate the inside of your game animal with a fine coating of lead. Seems to explode on contact and make a huge mess. But folks love them for their expansion or explosion. I don't eat lead so I use barnes or hornady or anything but a remington cl. They kill game dead but like I said lots of lead.

 

[Win73]

Shoot whatever is accurate out of your gun. Use remingtom core lokt if you want to plate the inside of your game animal with a fine coating of lead. Seems to explode on contact and make a huge mess. But folks love them for their expansion or explosion. I don't eat lead so I use barnes or hornady or anything but a remington cl. They kill game dead but like I said lots of lead.

I killed a 120-130 pound buck Friday and about a 150 pounder today. Both were put down with 150 grain Remington Core-Lokt .30-06. Both were holed through and through. In both cases the entrance hole was small. I had to look for it to find it. But both exit holes were at least a half inch in diameter. So those bullets had to hold together and expand to at least .50 caliber to punch that large an exit hole. They couldn't have left much if any lead inside the deer.

And they are accurate out of my NEF .30-06. Both deer were almost exactly 75 yard shots. Both were broadside to me and I put the crosshairs right behind the front shoulder. The exit hole was on the oposite side right behind the front shoulder.

 

[castingdonkey]

They are excellent rounds for killing things and accurate as a hunting round can be. I have found them inside of game shelled out and almost no lead left in a hollowed out copper jacket. I wont say they don't work, just try not to hit bone with them. I don't mean ribs either.

 

[langenc]

Hunted moose/caribou in Alaska way back.

They like 180s for moose and 150s for 'bous. When huntin both most will compromise and use 165s.

I use 150 for deer.

The last 3 yrs I have used the 243 at my sons. Im 3 for 3 shots.
2 deer and one coyote. This years deer shot at 110 yards. It died about 40 yards from me-it followed the trail right behind the blind I shot it from.

Loads were 90 or 95 gr Corelokts.

 

[solvability]

After using a 30-06 for 40 years I just shot one with a 44 Mag and next I am going to try 45-70. Those heavy slow bullets tend to exit the whitetails in our woods pretty reliably. We rarely get long shots here.

The 30-06 knocked them dead and I had excellent penetration with the Rem 180 Corelocks - I did not have excellent penetration with Win 150g PowerPoint - only bullet I recovered on a deer was just under the hide on the off side. I have been fortunate to have the deer fall dead right away.

If I had to choose between through and through penetration and good expansion with a 30-06 I would go expansion. Problem with high velocity bullets is the amount of lost meat due to blood and bone.

 

[IsaacCarlson]

It is not about the ammo. It is about shot placement. A bigger gun is a poor substitute for good shot placement. Just put the bullet where it would do the most damage. A good hollow point will do just fine.

 

[H&Hhunter]

I am tempted to say "yes" and leave it at that.

Any bullet made at just about any weight will be fine for deer hunting with a .30-06. But to narrow it down anything from 150 grs to 200 grs in a soft point configuration will kill deer very nicely with your .30-06.