What bullet should I try in my 30-06

[Joefrazell]

Hey guys I've got a bergera b14 Hunter in 30-06 that is super finicky with ammo. I've tried 165 gmx, 165 interlocks, 180 ballistic tips, 178 eldx. Tried them with imr 4350, h4350 and the heavy two with h-4831sc. Also tried rl16. Anyways the only bullet I've been a able to get to shoot was a 190 gr nosler custom competition with h4831sc. It shoots around .7 moa. It's not a hunting bullet but my wife shot her black bear and deer with it last year and it killed them both very well. Both shots were around 250 yards. Anyways its looking like I'm going to be borrowing her rifle for an up coming elk hunt I've got. I was really wanting to use a bullet I'd have more confidence. Are there any other bullets that you guys know of that I should try? Maybe something similar? Would an accubond be worth a shot? I was hoping the 180 ballistic tips would be build close to them but they didn't shoot well. All these other bullets are around 1.5-2" at 100 yards. Should I just go hunt elk with these target bullets?

 

[kukusya]

https://www.bergara.online/us/accuracy-testing/

If Bergara recommendation don't help, Contact them.

 

[Vol1975]

Hey guys I've got a bergera b14 Hunter in 30-06 that is super finicky with ammo. I've tried 165 gmx, 165 interlocks, 180 ballistic tips, 178 eldx. Tried them with imr 4350, h4350 and the heavy two with h-4831sc. Also tried rl16. Anyways the only bullet I've been a able to get to shoot was a 190 gr nosler custom competition with h4831sc. It shoots around .7 moa. It's not a hunting bullet but my wife shot her black bear and deer with it last year and it killed them both very well. Both shots were around 250 yards. Anyways its looking like I'm going to be borrowing her rifle for an up coming elk hunt I've got. I was really wanting to use a bullet I'd have more confidence. Are there any other bullets that you guys know of that I should try? Maybe something similar? Would an accubond be worth a shot? I was hoping the 180 ballistic tips would be build close to them but they didn't shoot well. All these other bullets are around 1.5-2" at 100 yards. Should I just go hunt elk with these target bullets?

Hornady 180 gr interlock flatbase with h4350 around 57 grains. Shoot it around 2850 FPS. Loaded this up in a couple of different 30-06 for over 25 years and all will shoot less than 2.5 inch group at 300 yards. Fast expanding bullet but will retrain the weight driving through game.
Extremely effective on game.

I have shot them all in over 40 years of reloading and this combination works well for the ol 30-06 meat and taters gun.

 

[Joefrazell]

Hornady interlock flatbase with h4350 around 57 grains. Shoot it around 2850 FPS. Loaded this up in a couple of different 30-06 for over 25 years and all will shoot less than 2.5 inch group at 300 yards. Fast expanding bullet but will retrain the weight driving through game.
Extremely effective on game.

I have shot them all in over 40 years of reloading and this combination works well for the ol 30-06 meat and taters gun.

Are you talking the 165 gr?

 

[Vol1975]

Are you talking the 165 gr?

Sorry 180 gr flat base hornady interlock.

My load
Winchester brass
57 gr h4350
2825 +\~ FPS
Hornady 180 gr flat base interlock
20 ths off lands
Federal 210 primers
Have .002 th of bullet pinch
Gun has 1:10 twist with 24 inch barrel 4 groove factor gun.

Shot a lot of different rounds from 150 to 200
Gr. For what ever reason the guns I've shot like the 180 grain bullet and the flat base with the 1:10. With the design of the interlock they just shoot good. Tried everything from Sierra to Nosler but the Hornady held tight out to 400 yards. Good killing bullet with nice expansion. Very effective on whitetail and mule deer. Should work nice on elk.
My everyday carry gun for hunting out to 400 yards.

 

[Hand Skills]

200gr Accubonds might be worth a shot.

 

[Joefrazell]

https://www.bergara.online/us/accuracy-testing/

If Bergara recommendation don't help, Contact them.

I'm really wanting to get through this elk season and then I will send it in. My .300 win that I would be using is at the Smith for a warranty issue and I don't think I'll be getting it back until after hunting season. So it's either the 30-06, 25-06 or 6.5 cm. I really want to use the 30-06

 

[Joefrazell]

I have tried the Barnes 168 ttsx factory ammo. It shot ok. Some groups moa or just under and some groups up to 2". Very inconsistent accuracy but had accuracy at times. But they show the tsx as one of their test loads

 

[BoomFlop]

Inconsistent accuracy sounds like a shooter issue to me. Don't mean any disrespect. Have you recently shot any of your other rifles to work on your form and make sure you can shoot good groups with them?

Another thing would be to give it a good cleaning and try again. Maybe it is all copper fouled. I like to give my rifles a good cleaning to free them of copper and powder before switching bullets or brands to give each option a fair comparison.

Just some ideas.

Steve

 

[Vol1975]

I have tried the Barnes 168 ttsx factory ammo. It shot ok. Some groups moa or just under and some groups up to 2". Very inconsistent accuracy but had accuracy at times. But they show the tsx as one of their test loads

Never shot a lot of the ttsx in 30-06. Could get 100 Hornady for the price of 50 TTsx. Shot them in a 300 I had because the velocity was higher and I new it would expand quick. Quit using them when I found the 215 Berger. The ttsx had a tendency for me any way not to open up on longer shots when speed was down.

 

[Bravo 4]

I would try Hammer bullets. Talk to Steve and see what he recommends for your twist and application. I have used the 166 out of a 30-06 and a .300 WSM. They have done a great job on elk and deer. They have also been some of the most accurate bullets I've loaded, and definitely the easiest to find a load for (in 6 different rifles).
They are the only bullet I can get a somewhat problematic .338 RUM to shoot well (consistently). Those wreaked havoc on an elk last year too.

 

[Joefrazell]

I would try Hammer bullets. Talk to Steve and see what he recommends for your twist and application. I have used the 166 out of a 30-06 and a .300 WSM. They have done a great job on elk and deer. They have also been some of the most accurate bullets I've loaded, and definitely the easiest to find a load for (in 6 different rifles).
They are the only bullet I can get a somewhat problematic .338 RUM to shoot well (consistently). Those wreaked havoc on an elk last year too.

Aren't hammer bullets pretty Expensive?

 

[Bravo 4]

Depends on how you look at it. Is an easy to load/tune-accurate bullet that will smash elk & deer worth the $1.25 per?

 

[Canhunter35]

Try a 200gr eldx, might work