Namibia and a 30-06....Which bullet?

[lcq]

The Eland was the most difficult & most challenging...... It was on the move at 300 yards. Took 3 shots. I know that sounds like a bulls#i+ story.... But it's true. My PH's were @AAA Africa Serapa Safaris & @Hartzview Hunting Safaris, they can attest. Had it been still, with it well placed in the boiler room. 1 would have done the trick.

You are a better shot than me. Too much LR shooting prone off a bipod not enough real world practice. As for moving I can't hit a flying barn with a shotgun so movers are a non starter for me.

Nice to know the 168ttsx is up to the task

 

[Ryan]

Another vote for the Barnes TTSX 168 grain out of my 30-06. I have been there twice, first time with Barnes factory ammo in that second time in hand loads. 8 animals total with the 30-06. Springbok at 50 yards to zebra, kudu and more in the mid-100's to a black wildebeest at 220 or so. All dead with one shot. Only one that didn't pass through was the zebra quartering to me and I found the bullet intact on the far side hide. It was picture perfect Barnes mushroom . I had no doubt they'd drop an eland, just couldn't find one.
Copper and lead I'd go with 180's, which was my hosts standard round there.
Good luck.

 

[gordon kings langley]

Forget the above
200 gn Nosler Partition they kill every thing. Just remember shot placement

 

[MMAL]

Barnes ttsx is an excellent bullet. During my recent trip to Namibia, my son and daughter shot a .30-06 that used a 168gr hornady gmx bullet. It was used to take a zebra, two gemsbok, warthog, and springbok. The fact of the matter is as you can see all good bullets will work. Not gonna say shot placement again, that has be beaten to death, but i will say pick the bullet that shoots consistently out of your gun. My .30-06 grouped the Hornady bullet better than any of the other four bullets (all great bullets) I tried.

Good Luck and Have a blast. Who are you hunting with and where in Namibia?

 

[BWH]

The 168 TTSX really marries the speed of the 150 & the power of the 180+grainers..... If you looks at all the data, energy, etc. It was perfect for me.... However, see what you & your gun like and shoot best.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I have no experience with Woodleigh bullets, only read good things about them so long as you don't exceed their velocity recommendations. My favorite though pricy bonded lead bullet are the North Fork bonded cores. About 54gr of IMR4350 behind 165gr NF's in my wifes .30-06 did fantastic.

If you want to play with the mono's, and if you can get them in Canada, I really like my first experiences with the Peregrine mono-metal bullets. Very low pressure bullets due to their bore rider design and easy to find loads for. I also prefer the brass plunger design in comparison to the hollow point or plastic tipped versions of the Barnes offerings. Best part also is they don't copper foul your barrel like the Barnes.

www.peregrinebullets.com

I have no experience with the GS Customs, so don't take the above as a knock on them. Also I'm not really putting down the Barnes bullets either, I just think the Peregrine's are a better design. If you decide to give the Peregrine's a go, please let me know. They are a bit fussy in regards to preparing your brass and getting good neck tension. That would be my only negative comment on them.

 

[Pheroze]

@MMAL the plan is to reunite with @KMGhuntingsafaris (I am not sure these quick links work from the mobile app) but in Namibia this time.

Thanks all for chiming in. I looked at 200 gr as an option but felt the potential distances in Namibia played against them. They have great BC but seem to slow down relatively quickly anyway. I liked the GMX, it's a good bullet. The partition and A-Frames would be an excellent idea because maybe the front end would not be too tough for the little ones while being great for the big guys. I figure I have time so I will see what load works...Let's see the check list...

GS Customs
GMX
Ttsx
Woodleigh
Partition
A-Frame
Northforks

OK, maybe I will put the trip off another year because it is too damn cold to start loads for all of these and it will take time!

Seriously, I think the message I am getting is not to fear the light monometal bullets on the bigger animals.

 

[Pheroze]

Oooh Just noticed the BC on the 180 gr partition is .474. I am wondering if it's relatively soft front portion would make it better for the springbok than the bonded or monometals? While still being good for the heftier Zebra?

 

[sheephunterab]

Hit with enough velocity (2,000+fps) and there are zero expansion worries with mono metals even on small game. With a 30-06 and a 165 grain GMX that's 400+ yards. Don't fear the mono metal

 

[Buckdog]

Nosler partition are a old design and I used them a lot and killed lots of stuff with them so I wont knock them but what happens with them is the front soft core lead is going to come out and frag early in the animal and the back section is going to keyhole and penetrate for you so you will get like 60% weight retention. Newer bonded core bullets and mono metals are going to give you higher weight retention less fragmentation. Whether that's good or bad its up to you? for my 2 cents I shoot nosler accubonds and swift a frames now and barnes solids. Hornady bullets basicaly are shit, sorry hornady fans. I think your 30-06 and 180 gr woodleighs is good to go and I wouldn't change a thing you have a good load and good gun so go practice more and don't sweat it.

 

[Nicholas Barcomb]

Love Woodleigh's!!! I would possibly even think of dropping to a 165 gr PP SN (65A), if it were me. The load that I have made up for my Tikka T3 Lite SS (570 mm bbl) in .30-06 SPR is: Winchester case (FL sized), 165 gr PP SN, CCI 200 LRP, 58.5 gr VV N550, and a COL of 3.300". This load was chronographed at 3001 fps and about a 3/4" group at 100 yds. I haven't gotten to the 180s yet, that is my next project. What ever you choose to do, I am sure that you will be successful on your hunt!

