I'll focus on the '06 since that is my current fixation.
Quarry: elk. Would your bullet selection be a 180 gr. std. pill (ie. Interlock or Core-Lokt)or a 165 gr. premium pill (choose your flavor) assuming accuracy for each load is acceptable?. Yes, the best choice (assuming accuracy criteria is met) is a 180 gr. premium bullet...but that's not my question
Of course the heavy premium, but that's not your question... So I'd go with the 165gr Premium for certain. On deer it wouldn't matter so much, but Elk can get pretty big and I'd always opt for the Premium especially on a less than optimum shot/angle.
Posts: 863 | Location: Mtns of the Desert Southwest, USA | Registered: 26 February 2004
The conventional 180s( Hornady, Speer and what ever) have always done a good job on elk when pushed out of a 30-06 at short or long distances. The premium hi cost bullets would probably give you an edge with a much faster 30 cal. rifle but I can't for the life of me see where a hi-tech bullet is needed at 06 velocities. If you think it's savy to spend the extra money on the high priced spread,and your comfort zone in it combined with your ability is satisfied go for it. And no the best choice isn't always the premium and that is my answer. roger
Posts: 10226 | Location: Temple City CA | Registered: 29 April 2003
I'm w/ Bart on this one. A good "standard" bullet like a corelok or Hornady would work fine. I like heavy for caliber, so between the (2) choices, 180gr Hornady.
Posts: 7752 | Location: kalif.,usa | Registered: 08 March 2001
I am like Stubble--180gr Hornady Interlock over the Rem-corelokt any day.
The 165gr bullets in an -06 are perfect if you go with a go premium like the 165's in a Hornady Interbond-Nos Part-Speer Grand Slam-ect-- For elk, if you want a good bullet to hold together.
180gr premium bullet (Partition, X bullet, TSX, Failsafe, maybe the new Accubond). Sectional density still counts for something, even with the premium bullets. I have killed 32 elk with 30.06 case cartridges (mostly the 270 WCF) and have probably witnessed another 60-70 elk killed by family/friends/clients. Now I realize we can make a good argument for lighter and faster with a premium bullet, but driving a 180gr premium bullet at 2800fps in a 22 inch barreled 30.06 is probably one of the consumate elk getters--out to 400 yards (even a teensy amount further). Secondly, the gain in flatter trajectory of a lighter bullet is so small as to be negligible under hunting conditions (and no I am, not ignoring the gain in velocity in terms of penetration--it just doesn't seem to balance out the loss in sectional density in my own experiences).
With lighter premium bullets in clients 300 mags at semi-hypervelocities, at various ranges, I just haven't seen any noticible increase in effectiveness--but I have sometimes observed an apparent decrease in effectiveness on an elk sized critter. I load for the worst case scenario--having to shoot that big bull below the base of the tail when he is about to walk into the timber a long, long way's off. Just my experiences/observations.
But if you choose the lighter bullet, I really wouldn't argue too much....
Casey
Posts: 112 | Location: Western Slope of Colorado | Registered: 13 January 2004
Quote: Secondly, the gain in flatter trajectory of a lighter bullet is so small as to be negligible under hunting conditions
I'd add to that this--if you're shooting far enough away to be worried about trajectory differences between the two, get a rangefinder and stop worrying about trajectory. Worry about wind drift instead. Given a similar shape, the heavy bullet wins every time.
Posts: 920 | Location: Mukilteo, WA | Registered: 29 November 2001
roger
