I need your help please...

I'm taking my Remington 798 30-06 rifle with me to hunt Namibia for Kudu, Gemsbok, Impala, Springbok, Warthog, and Zebra...

I'm looking for a strong, reliable, accurate bullet and a powder load that I can use with confidence.

Accuracy over velocity is very important to me.

Could anyone share their favorite loads with me?

This will be my first reloading attempt and will be using once-fired brass and Winchester WLR primers...

May I have some recommendations on favorite powders for the 30-06 cartridge and good accurate hunting bullets for the type of game I will be hunting...

I'm not looking for the hottest load out there...But a load I will have greatest confidence in shooting.

Thanks to all for your help!

Roland

My son shot 7 animals including zebrsa, wilebeest, gemsbuk and kudu with his 30-06 and a 168 gr TSX over 57 gr of H4350 with a federal 210m primer.

I'm using the 168 TSX on 60 grains of RL19. Nosler Brass and F210 primers. In my rifle it is hyper accurate and very deadly.

I wouldn't worry too much about using a 180 gr bullet if a premium 165 shoots well in your rifle. The slightly lighter bullet gives you a fair bit more in velocity. The quality bullet insures the 06 gives you good performance. Once you've seen what a TSX does to the critter, you won't go back to other bullets. (Though I haven't shot any African critters with it.)

LWD

RL 22 60 grs., Northfork 180 gr., Federal 210 primer. In my rifle this load gets 2750 fps. and is very accurate. No pressure signs and kills like... well like a 30-06!

Geronimo

I have a finicky Lightweight 30/06 that took quite a bit of load development to get it to shoot well and with this load it shoots real well and has accounted for lots of Deer, Elk, Antelope and a Bighorn and a Mountain Goat.
I'm using 180 grain Sierra's with 56 grains of IMR-4350 WW cases and CCI large rifle primers. For a season I tried 180 Accubonds but was not swept away with the performance, actually they seemed soft and I didn't get exits on my Elk and to be honest the Sierra's have always given me an exit on Elk.
IMR-4350 seems to be a mainstay for the 30/06 and 180 grain bullets you may want to give it a try.
Pick and choose your bullet for what suits you, Nosler Partitions have treated many people well, Barnes triple Shocks are a fine bullet I just haven't been able to get them dialed in in my rifle. The 180 Barnes aren't doing good in my rifle so I'll try the 168 Barnes and see that next if it shoots well I'd use a 168 Barnes TSX anyplace I would use a 180 grain conventional bullet. I hear good things too about the Northforks bullets and Woodleighs, you may look into them.
Good luck with your loads.

quote:

Originally posted by Geronomo:
RL 22 60 grs., Northfork 180 gr., Federal 210 primer. In my rifle this load gets 2750 fps. and is very accurate. No pressure signs and kills like... well like a 30-06!

Geronimo

yup.....great bullet and great powder!!!

I also like the 180 A-Frames and H-414 inthe 30-06.

2,800 is not hard to achieve!

Roland, I've yet to have a 30-06 that didn't shoot a 180 gr Partition well over 57.0 - 57.5 gr's of H4350.

Velocity from a 22" barrel will be in the 2,725 to 2,800 fps range depending on the rifle.

The 180 Partition / 30-06 is THE classic combination for most any game world-wide.

One more vote for the 168 grs TSX. You can safely go down one in weight category (e.g. from 180 to 165) when using X-type bullets. The 168 grs TSX will outpenetrate most 180 grs .30 cal bullets.

If is hard to beat this bullet weight in a .30-06 over a healthy dose of IMR 4350. One can normally go 1-2 grs above book max if loading for a strong bolt action - in the process just getting closer to .270 Win pressures.

- mike

quote:

Originally posted by Brad:
Roland, I've yet to have a 30-06 that didn't shoot a 180 gr Partition well over 57.0 - 57.5 gr's of H4350.

Velocity from a 22" barrel will be in the 2,725 to 2,800 fps range depending on the rifle.

The 180 Partition / 30-06 is THE classic combination for most any game world-wide.

