Hunting & Fishing Hunting rifle/scope best bullet design

[lt willy]

Hello Gents, longtime viewer and first time posting. Great site.
I am putting together my long time dream rifle, with the following components I have purchased.
CZ 550 FS (mannlicher stock and gorgeous)20" barrel and in 30 06 cal. Has fixed sights also which I wanted.
I just purchased yesterday my dream scope for it, a Nightforce NXS 2.5-10 x 32 with the 600 yard reticle NP-1 MV.
My goal is an all around rifle able to take game which will be mostly Whitetail and hopefully Elk in the near future out to 300 yards max.
I am going to put quick detach rings on her, have not decided on those yet.
My main question is I am looking to use one bullet that I can dope up with this scope/rifle combo and stick with it.
Something that will open and expend energy well on thinner skinned and boned deer and still perform well on elk.
Lots of contradictory opinions, could use some advise.
Thanks

 

[Scoop]

Re: Hunting rifle/scope best bullet design

I know there are some opinions to the contrary, but I have had good luck with the Barnes TSX in .223 Rem & .308 Win and the TTSX's in 6.5X47. A 150 gr TTSX out of an '06 would be potent medicine for anything North America has to offer IMHO. The tipped version is supposed to expand a little quicker (whitetails), but it's still an all-copper bullet, so penetration (elk, etc) should be excellent too. Killed 3 whitetails with the 6.5mm 120 grainer this year. Excellent performance with all being clean, one-shot affairs. I also like the fact that I don't have to pick toxic lead fragments out of my backstraps.

 

[coldboremiracle]

Re: Hunting rifle/scope best bullet design

Well, first of all welcome to the Hide, you will learn more than you ever hoped.
The '06 is a fine choice and will serve you very well, deer and elk are not that hard to kill, almost any of the bullets available from the big companies will suit you well in your pursuit of these animals. I am no big proponent of "premium bullets" though I have no problem with them either, I have never had the need for one in all my years of hunting. I have used Hornady, Sierra, and Speer on many deer and elk, from weights as small as 75gr up to 190gr. If I were you, I'd buy a couple of different boxes in the 150-180gr class and try a couple different loads until you find one that shoots best in your gun. FWIW I have had good luck with the Hornady 150 and 165 interlock in the '06.

 

[Tikkad]

Re: Hunting rifle/scope best bullet design

if you are not going to be reloading options will be limited. having said that the '06 does have a lot of great manufactured ammunition to choose from. like stated earlier the TSX is a deadly bullet. (I have always just loaded them myslef) it would be a good bullet in my opinion to stick with… With its high weight retention and limited expandability it would work great on deer with out blowing them up to much and still not have a problem with game such as elk. I have never shot and animal with a TSX and not had an exit wound. With my '06 i shot a 250 pound sow up the poo shoot and it went through the intestine up into the spinal cord and then exited right underneath the base of the head in the throat. one hell of a long wound channel IMO.

depending on your rate of twist i am a big fan of Federal ammunition they have a 165 grain TSX load that i think would do quite well. I have a friend that has shot barnes vortex ammo out of a couple guns and I am not impressed to say the least. Federal also loads a 180Gr but that might be a little on the large side for deer.

If you are looking for something with a little bit more expansion and energy transfer i would not overlook the Nosler partions. you might not always get an exit wound but they have been around for some time and are proven killers. I load them in my 300WBY for Hogs. Im not to worried about a blood trail with them I just want to drop them but i still almost always get an exit wound any ways.

 

[lt willy]

Re: Hunting rifle/scope best bullet design

Thanks guys, appreciate the input. I have never shot the TSX bullets but will give them a try.
I have always shot the Nosler 180 Partitions in the 30 06 but worry sometimes on deer size game about the pass through without a lot of expansion. I have seen it twice on deer. Deer ran a long way after the shot. No bullet recovered. Small exit wound.
Both times it was in the lung heart on the money.
The only time I had a dead stop on a deer with them was on a quarter toward me shoulder shot, the bullet was found under the hide in the middle of a one of the roasts in the rear quarter. The shoulder was busted in three and the deer only went five yards before piling up.
That is why I am trying to narrow down to a factory load that is not only accurate but will perform well deer to elk.

 

[DirtyDave]

Re: Hunting rifle/scope best bullet design

Great caliber with TONS of options. Anything 165gr on up would be good for double duty for deer/elk. For factory ammo I personally use Hornady Superformance GMX and SST in my 06. I have also used the TSX on pigs before.

 

[X-fan]

Re: Hunting rifle/scope best bullet design

The 30-06 will have no problem hitting at 600 however the remaining bullet velocity at that distance is getting near or even outside the bullet design envelope of the 180TSX. Quite possibly creating pin holes instead of expansion.

I don't believe you need a premium bullet with the 30-06, but you may be well advised to select a slippery bullet to keep the impact velocity as close to 2000fps as possible.

If that your ultimate goal to shoot game way out there I can't see myself trusting a factory load to get the job done.
Reloading gear is not that expensive.

I own 3 602 Brno's in a 9.3 and a various 375s (older 550s) and 550s in 375H&H, 416Rigby, and 450Vincent. None of my QD rings return to zero...Not even close.
Just so you know.

Peace.

 

[lt willy]

Re: Hunting rifle/scope best bullet design

thanks XFan, so if you want to stay on a 165 grain bullet,(and I will be reloading soon I hope) where would you go?
Also, what rings were you using that would not return to zero?
You got me worried now, my plan was coming together so nice.