I've been using the 30-06 all my big game hunting life. I have shot over 20 moose and as many deer with a few "nuisance" bear. I would not trade my 30-06 for anything. If I have a problem, it is usually behind the gun. The cartridge has never failed me, nor has it lacked power.
Use mine for deer and with proper shot placement there is minimal meat wasted and just a fantastic rifle. Great stopping power and a wide range of game it can hunt.
If you look at the factory range of Remington Corelokt ammo you have 125gr, 150gr, 165gr, 180gr, 200gr and 220gr. That pretty much covers everything if you're not a hand loader. Thanks for sharing!
I've used my Ruger M77 for over 40yrs. And though I've always handloaded , Remington 165gr Core-Lokt SP have worked like a lightning bolt on PA whitetail. I remember when they'd be $4.99 box/20 during big store hunting season sales. I know 'they' say ya don't need more than a 150gr on thin-skinned deer, but 165gr bullets shoot much tighter groups in my rifle.
Same here. I have been using my Ruger M77 for PA whitetails for 35yrs and I have found the 165 grain to be my go to cartridge though I have taken deer with the 180gr as well.
the same combo for me for three decades lol although the past 10 years I've started shooting Barnes bullets. Had too many instances of core-lokts failing over the years
There used to be a video of a 16 year old in Alaska that downed a 950+ pound grizzly with 2 shots of Remington Cor-lokt 180 grain both punched thru BOTH shoulders. He couldn't even lift the bears head without help it was that massive. I wish they still made the 220 grain for the -06. The only rifle I would even consider trading the -06 for would be the 7mm magnum only because it shoots 125 to 175 grain bullets like the -06 does.
The Barns MRX in 160-180 gr bullets along with the 300WSM with the same bullet was at its Optimal Performance, taking a 800 Alaska Brown bear with the 180 gr MRX one shot kill
With modern powders, you can get 150 grain bullets to 3000 fps. Fun fact: The '06 is one of the few cartridges that doesn't respond well to the A.I. treatment.
I’ve also tried other Brands of cup and core, lighter, and heavier core locts as well. The 180 grain just seems to get it done better for anchoring on the spot in years past with authority for me. I’ve noticed the last couple of bulk projectiles I bought from Remington don’t anchor deer on the spot like the older production core locts did. I am guessing the lead alloy hardness has changed over the years to not expand as rapidly.
I have some 220 but never never felt the need for that heavy here in New Mexico. Elk drop fast with the 178 grain, but I do have to say it is because of the shot selection. I have used the 178 .308 on Elk and only had about 8 foot difference in drop.
Using 200 and 220 grain bullets in a 30-06 is a bad idea because the bullets won't expand for lack of energy from the30-06. 180 grains should be max bullet weight for a 30-06. The 30-06 performs best with bullets from 150 to 165 grains using the copper expanding bullets and never should be used any brand of lead core bullets.
I will never use the 125 sst in 30-06 on deer because these bullets will detonate on impact! I know that this won't matter if you shoot deer in the throat, but most folks don't do this. Better to use the 150 gr. Federal Fusion.
"thirty ought eight"......hilarious. hard to take someone serious after hearing that lol. Partition is a great bullet on heavy game. I like the Federals on whitetails and hogs.
THE COR-LOCT WASN'T MENTIONED EVEN THOUGH IT HAS TAKEN MORE GAME THEN ANY OTHER 30-06 CARTRAGE . MY 2 SONS AND I HAVE TAKEN ABOUT 200 WHITE TAILS WITH THE DEADLEST MUSHROOM IN THE WOODS .
@@robertgehringer6162 While for 150 lb deer a Remington Core-lokt is fine going for an 800 lb elk or 1200 lb moose I'd stay at home rather than use a Core-lokt. Put the same weight Partition in the cartridge and I won't hesitate to go hunting.
@@dundonrl you'd stay home ???? Alaska Brown bear..338 Win mag ..225 grain core lok..Alaska bull moose..338 Win Mag..225 grain Core Lok...Alaska Caribou..300 Win mag..180 grain Core Lok For North American Big Game NOTHING better than Remington Core Loks. .. I took all 3 of the above in those calibers with Core Loks
I've been hunting with the 30-06 for many years, as did my uncles. And, have dropped many deer in their tracks in that time. I'm really surprised that the 165 or 168 grain bullets were not mentioned. Of all the bullet grains I've tried over the years, it seems to be the most lethal for quick kill drop in their tracks shots. Especially, in the Accubond or Partition that Nosler makes. I'm not really a fan of the SST bullets, as I have seen them blow up in a shoulder and not exit. And, if you end up having to track one, the blood trail isn't very good. Anyway, that's what I've experienced over the years.
You should know Nosler changed the partition to shed off the noise of the bullet making a stubby blunt FMJ . I learned this at the worst time after my client put 9 300-win mag bullets into an 1400-pound Alaska brown bear then I started shooting the 338-win mag I loaded 225 grain Nosler partitions. The freaking 5 338 bullets blew the noises off not even going inside the bears rib cage. The bear jumped into the river and in such bad shape after being hit 15 time the bear drowned to death. That ended all my using any kind of lead core bullets then made me exclusively use the Barns TSX bullets for all my rifles .
