For years, I've hunted with Rem. or Win 165gr. I'm trying different loads from different manufacturers in my new Model 70 .30-06 to take my shooting beyond the needs of a big game hunter inside or at 100 yards. My goal is to step out to longer distances and tighten my performance; Opportunities in the Panhandle might require a 200-250 yard shot -- I'd like to be doing well at least 300 yards. I'll eventually be going beyond that just to push the limits of my abilities.

Experiences? Good or bad.

I do not shoot a 30-06 but the 165gr Accubond and Sirocco bullets have performed well in my 308s. In factory loads the Nosler Custom 165gr accubonds and the Remington Primier 165gr siroccos bave shot groups of 2 1/2 inches at 325 yards in my 308s and hit to the same POI. Both are good bullets that will hold together on close shots and expend well on the longer shots. Do not know what they look like after hitting deer or hog since all have exited.

My uncle does reloading for me and he's mentioned that the siroco bullets are great for marksmanship purposes, but I do know that he's partial to the Nosler partitions for any hunting application. I've personally never shot them, any opinions?

Out to 300 yards, use whatever decent game bullet, groups well from your rifle. Over 300 yards and then bullet shape and ballistic coefficient start making a difference.

I also like the partitions very much. The design intent when Nosler setout to make a bonded core bullet was to have the Ballistic coeficient of the Ballistic tip and behave like a partition, expand up fromt but retain at least 2/3 of the bullet weight for deep penetration in game. I think they did a very good job with that design.

The Sirocco bullets from Swift are the first "bonded Core: bullets with boattail design and plastic tip that I know of. They have a copper jackey and ped core and expand very good and generally expand more than the partition or accubons while retaining 90% or more of the original weight.

Partition, Accubond or Sirocco are all very food bullets and with a 165gr one in the 30-06 I would not hesitate to hunt anythgin up to elk size animals with them. Find a bullet and load your rifle likes and have fun.

Good point, nsmike. For the immediate future, hunting will be what "matters". As I progress, like I said, I'm going to deck my rifle out for the 1k shot, but would never attempt to take an animal at that distance. I'll cross that bridge when I get there. Ideally I'd like to find the right load for each application.

kmon1, that's exactly how it was explained to me and I think either one would do well in the field. I've always hunted with factory ammo and for awhile, stopped using a .30-06 when a bullet, more or less exploded inside the deer tearing out a good deal of meat. For cost effectiveness, I purchased a H&R Handi-Rifle (good rifle for the dough, btw.) chambered in .25-06; seemed to be a good rifle for anything in Texas. I've since moved that one out and have gone back to my .30-06; the partition seems right up my alley as far as that incident is concerned.

I like how your uncle thinks. Partitions have been the single best performer in my opinion in every gun I have loaded them for from 223-300wby. I just like them.

That said I have shot a few sirrocos through a buddies gun, and seen how they perform on game and I want to give them a try in the near future, I think they will be a very good option for you.

matt

another for your list to try. i used the federal 165 gr barnes triple shok. never stretched it out over 100 yards but they have a 180 grain that will keep the momentum going further out. little more pricy but every hog it hit went down and didn't get back up which included a double.

For the barnes bullets, I an most people who use them will recomend you run a lighter weight bullet for the caliber. A typical wight for a 3006 is 165, I would be looking at a 150, or 130 grain for a 3006 if they make one or even lighter.

matt

I load the 165 Accubond in my 30-06 with outstanding results and accuracy.

Yeah, I definately will try out the nosler partition, and from what was mentioned above, the sirrocos. I'll have to look into the barnes, my uncle didn't mention having any loads with them, but we may look into it. If my wife would afford me the space, I could be more free to reload myself, but for now, I'll be bouncing ideas off of him. How do the ligher weight bullets perform. I know the 150 is on the light side and I've shot some factory loads in that weight, but I dont' recall ever shooting a 130gr or less.

150s in the bullets we are talking about would be fine as long as you rifle shoots then well. A good friend that doesn't reload uses factory 150gr Siroccos for his elk load in a 300RUM with good results on shots between 100 and 370 yards 3 one shot kills with high shoulder shots and an exit on all 3.

