30-06 Factory ammo for elk

[Fastrig]

@Fastrig sounds like you have had good luck! But most likely you have just chosen to take high success shots, which is very wise.
I think any bullet from .22-250 on up will kill an elk when placed right and the shot is inside of 100-150 yards. I never cared about bullets until a few years ago when I had (1) more money to be picky, (2) more time to shoot more game and more targets, (3) more time spent reading about hunting.

My experience has been everything works inside of 100-150 yards (with a good shot) Over 350 yards things start to change. With that said: nosler ABLR’s work well, so does the Hornady GMX. Lately I’ve been shooting Berger hunting VLD’s.
@Bullthrower338 exceptional bull in the snow! I’m tempted to get a .338 WM or a .300 WM. I have a gap between the 7 mm RM and my .375 H&H...

As an aside, I am interested in trying out some of the newer, non-lead expansion rounds. Was looking for the BC on some rounds on Hornady's and Norma's websites and saw their non-lead bullets spotlighted, GMX and Ecostrike if memory serves. Getting rid of lead in the field would be great if the new bullets perform on par.

 

[Clodo Ferreira]

Hi,

I am hunting for big Red Deer down here since 1982. I have used 7x57, 7x64, 308 Win, 30-06, 9,3x62 and .375 H&H. And have used a variety of bullets in all of them.
All these cartridges are more than good for even the biggest of those deer, provided a good bullet is used and the shot is well located.
But is the FIRST TIME I read a Nosler Partition is not ENTIRELY ADEQUATE for the biggest Red Deer, or the biggest Wapiti, by the way!!!!
In my experience is one of the best, if not THE best and most reliable of the big game bullets for big deer from any shooting angle !
They always expands, and the lost of their first third is accompanied with lot of damage inside the animal! And the two other thirds acts like a super penetrating projectile, exiting most of the time leaving a big and bloody exit hole!
In my experience, having used the Nosler Partition in all those cartridge with the exception of the 9,3x62, I cannot fault it in any way!

Happy New Year for all!

CF

 

[ack]

Swift A-Frames -180..They never fail,very accurate flat base ....The sure thing ..They are loaded by Swift to full power and hand checked... Somewhat xpensive($50 to 60 a box) but not compared to losing one...May have to order on line...I have taken
elk with .270 and 30/06 using Sierra Game Kings ,one shot to lungs but they will not penetrates muscle or bone or pass through....I lost 2 elk years ago with Cor-Locs...Shooting at large game over 300 yds is foolish so you don't need boat tail bullets..

 

[ack]

See my post above. A NP tip will disintegrate leaving only the back end core (that doesn't really expand much). Go with Barnes of Swift A-Frame. Of course the NP has killed elk, but we have lost more elk to them than other bullets.

We lost several whitetail does with Partitions that went right through and others flew all to hell ..Never again..No, it wasn't our shooting..Took 15 in Africa with A-Frames this past fall...All went down with one shot..Wife's 2000# Giraffe with 06 and 180 A-Frame.

 

[ack]

These were the gold standard in a factory .30-06 round when they were available IMHOView attachment 321393 . This same combination is now loaded by Swift and should be just as good if not better. If you run across any old stock somewhere don't be afraid to try them.

Best quality control is Swift loaded..A-Frames will be a flat base which I like best..

 

[Fastrig]

We lost several whitetail does with Partitions that went right through and others flew all to hell ..Never again..No, it wasn't our shooting..Took 15 in Africa with A-Frames this past fall...All went down with one shot..Wife's 2000# Giraffe with 06 and 180 A-Frame.

I've been using the Hornady White Tail rounds for the last few years....it goes on sale pretty often, isn't expensive even when not on sale, and does a great job on white tail...haven't had one deer that didn't drop within a few yards if not in their tracks using these rounds. Going to use it on my next elk hunt with the 300 win mag. If going to Africa, agree with you on the A-Frames....top shelf ammo to go along with a top shelf hunting experience. You're spending too much time and money to not use the best ammo.

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/308-win-165-gr-interlock-sp-american-whitetail#!/

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/300-win-mag-180-gr-interlock-sp-american-whitetail#!/

 

[Standard Velocity]

The Interbond may be a more appropriate choice for elk than the Interlock from the American Whitetail line. The Accubond is supposed to be very good as well.

From what I’ve read elk bones get much denser as they age. If you get a shot at a big old bull a tougher bullet may work better.

 

[tarbe]

In thirty+ years of instructing and testing hunter safety I've heard the comment "my son's rifle was not pointed anywhere near the person" or variations of it. But since it's nothing to me, I can say: Whatever.