 

[Lomadelray]

Another vote for the Barnes TTSX 168, Below is a photo of the TTSX 150 that went through both shoulders of a moose in Alaska. The distance was 300 yds. and the bullet stopped just under the hide on the far side, pretty near 100% weight retention. I can't imagine the 168gr would do worse.

 

[Velo Dog]

Hi Pheroze,

In a perfect world, regarding my choice for eland hunting specifically, I would like a bit more rifle than a .30 of any sort.
However and in contrast to the above admittedly OCD notion of mine, if I could not sack everything, from eland to dik dik with your described 180 gr Woodleigh .30-06 hand load, all the way out to approximately 400 yards / meters, I would eat my hat.

My first trip to Africa was for hunting in Namibia.
I used a .300 H&H, but it was "only" loaded with 180 gr Nosler Partitions, to a tick over 2800 fps (perhaps 100 fps more than many .30-06 rifles will drive that same bullet at, and some can match it, as it is mild for the H&H size case).
I would merrily use that bullet and load again.
Likewise, I would merrily use 180 gr Woodleighs for same.
In concert with this sermon, I would merrily use your rifle with your Woodleigh loads in Namibia, no worries.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[sestoppelman]

Truth in lending, I love 180's in an '06 - particularly when gemsbok, zebra, and wildebeest are on the dance card. You already have a perfect load for anything you will encounter at any reasonable range - say 275 on in. If your rifle is happy, stay with it and have a great trip. I would say, save that 150 work for deer season, but when I use an '06, I use 180's for everything.

"I don't always use the .30-06,, but when I do, I use the 180gr bullet... for everything." "Stay thirsty,,, my friends"

 

[Pheroze]

Another vote for the Barnes TTSX 168, Below is a photo of the TTSX 150 that went through both shoulders of a moose in Alaska. The distance was 300 yds. and the bullet stopped just under the hide on the far side, pretty near 100% weight retention. I can't imagine the 168gr would do worse.

That's pretty impressive!

 

[Pheroze]

Hi Pheroze,

In a perfect world, regarding my choice for eland hunting specifically, I would like a bit more rifle than a .30 of any sort.
However and in contrast to the above admittedly OCD notion of mine, if I could not sack everything, from eland to dik dik with your described 180 gr Woodleigh .30-06 hand load, all the way out to approximately 400 yards / meters, I would eat my hat.

My first trip to Africa was for hunting in Namibia.
I used a .300 H&H, but it was "only" loaded with 180 gr Nosler Partitions, to a tick over 2800 fps (perhaps 100 fps more than many .30-06 rifles will drive that same bullet at, and some can match it, as it is mild for the H&H size case).
I would merrily use that bullet and load again.
Likewise, I would merrily use 180 gr Woodleighs for same.
In concert with this sermon, I would merrily use your rifle with your Woodleigh loads in Namibia, no worries.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

Arrgh! I have been exerting an enormous amount of willpower in not buying a 300 H&H for this trip. Believe me, not succumbing is really not like me at all. But, I have convinced myself to forego the extra 10 grains of powder and the fps that comes with it...But if you were to tell me it is much better...No wait, don't say a darn thing. OK back to the 30-06 discussion...

 

[JMM]

Love the 06. I was recently in Zim and shot 15 zebras as part of a culling program. Killed 9 with the 180 grain Swift A-frame. All one shot kills. For fun, switched to 180 grain Core Lokt Ultras just to see how it would perform. They performed flawlessly with 6 one shot kills. In my opinion, the Remingtons provided a quicker dispatch of the animals.

 

[sestoppelman]

Arrgh! I have been exerting an enormous amount of willpower in not buying a 300 H&H for this trip. Believe me, not succumbing is really not like me at all. But, I have convinced myself to forego the extra 10 grains of powder and the fps that comes with it...But if you were to tell me it is much better...No wait, don't say a darn thing. OK back to the 30-06 discussion...

The difference in capacity is closer to 20 grains, not 10. I just took a little test with one of each, both Win brass, filled to the brim with ball powder and the 06 held 73.1 grs and the H&H held 91.5 grs. One can expect to beat the 06 by around 200fps or so with any given bullet weight. Its not earth shattering but its substantial. The load we used in Namibia in 07 drove the 200gr Partition to 2850fps. Cant safely do that with an 06.

 

[Pheroze]

The difference in capacity is closer to 20 grains, not 10. I just took a little test with one of each, both Win brass, filled to the brim with ball powder and the 06 held 73.1 grs and the H&H held 91.5 grs. One can expect to beat the 06 by around 200fps or so with any given bullet weight. Its not earth shattering but its substantial. The load we used in Namibia in 07 drove the 200gr Partition to 2850fps. Cant safely do that with an 06.

Sigh. I just like the look of the cartridge too.

 

[lcq]

Love the 06. I was recently in Zim and shot 15 zebras as part of a culling program. Killed 9 with the 180 grain Swift A-frame. All one shot kills. For fun, switched to 180 grain Core Lokt Ultras just to see how it would perform. They performed flawlessly with 6 one shot kills. In my opinion, the Remingtons provided a quicker dispatch of the animals.

I have heard the same things about the CL ultra. The 160gr shoots lights out in my fussy 7mm mag. I've only shot a medium size northern whitetail but it worked great. Tough bullet with lots of expansion