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Best Elk/Deer Cartridge for 30-06
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quote:
This site in particular is inhabited with ubermensch who are never bothered by recoil


And those who seek out cartridges that have horrendous recoil just for the fun of it.

dancing
 
Posts: 19669 | Location: wis | Registered: 21 April 2001Reply With Quote
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Uber whatever? is that testosterone, methinks so! A combination of BS and Testosterone is a mighty potent combination..


Ray Atkinson
Atkinson Hunting Adventures
10 Ward Lane,
Filer, Idaho, 83328
208-731-4120

rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com
 
Posts: 42190 | Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | Registered: 04 June 2000Reply With Quote
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I don't think that there is that much difference in recoil between the two. There's some but not enough that if you can handle a 165 a 180 would be impossible to master. Now a 150 and a 180 I certainly can feel a difference.

All my 06's have been fairly light so felt recoil is something to consider if you're not used to it. Obviously in a standard weight rifle it's less so. IMO given the choices I would choose the bullet for the game not the shooter in this case.


Roger
___________________________
I'm a trophy hunter - until something better comes along.

*we band of 45-70ers*
 
Posts: 2814 | Location: Washington (wetside) | Registered: 08 February 2005Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by Snellstrom:
My recommendation would be to buy 180's, 165's and 150's and see what really shoots best in his rifle.Then kill elk with whatever weight bullet that may be.


I'll take accuracy over bullet weight every time.
 
Posts: 5604 | Location: Eastern plains of Colorado | Registered: 31 October 2005Reply With Quote
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Gun counter clerks in these big box sporting goods stores are just minimum wage clerks with no knowledge or experience. They hire kids right off the street with no experience.


velocity is like a new car, always losing value.
BC is like diamonds, holding value forever.
 
Posts: 1650 | Location: , texas | Registered: 01 August 2008Reply With Quote
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^
Your are probably correct, but I didn't think it was my place to contradict the kid, as he was just trying to make an honest living and there really isn't a single correct answer between the 165 and the 180 as one being better for use in a 30-06 on an elk/mule deer hunt.

As for recoil, I'm not sure too many people could discern the difference of 15 grains of bullet weight, once the thing goes "boom".

Actually, since the 165 grain goes 130 fps faster at the muzzle, the 165 grain might actually recoil more!



JMO

BH63


Hunting buff is better than sex!
 
Posts: 2205 | Registered: 29 December 2015Reply With Quote
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For elk Im convienced the 180 or better yet the 200 gr. Noslers are the way to go..My head is made up on that subject, and I get better blood trails for sure. Im referring to the 30-06 and the 300 magnums, and Ive never been able to decern any difference in killing power between the two calibers with equal bullets, The 300 shoot flatter for sure but not by as much as some seem to think..Were talking 3 or 4 inches at the most, not sure that's a field worthy concern!!?


Ray Atkinson
Atkinson Hunting Adventures
10 Ward Lane,
Filer, Idaho, 83328
208-731-4120

rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com
 
Posts: 42190 | Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | Registered: 04 June 2000Reply With Quote
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I totally agree with your first sentence for any application with a decent bullet.

As to moose, my default is 338 Win. I do not see it ever being a bad choice from close to far as I ever anticipate legally identifying and shooting a moose. Though, my current favorite moose cartridge is a 375 Ruger, and also use the 416 Ruger. Where I hunt, they work for a long shot of 200 yds/meters, and normally the distance is well under a 100.

For the elk and deer combination, I believe I would go for 338 Win or 325 WSM. And even though .30 calibers are not my favorites, perhaps a 300 Win or 300 WSM and call it a day. No denying the 300's handle about everything well near or far.

Edit to add: In the 300's or 30-06, I would use an equal quality 165 or 180 grain and not sweat either choice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

The best moose gun is the one you are most accustomed to, and the one you use for moose hunting, regardless of caliber.

The reason why I say this is as follows: some hunters in Alaska hunt in forested areas, while some others hunt in large open areas where long shots are the norm. Then some others hunt from tree stands taking long shots, while others hunt on tree stands in forested areas.

