Projectile Recommendations for 30-06 Long-ish range Hunting

[Alex G]

Good morning y’all,

Need advice on projectile options for 50-800yd hunting with the 30-06. Visiting PA this year where I grew up and am going to be out hunting during their deer season.

In the past I’d loaded a 165gr Nosler BT over IMR 4350 powder to good success, though my longest shot possible was 2-300 yards. This year I will have longer shots available including shots out over fields and hills, ranging anywhere from 6-800 yards. Need projectile recommendations that are accurate, have good expansion and little wind drift at that range. I’ve looked at the Sierra 165 and 180gr Tipped GameKings, which look promising, but I know there are offerings from Nosler, Barnes, and others out there as well.
Also going to attempt to develop the load with Winchester StaBALL 6.5 powder and see how that does. Its burn rate is comparable to the 4350’s, and it’s relatively temperature stable and meters well through my Redding 3-BR powder measure. (Within .1gr consistently which is impressive)
Rifle is a T/C Venture in 30-06 with a 1:10 twist. Despite being an “upper budget-tier” rifle, it’s proven to be consistently accurate with its 5R rifling and I think 24” barrel, with 0.35”-0.5” groups with handloaded SMK’s at 100 yd, and sub-1” groups with the previous Nosler BT’s.
Any help/advice is appreciated.

 

[Hugger-4641]

Honestly, I wouldn't attempt more than 600yds with my 30-06. You may be able to hit the target at 800, but the lethality really drops off out there. If you insist in attempting it then I would go with an ELD-X or bonded soft point. Stay away from solid copper bullets, you probably can't push them fast enough at that distance.

 

[wombat13]

Hugger-4641 is absolutely correct. There is no way you'll be able to push a monometal fast enough to get good expansion at 800 yards. They typically need minimum of 2000 fps for consistent expansion and some posters here suggest 2,200 fps minimum. I plugged the data for the 165 gr Nosler Accubond into Hornady's online ballistics calculator using 3,000 fps muzzle velocity (this is the max velocity published by Hodgdon for Staball with a 165 gr bullet) and a 10 mph wind 90 degrees to flight of bullet. You're looking at 151" of drop and 51" of wind drift at 800 yards (with a 200 yard zero)! At 600 yards, it'll be about 66" of drop and 27" of drift. Also, at that velocity you'll drop below 1,800 fps (Nosler's recommended minimum velocity for Accubond) somewhere beyond 650 yards.

Btw, this is best case in terms of muzzle velocity. Nosler shows max velocity also as 3,000 fps with RL22. Second fastest is 2,900 fps with RL17 (and a few others come close). Hodgdon also shows Superperformance getting close to 3,000 fps, but the best of the rest are only about 2,900 fps. So you're likely to have at least several more inches of drop and a few more inches of wind drift than noted above and you'll be below 1,800 fps a little beyond 600 yards.

 

[jmr40]

Around 500-600 yards is pushing the limits for 30-06 on game IMO. And about 200 yards farther than most shooters can shoot well enough to hit game. As stated above, once impact velocity drops below a certain point expansion is questionable.

This can be overcome by using softer bullets that expand well at slower impact speeds such as the Nosler Ballistic Tip or Hornady SST. But those bullets may over expand at close range where they impact too fast. Hitting a game animal at long range is one thing. Getting the bullet to expand properly at all ranges from 50-800 yards is the hard part. You sorta have to pick one or the other. If you think 400+ is a real possibility I'd avoid the hard bullets that need lots of speed to expand. Which includes any of the solid copper bullets.

The Accubond would probably be my 1st pick. I'd just have to run the numbers and see if the 165 or 180 did better. Should be close and I'd think 165 might be the better option for deer and the 180 for larger game like elk.

 

[vongh]

Wouldn't a good 150 grain bullet add the velocity for any of the game in Pennsylvania? To extend your range a little?
Personally I wouldn't attempt any shot over 500 yards but thats cause I don't have the ability for those kinds shots. With Imr 4350 you are at about 2800 fps. If you can find it I use reloader 15. At about 3000 fps.

 

[JFrank]

Not really the same but kinda sorta... We are loading 140 gr Accubond in a 270 WSM . these are moving at 3000 ish fps and very good accuracy although blowing through deer at shorter distance so maybe a little heavier yet still the AB would be worth a sample box of 100 provided you can find some.

 

[wombat13]

Wouldn't a good 150 grain bullet add the velocity for any of the game in Pennsylvania? To extend your range a little?
Personally I wouldn't attempt any shot over 500 yards but thats cause I don't have the ability for those kinds shots. With Imr 4350 you are at about 2800 fps. If you can find it I use reloader 15. At about 3000 fps.

