Author Topic: .30 bullet in 180 gr and 200 gr. for deer? (Read 1833 times)

BRL · « **on:** June 20, 2009, 03:52:20 PM »

I have been using the 150 grain class bullet exclusively in my .30-06 for years. The other day, I went to the range with my .30-06 just to get in some range time and relax because I haven't gone in a while. The only ammo I could find was Federal 180 gr. and 200 gr. Well, it turns out that the 180 gr. shot the best of any round ever fired in that 33 year old Remington 7400 auto. The 200 shot nicely too. Better than the 165's have always shot. Only two loads (both 150's) were better than the 200 gr load.

So this leads me to ponder...maybe I need to be experimenting with 180 gr and 200 gr loads to see what they can do accuracy wise. I had spent years on every factory loading in 150 gr and several 165 gr loads only because I knew that I'd be using the rifle for deer.

Which leads to this question...Are 180 gr and 200 gr loads in .30-06 okay to use for deer sized game? Or, will they just poke a small hole straight through with no expansion and very little wound channel? Anyone have firsthand experience?

Thank you!!

Wyo. Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #1 on:** June 20, 2009, 04:25:04 PM »

brl, Over the years I have shot a few deer with 180's and 200' and some 220's, but all were out of the .300. Some did run, never lost one. But generally, I would say I got faster kills on deer with 150's or 165's. In the old .300 220 grain Win Silvertips were very soft and did a good job. But to me the 165 is about aperfect balance between speed, power, range etc. for the .30 cal. I would assume since you have an autoloader you hunting is in woodlands. It might not hurt to try some, but certainly one doesn't need premium bullets for deer, I think most of the heavier bullets for the .30 cal fall in that bracket.

I think I would stick with the 150's and 165's. I have tried about all wts. and those are the ones I come back to for just deer hunting.

BBF · « **Reply #2 on:** June 21, 2009, 04:45:59 AM »

Not all cup and core bullets(180 gr) are expanding the same rate. A Rem CorLokt is much "harder " then a WW Power Point. A Sierra* is harder then a Hdy. The Nosler BT's are different from the Speer's. If a 180 gr RN from Hornady groups well, it will be fine for deer a Power Point and Nosler BT probably as well. When I lived in British Columbia, my standard for everything bullet for the 30-06 was the 200 gr Speer Spitzer, it penetrated deer,bear and moose.

* A hunting buddy had to stop reluctantly using that bullet for Coastal Black Tail's, he lost several in the dense bush.

charles p · « **Reply #3 on:** June 21, 2009, 06:24:02 AM »

The 30-06 was my rifle of choice for many years. I nearly always used 150 grain bullets but during the very early years I had some 180 round nose bullets. I shot a nice whitetail on a Montana elk/deer hunt with a Winchester 180 in a 300WSM at it never took a step. I'm positive I've never gone larger than 180 in anything.

I think 150/165 is a good bullet range for average size deer.

BRL · « **Reply #4 on:** June 21, 2009, 02:58:50 PM »

Guys, thanks for the input. I have some emails in to a few bullet companies too, just to see what they say. We'll see who answers.

Thanks!!

BRL · « **Reply #5 on:** June 21, 2009, 03:18:52 PM »

Just saw on Winchester's website that their 180 gr. Supreme® Ballistic Silvertip® is rated CX2...light, thin skinned game.

BRL · « **Reply #6 on:** June 23, 2009, 05:10:52 AM »

Well, I got replies from Speer and Hornady.

Hornady's reply was a quick one liner that stated..."all of our 180 grain loads work very well on deer."

Speer replied with several questions that they wanted me to answer. What did I shoot when I got the good accuracy with the 180gr? What would the hunting conditions be...area of US, size of deer, distance, etc.

Then he replied back after my answers and recommended...Mag-Tip #2059 or the Grand-Slam #2063 driven to 2700 fps or so.

streak · « **Reply #7 on:** June 23, 2009, 06:00:19 AM »

Hunt E.Texas and N.W. Louisana, being doing that since 1967! 30-06 with Rem.180 gr.corelokt RN and 99.9% of the shots were one shot "bang flop"!Twenty to sixty yards.

BRL · « **Reply #8 on:** June 23, 2009, 06:17:09 AM »

Streak, glad to hear real experience. I like the corelokt bullets a lot and use them religiously in the 150gr. weight. Also, easy to get and cheaper than most.