A .270 is quite handy for some, while for me the .338WM is king in Alaska. But the .30-06 is perhaps the most popular cartridge with Alaska hunters, favoring 180 to 200-grain bullets. The .300WM is also very popular with hunters in the interior where long and close shots on moose are taken, and so the .338WM. People in the coastal areas where the big bears congregate favor the .375H&H, and the .338WM.

Ammo for these calibers above are readily available just about anywhere in Alaska. The .35 Whelen is good, but one have to look hard for ammo. It means that if one can reload it should not be a problem.

I am talking about Alaska and moose hunting of course, so the OP should take my comments with a grain of salt.[/QUOTE]
 
Posts: 428 | Location: Wasilla, Alaska | Registered: 06 February 2006Reply With Quote
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A .270 with 130 grainer no problem, but with 30-06 you need a heavy.
 
Posts: 3811 | Location: san angelo tx | Registered: 18 November 2009Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by carpetman1:
A .270 with 130 grainer no problem, but with 30-06 you need a heavy.


Absolutely - 200gn or 220gns.

The .270 serves best as a good plinker of the light-weight stuff.


All The Best ...
 
Posts: 813 | Location: Texas | Registered: 15 October 2015Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by A.J. Hydell:
quote:
Originally posted by carpetman1:
A .270 with 130 grainer no problem, but with 30-06 you need a heavy.


Absolutely - 200gn or 220gns.

The .270 serves best as a good plinker of the light-weight stuff.


Ha ha spoken as if you are Elmer Keith incarnate!
In real life the facts differ from your opinion by a long shot.
One thing about these threads that makes me laugh is all the "Elk bullet experts" out there that are from Texas or someplace else that has NO Elk!.
I have first hand seen dozens of Elk killed with a 30/06 and 180 grain Sierra bullets and I've never recovered a bullet, seen a lot of other Elk killed with bullets from 90 grains to 250 grains (.243 to .338 Win Mag) from 25 yards to 450 yards and I honestly have seen no discernable difference, none.
It is all about where they are hit not with what you hit them with.
I've come to that conclusion after seeing lots of dead elk, not reading about it or postulating on it.
 
Posts: 5604 | Location: Eastern plains of Colorado | Registered: 31 October 2005Reply With Quote
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Snellstrom, yes from Texas. My comment was tongue in cheek.
 
Posts: 3811 | Location: san angelo tx | Registered: 18 November 2009Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by carpetman1:
Snellstrom, yes from Texas. My comment was tongue in cheek.


Snellstrom, ... yes from Texas.

My question is, have you ever hunted with a .30-06 shooting the 200gn+ slugs?

Or, are you just a light-n-fluffy dude? Roll Eyes


All The Best ...
 
Posts: 813 | Location: Texas | Registered: 15 October 2015Reply With Quote
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quote:
My question is, have you ever hunted with a .30-06 shooting the 200gn+ slugs?


Why would I cripple my 30/06 with 200 or 220 grain bullets when my relatively flat shooting 180 grain bullets completely penetrate the animals from 25 yards to 425 yards?
I've never shot an animal then wished I had used more bullet weight or caliber....
 
Posts: 5604 | Location: Eastern plains of Colorado | Registered: 31 October 2005Reply With Quote
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If the presentation is not right, I pass on the shot. The deer won that day. I have never passed on a shot where if I had a bigger gun I would have taken it.
 
Posts: 3811 | Location: san angelo tx | Registered: 18 November 2009Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by Snellstrom:
My recommendation would be to buy 180's, 165's and 150's and see what really shoots best in his rifle.
Then kill elk with whatever weight bullet that may be.


Barnes Vortex.
 
Posts: 1274 | Location: Saskatchewan, Canada.  | Registered: 22 August 2006Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by BuffHunter63:
^
Your are probably correct, but I didn't think it was my place to contradict the kid, as he was just trying to make an honest living and there really isn't a single correct answer between the 165 and the 180 as one being better for use in a 30-06 on an elk/mule deer hunt.

