Ideas on 30.06 rounds?

[greyfox]

Do you handload? Try a Barnes or Swift 150 and 165s, typically they are LONGER than other bullets which means a faster twist to stabilize the bullet,

 

[Matt224]

Do you handload? Try a Barnes or Swift 150 and 165s, typically they are LONGER than other bullets which means a faster twist to stabilize the bullet,

Unfortunately I don't. I need to find someone to teach me how to and at the same time gather the funds to buy a kit. Thanks for the advice!

 

[bluey]

my 30.06 loves all the barnes , tsx, ttsx banded solids and especially the mrx (but they are too expensive .)in 150 and 180 grainers
she also loves the hornady round nosed interbonded , in 220 grains . these are great in the aussie bush for punching through a bit scrub.
fantastic penentration .

 

[WildRose]

The 06 can still very much get the job done.

Personally I've had tremendous luck with the Hornady Interbond and Interlock. In fact I think the Interlock will give you excellent results at 06 velocities.

The Swift A Frame is also an excellent bullet and it was specifically developed for hunting African Game.

Nosler's Partition also has earned a very solid reputation on African Game, Elk, and Moose in the US.

I shot some Privi Partisan 300wm loaded with the Grom bullet while on my trip and was very well pleased with it's performance.

You have a lot of very good bullet choices available so my advice would be to try a box of several or all of the above and see what groups best for you and then go with that.

Bullet construction is important but nothing is more important than being able to put it where you want it.

As for "grouping" what I recommend is that you take three shots as quickly as you can practically do so and see what that looks like.

In the field it's your first shot that counts the most and rarely will you get more than two follow ups before the animal disappears into the cover.

 

[Desperatezulu]

Hi Matt,
As a non-reloader in SA, you're going to be limited to factory ammo. And as you've discovered, the only stuff produced in SA is PMP and imported ammo is expensive and not always available. The standard PMP stuff is not the greatest but is probably ok in a 30-06 because you're not in magnum territory where the bullet construction is really tested.

PMP does offer some fancier ammo - their African Elite range offers the 180gr Swift A-Frame which is about as good as it's going to get for a non-monolithic bullet in the '06. (from the reliably-available options here in SA)

A friend of mine who uses and '06 and only shoots factory ammo swears by the Remington Safari Grade which is also a 180gr Swift A-Frame. I don't think you'll go wrong with this ammo (you should be able to get some at Safari & Outdoor in Joburg). You will get a little poorer a little faster than if you use the PMP African Elite.

My advise is try the PMP African Elite and see how you go. Otherwise start reloading and take your pick of premium bullets!

 

[Matt224]

Hi Matt,
As a non-reloader in SA, you're going to be limited to factory ammo. And as you've discovered, the only stuff produced in SA is PMP and imported ammo is expensive and not always available. The standard PMP stuff is not the greatest but is probably ok in a 30-06 because you're not in magnum territory where the bullet construction is really tested.

PMP does offer some fancier ammo - their African Elite range offers the 180gr Swift A-Frame which is about as good as it's going to get for a non-monolithic bullet in the '06. (from the reliably-available options here in SA)

A friend of mine who uses and '06 and only shoots factory ammo swears by the Remington Safari Grade which is also a 180gr Swift A-Frame. I don't think you'll go wrong with this ammo (you should be able to get some at Safari & Outdoor in Joburg). You will get a little poorer a little faster than if you use the PMP African Elite.

My advise is try the PMP African Elite and see how you go. Otherwise start reloading and take your pick of premium bullets!

Thanks a lot for the advice! Haven't had the opporunity as of yet to try any new cartridges, but will definitely take your advice into account; especially since im on a budget!

 

[MichielC]

Hi Matt,

I also used PMP ammunition for most of my hunting previously before I started handloading and had success with it. Biggest was a Eland cow at 163 meters ranged. Also a 30-06 180gr.

Also consider Vortex factory loaded with Barnes, and what worked quite well in my rifle was Sako Hammerhead. I did find the Sako's to be quite availible at your bigger gunshops.

African Elite as mentioned above always one to consider and Federal Vital Shock.

I never used the Federal's on game as it did not group from my 30-06.

 

[Reaper]

The truth is that for a .30-06 you don't need some super premium bullet to hunt plains game, as long as you use the 180gr bullet.
Last year on my PG hunt to Limpopo, I loaded my '06 with 180gr Winchester Power Points. Even though this ammo sells for $20/box, it performed excellently!
I took both bull Oryx and Eland at close range. The recovered bullets all performed just as good as a premium bullet. Deep penetration and wide expansion. Retained weight was in the 75-80% range.
So even though the ammo makers might have you think you need a premium bonded bullet to take out an Impala, the truth is that standard bullets and normal velocities will easily take the largest PG.
(Magnum calibers is a different story - premiums required)

 

[Matt224]

The truth is that for a .30-06 you don't need some super premium bullet to hunt plains game, as long as you use the 180gr bullet.
Last year on my PG hunt to Limpopo, I loaded my '06 with 180gr Winchester Power Points. Even though this ammo sells for $20/box, it performed excellently!
I took both bull Oryx and Eland at close range. The recovered bullets all performed just as good as a premium bullet. Deep penetration and wide expansion. Retained weight was in the 75-80% range.
So even though the ammo makers might have you think you need a premium bonded bullet to take out an Impala, the truth is that standard bullets and normal velocities will easily take the largest PG.
(Magnum calibers is a different story - premiums required)

The problem that I have with standard bullets is that they do not group as well as I like them to. I understand what you are trying to say and I've never had a problem hunting with standard ammo. However, the farm that I work on needs some animals to be culled and the best form of income from this is selling that meat to local butcheries. The problem that arises is that the butcheries will not accept an animal that has been dispatched with anything other than a headshot. Unfortunately the standard ammo does not quite qualify with accuracy when it comes to taking a 100m headshot. Thank you for your advice!

