Projectile Recommendations for 30-06 Long-ish range Hunting

[Juiceking]

Hey OP your back. Man is been crazy here while you were gone. Haha Not really these guys are puppy dogs.

If you read through the posts i think you'll see there is a plethora of quality bullets listed along with some Ballistic info and personal experience to glean from. Im going to look into a couple myself and a couple i already have. I to hunt w/30.06 and i also have a modest T/C collection. Not a huge single shot guy but they make good stuff.

No debate? Haha welcome to America. One thing ive learned is that this site thrives on debate. You've got large group of ppl with so much firearm knowledge their brains are about to explode. Everytime ive asked a question boom knowledgeable opinions start popping and debate begins and i start absorbing as much as i can.

Another strange thing is that when i ask a question they rarely tell me what i want them to say rather they tell me what they think i need to hear. Personally i find wisdom in that.

The last thing i would say is that when it comes to hunting ethics no one brought that in to the conversation except you. You're asking not just ppl that target shoot but ppl that hunt for there recommendation on bullets for killing a deer at somewhere between 50-800 yards w/a single shot 30.06.
The right tool for the job sort of thing.

When it comes to bullets the hardest part isnt which one but what you can find. Where i live rifle deer hunting starts in Nov. Not sure your time frame but you may not have much time to wait for backorder bullets.

I was not aware that bullets are designed for specific yardages. So i will be watching to see if i learn something new about that.
Good luck.

 

[Blackbeard 44]

here is a very good write up on the 30-06 cartridge, and give a great explanation of factory ammo and various different bullets.

https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/.30-06+Springfield.html

 

[Varminterror]

The last thing i would say is that when it comes to hunting ethics no one brought that in to the conversation except you.

Re-read page 1. Literally, the first handful of respondents opened the thread by stating they would not or don’t believe anyone should (or even can) make these shots.

 

[Alex G]

This can be overcome by using softer bullets that expand well at slower impact speeds such as the Nosler Ballistic Tip or Hornady SST.

I’ve used 165 gr Nosler BT’s to good effect before, and tried SST’s though I expended nearly 100 of them trying to find a load that grouped well. My rifle doesn’t care for them for some reason, but it loves the BT’s.

If the OP can find the 168 gr Accubond Long Range, that would be better.

Do you think sticking around the 165 ish range and gaining the velocity for expansion would be a better call rather than worrying about the slightly decreased BC and wind sensitivity? Honest question

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

How are they doing accuracy wise for you so far, and what’s your rifle’s twist rate? I assume they’d shoot fine, though comparing them to the SST’s I’ve tried earlier I hope they’d perform better.

I have been using Bergers VLD hunting bullets lately. Mostly in 308 and 300WSM. Shoots like a target bullet and preforms like a hunting bullet.

^This, I’m new to the world of Berger’s, having shot mostly Sierra’s up till this point. Can someone shed some more light on this?

Berger has three different hunting bullets, VLD hunting, classic hunter hybrid, and elite hunter. It appears the elite hunter has options for really heavy bullets for caliber available, but there’s not a consistent weight across their three lines.
Any opinions of Hornady ELDx vs Bergers hunting bullets?

^Good info, and I second this question

As far as longer shot i see ppl suggesting bergers, Noslers, Hornady Vld. We're are you guys finding those for sale? Internet links would be helpful for OP. Ive looked locally for a month and all i could find is 165gr spitzer and hornady 178gr bthp.

Also this^so many places are totally out of stock online

If the O.P. does just a little of his own keyboard work he'll probably also discover Everglades, Palmetto State Armory, Brownells, Powder Valley, Natchez, Mid South Shooters, and others. Any one of them is subject to have what he is looking for at any given time.

Yes, I’ve handloaded/reloaded for nearly 7 years and have ordered from every single company on that list except Everglades. I’ve been looking and have notifications set up where available.

Just a reminder that the question was about a bullet not ethics.

^Also this is 100% on

Nosler Accubonds/ABLR’s are a much better option than monometals if a guy really wants weight retention and expansion at long distance, but a guy doesn’t really NEED a bonded bullet to get the job done. The ELD-x’s or NBT’s, or even Berger Hybrids and VLD’s (hunting or target) are all proven bullets for deer at 600-800.

^Okay so based on nearly universal consensus, I’m staying away from monometal projectiles. We’ve made progress. What kind of performance track record do the ELD-X’s have for consistency, and what Berger projectile type would you all recommend for my application?

In my 30-06 rifle 165 or 168 grainers shoot best.

^I have found this to be true as well. My favorite load so far uses the 168 SMK.

