Low recoil 30-06 tree stand load.

Sorry but I don't see the point. If you want low recoil, most shots under 100 yards why not just go to a 243, 257 Roberts, 250-3000, 6.5 Creedmore, etc or even 223 if they are legal where you are. All will kill deer just fine well out past 400 yards and all kick some to a lot less than the 125 grain 06.
 
Sorry but I don't see the point. If you want low recoil, most shots under 100 yards why not just go to a 243, 257 Roberts, 250-3000, 6.5 Creedmore, etc or even 223 if they are legal where you are. All will kill deer just fine well out past 400 yards and all kick some to a lot less than the 125 grain 06.
Agreed!
 
I know this is a long range hunting page but I also know we don't all hunt long range all the time. So I thought I'd share this for anyone looking for a good tree stand load. I hunt from lock on tree stands a lot and I don't like shooting a cannon that knocks you off balance incase I have to stand up to get a shot on the deer. So I set up a super light 6.75 pound 30-06 with 125 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips. And I love it. ******This is a LOW RECOIL load NOT a Reduced Power load.****** It has very little recoil (for a 30-06) which is totally manageable even in odd shooting positions from the stand, but is a full power load for maximum carnage on game. To me it feels like the recoil of a 100 grain 243 load. Now you of course need to work up your loads safely for your rifle but this one likes them screaming hot at 3409 fps. (Per book specs. No chrono for me) I didn't play with seating depth much so it potentially could shoot better, but I just found the powder load it likes to shoot and it holds around 3/4" which is all I need out of it since most of my shots are under 100 yards with this rifle. Actually most are probably under 50 yards with the last one I killed with it being only 25 yards. I always shoot for double lung shots and you want to avoid bone like the plague. I imagine a bone shot at that speed with such a light bullet is just going to blow out a chunk of meat and cause a wounded deer. I do not get an exit with this load normally, but when you open them up you can pour the lungs out into a bucket. Every deer has ran about 40 yards and piled up. So if you're looking for a low recoil tree stand load I highly recommend it.

Also I figure this is a real barrel burner load but I only hunt with this rifle so if I burn the barrel out only hunting I'll consider it paid for with the pile of deer.
I believe the OP states that this is his only hunting rifle and I don't know how deep his pockets are to go out and purchase other calibers for hunting. I'm interested in that 125gr load for short distances. Please PM me your load data for that if you don't mind sharing.
 
Sorry but I don't see the point. If you want low recoil, most shots under 100 yards why not just go to a 243, 257 Roberts, 250-3000, 6.5 Creedmore, etc or even 223 if they are legal where you are. All will kill deer just fine well out past 400 yards and all kick some to a lot less than the 125 grain 06.
I have 243's and 6.5's and they kick just as hard as this 125 grain 30-06 load but the 30-06 hits harder and puts the deer down faster than both the 243 and 6.5. I've killed several deer with all 3 rifles and have near identical results on all the deer. The 125grain 30-06 load just puts the deer down faster. By that I mean they consistently travel shorter distances from the spot the deer was shot. I have not shot any deer with any of my 223's but I can't imagine they'll put a deer down any faster than the 243 or 6.5. If I were doe hunting only I wouldn't care about using the 223 but when you're hunting a trophy deer I can't make myself walk in the woods with something that small with so many more better calibers in the safe. And if I'm hunting somewhere I can shoot past 150 yards or so I take something more substantial like my 6.5-284, 308, 7-08, or just a different set up 30-06. But that's just me. I've tried several different calibers and setups from the stand and the combo I posted about works best for me so I thought I'd share it. That's all.
 
I believe the OP states that this is his only hunting rifle and I don't know how deep his pockets are to go out and purchase other calibers for hunting. I'm interested in that 125gr load for short distances. Please PM me your load data for that if you don't mind sharing.
No no. I have plenty rifles. It's just after years of trying different calibers and load setups I've found this to be the best combo to hit from a small lock on tree stand.

The load is hot by book data so work up to it and not just copy it

I'm using Remington brass from corlok boxes
210m fed primer
57.5 grains of Varget
125 grain Nosler ballistic tip
And about .005" bullet jump

FL sizing the brass.
 
I have 243's and 6.5's and they kick just as hard as this 125 grain 30-06 load but the 30-06 hits harder and puts the deer down faster than both the 243 and 6.5. I've killed several deer with all 3 rifles and have near identical results on all the deer. The 125grain 30-06 load just puts the deer down faster. By that I mean they consistently travel shorter distances from the spot the deer was shot. I have not shot any deer with any of my 223's but I can't imagine they'll put a deer down any faster than the 243 or 6.5. If I were doe hunting only I wouldn't care about using the 223 but when you're hunting a trophy deer I can't make myself walk in the woods with something that small with so many more better calibers in the safe. And if I'm hunting somewhere I can shoot past 150 yards or so I take something more substantial like my 6.5-284, 308, 7-08, or just a different set up 30-06. But that's just me. I've tried several different calibers and setups from the stand and the combo I posted about works best for me so I thought I'd share it. That's all.
I won't argue with what you have personally experienced. Doesn't match my experience but does not mean yours is wrong. Guys have to do whatever works best for them, and the thread definitely made interesting reading and an interesting discussion.
 
This is pretty much the light bullet high or hyper velocity idea for putting game down fast. I had a buddy who did this in Arkansas with the 125 BT's. He called them "killer greens" because the bucks tended to be DRT. As far as low recoil IDK, but it's not that much different than Weatherby's idea of killing power. It's been visited many times over the years.
 
This is pretty much the light bullet high or hyper velocity idea for putting game down fast. I had a buddy who did this in Arkansas with the 125 BT's. He called them "killer greens" because the bucks tended to be DRT. As far as low recoil IDK, but it's not that much different than Weatherby's idea of killing power. It's been visited many times over the years.
The end result seems to be the hyper velocity load but that's not how I intended it. I just wanted the recoil lower so I grabbed some lightweight bullets and started low charge and worked up. It just so happens to be the rifle likes them challenging light speed. 😂
 
The end result seems to be the hyper velocity load but that's not how I intended it. I just wanted the recoil lower so I grabbed some lightweight bullets and started low charge and worked up. It just so happens to be the rifle likes them challenging light speed. 😂
If your felt recoil is lower and you like the performance then run it.
 
Just like so many other topics, if it works for you and you have had success with it, its your choice. No explanation necessary
I used a 270 (130 grin bullet) the last three years, my 30 year old son used a 243 (95 grin bullet) and my 100lb daughter prefers using my 30.06 with 150 grn BT.
 
This is pretty much the light bullet high or hyper velocity idea for putting game down fast. I had a buddy who did this in Arkansas with the 125 BT's. He called them "killer greens" because the bucks tended to be DRT. As far as low recoil IDK, but it's not that much different than Weatherby's idea of killing power. It's been visited many times over the years.
What caliber was he running them in?
 

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