As for recoil, I'm not sure too many people could discern the difference of 15 grains of bullet weight, once the thing goes "boom".

Actually, since the 165 grain goes 130 fps faster at the muzzle, the 165 grain might actually recoil more!



JMO

BH63


BH63 your tag line is Unacceptable on this forum. Saeed, please ban BH63 if he won't change it.
 
Posts: 1274 | Location: Saskatchewan, Canada.  | Registered: 22 August 2006Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by ar corey:
quote:
Originally posted by BuffHunter63:
^
Your are probably correct, but I didn't think it was my place to contradict the kid, as he was just trying to make an honest living and there really isn't a single correct answer between the 165 and the 180 as one being better for use in a 30-06 on an elk/mule deer hunt.

As for recoil, I'm not sure too many people could discern the difference of 15 grains of bullet weight, once the thing goes "boom".

Actually, since the 165 grain goes 130 fps faster at the muzzle, the 165 grain might actually recoil more!



JMO

BH63


BH63 your tag line is Unacceptable on this forum. Saeed, please ban BH63 if he won't change it.


I'm sure I've given Saeed better reasons to ban me than my tag line. LOL

BH63


Hunting buff is better than sex!
 
Posts: 2205 | Registered: 29 December 2015Reply With Quote
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Please advocate the wearing of two condoms to control our population, not promoting homosexuality.
 
Posts: 1274 | Location: Saskatchewan, Canada.  | Registered: 22 August 2006Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by Snellstrom:
quote:
My question is, have you ever hunted with a .30-06 shooting the 200gn+ slugs?


Why would I cripple my 30/06 with 200 or 220 grain bullets when my relatively flat shooting 180 grain bullets completely penetrate the animals from 25 yards to 425 yards?
I've never shot an animal then wished I had used more bullet weight or caliber....


Huh? Roll Eyes

popcorn


All The Best ...
 
Posts: 813 | Location: Texas | Registered: 15 October 2015Reply With Quote
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Huh? All The Best ...


Not sure what it is you don't understand, I thought I was crystal clear, please let me know what I can clarify for you?
 
Posts: 5604 | Location: Eastern plains of Colorado | Registered: 31 October 2005Reply With Quote
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Todd,

For God's sake, quit being practical and logical.


Mike

Legistine actu? Quid 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.
 
Posts: 10157 | Location: Loving retirement in Boise, ID | Registered: 16 December 2003Reply With Quote
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From 30-06 bullets for elk and deer, to moose loads, to condoms. No telling where these discussions will wind up. LOL

BH63


Hunting buff is better than sex!
 
Posts: 2205 | Registered: 29 December 2015Reply With Quote
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Originally posted by Mike_Dettorre:
See Lesson #2 Roll Eyes


Yep, that sums it up.
Core-lokt, Partition, TSX, TTSX, Hornaday whatever, all of them work.....

I use TSX, Partitions, Corelokt, unknown bullet type in cheap ammo and others.
 
Posts: 10406 | Location: Texas... time to secede!! | Registered: 12 February 2004Reply With Quote
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Originally posted by just-a-hunter:
If a 180 from an 06 won’t kill it, neither will a 200 or 220. The heavier bullets offer nothing extra than the 180’s from an 06 and turn a relatively flat shooting rig into a melon thrower.


Roll Eyes

An '06 firing a 200gn slug @ 2500fps or a 220gn slug @ 2450fps is hardly a "melon thrower." Whistling

Please, dude, seriously, ... disconnect from YouTube, get off your Commando couch in the basement, and get out to the range where you can get a huge ol' fresh whiff of caliber reality.

Shoot some 200 & 220-grainers through your .30-06 out to 300-yds, and get back to us. tu2


All The Best ...
 
Posts: 813 | Location: Texas | Registered: 15 October 2015Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by A.J. Hydell:
quote:
Originally posted by just-a-hunter:
If a 180 from an 06 won’t kill it, neither will a 200 or 220. The heavier bullets offer nothing extra than the 180’s from an 06 and turn a relatively flat shooting rig into a melon thrower.


