Elk cartridge 30-06

[Mike1712]

Hello,

I just bought a 30-06 superlite and I want some informative detail, what ammo works 165-180 grain for elk, and deer? I have been thinking of reloading what primer and powder? What would be a general zero 200, 215, 225 yard? Vortex diamondback 4-12x40. Just gotten into using a rifle and want people information they can give me. Thanks in advance!!

 

[Southern Elk]

I use 165 grain Nosler partitions in mine. I always zero my rifles at 200 yards.

 

[VikingsGuy]

It's not ideal forum etiquette to double post - best to keep the answers in one thread. For others, here is the first identical post: https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/tikka-t3x-superlite-for-elk-and-deer.297407/#post-2983980

 

[diamond hitch]

I'm pretty much old school and load hornady 180 interlocks. For BARs I Load IMR 4064 at .1 grain increments according to the handbook and let the gun tell me what it likes. I sight in at 1 inch high at 50 yds. which should give me center at 250-300 yds.

 

[AggieHunter]

Zero at 100 or 200 and then just figure out the adjustments you would need to make to the scope turret when shooting at further distances and write them down. You could just figure out how high to hold at longer distances but I like to just dial in the scope.

 

[radman]

165 or 180 Nosler Partition or any good cup and core with H4350. Sight it in 2 inches high at 100 yards. Then shoot it at 200, 300 and 400 to learn trajectory. Measure the drop with a ruler and figure out where to aim on an elk or deer at the different distances. Write the aim points down on a little card, don;t over think it.

 

[buffybr]

165 or 180 Nosler Partition or any good cup and core with H4350. Sight it in 2 inches high at 100 yards. Then shoot it at 200, 300 and 400 to learn trajectory. Measure the drop with a ruler and figure out where to aim on an elk or deer at the different distances. Write the aim points down on a little card, don;t over think it.

^^^^^^^^ This says it all ^^^^^^^^

 

[JohnCushman]

I shot and killed elk with 165 grain Fusions before I started reloading, now I shoot 165 grain accubonds. I zero 3 inches high at 100, which gives me about a 250 yard zero and I can put the shot aimed into the high shoulder on an elk at 400 yards and still hit lungs/heart.

 

[30338]

155 scenar, H4350, wlr primer. I zero at 100 yards and simply dial up distance with an SWFA 6x.

 

[oklahunter2]

180 gr partitions with 56.5 GR IMR-4350 sighted in at 100yds. Great load

 

[elkduds]

Welcome to the forum. Mostly deer, I choose 165 gr. Mostly elk, 180-190 in 30-06, bonded or partition. Monometal, 150 gr if your rifle shoots them well.

 

[Desk Pop]

When I had a 30-06 I shot 150 grain Coreloks because that is what they shot the best. They killed 6 elk and a bunch of other stuff. Any halfway decent bullet that shoots well will work. A 200 yard zero is nice if you are holding over and not dialing. It is a great elk set up that you have described.

 

[6mm Remington]

I have used the exact same load in two 30-06 rifles and each of these rifles liked this particular load. It shoots great. Lots of folks find a great load using IMR4350 or H4350 and with 165 gr. bullets someplace between 56 and 58 grains. Here's my load but work up to it in your rifle. I absolutely guarantee it is a great load for just about anything you want to hunt. Perfect for deer, black bear, elk, moose antelope.

MY LOAD:
165 gr. Nosler Partition or Accubond (Watch Shooter's Pro Shop and you can find good deals on blemished or over-run bullets.)

Federal 210 primers - I'm using 210 Match. Nothing wrong with CCI 200 primers either.

Winchester brass - Seems to work for me. Only use one brand of brass working up a load. Loading several different brands of brass and trying to shoot groups with a mixed bunch will be ultra frustrating. Nosler makes some good brass as does Hornady and Remington.

IMR4350 - 57.4 grs.

I shoot everything with the 165 gr. and have never felt the need to load a 180 gr. Nothing wrong with it though. I sight in:
100 yards: 2 1/2 - 2 3/4"
200 yards: you will be a a little high - couple inches or so
300 yards: 3" low
400 yards: 14" low
500 yards: 32 1/2" low

I corrected the 400 and 500 yard drop figures.

