Bullet Question for Deer
 

Hi, I'm a fairly new hunter and don't have a ton of experience. I have a new 30-06 and I've found a couple of factory loads that it likes. I'm going hunting this weekend and don't have time to test any other loads.

Range will be 300 yards and less. Probably in 200 range.

For Axis deer what would be your preference out of these two:

• PPU 150 gr Soft Point (seems to be a quality round)
• Hornady 180 gr. Interlock SP

Thanks,
Dave

looks like your groups are good with either, what range did you sight in at? The 180 will have a little more knock down power.

Thanks for the reply. I was shooting at 100 yards.
Dave

make sure you check a Ballistic Chart to see what the round will do at 200 yards. I would figure that the heavier bullet will drop more at that range...

I don't believe that axis deer are much bigger than whitetails. A 150 grain bullet would be pretty hard to shrug off, especially the way you're shooting them. 2 in. high at 100 yd. would put you pretty close to right on at 200 yd. and about 8" low at 300 yd.

In a 30-06 the 150-165 grain bullets are constructed for deer, the 180s for larger game like elk...This means the 180s might not open up as well on light weight game like deer...They are constructed to be tougher to penetrate further into a larger animal...

Use the 150s, they will do more damage and shoot a bit flatter...

Right on. I will go with the 150's. They seem to be the most consistent out of what I've tried so far. Thanks,
Dave

Like others have replied, 150-165 grain bullets from a .30-06 are perfect for deer size animals.

My first centerfire rifle was a .30-06 and I loaded Hornady 150 gr Spire Point bullets for it. I killed a mule deer and an elk every year for many years with those bullets. After I moved to Montana, I started loading 180 gr Sierra GameKing bullets for elk, but I also killed a few deer with them, and they worked just fine.

Like Wingbone posted, use your 150 gr bullets, sight your -06 2" high at 100 yds, shoot at least a 3 shot group at 200 yds and also at 300 yds, and go kill an axis deer. I hear that they have the best tasting venison.

Defintiely go with the 150 soft nose. I shot a deer last year with a .35 whelen with 180 bear claws ( all i could find) and knocked him flat to the ground. Shot twice more as it crawled off. It ended up getting away. Sad story for me and for the deer.

150 all the way.