Well, I have gotten the 30-06 bug and grabbed up a nice little Win 70, (Pre-64) Feather weight.

Now I'm needing a great load for Elk / Big Mulies.

What's your favorite loading?

Thanks,

Jeff

180 gr Nosler partion

Jeff, I've taken several bull elk with the 180 NP in my 30-06 fwt and it's no doubt a great bullet. I've recently switched to the 168 TSX as it flies flatter out to 500 yards and will penetrate better as well as kick less... what's not to like?

You might try 180 gr.Speer rn. Hot Core driven by 56gr. Accurate 4350 at around 2650 fps.: not the fastest or flatest but it'll work. roger

I would use Federal HE 180 grain Nosler Partition's. I haven't used this load on elk, but have used it in Africa on plains game. My wife used it on a zebra with no problem and they are pretty tough.

My 30/06 is also a Winchester M-70 w/ 22"bbl

This load chronographs at 2800fps in my rifle and shoots right at 1" at 100yards.

My son killed a bull last week with his '06 that I loaded with 180 Partitions at 2750 fps. The post mortem showed excellent performance on the two hundred yard shot. Incidentally, these were from a batch of "old style" Partitions with the body rebate that I came across, but the "new style" bullets seem to perform identically.

I don't think that the Partition is actually necessary for elk in most instances, but it's nice insurance.

For years I used no other load for elk than the 180 grain Speer hotcor spitzer pushed by 59 grains of H4831 ignited with CCI 250 magnum primers and had/have no complaints.

180 grain Swift A-Frames.

Ditto to the 180 gr Swift A Frames.

Hands down the best .30-06 bullet I have ever used. And it's very accurate in my rifle.

Good luck.

My wife used a 180gr. Swift A-Frame to take her elk. One shot into the chest, and the bull just folded.

George

here's another subscriber to the Swift A-Frames.

The Northforks and TBBCs are good too.

180gr NP & a healthy dose of RL22 or H4831sc.

My favorite elk load for the 30-06 is always built around the 180 gr. Nosler Partition, Winchester cases, Federal primers, and IMR 4831 powder. With that basic recipe I can usually get about 2750 fps. out of a 22" bbl, and sub-MOA accuracy. Good for most any elk you'll run into.........

If I can't get IMR 4831 to shoot, then I go with IMR 4350, H4350, or H4831.

AD

quote:

Originally posted by allen day:
My favorite elk load for the 30-06 is always built around the 180 gr. Nosler Partition, Winchester cases, Federal primers, and IMR 4831 powder. With that basic recipe I can usually get about 2750 fps. out of a 22" bbl, and sub-MOA accuracy. Good for most any elk you'll run into.........

If I can't get IMR 4831 to shoot, then I go with IMR 4350, H4350, or H4831.

AD

At 2,750'/sec Allen is being a bit conservative here.....the old '06 will easily handle more than that.

It's a good load!!!

Loaded some 165 Hornady Interbonds, over 57.5grs. H4350, 210M primers, Rem. brass. This was for a co-worker who was going out to Colorodo in which he took 4 elk with 4 shots. All pass thrus, no tracking, stop all this 180 grain nonsence. Jay

I think there are truly 2 bullet weights that the 30.06 performs at it's best.

1) 180
2) 165/168

There's no denying that the 180 is probably the most popular. I won't even tap into what weight is "necessary" for elk. I ultimately chose the 168 Barnes triple shock. It is only 12 grains of bullet weight less than the 180. I loaded up 55.0 grains of H4350 and have taken several head of game with that load, never having to track a single animal.

With the construction of premium bullets today, you absolutely cannot go wrong with any of the following

partition, failsafe, TSX, AFrame, TBBC. I like the 4350's, 4831's, and Re22 in my .06.

I wouldn't hesitate to shoot a big bull elk at 300+ yards with my 168 TSX load.

quote:

partition, failsafe, TSX, AFrame, TBBC. I like the 4350's, 4831's, and Re22 in my .06.

H-414 will perform very well too.....

I've heard that is a very good powder for the .06, especially in terms of velocity. However, isn't it rather temp. sensitive too like the Alliant powders?

A good plain wraped 180gr. bullet is all that's needed. No insurance or sophistication is going to kill elk any deader. A fellow , now about 82, Has hunted his mohe state of Colorado using an 06 and used nothing but 150 gr. standard bullets. He's killed at least one elk every year since he returned from WWII. Gee with all the advice your getting it's hard to make a mistake. roger

I have had good accuracy and excellent performance with 168 TSX in front of 49.5 H4895. The bullet was .035 off the lands of my son's Savage 110. 2750 fps.....
He took this a couple weeks ago with 1 shot at 280 yards. I posted this a few weeks ago but can a dad ever post it enough???

quote:

Originally posted by IdahoVandal:
I have had good accuracy and excellent performance with 168 TSX in front of 49.5 H4895. The bullet was .035 off the lands of my son's Savage 110. 2750 fps.....
He took this a couple weeks ago with 1 shot at 280 yards. I posted this a few weeks ago but can a dad ever post it enough???

