Which bullet for my .30-06

[milboltnut]

I with you ms6825.... It doesn't take much to put down a deer. Jack O'Connor used 130 grain Speer hot cores for years on everything in North America with the exception of Grizzly bear.

 

[Kachok]

I load 165gr SSTs, SGKs, and Ballistic tips in my 06, all are capable of great accuracy, but when it comes to putting a hurting on a deer ballistic tips are my bullet of choice in all my calibers. Total destruction of the chest cavity, they do not get any deader then that. Exit wounds range from golfball sized with my 6.5x55 to fist sized with my WSM, all dead within a few feet from where they were shot, if not where they stood, no tracking needed. They expand perfectly at low speeds and stay together at close range magnum speeds. Some would recomend core-lokts, and while they are a great (and cheap) bullet I avoid them for longer ranged work, their BC does not compare to the likes of the SGK and BT, meaning they drift more, drop more, and retain less energy, though in the woods it is hard to beat a 165-180gr core-lokt.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Nosler Balllistic Tip...I like the 168 grain version.

 

[Biggerhammer]

I've always been a huge Nosler Partition fan, with the introduction of the Accubond I was instantly converted with the first Mulie that hit the ground using one. I've found the Accubonds performance expansion wise to be right on par with the performance of the Partition with the bonus of the polymer tip and the higher BC. Now if Nosler would only make a .458 Accubond, maybe next year.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

killed a truckload of deer with the 06 using 150 grain cup and core bullets from different manufactures and never found one lacking or saw a need for a heavier bullet. Maybe if a guy was hunting elk or moose a 180 would be called for but there certainly not needed on deer

 

[GJgo]

For hunting deer with an '06 I think the only question you need to ask is if you want lead in your deer, or not. If you're OK with it any of your choices are fine, pick the one that your rifle shoots the best. If the answer is no, I'd go 130 or 150 grain TSX whichever shoots better. I'm currently eating a deer taken with a 6.5mm Amax & I'd have no qualms doing it again.

 

[milboltnut]

My brother-in-law shot a deer with a 130 and had to chase the thing across a mountain down to the river and finish it off. "I know I shot it" he said. So just because my father-in-law got great accuracy with a 130 doesn't mean much.

 

[bpl]

Hello Mr. Swede,

I think you overthinking this a bit. Any decent hunting bullet from a 30-06 should put down a deer quick if you hit it in the vitals and not the guts or butt The 30-06 is a massive cartridge for deer hunting. Over here in the US, lots of deer hunting is done successfully with much smaller cartridges in the .24 and .25 caliber range. I would pick a few bullets you like in 150 and 165gr, load them up and shoot them for accuracy in your rifle. Then, when you have picked your bullet, sight it in for 2-2.5 inches high at 100 yards to give you maximum point blank range (MPBR) of 270-300 yards depending on velocity. With this setup, you can aim straight at your deer's vitals at any range under MPBR and shoot without any holdover and expect your shot to hit the vitals (as long as you don't flinch and screw up the shot).

Here is a table from Chuck Hawks website with bullet tragectory infomation:
http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifle_trajectory_table.htm

 

[Lloyd Smale]

Im with art on this one. Ive shot a bunch of whitetails through the years with 150 ww power points, 150 prohunters, 150 speer hot cores and corelocks and have never found them lacking in anyway on whitetail. You sure dont need a heavy bullet or a fancy bonded bullet to kill deer with an 06.

 

[Kachok]

Im with art on this one. Ive shot a bunch of whitetails through the years with 150 ww power points, 150 prohunters, 150 speer hot cores and corelocks and have never found them lacking in anyway on whitetail. You sure dont need a heavy bullet or a fancy bonded bullet to kill deer with an 06.

Agreed, but I do load 165s for deer, not that I need the extra penatration, but they tend to have much better BC and hence less wind drift then the short stubby 150s. besides a little extra penatration is never a bad thing. SSTs, SGKs, and Ballistic Tips have all been very good performers, though I would not hesetate for a second to put a good Hot-Core or Core-Lokt through Bambi either. The 30-06 is by it's very nature a massive overkill for any deer, so perfect bullet selection is not nearly as critical as say a 243.

 

[alsaqr]

In other words, getting all married up with your rifle and being able to hit a specific point on a critter beats worrying about standard or magnum or type of bullet and all that stuff.

Bingo!!!
Shot placement trumps everything else. The search for the magic bullet that turns a gut into a bang flop every time continues.

Fallow deer are not impressive animals. Freedom Fighter said it right: Fallow deer are about the size of our runty southern deer. A friend raises fallow deer: They have over 250 fallow deer behind high fence. The biggest buck they have weighs just over 200 pounds: He's a monster compared to their other bucks. Most of the adult does weigh less than 100 pounds.

 

[IM391]

Core Lokts are a great bullet at 165 grain at any distance. Never had trouble putting meat on the table. Velocity seems a little high for an 06, though, unless it really helps your accuracy 2900 fps max. makes for more managable recoil and a steadier shot for bullet placement.

 

[2'Bucks'11]

I use 150 Gr Winchester Super X. with a Savage M110
This past season:
8pts was 104yds
3pts was 124 yds
Both where a one shot drop in tracks.
With that being said I don't like the lighter bullet b/c of tag elders and other scrub brush, but the Super X 150's shoot the tightest group for my rifle of whats readily available around here.

 

[Franchise42]

You can get Rem core lokt or Win power point here at wally world for $18 a box. The Federals are $15. I don't believe a white tail can tell the difference. 165grain.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

Lately my 06 has digested a steady diet of power points. I bought a couple thousand bulk for the ar10 and they hands down are the most accurate bullet ive found in my 700 o6. I know, it surpised me too

 

[Zeke/PA]

I have used Remington Core-Loks in various calibers for most of my life, my favorite in the .30-'06 being the 180 grain round nose.
Sadly, this bullet is no longer available to reloaders so I now use the 180 pointed soft point with good success.
Shot Core-Loks in a .257 Roberts,.25-'06, .250 Savage, .270 Winchester and of course the '06.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

Doesn't surprise me at all Lloyd. PP's are a fairly decent bullet. They fly well and expand well for the most part. Used them "Silver Tips" for a good while in one of my .30/06's. Found that CoreLokt just shot a little better in her. Not to mention they were about 4 bucks a box cheaper too Gotta love that. Just cuzz I gots money don't mean I like to spend it!

 

[TheSwede]

Ok folks thanks for the response! I know a guy with a handful of bullets home. I will test nosler bst,accubond, game king, barnes tsx, interbond. All in 165gn. I'll pick the bullet who shoots best in my rifle.

 

[Kachok]

Good call I load all of those except the TSX which are way pricy around here.