I've shot a lot of game with a 150 grain .30-06 it has always worked well. Regular old Winchester Power Points have worked fine for smaller deer. If your deer dress out 200 lbs plus then a stouter bullet is needed. I wouldn't worry about the 150 gr until the animals start exceding 350 lbs field dressed. That's the point at which I would step up to a 165-180 grain bullet.

I tried out some heavier loads this weekend. I went from Federal 150 to Federal 180's. I have rarely ever shot the 180's as I mentioned before, in the past I've primarily kept to the 165. I had heard somewhere, maybe it was here and I just don't recall or didnt' see it when I scanned responses above, but I had heard of a 220 gr bullet. Can anyone verify this? When I heard about it, I thought it would make a good hog round. I have all these ideas, and have yet to have a single round loaded. Hopefully, I get to pretty soon, right now I'm just trying to get them all down.

220 is too much of an arc at 300.

165 is the 30.06's bread and butter.

I shoot 165 federal premium any thing. All of them do VERY well and group sub moa. Right now i'm shooting the 165 sierra game king.

For the 300 yard shot: zero your rifle at 200. It will be 3" high at 100 yards and 6-7 inches low at 300 yards. So at 300 yards level the crosshairs across the shoulder blades and let her roar.

Good info, coach.

I figured that the 220 would not be suitable for long distance. If I just wanted to make a hog thumper, I'd figure it to be for use with in 100 yards; and I know, just as well as anyone else that that pretty much cuts the ought-six off at the knees. If I did that I would probably designate a rifle for that purpose only, but it wouldn't get alot of use. I believe that I agree with many people here that the 165 is the all around bullet of choice. That'll probably be a part of the optimum handload I choose for hunting. I'll probably start experimenting with loads beyond 300 yards after this coming up deer season.

Where I remember the 220gr bullets being recomended the most is for big bear or moose type animals, especially with cup and core bullets. For hogs the lighter bullets 150gr and up are still hammers on hogs from a 30-06.

i am shooting a 180 grn accubond , and 178 grn amax in my 300wsm and getting great rtrns for the money.. the 178 grn amax looks like it is going to be my go to round for nxt seasons hill country deer.. i think if you reload h4350 and the 178 grn amx would b awesome. some folks will disagree about my bullet choice but i am a big believer in shot placement and know where i am putting the shot.. GOODLUCK

That sounds like a nice one to try, and yes, shot placement is everything. I've taken alot of these down to atleast try and see what works best. Being the first time that I have experimented with handloads, I'm open to anything that has yeilded good results to other forum members. That's what I like about THF, we get to bounce all kinds of stuff off of each other. Everyone here has been very helpful and I look forward to trying some of these components out. I'll probably look to have some loads done within the month, and hopefully have a good report, atleast a start anyways.

I get outstanding results shooting 165gr Accubond.

Superformance in whatever grain your rifle likes. End of discussion.

X2

Unless your gun does not like Superformance. If talking about factory loads Hornady will tell you they are not accurate at all in some rifles. I have 2 7mm-08s that groups are best described as patterns. 3+ inches for guns that are capable of 1/2 inch groups with other ammo including Hornady litemag.

I've shot and tested the Nosler Partition, Speer Grand Slam,Nosler Ballistic Tip & Flat Base, Speer Boat Tail Sptzr, and
the Barnes X, TSX,TTSX in everything that the mfgs make them for
from 22 thru 338...note some don't do the smaller bullets..

Not one even wipes the dust for penatration, or wgt retention of
the Barnes Product..they are a little more work to develope a load for, but well worth the effort and in the same price range
as Nosler Part....That's why Nosler *& Hornady both started making Copper Pellets...Your Uncle is where I was about 30 yrs. ago...Oh, it usually costs me around $200 to develope a load unless I use someone else's data and it works..Don

I'm a big fan of nosler partitions and unless I'm going for something Moose size I stick with 150's, fast, flat and accurate.