Have 30-06 change to .300wm?

[coquitlam]

I have a 30-06 that shoots great. 1/2 MOA and am proficient for shooting out to 850 yards . I have an new area that I hunt that I cannot get closer than 650 yards and out to 850 yards. The animals follow a couple paths on the face . What my delema is that poking game out that far I am confident I can place the bullet where needed, but I want to make sure that the 30-06 is a proficiant caliber to do what it needs to do out there to make a clean kill. I want to shoot deer out there (probably lung shot) and bears (probably shoulder shot to anchor )to those ranges .Should I be thinking about a getting a .300wm to make those shots confidently or will the 30-06 be the medicine.

Thanks in advance

 

[angus-5024]

I'm not sure how fast you can get something 180grain or bigger going (I would hope that you could make a 215 Berger work), but even with a very high b.c bullet in that chambering I think that your running out of steam at about 650 yards. Not to say that you cant kill the animal at that range, its just going to be a tracking fest and its hard enough to find your game when it drops DRT at 850.

So the skinny of it is that I would fell OK at 650, but not 850. keep in mind that I lean towards overkill as opposed to underkill, so I would pick up a .300 win.

 

[roninflag]

What 30-06 rifle?? scope?

 

[MudRunner2005]

You could always Ackley Improve the chamber and get some more oomph! out your .30-06...

Or you could go to .300 WM, but will have to change bolts, bolt heads, or open up the bolt face depending on which kind of rifle you have. Swap out the fooorplate or magazine. And buy new brass, dies, different primers, magnum powders, etc... It will be a much bigger ordeal than simply having the chamber reamed to A.I. And ordering new Ackley Improved dies from Midway.

Just another option to think about.

Going from a standard to a magnum is kind of an expe sive pain in the ***. If you want a .300 WinMag, I would still A.I. Your .30-06, and go buy a complete factory .300 WinMag rifle.

Just my opinion.

 

[coquitlam]

What 30-06 rifle?? scope?

I have the Vortex HS 4-16 and love it.

 

[coquitlam]

I would buy a new gun if changing to the .300.

I was figuring that the extra velocity and energy would be of benefit but looking at the tables . the .300 does not seem to be that much more in velocity or energy. so from your experience does the .300 make that much of a difference. on long range kill power

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

What are you hunting and what is the rifle? Lots off good use guns for sale here as well.

 

[roninflag]

What 30-06 rifle?? scope?

you do not say what rifle.

 

[Catfur]

Here's some numbers I ran quick to compare (at ISA), I took the velocities from the Berger Manual:

168 Berger Classic Hybrid (manual velocity of 2850)- this bullet drops below recommended expansion threshold of 1850 fps at 600 yards, it still has 1300 ft-lbs of energy then, though.

185 Berger Classic Hybrid (at 2725 fps) - this bullet drops below the expansion threshold right around the same distance (575 max), but carries 1450 ft-lbs of energy out this far.

215 Berger Hybrid (using 210 velocity of 2550 fps) - again, right around 600 yards, this bullet dips below 1850 fps, carrying 1600 ft-lbs of energy out this far.

If you want to rely on bullet expansion recommended velocity, 600 yards is about your max (at manual velocity) for a .30-06. You can go farther if you have a bullet (accubond LR?) that can be relied on to expand slower. Or if you can push the bullet faster. If you're hunting in thin air, of course, this will take you out farther (numbers run at sea level).

The 300 Win Mag should take you out to 800-850 using the same premises.

 

[FEENIX]

I would buy a new gun if changing to the .300.

I was figuring that the extra velocity and energy would be of benefit but looking at the tables . the .300 does not seem to be that much more in velocity or energy. so from your experience does the .300 make that much of a difference. on long range kill power

Actually it's significant ...

... especially if you handload the potent 210 and up grainers. I'm sure Jeff (BROZ) will be here shortly to chime in. gun)

 

[el matador]

The 300 mag really does have quite a bit more poop at long range. Especially with the heavier, longer bullets - they start to eat up case capacity pretty quick with the '06. Definitely step up to the magnum for kills at that range.

Feenix, that data might be wrong for the 270 Ackley...I don't even think a 7 STW could push a 175 grain to 3100. Good lookin charts though, great way to compare different loads/cartridges.

 

[kcebcj]

I have a 30-06 that shoots great. 1/2 MOA and am proficient for shooting out to 850 yards . I have an new area that I hunt that I cannot get closer than 650 yards and out to 850 yards. The animals follow a couple paths on the face . What my delema is that poking game out that far I am confident I can place the bullet where needed, but I want to make sure that the 30-06 is a proficiant caliber to do what it needs to do out there to make a clean kill. I want to shoot deer out there (probably lung shot) and bears (probably shoulder shot to anchor )to those ranges .Should I be thinking about a getting a .300wm to make those shots confidently or will the 30-06 be the medicine.

Thanks in advance

I have used a 30-06 for many years and still do today. The load I'm currently working on now and will use this coming season for elk and deer is topped off with the 190gr Berger VLD. I'm in the process of proving the drop chart and it looks like the velocity will be 2680 +- fps. The chronograph had the velocity at 2745 +- for this load but that is not proving to be accurate. With this chronograph the true velocities seem to be somewhere around 50 fps slower. Go figure

So with this load and taking the numbers from Exbal looks like it will run out of velocity (1800 fps) for proper bullet expansion at 700 yards with 1380 foot lbs. of energy which is acceptable for deer size game but the 1500 ft.lbs. that seems to be the standard for elk and is the standard I choose to follow limits this load to 620 yards. Also I have found with other loads for the 30-06 that the 600 yard thing is about it for elk with a solid 700 yards for deer. The new Accubond Long Range that Nosler is going to release sometime soon I think with a bullet expansion speed of 1300 fps will increase the range of the 06 somewhat. Have to wait and see.

So if you want to get out to 850 yards the 300 WM would be an excellent choice in my opinion. Just make sure the mag box will let you set the big bullets out where they perform the best.

 

[coquitlam]

So if you want to get out to 850 yards the 300 WM would be an excellent choice in my opinion. Just make sure the mag box will let you set the big bullets out where they perform the best.

I am seeing that the .300 wm seems to be what is nessesry and you touch on another topic as I am now shooting the Tikka T3 and was thinking of going to another T3 in .300WM. I have read that some people are having issues with seating them out far and being restricted by the mag with the T3. Would it be a better idea to go to the .300WSM instead .

sorry for making it more complicated but I do like my Tikkas

 

[FEENIX]

Feenix, that data might be wrong for the 270 Ackley...I don't even think a 7 STW could push a 175 grain to 3100. Good lookin charts though, great way to compare different loads/cartridges.

Sorry, I should have explained. That is my ultimate goal for velocity but I'll take accuracy over it anytime. I am pushing the 175 at 2919 FPS (SD=16) with 57.5g H4831SC, BR2, Win brass while fire-forming to AI off my 3-groove, 1:8, 30" Lilja barrel.

I have achieved 3147 FPS (SD=16) with 62g IMR 7828SSC but with signs of pressure I can do without.

Got some more loads with H4831SC and H4350 but haven't had a chance to make it to the range yet. Also, working up some Retumbo loads.

NOTE: I used the ballistic calculator (I believe it's the same as what Berger's have on their site) to generate the information then plot it on a chart using powerpoint graph function.