caliber versatility vs do it all load

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kayak-man

kayak-man

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Abbreviated version if you are pressed for time: some of the calibers that are considered versatile like the 30-06 and 44 magnum only are versatile if you run multiple loads through them. Do you prefer having a single do it all load, or 2 or three loads for the same rifle, and if so, how do you manage switching back and forth between kids with different POI?

Long version:
Hey guys. After years of being stagnant, I'm finally getting around to starting to handload for my 30-06. My goal is to use this for practicing shooting at longer ranges and perfect my fundamentals before I spend any cash on a dedicated precision rifle. The curve ball is, I'm going to ask my rifle to pull double duty next year during hunting season, and I could use some input on how to proceed with load development/ selection knowing that I'm going to need it to do two different applications. (I know I won't be hunting with it for about a year, but I figure in the long run it pays to set myself up for success now).

Ideally, I'd just use a bullet that has great accuracy at range, and still possesses good terminal ballistics, but everywhere is put out of the hornady ELD-X 178 grains. My current gameplan is to load a dedicated target round like the MatchKing or A-Max, and then come hunting season next year just buy a couple boxes of factory hunting loads, and know my dope for them before I go into the field. Before I pulled the trigger on that, I just wanted to see if the High Road community had any ideas I hadn't thought of yet, or if it would pay dividends later to use a match load now that will behave similarly to a hunting load later (like matchkings and game kings).

Hope that made since, and isn't as long as it looks typing it on my phone.
 
My loads are tailored to a specific bullet, then tailored to my rifle. So each bullet I buy has a specific load all its own. Cheap target bullets have their load, etc.
 
My current gameplan is to load a dedicated target round like the MatchKing or A-Max, and then come hunting season next year just buy a couple boxes of factory hunting loads, and know my dope for them before I go into the field.
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I think this makes sense.

I usually stick with one load that works well, in '06 its 180 gr, and just use it for anything other than small game. I load some extra-light loads in various calibers, but haven't worked with them much in '06 yet. This will probably be round balls or 77 gr cast at around 22 level loads in sound and power similar to what I use in 30-30 for grouse and small game. Just learn where they shoot in relation to your normal sight settings and don't mess with the adjustment for regular loads.

44. I carry heavy loads in the mountains (the old Keith load with Lyman bullet) and I usually shoot and carry medium loads for everything else. Seems plenty versatile to me. Kills rabbits fairly well, on up.

I don't think it requires 20 different loads to qualify as "versatile". Both rounds cover a lot of ground game wise, which is my idea of versatile.
 
I dont shoot targets too often with anything besides my smaller rounds, but i tend to use the same bullets and loads i would for hunting.
Many hunting bullets will produced similar accuracy to match bullets in normal rifles. They dont usually offer the higher BC of match bullets tho.

My loads for my 7mms are 162 amax, that i use for both hunting and targets.
My 30 cals, were usually 165 ballistic tips, or Heavier SSTs. Ive got some 208 Amax, that im going to see how fast i can get going from my new 06, but ill most likely be shooting 165 or 180s.
 
Malamute and Loonwulf, thanks for the input! I think I'll try the Amax, and maybe another match type bullet.

Malamute, what bullet are you using in the 06? I assume it's more of a hunting style bullet?

Loonwulf, How are the Amax for hunting? I've heard a lot of positive anecdotal evidence on the internet about the Amax being a great deer/small beer round, but I hear hornady no longer recommends it as a hunting bullet...

Also, I thought I put this in the original post, but my goal for target shooting is 600-1k yards, which is why I'm looking for something more accurate than a dedicated hunting round.
 
I have a small batch of Remington factory 180s I got from my dad. Ive been using them for basic deer or whatever hunting. They seem to shoot very well in a 1903 Springfield sporter, and do whatever Ive needed so far. I havent shot anything larger than deer, but they seem to hold together fairly well. I found on that had gone from the rear ham of a doe deer and I found it in her throat when skinning. Its the only one I recall recovering. Ive loaded some 180 gr Nosler Partitions to factory velocity, but haven't shot anything large enough to really need them. I sometimes carry that rifle in grizzly country and just use the same Remington factory loads, as its zeroed with them and shoot very well. Plus, probably lazy to dig out Nosler loads.

Ive shot 150 gr ball ammo for practice, but the POI was different. I discovered the hard way one time when taking a shot at a deer that Id forgotten to re-zero with the 180s. Now I mostly don't mess with the zero and leave it as mainly a hunting rifle.

If I were going to shoot distance with it for actual groups other than just practice and plinking Id work up a load, probably with the 190 gr match type stuff, and always rezero for hunting use.

