30-06 long range factory load options

[Ruskin]

Looking for some suggestions on factory ammo for a 30-06. Will be used for elk hunting in CO out to 500 at 11,000 feet. Building a hand load is a project for next year, so I'm going to be using off the shelf ammo. I've been reading about HSM 185 Berger...seems like a decent option. What else should I be considering?

 

[Backstrap]

I don't have experience with Berger bullets for hunting but know guys that use their target bullets and swear by them. Any premium bullet in 180gr weight will work for you at that range with practice and if you switch to a solid, 165gr will work as well. Best of luck.

 

[Justin Crossley]

I would try the Bergers and also the Accubonds. Shoot whichever your rifle likes better and you will be good to go.

 

[krueger]

500 yards is really far for elk hunting and for a 30-06. Barnes makes a factory load 180 TSX (full copper bullet) that has pretty good pentration that might fit the bill. Idk anything about you or your abilities but in my experience elk are big tough animals that require very precise shot placement, so if you are shooting 500 yards at an elk in rough terrian only do so under perfectly optimal conditions when you know you can make the perfect shoot 100% of the time. Its hard enough to even find exactly where the animal was standing or finding a blood trail at those distances once you hike over after the shot and an elk can easily go a long ways if they aren't hit good. I have seen other hunters wound elk at ranges a lot closer than 500 yards and not be able to find a blood trail or even the exact place the animal was standing before the shot. I've also seen alot of wounded and lost dead elk too. Its possible and i know people can do it but 500 yard shots with a 30-06 is well beyond the effective range for the average hunter IMO.

 

[krueger]

But then again you may not be an average hunter!

 

[Ruskin]

Sometimes I can be smarter than the average bear, sometimes. I'm in the process of figuring out my ethical effective range. Currently I use Remington 180 core-lokt, but ballistically there seem to better options for longer ranges. So looking to do my research and see how it plays out in practice...before this fall.

 

[realunlucky]

I'll be interested to see your results

 

[Sam Millard]

Looking for some suggestions on factory ammo for a 30-06. Will be used for elk hunting in CO out to 500 at 11,000 feet. Building a hand load is a project for next year, so I'm going to be using off the shelf ammo. I've been reading about HSM 185 Berger...seems like a decent option. What else should I be considering?

For 500 yard shots at that elevation, the 185 Berger load will still be cooking along at over 2000 fps. The 168 Berger and 178 AMAX loads will be, too. All 3 of those bullets will work fine at the velocity the '06 provides, from the barrel to 500 yards.

A shot at 500 in the prone is easier than a quick shot standing @ 100 yards. Still have to put that bullet on the "x" with either shot!

 

[Ryan Avery]

I see zero issues with using a good 180 bullet out to 500 on elk. Put the time in now to know your rifle can group well at that range. Don't make your first 500 yard shot be at an elk

 

[Backpack Hunter]

Winchester XP3 ammo has worked well for me.

 

[Sundodger]

My savage 110 30-06 shoots Federal Premium trophy copper 165's like none other. I was well over MOA and switching to those when I do my part right is .375 MOA. With the copper bullets just make sure you have enough velocity downrange to open properly.

 

[Yellowknife]

500 yards is really far for elk hunting and for a 30-06. Barnes makes a factory load 180 TSX (full copper bullet) that has pretty good pentration that might fit the bill.

The penetration with the Barnes is good, but from personal experience the expansion starts to get minimal past 300 yds when fired from a 30-06. Even though they are very very accurate in my gun, I would hesitate using them past 400 yds at '06 speeds due to that factor.



The left side Barnes 175 LRX was pulled from the off side of a moose killed at a little over 200 yds last season and showed total expansion and good damage. The two on the right were pulled from another moose killed at a little over 300 yd a few months later. Penetration was the same in all cases (under hide on off side), but at 300+ the expansion was far less and the bullets basically just drilled smallish diameter holes through the vitals.

I'm ok with that performance for a moose bullet, but would pick a different projectile for 30-06 speeds at longer ranges.

Yk

 

[Rucker61]

The factory specs on the Hornady Superformance cartridges look interesting. I picked up a box in .308 to compare against my handloads this spring. They have several offerings in .30-06 that might suit your needs.