[Cobberz]

I finally got my 30-06 back this week, and my question is what grain bullet should i use w/ this gun. My 7mm-08 im shooting winchester 140 grain ballistic silvertip. My .308 im shooting 180 grain core loct. Now what grain would be good for the 30-06, Im debating between 180 and 220. This gun is going to be mostly heavy cover and brush hunting gun when im up at camp hunting in the blowdowns.

 

[Hunting Man]

My first choise is always the 150 gr, second might be 165 gr. I would reserve those heavy weights for moose, elk. Between the 150 and 165 see which one your rifle likes the best.

 

[BruceBruce1959]

I agree with huntingman...

 

[Cobberz]

thanks guys i was just curious what everyone thought because i have a few boxes of each

 

[WisconsinDeer]

When hunting deer with .30 calibers I tend to stick with 150gr...30-06, .303, 7.62x54r..ect. The 150gr has never failed me.

 

[WHITETAILFEVER]

When hunting deer with .30 calibers I tend to stick with 150gr...30-06, .303, 7.62x54r..ect. The 150gr has never failed me.

i second that!! 150's are an ideal choice!!

 

[huntr-]

I like the 165 or 168 grn in a boattail spitzer

 

[Karl.Luhr]

30-06 bullet weights for Deer

I agree with the others in that I like the 165gr. I think that the 150gr is a little light for the 1 in 10 twist rate that the 30-06 uses. It will stabilize the 150s but it isn't optimum. I also like shooting normal pressure reloads, my 165 gr Nosler ballistic tips are loaded toward the lower end of the range that the manual says I can load them. I personally don't agree with the idea that a heavier bullet will punch through brush. I use 180 gr bullets in the 30-06, but I save these for Elk not Deer.

Karl

 

[Tricky]

I dont think you would need more then a 165 grain for deer. My dad uses 150's and has never had an issue, but if your gun likes the 165's i would shoot them. Best of luck.

 

[Hunting Man]

Karl, I agree with you on the old term brush beater. There's no such thing! However, on the grain bullet issue, I've had great results over the years using the 150 from various companies, with great accuracy! I guess if I was shooting long range out west a lot I'd look at the 165 boatails for better down range accuracy? For deer size game at ranges out to 250 yds, I don't see how the 150 gr can be bettered, especially with all the factory custom loads out today. Complete mushrooms, weight retains up to 90% or more now, sound pretty good to me! Not downing the 165 gr just don't see a need for it for most deer hunters shooting close range? I may start reloading especially now that I got that 250-3000 sav. Ammo has been less available that what I thought it would be. I see where a person can purchase a complete set-up in a neat package, any thoughts on these?

 

[Karl.Luhr]

I think the 165gr is the best choice for Deer

I know that most users choose the 150gr loads in the 30-06 and it works great for them. I just think that from what I have read, the 165gr is a better choice to use. The 30-06 twist rate is 1 in 10 which is a little fast for the 150gr, does it work yes but it is not optimum. The .308 usually has a twist rate of 1 in 12 because that is perfect for the 147/150gr load it was designed around. I like the Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets but some shooters have reported it failing and coming apart at close range. Most of those that complain were using either hot magnums or the 150gr not the 165gr weight. I personally think that if I get a close range shot and go for the shoulder the heavier 165gr will hold together better than the 150gr. With my limited experience I have not been disappointed with the results.

Karl

 

[DeerSlayer9859]

I use the 150 nossler or hornaday BT's

I have a remington 30-06 with burris ballistic scope, and use the 150 grain bullets as mentioned in the title, nossler or hornaday boat tails..my prefered range is 300 to 600 yard shots,..to practice I use balloons blown up to the size of a deers heart tacked to a post at 24 inches above the ground,..the 150's do a fine job.
I hand lapped my barrel when it was new,and floated the barrel..eventually I will get a lilja barrel built for my rifle,..I will choose the 3 land 3 groove 1/12 twist,..26 inch fluted S/S barrel and I'll use the same bullet, load will be ballistically matched to the scope spec's
Burris lists a chart if your loading your own bullets ,..per calibur per scope on their web site

 

[WhoDat]

I am going to jump in here with a question instead of starting a new thread because it is related. I, as we discussed last night, just got a 7mm. I sighted the gun in with a box of 175 grain ammo remington Core-lokt. If I were to switch to a smaller maybe 150 or 160 grain bullett would I need to resight? How much would the smaller grain affect my shot?

 

[WisconsinDeer]

I am going to jump in here with a question instead of starting a new thread because it is related. I, as we discussed last night, just got a 7mm. I sighted the gun in with a box of 175 grain ammo remington Core-lokt. If I were to switch to a smaller maybe 150 or 160 grain bullett would I need to resight? How much would the smaller grain affect my shot?

Yes you would need to check your zero. I don't know how much it would affect it but I sure wouldn't go hunting with a different bullet/round than what the gun was sighted in for.

 

[DeerSlayer9859]

every time you change your bullet weight or ,measured powder load it is wise to resight,.. also stlye of bullets,..a flat bottom 150 grain bullet will hit lower then a BT 150 bullet

 

[Hunting Man]

all things being equal the lighter bullet will strike high and could, maybe, group left or right, how much only your rifle knows.

 

[rdrader2002]

"How much would the smaller grain affect my shot?"

Smaller grain would have a flatter trajectory over the first couple hundred yards and would definitely require rezero.

 

[Whitetail_predator]

personally i always use a 180gr in my 30-06. The futherest i will have to shoot due to where i hunt is about 200 yards, and the futherest i have had to shoot yet is about 130-140, and 180gr seems to work just fine for me.

 

[thatguy]

i have had, but not hunted with, 2 7.62 rifles. one was a .30-06 and the other was a .300WM. both loved 160gr corelokts. like i said, i never hunted with them, but the shot extremeley well out of both rifles. held under MOA out to 200M(longest range im legal to shoot at in new jersey, its a long story about being in the service).

 

[00buckshot]

i always used a higher grain bullet if i was shooting in anything remotely thick. however, if i am shooting acroos a field, i have found a lower grain works better and travels faster.