I shot an elk with the 190 BTHP Speer match bullets. It did a lot of damage, but Id choose a true hunting bullet for actual hunting rather than the match bullets again. I think they are more reliable in expansion and bullet integrity. Its what I had easily available at the moment and rifle was zeroed for them so just used them.
 
"...a couple boxes of factory hunting loads..." You're reloading. Why would you buy factory? If you buy factory, you'll have to try a box of as many brands as you can to find the ammo your rifle shoots best. Kind of defeats one of the purposes of reloading.
Think 165 grain hunting bullets for .30-06 do-all load. Brand makes no difference. A 165 out of a .30-06 will kill any game in North America.
Not a lot of point to a Match bullet load for a hunting rifle. Hunting rifles are not target rifles. And match grade bullets tend to be far more expensive than hunting bullets. Mind you, there's no reason a hunting bullet load cannot be as accurate as a match bullet. Kind of depends on what kind of matches you're shooting though.
 
"...a couple boxes of factory hunting loads..." You're reloading. Why would you buy factory? If you buy factory, you'll have to try a box of as many brands as you can to find the ammo your rifle shoots best. Kind of defeats one of the purposes of reloading.
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Its simpler than working up a load. They don't need to be spectacularly accurate to be fine for hunting. Pick one or two and try them, shoot what works well enough. Drive on.

Another aspect, I was going to buy some more brass for 30-30. When I did the math on all the components, factory ammo was about the same cost. Fine by me for what I use it for, even though I cant think of any 30-30 Ive owned that has ever had factory ammo shot in it since Ive owned it.
 
Ive had very good results with the Amax, but ive only used the 162 7mms, and they are very destructive. Ive shot a great deal of animals with those bullets from my 7s. They are very reliable interms of how they will react on game. Avoid edible bits or be ready to do a bunch of trimming and bleeding.

I have used smks too but didnt like the consistency on game. Some times its a little tle hole, sometimes they come apart and you get a jello mess.

Bergers are the same as the amax in my 7mm

Now for other cals i cant attest, ive used the 155 amaxs in my old 06 but just for plinking. My rule of thumb when trying a "match" bullet for hunting is chose a tipped one, or one known to expand, and go 15-20 grns heavy. Also be realistic on shot placement nothing iffy.
 
I believe in practicing with the same ammo I'm going to use in the field or for self-defense

So I use one load to do everything.
 
The problem I have run in to is; how to tell between two different cartridges, that are visually identical?

Long ago, I had to sort through some 30-06 that I new were different loads, but couldn't tell them apart. Even the weight wasn't telling me much. I ended up breaking down a bunch, and rebuilding.

I'd hate to run through the Garand, a load meant for the gamemaster 760. The oprod may not take too kindly to that.

To that particular issue: FMJ for the Garand, and SP for the 760.
 
Ironicaintit said:
The problem I have run in to is; how to tell between two different cartridges, that are visually identical?

Long ago, I had to sort through some 30-06 that I new were different loads, but couldn't tell them apart. Even the weight wasn't telling me much. I ended up breaking down a bunch, and rebuilding.

I'd hate to run through the Garand, a load meant for the gamemaster 760. The oprod may not take too kindly to that.

To that particular issue: FMJ for the Garand, and SP for the 760.
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mark the cartridge in some way... a magic marker on the base or stripe the neck.. a notch on the rim...
I use stamp pads to mark the base different colors for different loads. JUst press the headstamp into the stamp pad
 
Various colored ink pads... That's a good idea. And keep a "legend" with them, and scattered around key spots. So when I'm dead somebody else will know what's what.

Thank you! So simple it's genius

Edit:
Omg I have so much inking to do
 
I have several loads in my handgun cartridges. I make a point of identifying them easily though. Perfect example is 357 mag. I have 3 bullets I use which are notably different. I load each of them in standard and "special" with jacketed "special" being nuclear and standard being 38+p loads in 357 cases. In lead bullets the "special" is an extremely light load that kicks about like a 22. I also load all 38spl cases as a standard 38 load with each bullet. This gives me 9 standard identifiable loads. I used to have loads distinguished. Y brass color too.
 
Try Sierra 2160, 180 gr SBT GameKing. They say it's accurate like a match bullet, but made for hunting.
 
I've been using the 168 gr A-max in my .308 as a multi-purpose load out to 600 yards; birds, prairie dogs, coyotes, deer and paper to great success. The 178 gr A-max would undoubtedly be a better choice for ranges past 600yards.

