30-06 Hunting loads

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pyscodog

Active member
Of all the rifles I've owned, I have only had two 06's. I was stumbling thru a Pawn shop yesterday and found a new/used Rem. 700 LSS. It was so purdy setting there with all the old beaters that I just had to bring it home. The rifle will be used for deer hunting only. Being here in Okla., I doubt I'll run across any super monster bucks, so I'm thinking about keeping the bullet weight around 140/150 grains. I was wondering if you folks had a magic load that you would care to share with me. Like to keep the FPS around 2900-3000. I figure that will be plenty fast enough for me. Really prefer accuracy over speed. Thanks

Pyscodog
 
Accuracy over speed?? Then use 4350 or 4064 and a 150 or 165 grain Sierra Gameking, or Nosler Ballistic tip.

Velocity first?? Then load RL22 with a 165 grain Sierra GameKing or Nosler Ballistic Tip.

Another great velocity and accurate load can be achieved with RL22 and the Sierra 155 grain Palma Bullet. I realize this is a target bullet. But I guarantee you the bullet is DEADLY on deer.

I went to RL22 a couple of years ago in my 30-06 hunting rifles. Accuracy was about the same. However I picked up another 100 fps. I realize you said velocity was not important. However velocity is nice as long as you can maintain accuracy.

Any of the above is very deadly on deer. Tom.
 
Hogghead, I was going to try the 4350 and the 4064 with the 150's. I never thought about the 155 palmas, just happen to have some. Think I have some R-22 also. Don't get me wrong, I to like speed, just don't want to over do it. I was using some Ballistic tips a couple of years ago in a 25-06 and got a pretty bad splash wound. It killed the deer but didn't care for the wound. Some of the guys told me I was pushing the bullet to hard.
 
if you are going to use that light of a bullet, I would definitely use a nosler partition. If you use a 165 it,s not so important, but the 150 is a little light based on my experiences.
 
Been using 150gr Sierra spitzer boat tail with 57.8grs of H4831 since 1981 in my S&W 1500. With the results I've seen on the deer I've shot with it had no reason to try something else.
 
I just did several modifications to my 06 including trying new loads so I cant say which had the biggest effect but I just tried some loads using 55.5gr of 414 and 168 Nosler ballitic tip spitzer. This load printed very well for me and from the testing I have read the Nosler is rated as excellant and deer and antelope size game. My old loads were 4350 for both 150 and 180 Hornady interlocks
 
Univesal load for '06

59.0g of IMR 4350, Win primer, 150g Hornady SP; would be in the area of 2900-2950 fps in your rifle.

If you really want to get your rifle jack'en, then try the 130g Barnes Tripple shocks. My brother gets super accuracy with Win 760 in the 3100+ fps area and the load really Hammers deer.
 
A classic old time proven load for the 06' is about 57.0 - 58.0 grains of H4350 under a quality 165 gr. bullet. That will run around 2,800+ fps from a 22" inch barrel and will be accurate. Any .30-06 that doesn't do well with this load probably needs some work. Use due caution and work up to the load according to all safe handloading practices.

Same can be said for a 180 gr. bullet, work up to about 56.0 - 57.0 grs. of H4350 for 2,700+ fps and very good accuracy.
 
Quote:
A classic old time proven load for the 06' is about 57.0 - 58.0 grains of H4350 under a quality 165 gr. bullet. That will run around 2,800+ fps from a 22" inch barrel and will be accurate. Any .30-06 that doesn't do well with this load probably needs some work. Use due caution and work up to the load according to all safe handloading practices.

Same can be said for a 180 gr. bullet, work up to about 56.0 - 57.0 grs. of H4350 for 2,700+ fps and very good accuracy.



I have had the same results as above. My go to load is 57gr H4350 behind a 165gr Hornady BTSP Interlock, Nosler BT or Sierra Gameking. If one of those combinations will serve you well for just about anything in NA.

I recently picked up a bunch of 150gr Nosler Etips at Nosler as seconds to experiment with. When I get a chance to shoot something with them I will post the results.
 
You can buy the premium bullets if you have nothing else to do with your money. But when you are pushing about any 150-165 grain bullet at approximately 3,000 fps, the load will be devastating on deer. For me the premium bullets are a complete waste of money on deer sized game. And I can honestly say that it is rare that the premium bullets will be more accurate than the Sierra GameKing or the Nosler Ballistic Tip. Very rare. Tom.
 
Sierra 165g SBT with 56.5 grains of IMR4350.

Been loading this for years for three different 30-06 guns. My Rem. 700 before it was rebarreled to 280AI, my sons Win Mod. 70, and a friends Savage. All shoot this load very well and is very deadly on deer.
 
I forgot to mention that was 63.0 grains of RL 22. I have also been able to get half inch groups with IMR 4350 but it was over max load but safe in my Savage rifle.

Flare
 
Quote:
You can buy the premium bullets if you have nothing else to do with your money. But when you are pushing about any 150-165 grain bullet at approximately 3,000 fps, the load will be devastating on deer. For me the premium bullets are a complete waste of money on deer sized game. And I can honestly say that it is rare that the premium bullets will be more accurate than the Sierra GameKing or the Nosler Ballistic Tip. Very rare. Tom.



/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gifI have to agree that premium bullets are a waste of money when it comes to pushing them at 06' velocities. I have tried 180g Nosler BTs, 180g Swift A frame, 150g Seirras, and 180g Nosler Accubonds and can tell you nothing in my book DRTs whitetails better than a 180g Core-loct. Its cheap to reload and I am get .6" groups out of my old 7600 pump. I liked the 150g Seirras loaded at 3000fps but I had a couple that didnt make it through the far shoulder. The 180g Nosler BTs dropped deer where they stood but made a serious mess on the inside of the animal. The the accubonds and swifts didnt transfer enough kinetic energy giving DRT performance.
 


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