 

[Hugger-4641]

Most all bullet manufacturers have a 300yd indoor range for testing. If there is one who uses a longer range, I'm sure someone will correct me. Point is, bullets are generally tested at 100 to 300yds. Just because a bullet is stable at 300, or 600yds, doesn't mean it will still be stable at 800yds or more. We rely on the pro shooters and knowledge giants here on THR and other forums for this information until we can test it ourselves. However, a higher BC and heavier bullet is generally going to be more stable at longer yardages provided you can push it fast enough.

I'm not plugging the 300wm here, I think the 30-06 is a great platform, but in this video, Ron gives a pretty good explanation of BC and bullet drop with comparisons with the 30-06 and 7mm mag.

 

[Varminterror]

How are [178 ELDx’s] doing accuracy wise for you so far, and what’s your rifle’s twist rate? I assume they’d shoot fine, though comparing them to the SST’s I’ve tried earlier I hope they’d perform better.

I’ve rarely had issue getting SST’s to shoot well, but have never had issues getting any ELD/ELDx to shoot well. 178grn is not anywhere near the the edge of stability in .30-06, but the .30-06’s with which I hunt, an R700 and an M77MkII, are both 1:10” twist. Sub-MOA in both, 3/4” and under at 100 with mid-single digit SD’s are what I expect, and I don’t waste time reinventing that particular wheel for hunting.

Personally, I don’t like the 150-165/168 class bullets for long range shooting or hunting in the .30-06. Momentum upon arrival matters. Kinetic energy doesn’t accurately represent what’s going on. Heavier bullets with higher BC’s hold their velocity better and hit with more mass. There are some flukes in the math, but it’s pretty easy to figure out which will hit harder down range. Getting up to the 200+ class bullets starts stealing powder capacity and we lose performance, but the 178/180 class pills get the most out of the ‘06 case downrange.

Regarding the Bergers and Noslers... step back, breathe, and remember, deer aren’t hard to kill... any bullet which is readily willing to open violently will kill deer quickly and cleanly at long range. Lay off of the shoulder with any of these, and life will be easier. The VLD’s, VLD Hunting, and Hybrids are all proven killers at long range, but personally, I shoot Hybrids more than the VLD/VLD-H’s for the simple fact they’re easier to tune. I don’t like wasting time chasing details in my hunting loads. My first long-range hunting and shooting forays 20+ years ago were shooting NBT’s and Nosler/Winchester CT BST’s - not much has changed and those bullets still work fine, I just get better deals on Hornady bullets than Nosler and Hornady does more to support the sports I shoot, so they get my business.

I’ll also acknowledge - I use my .30-06’s for home state hunts at shorter ranges, and haven’t used them for long range hunts for a long time. 7RM, 300wm, 300wsm, and 300PRC are my preferred options when 600-800 yard shots are on the table when I’m out of state. Just extra insurance in the form of a heavier bullet with higher impact velocity.

 

[.308 Norma]

so, let’s try this again if possible. If you want, list the projectiles you’d recommend, and maybe 1-2 sentences why you recommend them. I’m not here for debate, just wanted to see what people have had success with. If the projectile you recommend is only ideal under 5-600 yd, say that and that’s fine. If it’s only designed for 300 yd or less, that’s fine too, just say that and let’s all be civil.

I don't know how much can be concluded from my experiences, but when I was using my 30-06 for big game (which I did for many years), I used Hornady, 165gr BTSPs over charges of IMR 4350 that gave me just a little better than 2,800fps at the muzzle. I killed a lot of big game (especially mule deer), at everywhere from 20 yards to an honest-to-goodness (paced of later) 460 yards with that load.
That 460-yard shot was the only one where I recovered the bullet. The deer was standing, facing me when I shot, and I hit him right in the thorax. After traversing the full length of the deer on the inside, the picture-perfect, mushroomed bullet was lodged in his left thigh.

 

[Alex G]

Personally, I don’t like the 150-165/168 class bullets for long range shooting or hunting in the .30-06. Momentum upon arrival matters. Kinetic energy doesn’t accurately represent what’s going on. Heavier bullets with higher BC’s hold their velocity better and hit with more mass. There are some flukes in the math, but it’s pretty easy to figure out which will hit harder down range. Getting up to the 200+ class bullets starts stealing powder capacity and we lose performance, but the 178/180 class pills get the most out of the ‘06 case downrange.

In doing some searching, I think I’m going to give some 175gr Berger VLD Hunters a try and see how they do.
Also in agreement with the many above posters, re-adjusting my range expectation to 600 and in based off of some ballistics and velocity tables.

 

[MauriceSam]

I use 180g SST with IMR4831 with great terminal performance. Groups size of a quarter or better at 100 yards out of a "crappy" Rem 770. Most shots are 35-100 yards and make instant kills. Shoot just below the ear and exits just behind jawbone with tremendous trauma. Their legs buckle and drop where they are. No meat damage and no adrenaline/gamey taste.