Then why comment in the first place?

 

[Bullthrower338]

Then why comment in the first place?

Because some can’t help being on a soapbox, in the name of safety I hope no one falls from it.
I’m pretty sure that in my 30+ years of hunting around the world and countless live fire activities I’ve participated in, I’m quite aware of safe firearms handling and have instilled the same into my boys and anyone I hunt with.

 

[shootist~]

What about the 200 grain NP in the 30-06? Same potential issues as the 180 or something all together different?

 

[Ray B]

What about the 200 grain NP in the 30-06? Same potential issues as the 180 or something all together different?

Thank you for getting the thread back on track. I have found the 200 gr NPs to be significantly sturdier than the 180s, except my experience is with the older bronze NPs. So the newer gilding metal jackets may not be as sturdy. I haven't compared the older vs the newer. I suppose I could but it wouldn't be of much value since very few still have a supply of older NPs that they would shoot.

 

[JimP]

Instead of jumping up to a 200 grain bullet why not just go to a 160-170grain Barnes?

 

[dailordasailor]

1Federal premium w/ Barnes TSX 180gr
2. Barnes VOR-TX in 180gr
3. Swift a frame 180gr

what would best option be for elk in 30-06 anywhere from sub 100yds to 400yds? These three choices seem easy to come by online

 

[shootist~]

Instead of jumping up to a 200 grain bullet why not just go to a 160-170grain Barnes?

The 200 gr NPs shoot very well in my rifle, (180 A-Frames do not),
Generate 3,173 foot pounds of energy,
Have a, (Not scientific), *K factor that's in the range of a 180 gr 300 WM.

Though I've only shot them on paper and steel (hence my prior question).
My use would be for plains game, btw.

*Formula: K = E (Ft Lbs at some common distance) x SD (sectional density) x A (area of bullet's cross section)

 

[JimP]

I think that I would just stick with a 165 gr Barnes TTSX

Any round that will drop a elk will work on 90% of the plains game in Africa

 

[Ray B]

*Formula: K = E (Ft Lbs at some common distance) x SD (sectional density) x A (area of bullet's cross section)

So K = 1/2MxVxVxWxDxDxDxD

K = estimated effectiveness
M= Weight of bullet adjusted to Mass
W=Weight in pounds
V= Velocity
D=Diameter in inches

It appears to me that the formula is rather well represented by the bullets diameter.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

1Federal premium w/ Barnes TSX 180gr
2. Barnes VOR-TX in 180gr
3. Swift a frame 180gr

what would best option be for elk in 30-06 anywhere from sub 100yds to 400yds? These three choices seem easy to come by online

Whichever one shoots better.

 

[shootist~]

Per Chuck Hawks:
(Again, this is not scientific, but fun to compare in a spreadsheet.)

Formula: K = E (Ft Lbs at some common distance) x SD (sectional density) x A (area of bullet's cross section)

2,673 fps Muzzle, = 2,813 ft pounds at 100 yrs, SD = .301, R squared = .074505948, K = (2813 x .301 x .074505948) = 63.1

Spreadsheet looks like:
30-06 0.3080 0.1540 N. Partition RL22 200 2,673 0.48 2,813 0.301 0.074505948 K= 63.1

A 180 gr 300 WM or similar, at 2,900 fps works out to K = 59.8

 

[Chago]

I swear by the Hornaday ELD X. In my 300 I shoot the 212 grains. Which could easily be fired out of your 30-06. But even the 200 would work just great. I have used these bullets on my elk 2 years ago. This was the largest bodied elk I have ever seen. And the 212 grain dumped him on the spot. If you look closely by the Elks head. You will see a ton of blood running down the hill. It looks like it's coming from his mouth. But it's not. We just moved him for the pic. His chest was there when we was shot. Bled like crazy.

The performance of the eld X are amazing. The internal damage I've seen on every animal I've shot in NA and Africa. Has made me a super believer. And most importantly. They are available everywhere. If you reload super easy to get your hands on the bullets. And if you don't. The hornday accurate hunters are in every store. The accurate hunter is Hornaday factory loaded ammo using the eld X.

 

[JimP]

I would say that you quite possibly hit him in the jugular vein and the shock of the bullet stunned his spinal cord and he just bled out.

A 212 grain bullet is what might be called big for caliber out of a 06. Sure you can find 220 grain and larger bullets for a 06 but performance falls way off when shooting them. A .300 magnum has the powder behind the bullet to keep it going where a 06 doesn't.