Hunting Ammo

[n8tive97]

Looking for some feedback on hunting ammo. I own a 30-06 and a .300 Win Mag and plan to use them to go hunting this year. I want to sight them both in with the ammo I am going to use. So I'm looking for your suggestions on what brand, grain weight etc for each gun. I'm just trying to narrow it down to a couple options before I go to the range. Its been years since I have been drawn for rifle Deer and Elk.
Thanks for your feedback!

[trout_champ]

I use the Federal Fusion line in my 300WSM. I put in for both deer and elk every year and have had good success with these rounds. I used to use the 180 grain bullets, but they were too powerful for my deer and I was loosing meat because the rounds would destroy the meat. I switched to 165 grain bullets and they seem to do much better with my deer, but still lots of knock down power for elk.

Randy

[Robb]

I'll be interested in hearing about ammo brand loyalty here.
I've only shot Horniday, got my rifles zeroed with one particular bullet weight and stuck with it. 140's in my .270 and 180's in my .300Winnie. Can't help with your .06.

I've never had an animal go more than 50ft absolute max after it was hit. And that was just once, most dropped in less. Don't know if that was Horniday bullet construction or lucky shots.

Factory loadings sure are expensive these days arn't they? I've started to collect brass hoping to reload my own in the near future. I've also been curious about going 'green' with a non lead bullet, something to think about when you're making your choice.

Let us know what you go with.

Robb

[jmg8550]

I use Barnes TTSX 168 grain pills for both .308 and 30-06. Should do well in the .300 also

[n8tive97]

It seems that Horniday is a very popular choice. I studied the hunting shows over the weekend on cable and it was used on just about every show. I know it has to do with who is paying for the advertising, but the shots were effective and the animal didn't make it far before it dropped.


I haven't even heard of "green" ammo and because I associate "green" with what the "left" is trying to cram down our throats, I won’t even consider it!


I am leaning towards a 180 grain for the 30-06 for the deer and I am still way to ignorant with the .300 Win Mag. I will have to try to find some more info on the web.

[Robb]

n8tive97,

I got started with Horniday because and older hunting associate convinced me it was a smaller, more quality controlled mfg facility, and made higher quality, more accurate ammo than most. I took that at face value and ran with it. Now I doubt it's true and no more accurate than most anythng else, but my rifles are zeroed for that load, shoot it well and I've had fantastic luck with it so I'll still buy it until I can play wth reloading my own.

IMHO 180 out of an .06 is alot for just deer. I'd go for a flatter trajectory and go lighter if the .06 is your deer only rifle and the 300 is your elk gun. 180's are fine in your 300. Go heavier if you feel the need.

Okay, hear me out on the 'green' ammo. I was the same as you, totally against moving away from lead, and still am due to cost... except for hunting.
There's more articles that allude to when you hit that animal, the lead in that lead tipped bullet basically vaporizes, where's it go? Into the meat of the animal. Then into my kids... Yeah it's minimal but we eat a fair amount of wild game so I've decided to minimize that factor.
I can't prove that's what happens, but I've read enough that it's made me think about it. Is It liberal propaganda? I dunno, but the more I read the more I was attracted to either a ballistic tip or the new non-lead bullets. Horniday makes them too.

Something to think on, do your own research and make your own decision.
Robb

[n8tive97]

n8tive97,

I got started with Horniday because and older hunting associate convinced me it was a smaller, more quality controlled mfg facility, and made higher quality, more accurate ammo than most. I took that at face value and ran with it. Now I doubt it's true and no more accurate than most anythng else, but my rifles are zeroed for that load, shoot it well and I've had fantastic luck with it so I'll still buy it until I can play wth reloading my own.

IMHO 180 out of an .06 is alot for just deer. I'd go for a flatter trajectory and go lighter if the .06 is your deer only rifle and the 300 is your elk gun. 180's are fine in your 300. Go heavier if you feel the need.