A 150 gr accubond or ballistic tip at 3,100 fps (max velocity published by Hodgdon) gives you 148" of drop (3" less than the 165) and 55" of drift (4" more than the 165) at 800 yards. I'd go with less wind drift because with laser range finders you have a better estimate of the distance than the wind velocity.

If the OP can find the 168 gr Accubond Long Range, that would be better. @ 3,100 fps drop would be 142" (9" better than 165 accubond) and drift would be 45" (6" better).

The 190 gr ABLR @ 2,750 fps would reduce the drift a little to 44" @ 800 yards (1" better than 168 gr ABLR), but the drop would increase to 162" (20" worse than 168 gr ABLR).

The .30-06 just doesn't have the case capacity to throw heavy bullets long range. 165 - 168 is the sweet spot if you want long range performance. Best off to step up to .300WM if you need to send a 180+ gr bullet 800 yards.

 

[Blackrock]

I load Speer 180gr for my 30-06 and have great results out to 300 yards. I've taken 2 cow and 1 bull Elk plus several Mule deer.

 

[wombat13]

if you really want take deer or larger game at 800 yards with a .30 cal, step up to the .300WM. The 190 gr ABLR @ 3,050 fps gives you 129" of drop, 37" of drift, and is still traveling at 1,900 fps, so you should get expansion.

 

[Armorer 101]

What wambat said, the very reason I carried a 300 WSM to Africa with 180g Sierra Pro Hunters using VN 560 at 3,200+ fps. I had a new WSM I built that I wanted to use so left my 300 WM at the house. But the 180 grain at 32000 will carry 800 yards.

 

[Shooterbob]

What powder did you use to get 32000 in a 300wsm armored 101 cause I have one and want that kind of preference

 

[bluejay75]

178 ELD M. 57.8 grains IMR 4350 is the Sierra Hunting load for 2800 FPS. At 800 yards this load is still going 1600 plus FPS and it is going to expand. A .547 BC will help with wind and the soft nature of the ELDM is going to expand.

 

[Random 8]

Please do not mistake my bluntness for rudeness in the words to follow.

Just because a bullet will go that far, doesn't mean shooting it at a living game animal at that distance is advisable or ethical, and I'm not talking terminal effects, rather hitting the right part of the animal.

Groups off a bench at 100 yards do not equate to real world MOA in field conditions from field positions with wind, target movement, mirage, etc thrown into the mix.

Shooting KNOWN DISTANCE high power on a range with wind flags where I am intimately familiar with the wind's effects on bullets, it is not uncommon at all to throw a first shot 8, 9, or lower at 600 yards in pretty good conditions. Not uncommon with a little wind to have it happen after you've got the conditions "dialed in," which happens to be the source of my handle. Considering the NRA 600 yard target 10 ring is aprox 2 MOA, or 12", I wouldn't want that on a deer. That is shooting an NRA Service rifle rock solid prone and fully slung. When you look at the externals, a 75gr ELD-M launched at the red line of maximum velocity in a 5.56 is remarkably similar to 30-06 capable match loads in terms of trajectory and drift.

Get a little closer, and your 165s will do yeomans work at practical ranges up to 400 yards. Some of the sleek 180s will carry a bit more energy and less wind. IMHO, 400 is pushing the limits outside of perfect conditions, and I hold an NRA Master and CMP distinguished classification.

 

[Varminterror]

Hornady 178 ELD-X is what I’m feeding my .30-06’s with similar intent.

 

[wombat13]

Please do not mistake my bluntness for rudeness in the words to follow.

Just because a bullet will go that far, doesn't mean shooting it at a living game animal at that distance is advisable or ethical, and I'm not talking terminal effects, rather hitting the right part of the animal.

Groups off a bench at 100 yards do not equate to real world MOA in field conditions from field positions with wind, target movement, mirage, etc thrown into the mix.

Shooting KNOWN DISTANCE high power on a range with wind flags where I am intimately familiar with the wind's effects on bullets, it is not uncommon at all to throw a first shot 8, 9, or lower at 600 yards in pretty good conditions. Not uncommon with a little wind to have it happen after you've got the conditions "dialed in," which happens to be the source of my handle. Considering the NRA 600 yard target 10 ring is aprox 2 MOA, or 12", I wouldn't want that on a deer. That is shooting an NRA Service rifle rock solid prone and fully slung. When you look at the externals, a 75gr ELD-M launched at the red line of maximum velocity in a 5.56 is remarkably similar to 30-06 capable match loads in terms of trajectory and drift.

