30-06 load
#11
RE: 30-06 load
ORIGINAL: huntboy3181
My dad and I are reloading shells for my 30-06..we talked to my cousin about the best load and he did some looking around and we came up with a 168 grain sierra bullet, 4350 hogden powder and cci primers..anybody ever use something like this or what do you guysl load in your 30-06..the 168 seem to fly nearly as fast as a 130 grain and this will have more energy..just wondering what you all think
My dad and I are reloading shells for my 30-06..we talked to my cousin about the best load and he did some looking around and we came up with a 168 grain sierra bullet, 4350 hogden powder and cci primers..anybody ever use something like this or what do you guysl load in your 30-06..the 168 seem to fly nearly as fast as a 130 grain and this will have more energy..just wondering what you all think
This is not to say that the 168-grain bullet won't kill a deer. But it may not prove as good in this regard as ones that are intended to do so. (IMO, 130's are coyote bullets!!)
#13
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 7
RE: 30-06 load
I use 56.4 grains of IMR 4350 behind a Hornady 165 grain boattail. It's very accurate out of my Rem. MDL 700. It opened a 2 inch hole on the exit side of a mulie I shot last Friday. The Sierra 168 grain hollow point is a match bullet. It's not meant for hunting. I've had this same discussion with someone else I personally know a few years back. I've hit jackrabbits out to 100 yards sitting and running with this load. I started likeing this brand bullet when I saw how well it performed on a bull elk.
#15
RE: 30-06 load
well a lot of you say the 168 grain sierra isn't for game, but why is it a hollow point then. if it's just for target wouldn't it be a solid tip or balistic tip? maybe i'm wrong. i did make one shot on a doe this year with this load and it worked just like any other hollow point i've used. it blew everything up inside and dropped the deer within 20 yards...i'm going to try a 165 gr and 130 grain this winter..we also loaded the 168 grains for dad's 300 win mag and he shot 2 does and a buck with them and they all ran about 30 yards..the expansion upon impact seemed like what it should be..
#17
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Rivesville, WV
Posts: 3,192
RE: 30-06 load
I know several hunter's who use that bullet for deer. It may not be designed for hunting, but it is devastating on deer. The standard Game King is also a great bullet. In my Encore 30-06 I use a 165 grain Ballistic Tip. These bullet's in my Encore shoot slightly tighter in my Encore-over the Sierra's. Not really enough to matter, but I had a friend who gave me 1,000 BallisticTip's.
I shoot the 155 grain Palma in my 300 WSM. It is also a devastating bullet on deer.
I have been loading for a 30-06 for over thirty years. I have tried a lot of powder's. Mostly IMR's. 3031, 4895, 4831, 4350, and 4064. I got great performance with all these powder's. I switched last year to RL22. I picked up about 150 fps with RL22.
RL22 is the only powder that has allowed me to go over 3,000 fps with a 165 grain bullet, and a short barrel(18-1/2 and a 22 inch). Tom.
I shoot the 155 grain Palma in my 300 WSM. It is also a devastating bullet on deer.
I have been loading for a 30-06 for over thirty years. I have tried a lot of powder's. Mostly IMR's. 3031, 4895, 4831, 4350, and 4064. I got great performance with all these powder's. I switched last year to RL22. I picked up about 150 fps with RL22.
RL22 is the only powder that has allowed me to go over 3,000 fps with a 165 grain bullet, and a short barrel(18-1/2 and a 22 inch). Tom.
#19
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 321
RE: 30-06 load
I have two Remington Gamemasters that are sighted in for 165 gr Sierra's.
I have used them with good results on whitetail deer in Pennsylvania - out to a range of 150 yards.
I felt that there was a compeditive advantage to using a 165 gr bullet over a 150 gr bullet. But I am probably wrong. The truth is that 15 gr's of weight is not all that much and that the added expense really doesn't justify the cost.
The performance level of the 180 gr bullets is even better, but I would only consider using them for Bears and not for deer due to the fact that there is more recoil and less range with the 180 compared to the 150 gr load.
You also have to remember that Hodgkins powder does not interchange with IMR. The Hodgkins powder is much more powerful and could cause damage to your firearm if you try to load it too hot.
Everyone has made a good point about not using a target bullet for hunting purposes and they are right. Just because you got lucky a couple of times and actually killed a deer with target bullets -does not mean that they were designed for hunting purposes or that they are the best choice for what you want to do.
I would give you my reloading information in private - if you wanted to try it. But I would not publish in on the internet for anyone and their brother to read - due to liability issues.
I have used them with good results on whitetail deer in Pennsylvania - out to a range of 150 yards.
I felt that there was a compeditive advantage to using a 165 gr bullet over a 150 gr bullet. But I am probably wrong. The truth is that 15 gr's of weight is not all that much and that the added expense really doesn't justify the cost.
The performance level of the 180 gr bullets is even better, but I would only consider using them for Bears and not for deer due to the fact that there is more recoil and less range with the 180 compared to the 150 gr load.
You also have to remember that Hodgkins powder does not interchange with IMR. The Hodgkins powder is much more powerful and could cause damage to your firearm if you try to load it too hot.
Everyone has made a good point about not using a target bullet for hunting purposes and they are right. Just because you got lucky a couple of times and actually killed a deer with target bullets -does not mean that they were designed for hunting purposes or that they are the best choice for what you want to do.
I would give you my reloading information in private - if you wanted to try it. But I would not publish in on the internet for anyone and their brother to read - due to liability issues.
#20
RE: 30-06 load
ORIGINAL: falcon
The 168 grain Match King bullet is not designed for hunting. It is a Match bullet. It will probably not expand correctly when used on deer. The hollow point is for ease of manufacture. For severaldecades i have used the 150 grain Game Kingand Pro Hunter bullets to good effect on hogs and deer. There is a 165 grain hollowpoint Game King bullet but i have no experience with it.
The 168 grain Match King bullet is not designed for hunting. It is a Match bullet. It will probably not expand correctly when used on deer. The hollow point is for ease of manufacture. For severaldecades i have used the 150 grain Game Kingand Pro Hunter bullets to good effect on hogs and deer. There is a 165 grain hollowpoint Game King bullet but i have no experience with it.