Okay, hear me out on the 'green' ammo. I was the same as you, totally against moving away from lead, and still am due to cost... except for hunting.
There's more articles that allude to when you hit that animal, the lead in that lead tipped bullet basically vaporizes, where's it go? Into the meat of the animal. Then into my kids... Yeah it's minimal but we eat a fair amount of wild game so I've decided to minimize that factor.
I can't prove that's what happens, but I've read enough that it's made me think about it. Is It liberal propaganda? I dunno, but the more I read the more I was attracted to either a ballistic tip or the new non-lead bullets. Horniday makes them too.

Something to think on, do your own research and make your own decision.
Robb

Robb,
First of all, thanks for your help. This is the type of info I was looking for. I have always been a bow hunter. So thank you!
I think your right on the .06 ammo, my deer gun, 160-165 seems like more than enough. Now for the .300 Win Mag, I was leaning towards a 200 grain, but now you have me thinking I should go with a 180 grain load?
I hear you on the "green" bullets. I like the idea of the ballistic tip anyway, so I guess I am going green! I have 3 kiddos and the thought of feeding them lead kind of makes me nervous a little bit. However, our Fathers, Grandfathers and their fathers all seem to have lived long lives eating the game they killed with lead? Maybe the low fat in game meat off set the lead?[ROFL2]
So here is what I have so far, 165 grain 30-06 Hornady & 180 grain .300 Win Mag Hornaday ballistic tips loads. Thoughts?

[ridgewalker]

I used a .300 Win Mag for years until I got tired of hauling it around. I am in my mid 60s and less weight helps. I mostly handloaded 180 gr Nosler Partitions and killed everything I hit out to over 400 yards. Great cartridge if you can handle the weight and recoil.

I started using the 30-06 again after maybe 15 years absent and dropped back to 165 gr Nosler Partitions and Sierra HPBT. Both dropped elk, deer and bear with no problem.

I would suggest if you don't handload that you buy a box of several brands in the weight you want to shoot (I suggest 165 in 30-06 and 180 in .300 WM with premium bullets from my experience). Then try each out and see which shoots best in your rifles.

On deer the bullet quality really doesn't matter much. They go down pretty easily if you do your part, but on elk go with premium bullets, ie, Nosler Partition, A-Square, Accubond, etc. You need the best penetration in case you have to take a quartering shot or hit a heavy bone.

FYI, I now carry a Kimber 84 in .308 loaded with 165 gr premium bullets. It weighs less than 6 1/2 lbs loaded and with a Leupold 2-7x scope.

Hope my experience helps answer some of your questions?

[Robb]

n8tive97,

My biggest issue in the field, other than being out of shape, is being able to judge distance. That's why I lean a little more to the light side in bullet weight to favor a flatter trajectory. I'm not much for hunting the thick stuff but if you are then the 200gr may serve you better. Again, I have no experience with the .06, but look at some ballistic tables and think about the kind of hunting you want to do, that should help you decide, you can always change it up.
Truthfully a 165gr out of an .06 will put anything in this state down if you do your part. If you're using the .06 strictly for mulies, consider something like a 150gr, it should shoot damn flat. All my deer I've taken have been with 140 gr.

The lead issue may be overblown, but I'll play it safe, what the hell.

Robb

[n8tive97]

I used a .300 Win Mag for years until I got tired of hauling it around. I am in my mid 60s and less weight helps. I mostly handloaded 180 gr Nosler Partitions and killed everything I hit out to over 400 yards. Great cartridge if you can handle the weight and recoil.

I started using the 30-06 again after maybe 15 years absent and dropped back to 165 gr Nosler Partitions and Sierra HPBT. Both dropped elk, deer and bear with no problem.

I would suggest if you don't handload that you buy a box of several brands in the weight you want to shoot (I suggest 165 in 30-06 and 180 in .300 WM with premium bullets from my experience). Then try each out and see which shoots best in your rifles.

On deer the bullet quality really doesn't matter much. They go down pretty easily if you do your part, but on elk go with premium bullets, ie, Nosler Partition, A-Square, Accubond, etc. You need the best penetration in case you have to take a quartering shot or hit a heavy bone.