Get a little closer, and your 165s will do yeomans work at practical ranges up to 400 yards. Some of the sleek 180s will carry a bit more energy and less wind. IMHO, 400 is pushing the limits outside of perfect conditions, and I hold an NRA Master and CMP distinguished classification.

Thanks for making this comment. I haven't ever shot at a target or an animal much farther than 200 yards, so I can't offer this kind of advice. What I can do is think about what would happen if I misjudge the wind? I'm assuming that I have confidence in the range after using a rangefinder. In any case, misjudging the wind by just a few mph means a huge difference at 800 yards, according to ballistics programs. The 168 Nosler ABLR drifts 44.8" with a 10 mph 90 degree wind and 67.3" at 15 mph. Misjudge by 5 mph and you have a miss (if you're lucky) or a wounded animal. Misjudge the wind by just 1.5 mph (you think it's 10 mph when it's really 11.5 mph) and you get 51.6" inches of drift instead of 44.8". An error of 6.8" means you are outside the kill zone on most animals. I know I can't judge wind within 1.5 mph, so I won't ever take a shot at an animal at 800 yards unless my family is starving.

At 400 yards, using the .30-06 and 168 Nosler ABLR, the difference between 10 mph wind and 15 mph wind is only 4.9 inches. Still inside the kill zone if you've made a perfect shot. As I said before, I've never taken a shot at a target or an animal beyond 200 yards, but based on what I see on paper, I don't think I'd ever try my luck much beyond 400 yards.

 

[Varminterror]

It’s often frustrating when folks which don’t do something contest so much about something they don’t do.

 

[Roverguy]

I don’t hunt that far. I can’t. But at 800 yards terminal distance, a well designed BTSP cup and core bullet will likely serve you well by still offering expansion. I would suggest 180 grs for the balance of weight, sectional density, ballistic coefficient and velocity. Take your pick from Hornady, Speer, Sierra, among others and see which ones gives you best accuracy at those distances. I’m fond of the Hornady ELD (178 grs), but have never attempted anything like 800 yards.

 

[lordpaxman]

Nosler promotes their BTs for thin skinned game (like whitetail) rather than ABs for thick skinned game. They usually have the same grain weight so you can substitute them with minor changes. But they do make their AB in a long range version.
I load both their 165 and 180 BTs for ‘06 so if you’re looking to do really long ranges go with the heavier bullet. They have load data for “most accurate” loads with powder choices, have at it.
Let us know how the hunt goes and good luck.

It’s often frustrating when folks which don’t do something contest so much about something they don’t do.

You going to trademark that?

 

[LNK]

It’s often frustrating when folks which don’t do something contest so much about something they don’t do.

It is not like he is calling someone unethical. I believe his intent was just for someone who is thinking about doing something, a little thought to chew on. There are people capable of shooting at game that far. Then there is the rest of us. Nothing to get frustrated about.

 

[Hugger-4641]

It is not like he is calling someone unethical. I believe his intent was just for someone who is thinking about doing something, a little thought to chew on. There are people capable of shooting at game that far. Then there is the rest of us. Nothing to get frustrated about.

I think he meant that people who can't or don't shoot long ranges shouldn't tell someone else not to try it. Which I agree with as far as targets, but not entirely for deer. I know I can kill a deer at 500yds plus with my 30-06 and 165gr spire pt, but I wouldn't attempt 800yds. I might be able to hit it, but I doubt it would be a one and done drop.
There are those who would and have told me I shouldn't take a 500yd shot, so I think I get his point, but ballistically there is a point where the bullet won't penetrate or expand enough

 

[Varminterror]

It is not like he is calling someone unethical.

Maybe not in so few words...

Just because a bullet will go that far, doesn't mean shooting it at a living game animal at that distance is advisable or ethical

 

[JFrank]

When im working the pits at our 1000 yard events the bullets come over my head and hit the dirt bank with an amazing amount of energy, sometimes shooters are hitting the top edge of the concrete bunker wall sending chips flying. That's a little creepy too ...point being those little 6mm bullets will kill a deer no problem" now breaking a shoulder bone on a bull elk may be a different story even with a 300 WSM you'll need a very good shot placement and be ready for one hell of a long night tracking blood trails if you find the place where he was hit at all.

 

[JFrank]

Maybe not in so few words...

Deleted

 

[JFrank]

Deleted

 

[Varminterror]

Y'all want long range shots ? Try Antelope hunting

You’re not kidding... getting close in open country sucks, and then the entire torso of our quarry is only about as big as the VITAL ZONE of an elk... I miss the days when we could buy rifle pronghorn tags OTC in Kansas.