I’ve got buddies who ask have similar questions to this. Try bunch of different ammo and find what you’re rifle will shoot best. Site it in with that and never deviate -that is, only purchase the same ammunition for your rifle from now on.
It might seem odd, but typically your gun is going to shoot different ammunition to a different point of impact. It could be left or right or up or down. Seating depth, powder, projectile grains… It all makes a difference. If you aren’t reloading, find a factory load your rifle likes better than any other and stick with that
I don’t run a 06 but that’s been my fathers go to round for as long as I can remember I currently reload 180gr accubonds for him. I think if it was a deer specific rifle I’d look at 165’s but for a do all deer elk etc I think 180 is where I’d put my money.
Apparently this was a valid question based on the number of responses. I was thinking it was about as necessary as “What 50 cal round for ground squirrels?” Can you go too small? I am no expert, but I would guess what ever gives you the best groups will be your best bet.
I loaded 150 grain Barnes TTSX over Superformance & get about 3040 FPS with sensational accuracy in 5 different 30-06 rifles from Savage to Ruger to TC 2 to 50 year old rifles.
I use 180 TTSX. It’ll kill mule deer or anything else in a North America. But it’s almost certainly heavier than you need. I hate switching back and forth btwn deer and elk season, so that’s the one I use. And I don’t often shoot over 200 yds.
I have 2 30-06 rifles right now, one of them shoots 180 partitions really well while the other is most accurate with 165g accubonds. Either of them would work fine but I’d probably take the one that shoots the 165s.
Sierraa 165gr BTSP pushed bye 48.7 gr.IMR 4895 CCI # 200 Lg. rifle primer, 2700 ft. per sec. out of ruger #1- load is right out of sierra loading manual, data backed bye Ken Waters pet loads manual. Good flying bullet out too 500 yards.