The Buffalo Bore was a 168gr Barnes TTSX loading . I've always handloaded , and I mostly use the 165 Sierra Gameking . I think it's a pretty good compromise that can handle 90% of any Big Game in North America.
There are so many great bullets and loads. There are also a huge pile of entirely acceptable standard bullets for fairly typical non demanding hunting. I am beginning to think the electroplated Fusion type bullet is going to emerge as a nearly universal do all bullet before long. As that manufacturing technique gets further developed, I expect to see other manufacturers doing similar. I suspect that design is fairly cheap to make and adjust for expansion. You don't really need much of a bullet to kill even a 200 lb deer cleanly and consistently at 200 yards. That's about twice the typical range deer are taken at.
Even though I have harvested deer with my 30-06 I consider it overkill for deer. I load 165 grain bullets to hunt elk with it. If I have a deer license at the time and one crosses my path I will use the 06 but must be careful of shot placement. If I want to use 150 gr. or lighter bullets I'll go to a .284 caliber.
I look at this differently . 150 gr bullets destroy too much meat , IMO . I've had to throw away both front shoulders on shots when I hit farther forward than I intended to . Give me a strongly made 180 that will just punch on through , without wildly expanding and bloodshoting half of the meat . P.S. Same holds true with a 130 gr 270 as well .
@@cpprcrk1833 I agree with your opinion about the 150 grain bullet in the 30-06 and that's why I like to use a 154 grain bullet in my 275 Rigby because I get just the right sectional density and right in the sweet spot of velocity at 2750 fps.
@@toddramsey4349 I use the 180 for both . I'm in Colorado so the elk and deer are at altitude (too much for me anymore at 69yo) Lopes' are at 6000 feet and flat. Even before the last few odd ammo years, 180's were easier to find here. In either case, I believe (personal opinion) that the Nosler Partition means I have to chase fewer animals, They just seem to drop.
I find the claim of 3000 FPS with a 168 grain to be dubious at best. That is approaching 300 Mag territory. I have 3 30-06 rifles, make my own loads for them and have chronographed several 06 loads, all with 24" barrels. If Buffalo bore is getting that kind of velocity then they are running their ammo over pressure. You cant cheat physics.
Buffalo Bore isn't the only 165 grain 30-06 ammo firing at around that 3000fps mark. Hornady Superformance in their 165 CX & SST's are both at that range. I have chronographed and seen those results lol. So, your particular physics are wrong lol.
I load an accubond long range in 168 gr nosler and, with 24” barrel, I’m getting avg 2972 FPS using RL22 powder. That bullet smacks anything I shoot with it and the BC is in 500s so it bucks the wind really well. It keeps almost 1500 energy at 500 yard range which is really past what Imwould shoot unless conditions are absolutely perfect with my 30-06.:
One of the best 30/06 handles i,ve ever used are Hornandy 150 gr spire point interlocks , They really expand on deer and leave a awesome blood trail. The large lead surface on the point of the bullet insures it will open up and do real damage. Shot a doe from my son,s rem 783 last year and she didn't go 30 yards .Blood trail was like walking with a paint can full of holes.
Enjoy your channel . Question for you. Can you tell us when we can actually find Marlin rifles again on the shelf? They said late Nov or December? We the public would like to know.
Years ago I went moose hunting and the cheap ammo shot great, but the heavy game ammo didn't group with a darn. So my brother suggested Scriocco bullestic tip's and they are the best IMHO.. But I'm just me. I'm more of a fisherman than hunter these days. Great video brother 👍
So, first off, great video. Loved it, except for one part. You said 30-08. There is no such cartridge. I think what you are referring to is the .308 Winchester. The 06 (pronounced Aught, an old time way of saying "zero") in 30-06 is in reference to the year it was designed and adopted by the U.S. military, whereas .308 refers to the bullet diameter. Again, great video, just that one little qualm I thought I would mention.
Handload for YOUR rifle. Every rifle has a preference. This comparison of different loads for 30-06 is irrelevant because every rifle has Its own preference. A better headline for this video would be a bullet comparison for penetration and expansion.
125 grain .30-06 loads are next to useless, especially with a fast expanding poor penetrating SST. The 150 grain Fusion is one of the typically good "all-arounders" in the .30-06. The Barnes 168 grain is excellent - no question. If you had to have just one load, it may be it. The 180 grain Accubond may very well be the ultimate all around load in the .30-06. Living in northern Canada, I see this load all over the place - because it just plain works. The Accubond or Partitions may be the ultimate hunting bullets.
Funny, I've been shooting 165gr sst"s for last 12 years up here in Canada. Lost count of how many dig whitetails and mule deer I've taken with my 30-06, not too mention 7 big Canadian moose and 5 elk, one shot one kill. Not bad for a poor penetrating fast expanding bullet, wouldn't you say?