Graybeard · « **Reply #9 on:** June 23, 2009, 10:53:35 AM »

I've always preferred 180s for deer in the .30-06 and if you're hunting inside say 200-250 yards the old round nose Remington coreloct is as good as it gets really. I don't think there are any really bad choices in 180 grain hunting bullets for it tho to be honest.

These days I tend to use Nosler PTs or BTs both in 180 grain weight more than all others combined tho the Remington coreloct and Hornady bullets have worked just as well for me.

charles p · « **Reply #10 on:** June 23, 2009, 02:59:49 PM »

I can't dispute someone else's opinion, but for deer in the Southeast, the 180 has never been necessary. I can not see an advantage that better velocity and tragectory do not outweigh. I guess that is why they make the 180 and 150. People have perceptions that a 180 roundnose will hit harder and drive through brush as well. Maybe they do.

BRL · « **Reply #11 on:** June 23, 2009, 04:21:20 PM »

I certainly agree that the 180 isn't necessary. But, If it shoots substantially better in my gun than the 150, I'd like to consider using it.

Graybeard · « **Reply #12 on:** June 23, 2009, 05:19:22 PM »

Quote

People have perceptions that a 180 roundnose will hit harder and drive through brush as well. Maybe they do.

When you hunt the kinda places I do a shot at 100 yards is a super long one so flat trajectory is no advantage. Nothing bucks brush so if ya wanna hit the deer ya best not hit the brush more than a few feet in front of it.

What the 180 RN brings to the table that I like is that huge hunk of lead begins to expand fast and makes a wicked wound channel all the way thru to the off side. I like exit holes and it always gives me one and a HUGE one at that. I like good blood trails for those times I don't see the deer fall.

streak · « **Reply #13 on:** June 24, 2009, 05:35:21 AM »

Quote from: Graybeard on June 23, 2009, 05:19:22 PM

Quote
People have perceptions that a 180 roundnose will hit harder and drive through brush as well. Maybe they do.

When you hunt the kinda places I do a shot at 100 yards is a super long one so flat trajectory is no advantage. Nothing bucks brush so if ya wanna hit the deer ya best not hit the brush more than a few feet in front of it.

What the 180 RN brings to the table that I like is that huge hunk of lead begins to expand fast and makes a wicked wound channel all the way thru to the off side. I like exit holes and it always gives me one and a HUGE one at that. I like good blood trails for those times I don't see the deer fall.

10-4! On that Graybeard.

Mohawk · « **Reply #14 on:** June 24, 2009, 04:12:18 PM »

Quote from: streak on June 23, 2009, 06:00:19 AM

Hunt E.Texas and N.W. Louisana, being doing that since 1967! 30-06 with Rem.180 gr.corelokt RN and 99.9% of the shots were one shot "bang flop"!Twenty to sixty yards.

An old hunting partner used the same load for years as I was growing up. Worked very well. The only change was the 180 gr WW Silvertip. It worked fine too.

High Brass · « **Reply #15 on:** July 10, 2009, 08:35:06 AM »

Shot placement takes priority over bullet speed. If the 180s shoot signifficantly better than the 150-165s then go for it. I wouldn't hesitate to use a 180gr Core Lokt (pointed or roundnose) on any deer as far as I could hit one in the right place.

BBF · « **Reply #16 on:** July 11, 2009, 04:38:53 AM »

I find it interesting that Speer recommended their two expensive lines of bullets. I don't see the need for anything other then the standard Hot Cor type on deer especially in 180 gr.

Halwg · « **Reply #17 on:** July 29, 2009, 05:27:23 AM »

+1 on the Speer Hot-Cor, I use them in both my 30-06 and my 35 Remington and have never had a problem shooting whitetail deer.

BBF · « **Reply #18 on:** July 29, 2009, 06:26:19 AM »

One of those " I wish I had done it" is the old style WW Silvertip . I would have bought at least 1000 of the 180 gr 30 cal and 500 of the 200 gr 358's but I didn't pay attention when the stopped making them.

84Jim · « **Reply #19 on:** August 02, 2009, 04:13:25 PM »

Back in my elk hunting days, I used 180's for Pennsylvania whitetails to keep the same zero and get familiar with the trajectory. Bullets were Hornady and Nosler partitions. I can recall shooting several doe with them, and they were as deadly as any other bullet I've ever used. I remember shooting a fairly big doe at about 50 yds. with a partition. It hit harder and ruined more meat than any other rifle/bullet combination that I've ever used.