Roll Eyes

An '06 firing a 200gn slug @ 2500fps or a 220gn slug @ 2450fps is hardly a "melon thrower." Whistling

Please, dude, seriously, ... disconnect from YouTube, get off your Commando couch in the basement, and get out to the range where you can get a huge ol' fresh whiff of caliber reality.

Shoot some 200 & 220-grainers through your .30-06 out to 300-yds, and get back to us. tu2


I haven't killed anything big with 200 grain bullets in my 06, but I did take a respectable black bear in Alaska with the 200 grain NPT. It smashed through both front shoulders at 200 yards, and anchored the bear right there. Killed my first elk with 180 grain Winchester power point in a borrowed 06, blew through the offside shoulder of a large cow at about the same distance. IMO there is no discernible difference in performance on game between the two.

I only used the 200 grain NPT in Alaska because I got a few boxes cheap. I got mid 2400 fps with them at the accuracy I wanted, but I still feel an accurate 180 grain load at 300+ fps is "mo betta." Really I prefer shooting 150-165 grains these days as I put my 06 on a serious diet, they're easier on my shoulder and work extremely well when I place them properly.
 
Posts: 2242 | Registered: 09 March 2006Reply With Quote
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Geeze! Let's not over think this. I've been killing mule deer & elk here in Colorado for 30 years. Winchester Super X 180 grain Power-Point is my preferred ammunition. I buy them when they are on sale at Walmart for $15 a box. I've killed them with 180 grain "Core-Lokts" & 180 grain "interlock" also.

If you want a "premium" buy Federal's 180 grain Nolser Partition.

Site it in 2" at 100 yards & go hunt.

You're better off spending time on a stair climber than worrying about what bullet.
 
Posts: 603 | Location: Colorado | Registered: 09 June 2002Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by carpetman1:
Most don't agree with my choice, but I like 150 grainers in my 30-06 and this includes moose to whitetails. I know, the two moose shot with those anemic 150 grainers weren't dead, but we ate em anyways.


Like your meat rare? Big Grin
 
Posts: 1230 | Location: Saugerties, New York | Registered: 12 March 2002Reply With Quote
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Picture of ted thorn
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quote:
Originally posted by A.J. Hydell:
quote:
Originally posted by just-a-hunter:
If a 180 from an 06 won’t kill it, neither will a 200 or 220. The heavier bullets offer nothing extra than the 180’s from an 06 and turn a relatively flat shooting rig into a melon thrower.


Roll Eyes

An '06 firing a 200gn slug @ 2500fps or a 220gn slug @ 2450fps is hardly a "melon thrower." Whistling

Please, dude, seriously, ... disconnect from YouTube, get off your Commando couch in the basement, and get out to the range where you can get a huge ol' fresh whiff of caliber reality.

Shoot some 200 & 220-grainers through your .30-06 out to 300-yds, and get back to us. tu2


I will pass


________________________________________________
Maker of The Frankenstud Sling Keeper
Proudly made in the USA
Acepting all forms of payment
 
Posts: 7361 | Location: South East Missouri | Registered: 23 November 2005Reply With Quote
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posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by ted thorn:
quote:
Originally posted by A.J. Hydell:
quote:
Originally posted by just-a-hunter:
If a 180 from an 06 won’t kill it, neither will a 200 or 220. The heavier bullets offer nothing extra than the 180’s from an 06 and turn a relatively flat shooting rig into a melon thrower.


Roll Eyes

An '06 firing a 200gn slug @ 2500fps or a 220gn slug @ 2450fps is hardly a "melon thrower." Whistling

Please, dude, seriously, ... disconnect from YouTube, get off your Commando couch in the basement, and get out to the range where you can get a huge ol' fresh whiff of caliber reality.

Shoot some 200 & 220-grainers through your .30-06 out to 300-yds, and get back to us. tu2


I will pass


Good on you. tu2

Way too much FAIL in this thread. Roll Eyes


All The Best ...
 
Posts: 813 | Location: Texas | Registered: 15 October 2015Reply With Quote
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