30.06 ai

kiwi hunta

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Anyone on here using one? Just picked up a custom mauser bulit on a VZ24 action 26" barrel, looking at these projectiles for Tahr hunting.

The following copied from the Terminal Ballistic website

The 165 grain Speer BTSP is very soft, producing fast clean kills and wide exit wounding on light bodied game down to 1800fps or 710 yards in the .30-06. This bullet is a good performer on game weighing up to and around 150kg (330lb) and can be used on heavier bodied deer with care. BC is a very high .520.

Hornady’s 165 bullets tend to produce excellent accuracy and velocities in .30-06 rifles, whether of vintage designs and twist rates, or modern barrel designs. This bullet weight is ideal for game weighing between 80 and 150kg (180-330lb). That said, the traditional Interlock and SST bullets are fast expanders, producing wide wounding on light bodied game and adequate penetration on slightly heavier game. Of the two designs, the SST is, as can be expected, the more dramatic killer. On lean game at longer ranges, the 165 grain SST never really produces immensely delayed killing. There can at times be a delay in killing at long ranges but the results are nonetheless emphatic. Penetration on game weighing between 150 and 180kg (330-400lb) is acceptable at close ranges where velocity is still around 2900fps however exit wounding cannot be expected on tough game. While the 165 grain Hornady bullets and especially the SST are ideally suited to mid weight game species of the suggested weight range, some hunters would rightly view this bullet weight and the SST design as a good all-around performer.

The 178 grain A-Max is a hard hitting bullet and can be employed for all around work on game weighing up to 150kg or so, again, with an understanding towards limitations and shot placement at close ranges on larger animals. On game weighing less than 90kg, the A-Max can be used at woods ranges without fuss regarding penetration. The strengths of this bullet do of course occur at long range and the 178 grain A-Max fragments in a reliable manner, right down to 1400fps (900 yards). The sound barrier and potential associated bullet yaw occurs at around 1200 yards from an MV of 2800fps. BC is .495.

In the .30-06, the 208 grain A-Max can be driven at around 2500fps. Seem slow?- not at all. As an open country large deer/Elk bullet, the 208 grain A-Max with its high BC of .648 shows its strengths, producing excellent wounding and adequate penetration light through to large framed game between the ranges of 100 yards and 1000 yards. Below 2200fps, 18-24” penetration can be expected through flesh, not bad for a frangible bullet. The 208 grain A-Max does however require a fast twist barrel of 1:10 for optimum accuracy.

Any other options guyss?
 
I've put a fair number of whitetail down with the sst and a standard 30-06, I switched over to the interlock. The sst bullets do just what folks say, but it's a hell of a mess on the inside. If you hit bone, the bullet explodes. I experienced a lot of meat loss as well. Not so much witht the interlock.

In the A.I. Velocities, I'd stick with a standard cup and core bullet or a bonded one (interbond, accubond, tbbc, deep curl, etc).

I don't have any experience with the a-max but have read about good results if used within it's limitations.
 
My son has one, a Model 70 "Featherweight", that we got from a friend years ago.
He mainly shoots 150 grain Barnes, pushing 3000 fps.
Gotta include the following photo, even though the rifle isn't in it. There's been a thread going about District 312 muley bucks, and this was the best one in the neighborhood back in '07. Cody had just gotten home from school, and that buck made the mistake of courting does down here on the farm. So although he doesn't ordinarily hunt in tenny runners...!

CodyMuley07.jpg
 
I'd take a look at the Barnes LRX too (175 or 200) both have a BC above .5 which seems like what you're looking for. I'm working on a load with the 175 in m 300WSM.

What is the twist in your rifle....that may be a factor in how heavy you can go.
 
I have been tempted to ackleyize a .30-06 that I have, but I'm also very intrigued by that .280 AI..... choices, choices. Good thread topic, I'm interested to see the replies, good ones so far.
 
Ordered some 165's and have a mate shooting 180's out of his win mag so will borrow some of those.

ZF55 had a 280 AI on a Parker Hale action but only a 22 inch 1-10 barrel and wouldn't shoot the 162 amax so sold it on, have a straight 280 now built on a VZ24 action 1-7.5 twist, does everything my 7mmrem mag does so selling off the 7mm now I have the 06AI.

Its going to be dedicated Tahr rifle so not worried about loosing the meat of the front half, just want them to stay put when shot otherwise you loose a lot off the bluffs.

Cheers Guys.
 
Last edited:
The 165 grain Speer BTSP is very soft, producing fast clean kills and wide exit wounding on light bodied game down to 1800fps or 710 yards in the .30-06. This bullet is a good performer on game weighing up to and around 150kg (330lb) and can be used on heavier bodied deer with care. BC is a very high .520.

