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I’m currently working on a load for my hunt in Namibia this summer. Typical plains game hunt with the largest animal potentially being Eland (if I’m lucky). I’m shooting a Model 70 Super Grade in 30-06. This is a new rifle that I had bedded and the trigger adjusted. I’ve had it to the range a couple times now trying out some loads with the 180 Nosler Partition and the 168 Barnes TSX. Yesterday’s range session produced groups of <1.25†and velocities just under 2850 for both bullets. So I guess I could just pick either one of these loads and go huntin’. But hey, I’ve got 5 more months to tinker with this new gun so I thought I should try some different bullets. I know my time going forward would be better spent practicing field shooting, which I do plan to do a lot of, but some more experimenting seems in order. The partition has a fine reputation and the Barnes the same with most folks. You do hear some unhappy Barnes stories sometimes but for the most part they are very favorable. I guess my question is if you were me, would you try any of the other premium bullets? Bear Claws, A-Frames, North Fork, etc..? From my experience (mostly reading on the net) the 2 bullets I’ve tried so far would fall into the more penetration category with the others I listed maybe offering more expansion which theoretically limits penetration to a degree. There is probably little difference in the effectiveness of all of the premiums, but I’m sure there are some strong opinions on which are the best and that is what I’m looking to hear. Thanks. | ||
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If I were you, I would stick with NP and fool around moving a 1/2 grain up and down and also adjust seating depth maybe 10/1000 in a few directions... see if you get any dramtaic chnage in accuracy...other than that...practice practice practice Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Wyattd I've had good results with 180 gr trophy bonded bearclaws, but I would be satisified with either round that you are working with. If I were you I'd use the time and powder on practice rather than working up a new load. | |||
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Actually, you'll be fine to hunt with the loads you have developed. If you have 5 months left before you depart on your trip, the more sensible thing to spend your range time on would be practicing shooting from field positions. Load development and bench work is worth very little in terms of field shooting. - mike ********************* The rifle is a noble weapon... It entices its bearer into primeval forests, into mountains and deserts untenanted by man. - Horace Kephart | |||
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Ross Seyfried printed that anyone who tells him a Nosler failed he will take with a grain of salt, unless they put the bullet in his hand for inspection...I agree with that. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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You are never wrong with the 180 NP in the '06 for big game. You may be able to shrink your groups a little but 3 bullets in 1.25" is good enough for anything you'll find on your safari. Good Hunting, Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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ray: I had one partition fail One out of several thousand, but the story goes that I was hunting bushpig with friend jumbo moore a couple years ago. I shot at one old guy at about 80 yards and missed underneath him. Couldn't figure it out. we went up to where he was and about 10' behind him there was a little mopane tree and we could see the bullete sticking into it. it poped out with a jackknife & we found that the rear core was empty. How in the hell i missed it loasing it i'll never know. (it was a 165 gr in an 3006) It is still one of my favorites and I'll continue to use this bullet in my 06's almost to the exclusion of anything else | |||
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Your 30-06 will do fine. A friend of mine shot all manner of plains game including a very large eland with a 208 Remington with Federal factory 150 Nosler Partitions. Ypu can never go wrong with a Nosler Partition of proper calibre and weight. I would take a second rifle if I had one ... Just in case. DOUBLE RIFLE SHOOTERS SOCIETY | |||
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WSoodleigh also make a 165 gr protected point as well as a 180 gr soft which would be good as well........maybe it might group better than the NP who knows !! Probably could not go wrong with a Barnes X as well, heaps of good 30/06 bullets around. | |||
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I brought my 30-06 to Namibia last year, with handloaded 180 grain NP`s. It all worked out fine, and I took 8 animals (klipspringer to mountain zebra) with it. I also took a dikdik, but then I borroved my Ph`s .223. I planned to use this for klipspringer as well, but it just didn`t work that way..  Which animals are you gonna hunt? Good luck and happy hunting! Anders Hunting and fishing DVDs from Mossing & Stubberud Media: www.jaktogfiskedvd.no ..and my blog at: http://andersmossing.blogspot.com | |||
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The NP is a tried and true bullet for all but DG and the .30-06 is as good a delivery vehicle as you can get...have a great time. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill | |||
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Anders, Kudu, Gemsbok, and Mountain Zebra will be my most sought after animals, after that, I plan to hunt just what ever my safari brings me. This will be my first trip to Africa so everything will be new to me. I figure I may not know what I want until I see it. | |||
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I'm planning on using the 200 grain Nosler Partition in my '06. Dave | |||
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I'd take the 168 TSX or Bear Claws. Remember, forgivness is easier to get than permission. | |||
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 wyattd,Gee, if there's any one bullet that Nosler has got right in their line-up I would guess it's the . 30 caliber 180 grain, hard to beat that and the 180 NP loads you've already developed sound like they're the business. Since you've got a few months to go and would like to experiement a little, like nopride2 suggested, I'd see how 200 grain NP's with 59.0 grains of H-4831 work. Cheers, Gerry Cheers, Number 10 | |||
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When I took my three teenagers to Namibia a couple of summers ago, all of our different rifles were zeroed with the bullet that shot best in it. One shot A-Frames, one shot Bear Claws, one shot Speer Grand Slams, and one shot Woodleighs. Bottom line is there were no bullet failures and we lost no game that was hit. There were two clean misses, but that was a function of range (an inexperienced teenager shooting at game at over 400 yards). So, since you have so much time to fiddle, try the other bullets and see if you can tighten those groups up a bit. As long as you hit it with any of the above listed bullets, the game will just not care what you use. | |||
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I have shot Nosler Partitions for almost 50 years and have yet to have a bullet failure For the last few years I have loaded the 180gr protected point and have had good accuracy and good results on everything from Duiker to Kudu. A couple of years ago I loaded some 220 gr Noslers and took 3 Wildebeest (one at approx 350yds),4 Tessebe, 2 Kudu and one 5"+ Duiker. The rifle is a custom Mdl 70 on a 1938 action. I don't load very hot loads just up between mid and full charge of usually IMR4350. Just know the performance curve and go shoot animals. With the 220gr I would feel comfortable up through Eland. I've found the 30-06 to be adequate for ANY game in Africa except the very largest. I've found that it's primarily WHERE you hit them that counts most. The 30-06 is a very comfortable rifle to shoot. SCI Life Member NRA Patron Life Member DRSS | |||
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