Handsome lad and nice animal. I can certainly see why you're so proud. Question; was that a tenderloin shot? roger

Just forward of the tenderloins, knicked the spine enough to drop him like a rock! (Missed the backstraps also--just underneath em!)

IV

62.5 grains of H4831 SC....

200 grain Speer or Nosler Partition....

MV 2850fps out of a 24 inch barrel...

Rifle testing: Winchester Model 70...

Work up this load...

Yeah people complain it is over pressure limits.. but that is speculation on their end... If one looks up the pressures on a 180 grain load with 60 grains of H 4831Sc, they will find it listed at about 48000 CUPs and the pressure limit on the 30/06 by SAAMI specs is higher than that....

I have reloaded the same pieces of brass 5 times with this load and no loosened primer pockets...
Both Winchester and Remington brass....

Remember, to work up if trying this load...
It also proved very accurate in my 4 different 30/06s....

cheers
seafire

PS: Recoil is higher than a 180 grain typical 30/06 load, but way under a 300 mag....

Thanks all...will post result as soon as I git'em.

Jeff

What ya gonna get?

165/168 grs TSX. The added velocity might come in handy. With an X-type bullet, you don't need to worry about insufficient penetration.
- mike

try a 200 gn nosler and work your way up till you get a velocity of 2650/2700 with something like R22 or WXR,if accuracey is good you have got a good elk load
daniel

I never owned "06Spr" but 200gr TBBC Fed 'Premium' proved to be most accurate load in my .300WinMag. I don't reload.
'Fail Safe', 'Grand Slam', 'Partition Gold', 'Vulcan', 'Oryx', 'Mega', DK,....come to mind.

If I were working-up a load for the 30-06/180 gr. NPT, the following combos are where I’d start. I’d also try Re25 (~66 grs). I wouldn’t exceed 2950 fps.

Cartridge: .30-06 Spring.
Bullet: .308, 180, NOS PART SP
Cartridge O.A.L: 3.340 inch
Barrel Length: 24.0 inch

Predicted Data for Indicated Charges of the Following Powders. Matching Maximum Pressure: 65000 psi, or 448 Mpa or a maximum loading ratio or filling of 115 %

These calculations refer to your specified settings in QuickLOAD 'Cartridge Dimensions' window. C A U T I O N : any load listed can result in a powder charge that falls below minimum suggested loads or exceeds maximum suggested loads as presented in current handloading manuals. Understand that all of the listed powders can be unsuitable for the given combination of cartridge, bullet and gun. Actual load order can vary, depending upon lot-to-lot powder and component variations. USE ONLY FOR COMPARISON !

Powder type/FillingRatio/Charge/Vel./65,000 psi

Vihtavuori N560 111.3 64.9 2969
Accurate MAGPRO 114.3 67.6 2957
Alliant Reloder-22 114.1 64.4 2956
Winchester WXR 112.8 64.7 2954
Ramshot Magnum 115.0 68.8 2940 64965
IMR 7828 SSC 111.6 64.0 2939
IMR 7828 115.0 63.5 2914 63132
Ramshot Hunter 102.5 61.0 2911
Alliant Reloder-19 111.5 61.6 2907

A good 180 gr bullet and 56.0 gr. H4350 cci 250 primer.
Remington Coreloks, Nosler Partitions, or Hornady Interlocks will all work fine. Perfect elk load

M98, as I recall you were working-up some additional '06 loads with 180 gr. bullets using Re22, Re25, VVn560, IMR 7828ssc, WXR, etc.; and, you were getting piezo PSI in a ballistics lab. Do you have that data yet, and if so, would you be willing to share with us? Regards, AIU

Nosler 220 grain Partition in front of 51.0 grains of IMR 4350 worked great in my .30-06 for Plains Game. One shot kills on Kudu, Wildebeest, Zebra, and Blesbok. That load has been around for so many years that I think folks have forgotten about it, but those 220 grain Partitions really anchor the game.

LLS
Mannlicher Collector

I took a nice bull in Utah at over 300 yards (laser measurement). I aimed just over the top of his back and the 180 Nosler Partition went thru both lungs and broke the far shoulder. He dropped in his tracks and the next shot went thru his neck to finish him. I still have the bullet and the antlers. Good eatin' too.