 

[Reaper]

In general, there is nothing inherently more accurate about a premium/bonded bullet over a standard cup/core bullet. In fact bullets used in match ammo are not bonded type bullets at all.
It will all depend on your rifle and which brand of ammo it groups the best with. So go to your local gun store and buy several brands of ammo, both premium and standard and test which one your rifle prefers.

 

[ack]

Got to agree Reaper but I found the Scirocco to be the most accurate (hunting) bullet I ever shot..Just don't shoot an Impala in lungs 'cause it goes right through,lol...Really penetrates on bigger stuff though..

 

[Bobpuckett]

Matt if you are in to reloading try some 180gr Barnes TSX I loaded some for the wife's 30-06 on our last Safari and she dropped a Zebra and a Red Hartebeest at well over 300 yards no problem. At home setting the scope she put 4 rounds in what looked like 1 hole at 200 yards just a little over sized.

 

[Petrus Geldenhuys]

If you reload i would suggest you try the Peregrine 165 gr VRG-3 Bushmaster or VRG-4 Plainmaster. They preform really good!
Have a look at some other thread with some report back on them.
http://www.africahunting.com/threads/peregrine-vrg3-bushmaster-rsa-manufactured-bullet.23063/

 

[Velo Dog]

I'm Partial to 180g Sierra Game Kings

I too have had my best long range accuracy with Sierra bullets in various calibers (especially their old flat base standard hunting bullet, as opposed to their so called "target grade" bullets for some unknown reason).
If hunting PG at longer ranges, such as found in most of Namibia, South Africa's Eastern Cape and similar places, I would happily use Sierra Game King 180 grain in the .30-06 for most PG (but any .30 would not be my first choice on quite large animals like eland or giraffe, no matter what the bullet).
The Sierra GK bullet is a good one but, generally not an extremely tough one though.
So, if deciding to use the .30-06 on larger species like eland, zebra, blou wildebeest and such, I'd happily sacrifice a little accuracy (within reason) for the super toughness of the Swift A-Frame bullet.
For instance, if my .30-06 will put 3 Sierra 180 grainers into half an inch at 100 yds but it will only put 3 A-Frame 180 grainers into two inches at 100 yds, I would definitely go for the A-Frame.

 

[bluey]

in Zambia the other week
I used factory rounds , these were sako , hammerheads , in 220 grainers , mate these things got the job done , no worries ......

 

[brandondd24]

When I was in Namibia 2013, my father used his 30'06, he collected a nice blue wildebeest, kudu, gemsbok using federal premium. They did well for him

 

[lcq]

I too have had my best long range accuracy with Sierra bullets in various calibers (especially their old flat base standard hunting bullet, as opposed to their so called "target grade" bullets for some unknown reason).
If hunting PG at longer ranges, such as found in most of Namibia, South Africa's Eastern Cape and similar places, I would happily use Sierra Game King 180 grain in the .30-06 for most PG (but any .30 would not be my first choice on quite large animals like eland or giraffe, no matter what the bullet).
The Sierra GK bullet is a good one but, generally not an extremely tough one though.
So, if deciding to use the .30-06 on larger species like eland, zebra, blou wildebeest and such, I'd happily sacrifice a little accuracy (within reason) for the super toughness of the Swift A-Frame bullet.
For instance, if my .30-06 will put 3 Sierra 180 grainers into half an inch at 100 yds but it will only put 3 A-Frame 180 grainers into two inches at 100 yds, I would definitely go for the A-Frame.

I've found the same thing. As a rule flat based bullets have been more accurate than boat tail. Only after 400 yds does it make a significant difference to use a boat tail

my $0.02

 

[Velo Dog]

in Zambia the other week
I used factory rounds , these were sako , hammerheads , in 220 grainers , mate these things got the job done , no worries ......

In "normal" African hunting conditions, I totally agree.
The .30-06 with 220 grain round nose bullet at about 2400 fps is more effective than many hunters today can imagine.
Furthermore, it shoots surprisingly flat out to about 200 yards, and even at 300 it is not difficult to hit vital zones on smallish animals, (provided of course the hunter is properly practiced up with his or her field position shooting).
The 220 gr load has done very well for me personally and it sounds like it worked well for you in Zambia as well.

 

[spike.t]

in Zambia the other week
I used factory rounds , these were sako , hammerheads , in 220 grainers , mate these things got the job done , no worries ......

also got the sako hammerheads in 180grn but didnt have any with at the time, so as bluey said the 220`s worked great. I think MR VD @Velo Dog would like those 220grn hammerheads as like him i like the heavier bullets that are available

 

[bluey]

great recovery out of them hammer heads , mike , all four that the boys recovered were all over 205 grns when I got home
thanks for the memory stick , it arrived in the afternoon , just before I left for sea
ha ha ha ha need to ask when some of them photos and videoes were taken , bloke ........