load work up for 30.06

[citori]

I have been out of the rifle arena for sometime now (archery) and would like to get back in.
I'm currently shooting a pre '64 winchester M 70 featherweight and would like to work up a load for deer and elk out to 300 yards or so. Any help on suggested bullet weight, brand, style would be greatly appreciated.
Oh ya factory loads for the time being. It will be late spring or summer before I will be able to start hand loading.

Thanks in advanced for any help,
Terry

[goose7856]

I just shot 30-06, 165 Grain, Hornady Interbong Light Magnums today......they seemed to shoot well, but I think something may have been wrong with my scope!! :cry:

[Rogue Ram]

Highly recommend trying those Hornaday Light Magnums! Try various grains, etc.  I can't load my FN bolt rifle to match what the Hornadays give me in the velocity and accuracy department. I can vouch for what they do to mulies out to 250-300 and up close: those Interlocks hold together just swell. Maybe try heavier bullet on elk and/or try Federal High Energy rounds as well, they just haven't shot as good as the Hornadays in my FN.

RR

[Mikey]

Hay citori:  just drop right on down about a dozen or so lines in this forum to the 'poor old weatherby and the 30-06' post.  It should have a lot of interesting information for you on loads for the 06.

Also, although the Hornaday Light Magnums are great loads for those who do not reload, I can get the same loads, if not better, from my ol Lyman manual.

If you are going for Elk and deer to 300 yds, the plain ol ordinary Hornaday 180 gn boat tailed spire points will work very well, as will their 180 gn round nose soft point.

However, since you're going to be working these up on a fetherweight, you may wish to get a PAST Recoil sheild.  HTH.  Mikey.

[colorado bob]

My pet load for my 30/06 is  56 grains of 4350 IMR, Winchester primers, 180 grain "Hornady Spire Point".     I've used it for years now on elk, deer, mtn goat & bighorns-----all here in Colorado.       It the plain jane "Hornady" flat base bullet with the interlock ring.    It works.     It shoots very accurate out of my rifle.    

Try different bullets, powders etc------Heck that's half the fun.

[handirifle]

colorado bob,
On the 180gr interlokt.  Does it go completely through an elk on broadside shots?  What about shoulder shots, if necessary, do they hold up and what is the penetration like.

I used the smae bullet and nearly the same load for elk in NM last month but never got to fire a shot at meat.  I was curious as to performance and what you think max range with that load should be?

Thanks.

[colorado bob]

handirifle----My last 3 bulls have been taken with that load.      In 2001, the shot was at @150 yards, high shoulder shot, the bullet didn't pass thru--he went about 100 yards before he piled up.  I didn't recover the bullet.

2003--The shot was at 100 yards, quartering away---he went about 50 yards,  bullet didn't pass thru.    Again no recovery of the bullet

2004--The shot was @60 yards.    I hit this bull right on the point of the shoulder.     Bone fragments everywhere---still penatrated the chest--lungs were mush.     The bull went about 6 steps before he dropped.    I didn't recover the bullet.

I used the same load on bighorn--160 yards--broad side--no pass thru.
Mtn Goat----75 yards--just behind the shoulder--
Several deer on the shoulder.

I've not recover any of the bullets---I really didn't look thru all the entrails, only way I would find one is if it was under the hide in the off side of the animal.

Max range-----My max range is 275-300 yards---past that I don't shoot.    

I started to handload for the sheep hunt & have stuck with the load.  It's really accurate out of my rifle.    Before that I used plain jane "Core-lokt" or "Power-points" with never a problem on deer, blk bear & elk.    I did recover a nice mushroom "Core-lokt" from a cow.     All were 180 grain bullets.   CB

[goose7856]

well as i posted before, I got some of the Hornady LM for a 30-06.....they are loaded with the InterBond bullet, not the Interlock, but to each his own.

I just got back from deer hunting, and I bagged two nice does (one weighing 135 lbs, and the other 120 lbs)......the bullets were AWSOME!!

All I can say is wow. All of the internals became mush, and there was an EXIT hole, so that made easy tracking.

The 135 lb doe dropped on a 70 yard shoulder shot. Went through both shoulders, and left about a half doller size hole in the cape......but.......once the cape was off, the hole was about the size of my FIST!! BTW this deer dropped on the spot......

the next one had the same results, but right when I shot she took a step, and the shot was a little far back. She ran about 40 yards and piled up.......great bullets, if you need to know about anything else about them just post and maybe I can help a little......

good luck

[lilabner]

The most important element where elk are concerned is a bullet that will hold together and penetrate. The classic broadside shot isn't always available so you need a bullet that can reach the boiler room from an angle, travelling as far through the animal as necessary. The Nosler partition was the top bullet for years and is still good, but I think the Barnes X bullet is now the best. The 180 spitzer is a good choice for the distances you're talking about.  H4350 is my favorite powder and 56 gr. is a good stiff load.  Put some padding between the buttstock and your shoulder to take the sting out of your Featherweight and sighting in will be more fun. They don't kick when you're shooting at game!

[citori]

Thanks for all of the help. Being new to this forum I was unsure about what kind of response that I would get. This is great information and I will use it.

Thank You,
Terry