I have shot those distances using that sight in elevation and this is my results on paper and not just looking in a trajectory table and figuring out what my actual drop is. Once you have a load your rifle likes as others have said, take it out and shoot those distances and see what your actual drop will be for your particular rifle with the load that you put together for it. Best of luck. The 30-06 is a good, no great cartridge!!

 

[mtmuley]

I have used the exact same load in two 30-06 rifles and each of these rifles liked this particular load. It shoots great. Lots of folks find a great load using IMR4350 or H4350 and with 165 gr. bullets someplace between 56 and 58 grains. Here's my load but work up to it in your rifle. I absolutely guarantee it is a great load for just about anything you want to hunt. Perfect for deer, black bear, elk, moose antelope.

MY LOAD:
165 gr. Nosler Partition or Accubond (Watch Shooter's Pro Shop and you can find good deals on blemished or over-run bullets.)

Federal 210 primers - I'm using 210 Match. Nothing wrong with CCI 200 primers either.

Winchester brass - Seems to work for me. Only use one brand of brass working up a load. Loading several different brands of brass and trying to shoot groups with a mixed bunch will be ultra frustrating. Nosler makes some good brass as does Hornady and Remington.

IMR4350 - 57.4 grs.

I shoot everything with the 165 gr. and have never felt the need to load a 180 gr. Nothing wrong with it though. I sight in:
100 yards: 2 1/2 - 2 3/4"
200 yards: you will be a a little high - couple inches or so
300 yards: 3" low
400 yards: 12" low
500 yards: 24" low

I have shot those distances using that sight in elevation and this is my results on paper and not just looking in a trajectory table and figuring out what my actual drop is. Once you have a load your rifle likes as others have said, take it out and shoot those distances and see what your actual drop will be for your particular rifle with the load that you put together for it. Best of luck. The 30-06 is a good, no great cartridge!!

24 inches low at 500? You sure about that? mtmuley

 

[6mm Remington]

24 inches low at 500? You sure about that? mtmuley

Yes sir. I shot it at a target that was long from top to bottom was butcher paper I taped to a backing. I posted a red target dot on the top edge and then shot a 3 shot group and it was right at 24" low. That load chronographed in my Ruger 1B is right at 2940 fps.

I had been shooting quite a bit that day and was testing bullets in water jugs at 400 and 500 yards. I verified the range and made it exact using my Leupold 1200 range finder. Right at the end I shot two groups with my 30-06 with a 4x Leupold scope on it. The first one I think I rushed and like I said I'd been shooting prone with two or three other rifles. My first group was 9" which is not very good. I went back and shot another one and shot a nice group that if I recall correctly was right at about 4" in diameter. I settled down and took my time on the second group and was pleased with those results. I took pictures of what I did and I'll try and see if I still have those on photo bucket.

I corrected the drop figures based on my load and my 2 1/2" high sight in at 100 yards.

 

[6mm Remington]

Here are three bullets recovered at 400 yards that day. I was shooting into gallon water jugs lined up. The top two were shot out of my Ruger 1B in 6mm Remington and the bottom was out of my son's Ruger MK II. Still looking for more.

 

[6mm Remington]

The 3 shots noted 2nd group. The 1st group is the larger one with three shots that is about 9 1/2" I guess.

 

[6mm Remington]

The 400 yard 30-06 Accubond recovery I hit the jug right at the bottom and the bullet hit the particle board I used to sit the water jugs on to line them up easier. That is why it is slightly deformed. As noted the 180 gr. Accubond is out of my son's 300 WSM at 500 yards.

 

[6mm Remington]

90 gr. E-tip out of 6mm Ruger MK II at 400 yards
100 gr. Nosler Partition out of Ruger 1B at 400 yards
90 gr. Accubond out of Ruger 1B at 400 yards.

 

[6mm Remington]

Here's what the targets looked like. I used the upper larger orange dot as the point I held on. The first dot below is exactly 12" center to center from the top down. The next orange dot at the bottom is exactly 12" below the middle dot. I held on the upper dot at 400 and 500 yards. That is how I determined the amount of drop at the different ranges.