Hornady’s 165 bullets tend to produce excellent accuracy and velocities in .30-06 rifles, whether of vintage designs and twist rates, or modern barrel designs. This bullet weight is ideal for game weighing between 80 and 150kg (180-330lb). That said, the traditional Interlock and SST bullets are fast expanders, producing wide wounding on light bodied game and adequate penetration on slightly heavier game. Of the two designs, the SST is, as can be expected, the more dramatic killer. On lean game at longer ranges, the 165 grain SST never really produces immensely delayed killing. There can at times be a delay in killing at long ranges but the results are nonetheless emphatic. Penetration on game weighing between 150 and 180kg (330-400lb) is acceptable at close ranges where velocity is still around 2900fps however exit wounding cannot be expected on tough game. While the 165 grain Hornady bullets and especially the SST are ideally suited to mid weight game species of the suggested weight range, some hunters would rightly view this bullet weight and the SST design as a good all-around performer.

The 178 grain A-Max is a hard hitting bullet and can be employed for all around work on game weighing up to 150kg or so, again, with an understanding towards limitations and shot placement at close ranges on larger animals. On game weighing less than 90kg, the A-Max can be used at woods ranges without fuss regarding penetration. The strengths of this bullet do of course occur at long range and the 178 grain A-Max fragments in a reliable manner, right down to 1400fps (900 yards). The sound barrier and potential associated bullet yaw occurs at around 1200 yards from an MV of 2800fps. BC is .495.

In the .30-06, the 208 grain A-Max can be driven at around 2500fps. Seem slow?- not at all. As an open country large deer/Elk bullet, the 208 grain A-Max with its high BC of .648 shows its strengths, producing excellent wounding and adequate penetration light through to large framed game between the ranges of 100 yards and 1000 yards. Below 2200fps, 18-24” penetration can be expected through flesh, not bad for a frangible bullet. The 208 grain A-Max does however require a fast twist barrel of 1:10 for optimum accuracy.

Also, some of the stuff that guy says makes me wonder what he's been smoking. I would take his advice with a grain of salt.
 
ZF55 had a 280 AI on a Parker Hale action but only a 22 inch 1-10 barrel and wouldn't shoot the 162 amax so sold it on, have a straight 280 now built on a VZ24 action 1-7.5 twist, does everything my 7mmrem mag does so selling off the 7mm now I have the 06AI.

Sounds as though you should crank that 7 RM up a bit.
 
I tried, but the hotter the load the worse it shot :( had it bedded, crowned, trigger done etc the best it will do is about 1.25 inches with swifts, might try some real slow powder?

OK will get some Nosler as well they shoot good in the 280 and in the 257 and its all trigger time and that can't hurt.

That ballistic site is a combination of a New Zealander and an American who pooled their knowledge seems to work out in most of my other calibres :)
 
I'd also look at the 180gr Ballistic Tip and/or 190gr Accubond Long Range (when available). They should be plenty of bullet for that size of critter and have decent BCs. That said, I've used the 165gr Partition out of my standard 30-06 with nothing but excellent results. One of those killed 3 pigs earlier this year!

FWIW, I've read that the 30-06AI and 300 Rem Short Action Ultra Mag (SAUM) have very similar capacities. Therefore load data should be pretty interchangable if you're looking at more sources of info.
 
Good day, back from Africa and have got hold of the rifle. Tried 165 SST and Speer 165 with 58.5 of ADI 2209 ( H4350) and 63 of ADI 2213sc (H4831) all groups shot into less than .75 MOA with the SST printing about 1.5 inches higher than the Speer so don't know which bullet /load to go with, a happy decision really I suppose, I'm thinking of doing a ladder test to see when pressure signs start and then look at the 178 Amax as well, they have a BC of .495 so if the barrel will stabilise them they may be the first pick.

Cheers Jeff
 
Good day, back from Africa and have got hold of the rifle. Tried 165 SST and Speer 165 with 58.5 of ADI 2209 ( H4350) and 63 of ADI 2213sc (H4831) all groups shot into less than .75 MOA with the SST printing about 1.5 inches higher than the Speer so don't know which bullet /load to go with, a happy decision really I suppose, I'm thinking of doing a ladder test to see when pressure signs start and then look at the 178 Amax as well, they have a BC of .495 so if the barrel will stabilise them they may be the first pick.

Cheers Jeff

Did you chrony it?
 
Nope not yet but with a 26" tube I'm guessing around 2900 going on the ADI loading book info



30-06 Improved

130 AR2209 24" - - - 65.0 3250 -
150 AR2209 24" - - - 62.5 3100 -
165 AR2209 24" - - - 59.5 3000 -
180 AR2209 24" - - - 58.0 2900 -
200 AR2209 24" - - - 56.0 2750 -
 

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