Excellent advice, IMHO. Another classic load is 55.0-56.0 grs of IMR-4350 with a 180 gr bullet. IMHO, either IMR-4350 or H4350 are excellent powder choices to try especially for a beginning handloader. H4350 does have the claimed advantage of temperature insensitivity however I've been very happy with IMR-4350 in the .30-06. Again, either powder is an excellent choice.

My two cents....

-Bob F.

quote:

One more vote for the 168 grs TSX. You can safely go down one in weight category (e.g. from 180 to 165) when using X-type bullets. The 168 grs TSX will outpenetrate most 180 grs .30 cal bullets.

It is all a question of MO/Xsa.

The Barnes bullet retains near if not 100% of its weight. It expands to no more than 2x original diameter. A very well balanced position for raking shots as well.

Terminal momentum is generally less with Softs that lose some weight - 5% to 70% depending on its construction. In addition the expanded diameter is mostly greater than double caliber. Thus it suffers the disadvantage on both fronts; terminal momentum and Xsa that applies the braking effect.

What we seek is a good trade-off between the Mo and Xsa for a particular application, ie small game needs less Mo and larger game needs more Mo. Then the construction of the bullet comes into play the moment it hits. It could shatter, lose most of its weight, lose minimal weight, over or under expands, etc, compromizing penetration.

Warrior

Huh?

Bob F., I'm generally amazed that a guy asks a very specific question about 180 grain bullets and gets so many responses centered around 165/68's.

The Nosler Partition over a book maximum charge of IMR4350 would do quite nicely, but so will the Federal Premium factory load using the same bullet, and unused factory ammo always makes a nice gift for your host. A little extra oomph is always being nice when slapping gemsbok or zebra so a fella might also try the Federal High Energy load.

56.0 IMR 4350, 180 Norma Oryx, WLR primer and a LC case has been around MOA in several of my rifles, runs about 2750 out of a 24" barrel and has killed a lot of Alaskan game for me in pretty spectacular fashion. Pressure shouldn't be an issue in warm weather either. Should work just fine for anything in Africa other than the real big stuff. This bullet retained 87% of it's weight on a moose killed with one shot last month.

Forrest

quote:

Bob F., I'm generally amazed that a guy asks a very specific question about 180 grain bullets and gets so many responses centered around 165/68's.

Perhaps we are suggesting that, in our experience, he might consider something else. He---and you---are free to ignore them.

LWD

quote:

Originally posted by LWD:

quote:

Bob F., I'm generally amazed that a guy asks a very specific question about 180 grain bullets and gets so many responses centered around 165/68's.

Perhaps we are suggesting that, in our experience, he might consider something else. He---and you---are free to ignore them.

In that case if I take an '06 back to Africa it'll be loaded with the 200 grain Nosler Partition (it will hit nearly as hard as their 220 but feed and fly as a spitzer).

My rifles shoot well with 4350 and H4831 under 180 grain bullets. I would take Nosler Partitions but have have excellent results using 180 grain Speer Hotcors on large American game.

There have been many good discussions over Nosler's Partition VS A-Frames .....and 180 VS 200 grains.

Many claiming that 20 grains can't really be that much....this is hard to argue with!

However, Nosler's partition has the nasty habit of shedding the core in the front partition (the dead animal is found with the proof....key word is dead!) and the A-Frames don't do this! Some argue that Noslers are design to do this.....to which I say

When it comes to expensive hunts, the insurance of a premium bullet makes a lot of sense to me...

It's your money.....have it your way.

quote:

Originally posted by rickt300:
have have excellent results using 180 grain Speer Hotcors on large American game.

You certainly do not sound very sophisticated in your selection of bullet, however, going back a few years I share performance results on the Speer 180 gr. on elk.May not be the best up to date choice but it seemed to work just fine for just an old Bang Flop result. roger

Id skip the 180 grainer and opt for the 165 Interbond loaded with 50grs RE15, 210M primers, WLR primers will be fine also. This bullet has taken 7 elk, and a few mule deer in a friends rifle, have no doubt itll take down a Kudu with no problem. If you insist on the 180, try upwards of 48.5grs RE15, my favorite powder for the '06!