FYI, I now carry a Kimber 84 in .308 loaded with 165 gr premium bullets. It weighs less than 6 1/2 lbs loaded and with a Leupold 2-7x scope.

Hope my experience helps answer some of your questions?

Your experience helps allot! I dont reload so I will buy the premium bullets. I want to go with the .300 Win Mag for elk because I want to be able to take a long range shot if need be and feel confident doing so. Now that I have the grain down, I will take your advice and buy 2 or 3 different brands and see what shoots best. Thanks for your help!
Now I need to hit the gym and get the old heart and lungs back in shape!! [Weight]

[n8tive97]

n8tive97,

My biggest issue in the field, other than being out of shape, is being able to judge distance. That's why I lean a little more to the light side in bullet weight to favor a flatter trajectory. I'm not much for hunting the thick stuff but if you are then the 200gr may serve you better. Again, I have no experience with the .06, but look at some ballistic tables and think about the kind of hunting you want to do, that should help you decide, you can always change it up.
Truthfully a 165gr out of an .06 will put anything in this state down if you do your part. If you're using the .06 strictly for mulies, consider something like a 150gr, it should shoot damn flat. All my deer I've taken have been with 140 gr.

The lead issue may be overblown, but I'll play it safe, what the hell.

Robb

150 grain for deer and 180 for elk! I'm set, looking forward to hitting the range now! My gun club has a rifle range out to 500 yards, so i should be ready. Thanks again for your help.
Love this stuff!

[Byte Stryke]

There's more articles that allude to when you hit that animal, the lead in that lead tipped bullet basically vaporizes, where's it go? Into the meat of the animal. Then into my kids... Yeah it's minimal but we eat a fair amount of wild game so I've decided to minimize that factor.
I can't prove that's what happens, but I've read enough that it's made me think about it. Is It liberal propaganda? I dunno, but the more I read the more I was attracted to either a ballistic tip or the new non-lead bullets. Horniday makes them too.

something about this just doesn't make sense...

I would think that the lead in the Bullet is already superheated upon firing...
Upon the round striking the animal wouldn't it would actually cool in the bodily fluids of the animal it was passing through and slowing?
I would always clean away a small amount around the wound tract anyway due to possible fragmentation.

just my thoughts on it.

[Robb]

Byte,

Perhaps you're right and I bought into propaganda. When I read about it at the time I thought it sounded feasable. The articles made it sound like the lead basically atomized in a substantially sized area in the animal, not like the lead just touching the meat through the wound channel. Granted we're not talking about high levels here.

If this in in fact a bunch of BS, I'd love to hear about it. If it was just me eating what I killed I wouldn't be overly concerned about it, I've never heard of an elevated lead level in any of my physicals, but I bought into it because of the kids, and options are available.

I wish I could point to the articles, but no way any more, too much time has passed. I 'll do some googling and see what comes up and point to it.

Robb

[Byte Stryke]

while I Agree that we should be cautious about what our children ingest...
I grew up eating lead-shot rabbit, and sometimes dad didn't get all of the shot.
Cant tell you how many #4s I have spit out onto my plate.
The only thing my folks ever really said about it was "Use a Napkin!"

And I am not a lead-based Zombie yet...


So while I agree we should limit unnecessary heavy metal exposure, I am pretty sure they are exposed to more heavy metals breathing Denver air than they are ingesting a nice venison steak shot with a lead Bullet, unless of course the bullet is still in it.

Just my 2 cents

[Robb]

Yeah, been there. I spit shot, only twice that I remember though. It was with a Thanksgiving goose and pheasant when I was a kid.
R

[ridgewalker]

In my experience there is enough bloodshot meat around the wound channel that you have to cut it out. I killed my first big game (white tail deer) in 1966. I have eaten venison every year since and there is nothing wrong with me...with me...with me...[ROFL1]

I shoot many birds (pheasants, chukars, quail, duskys, sage grouse, etc.) every year from behind my little GSP and sooner or later each year I bite into a piece of shot.

Conclusion...I am going to die. Hopefully later than sooner. My chances of dieing from a car wreck are much higher IMO. I like my wild game.