Word of warning: the A-max is accurate but also very soft and sheds weight readily, especially at high impact velocity. Keep that in mind when choosing your shot placement. Stay off of the bones and you should be golden, the A-max is almost like a big-game V-max in terms of performance. I would not suggest this bullet on Elk sized game or game with heavy bone structure.
 
The problem I have run in to is; how to tell between two different cartridges, that are visually identical?
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I use different headstamp cases. In '06, the Nosler Partitions are in Fed cases. Fed loads them from the factory, so it was relatively simple to remember for me when I loaded them. Others may be based on make of case also. In pistol loads, Rem 44 mag cases are medium loads (Rem used to load a 1000 fps factory SWC load), WW Super cases are full power magnum loads. I have a small bunch of Fed cases with 290 gr bullets loaded. Any other headstamps end up as medium loads by default. Same basic idea with 45 Colt loads, though I chose to use nickel plated Rem cases for heavy bear loads (325 gr bullets).

I noted the case make/load in my loading die box lid.
 
For the velocity you'll get from a 30-06 the ELD-X would be a good one but, like you said, they're not easy to find. Another option you could go with instead of the target bullets that come apart, is with an Accubond LR. Nosler was nice enough to actually put load data specific to them on their site so you can load them a little faster than something like a Partition of the similar weight. A 190gr bonded core bullet leaving you 06 somewhere a little over 2700 fps will cover 99% of any hunting you'll do and the high BC will allow you some long range paper punching practice.
 
For the 30-06 I have been loading Sierra Bullets. I load a 168gr MatchKing bullet for practice and a 165gr GameKing for hunting. Both are loaded over the same charge of 4350 and both hit the same POI without changing the scope. It works well for me. I do also load a Nosler Partition or AccuBond bullet if going for heavier game but it's been a while because I have been using my 45-70 levergun instead. (not that I have shot anything in years lol)
 
For a do all 30-06 or even 308 load 165 or 180 gr Nosler Accubonds. On game they perform very much like the Partition in that you get good expansion and deep penetration. And they have very good BC's making them a decent long range target or hunting bullet. If you want to get into pure long range target shooting there are better options, but they are not hunting bullets.

I experiment with a lot of different bullets, some have better BC's, but don't perform as well on game. If I had to pick one for my 30 caliber rifles I'd pick one of the above. I've played around with some of the ELD's. The accuracy is good and they offer BC's slightly better than the Accubond. Field reports are few, but the word is that they expand rapidly and give less than acceptable penetration on larger game, especially at close range. They apparently perform very much like Hornady SST's. Probably a good choice on deer size game, but the Accubond would be a better choice on elk or larger animals.
 
Do you prefer having a single do it all load, or 2 or three loads for the same rifle, and if so, how do you manage switching back and forth between kids with different POI?
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I don't load for 30-06, so I can speak only in generalities about this subject, but the notion of a "do it all" load seems alien to any cartridge unless the loader is willing to accept the limitations of using the load in certain unusual situation; something that a "do it all" load seems to reject by definition.

You must either, ahead of time, tailor a load to each particular situation in which you will shoot, or else you will end up making compromises in the name of versatility. In my own case, with .223 Remington, I chose to formulate a single load that would work out of my rifle against the targets I could expect to encounter at the ranges I could expect to encounter them.
 
You've heard the tale of "beware of the man who has one rifle because he knows how to use it", anyway I can add from experience. Having loaded several different bullets for a caliber I wouldn't have a clue how my sights are calibrated for each load in each rifle. Best in my opinion to work up an accurate load for a rifle and stay with it and use the same loads in every rifle you have in that caliber. Now I do have match loads only for one rifle and some Garand loads only for M1 Garand. If you have more than one rifle in a caliber then I'd find a load that shoots good and use that load for them all. My experience is that a load that shoots great in one rifle will do ok in others of the same type. I say zero your scope for a bullet and load and know that when you pick up your rifle it'll hit where you aim.
 
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Personally I believe in not only different loads, but also different calibers and rifles for different hunting situations.

But if I were looking for a 30-06 load that would work well "across the board", I'd probably take a hard look at the Nosler 190 Grain AccuBond Long Range Bullets.

http://www.shootersproshop.com/nosl...ubond-long-range-30-190gr-sp-blems-100ct.html

They're not cheap, but with a ballistic coefficient of .640 and good expansion from 3200 down to 1300 fps, they seem as close to perfect as you're likely to get for doing everything with one load.
 
Thanks for all the input everyone!

I think I'm going to try loading up some Amax, and SMKs as target bullets, and see which I like better, and get some DOPE on the other so I can use it if I ever can't get components for my pet load.

I'll save the hunting load for next season, and just make sure I know my windage and elevation corrections for it before I go afield :)
 
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