I am looking for an all around bullet for close to medium range shots with my 30-06sprg. Living in N. California, I often hunt Blacktails and Black Bear at the same time. I have yet to take a shot past 80 yards. I would like to come up with a handload that can handle close shots at heavy boned game and longer shots at deer. There is no doubt that the Swift A Frame can take the close impact, but will it reliably expand at longer ranges at 06 velocities? Has anyone tried this?

I use the 180 grn. Swift in my '06. Been using them for the past 4-5 years. Shot many things including quite a few animals in Africa with this load. I get reliable expansion every time. In all the bullets I've recovered the expansion was picture perfect.

My only complaint is that they're almost 'too good'. I'm getting to the point that I'd like two holes. I feel that the second hole tends to bleed a bit more.

What's got me thinkning about this was this. I shot a gemsbok this June a bit far back. I can't remember exactly how far away he was, but it certainly wasn't more than 120 yrds. I hit him quartering away. I got the back lobe of the right lung and towards the center of the left (offside) lung. The bullet was found behind the off hand shoulder, right below the skin. We found zero blood from the entrance wound.

Now given how poor a shot it was and the fact that I got a piece of the paunch, it's no wonder it didn't pass through and bleed much.

Another time I shot a kudu at around 150 yds and the bullet when right through bouth shoulders. The offside hole showed perfect expansion.

I've been toying with switching back to Nosler's. But I don't think that I will right away. I'm going to stick with the A-Frames as so far I haven't lost any game yet.

Go ahead with the Swifts. I think that you'll do fine.

-Steve

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