I've shot: 3x3 Mule deer @ 387 yards (Chocolate) Black Bear @ 370 yards 5x4 Whitetail @ 340 yards all with those "fast expanding poor penetrating" SST's in Hornady Supeformance 150 grain. Those rounds fly faster, hit harder, have less drop, and less wind deflection than Remington Core-Lokt PSP in 300 Win Mag and 7mm Rem Mag. All rounds in 150 grain for a fair comparison. They turned my Browning X-Bolt Stalker Long Range into a "light magnum."
30-06 has been used in the past on elephants. Nowadays, I don’t think many guides would take kindly to you bringing a 30-06 on an elephant hunt. You could get away with it for lions though, with the right bullet within reasonable distance.
@@achawakwangsa9875 Under no circumstance should you use 30-06 for elephant. Just so we’re clear. For other game, find a bullet your rifles likes and go from there. Doesn’t matter what load people recommend if your gun doesn’t group it well. That being said, Barnes, Nosler, and Federal all make good ammo. Try those first.
I don’t know if I’ve ever used anything under 180 grain 30-06 ... my go to nowadays is the 208 grain eld match and can seriously compete with most intermediate range cartridges!
I just got 400 AP & & 100 tracer in 30.06 but it was Browning machine gun ammo. U.S. issue (linked) in "the can".......it's 30.06, I just gotta take it loose.....
New cartridges come and go. Some stay and some don't. I used an .o6,with hand loads. 165 gr. Spitzer. Never took more than 1 shot. I'm not a great marksman, just cautious. The 06 is may favorite go to.
Shot 06 my hole life 2 shoulder ops i got a 7m08 Ruger boy is sweet 300yds a 4to5in group and no shoulder problems got my first buck last year with it Its a nice one I did put a mussel brake on my 06 it did help a little thanks guys Let's go Brandon
The plastic sabot melted quickly inside the bore after firing and left a residue in the bore that killed accuracy …….stay away from the instinct Accelerator.
With the 180-gr. Nosler Partition, 55 grs. IMR 4350 at 3.30″ overall cartridge length, in FC Brass approximates the 180-gr. Federal Premium load. Fed 210M Primer and FC Brass.
@@dundonrl Oh really 35 Wheelen you say is hard to find then explain to me why I can any day go to Cabalas - Sportsman Wearhouse - small gun shop here in the Pacific Northwest right now then buy a box of 20 Remington or Federal 35 Wheelen and I am from Alaska, so any gun shop I have been in from Anchorage AK also has 35 Wheelen ammo. The gun shop in Eagle River AK always has some brand of 35 Wheelen ammo. And Chimo guns in Wasilla AK always has 35 Wheelen ammo for sale. Your 30-06 fanboyism has blinded and polluted your brain! With 30-06 brass every place reloading the 35 Wheelen from 30-06 brass is absolute easy. I am even using 30-06 brass to make 308 reloads with one pass of 30-06 brass in the RCBS 308 die then cut to length and reload I have great 308 brass from 30-06 spent brass.
My rifle is a Husqvarna 6.5x55 SE which is all the rifle needed for anything I am likely to encounter. Giant .30 caliber really heavy bullets offer punishing recoil are an American Mindset. Bigger is NOT necessarily better. What is important is Ballistic Coefficient and Sectional Density. Frankly my 6.5x55 SE will out shoot the venerable 30/06 on any North American game including the Alaskan Brown Bear. I haven't hunted Woodland Caribou or Elk in many years but I do remember how easily my rifle dispatched very large game animals at reasonably long distances. 160 gr. Hollowpoint Boattail Spitzers are incredibly lethal without beating the crap out of my shoulder.
Show me all the Alaskan brown bears you've killed yourself with the 6.5 Sweed to prove you are the world expert that the 6.5 Swed is an Alaskan brown bear gun! I am for 26 year an Alaskan professional guide that does brown bears hunts and I have the photos to prove it. The last 2 SE Alaska Brown bears I guided clients to those bears 1 took 5 bullets of 510 grains to the vitals from a 458 Lott at 50 yards. Next bear took 9 30 cal 180 grain Trophy bonded bear claw bullet to the vitals from a 300-win mag then I had to shoot the bear 5 time from the 338 I own to get the bear to stop running into the river. Yeah and you want to tell everyone the 6.5 Swed is an Alaskan brown bear gun .
So you are only revealing ypu guided hunters with huge calibers and punishing recoil that cannot shoot well. I don't need to show you any photos. Your big mouth said it all. You were guiding people that can't shoot. Period. I would also suggest that your knowledge of ballistics is certainly lacking since there is a really long list of African Professional Hunters taking 2 ton Cape Buffalo with one shot kills using the 6.5x55 Swede. You can shoot your mouth off all you want but there is plenty of evidence that doesn't support your claims regarding BALLISTICS.
My 9 pound Sako 30 06 with a good butt pad shooting 180 grains at 2750 fps kicks about as much as a 6.5 swede believe it or not. The 6.5 is a great gun and has killed a lot of moose, but people usually fail to acknowledge the distance is usually 150m or less.
You will get eaten alive if you persist in hunting for them there big bears with your 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser. You may get away with it until you miss the mark on your bear, and then you will see how it feels to get eaten alive.
