What bullet is your favorite for deer from 30-06

22LR

Twelve Pointer
I'm planning on reloading a deer bullet for 30-06 this year. I have used various factory ammo in 30-06 for 20+ years with good luck. Just seeking real world hunting advice.
 

smith-n-stokes

Old Mossy Horns
I don’t reload so I can’t offer suggestions there. But the 150 grain Winchester silver tip has worked well for me.


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22LR

Twelve Pointer
I too liked the old silver tips but can't find em any more. Never tried the ballistic silver tip ammo.
 

45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
My favorite 30-06 deer bullet isn't considered a deer bullet but it has worked perfect every time. A max charge of RL19 under a Sierra 150 gr Match King has yet to shoot bad in any 30-06 we've tried it in. I came across this load when a new Browning A-Bolt wouldn't group any factory load. Since then we've used it in a Remington 7400, a Remington 760, two Browning BAR's, and a Tikka. The Tikka and the A-Bolt were shooting buckshot patterns prior. Onto the deer part. We've shot under 100 pound NC deer up thru 220 pound Upstate NY deer from 20 yards to 250 yards. No lost deer to date. Most dropped on the spot, none ran over 50 yards.
 

41magnum

Twelve Pointer
joining the rest of us at www.handloadersbench.com AND asking for someone with your EXACT rifle, will shorten your learning curve immensely...since they will have already worked up a load for your rifle...just start 2 grains less and work up.
Most of the '06's I owned liked 150's or 165's for accuracy and ALWAYS Sierra Game King or Pro Hutners OR Hornady Interlocks they kill game just as dead as more expensive bullets...which I found, over 45 yrs loading ammo. I tried all the "designer" lead and found them to be no more lethal, so went back where I began.
 

Ol Copper

Twelve Pointer
150 gr. Sierra Pro hunters is all Ive ever used. The flat based bullets were more accurate in my rifles, and honestly you'll probably never shoot it far enough to see the advantages of a boat tail bullet taking over. Cup n core because deer don't wear body armor. Never lost a deer poked right thru the lungs. The pro hunters flat out work. ??
 

Guybo

Eight Pointer
I too like spitzer flat base bullets and they have always shot the most accurate out of my rifles. Standard cup and core bullets will kill any deer you shoot with them and the plain ole Remington core-lokt has probably killed more than any other bullet on the planet. I love the Speer hot-cors and Sierra Pro Hunters and have had excellent results on deer with both. Back in the day when I shot factory ammo I used Remington cor-lokt, Winchester power points, Federal classics and Hornady interlocks and had equal results with them all.

When it comes to weight I have always liked shooting light to caliber bullets and have never had a problem killing deer with them. In factory ammo I used the 150gr because that was the lightest I could find but when I started reloading I started using the Sierra 125gr PH the Hornady 130gr SP as well as the Nosler 125gr BT. I've harvested a ton of deer with these bullets with no issues what so ever. My brother loads the Nosler 125gr Accubond in his 30.06 and swears by that combo and won't shoot anything else. I think the majority of the guys around here who use the 30.06 use a 150gr soft point of some type and it seems to always work and work well.
 

tarheelshooter

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I have been very happy with the Nosler 165 grain Accubond. My rifle isn’t very fussy so it likes just about anything between 150-180 grains. Nothing at all wrong with a plain jane cup and core bullet for NC whitetails. Never tried the lighter bullets so can’t give any feedback on them.
 

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
We loaded up some 165 gr Nosler Accubonds for my FIL last year.
He killed 2 deer with them, both DRT.
One, a 6 point, at 227 yards
The other, a doe, at about 15 feet give or take

They shoot amazing in his Remington M700 BDL. Under 1/2” at 100 yards.


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bigten

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
150 gr spbt in Sierra or Speer. I have never been a fan of ballistic tip bullets at all.
I do still have a few factory Win Silvertips reserved for one rifle and plenty more tips to load when those are gone. Always did like them and hate they converted to ballistic tips..
 

FishHunt

Old Mossy Horns
Remington 165gr Core-Lokt factory ammo has never failed to produce good groups and quick kills for me.

Reloading I like the any of the tipped & bonded 150gr-168gr premium bullets. The Hornady and Nosler versions have produced noting but 'dead right there' kills from my limited use and knowledge of other users.

<>< Fish
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Soft point or hollow point? I have been wanting to try both.
Softpoint, I used them in my 06 and .300 Win Mag for years. They did great. Only problem was on one elk I shot real close in the shoulder it fragmented out of the .300. That was asking a bit much out of it. The elk only went about 35 yards and piled up anyway.
 

LanceR

Six Pointer
Contributor
Deer are fragile when compared to a lot of other big game so from a practical viewpoint almost any big game bullet will do and what a given rifle shoots well at your typical hunting ranges would work just fine. Shot placement into the heart/lung area will trump all the pole vaulting over mouse turds regarding bullet, powder and primer selection or velocities, etc, etc, e every time.

I spent a lot of years stuffing 155 grain Sierra Palma Match and 168 grain Matchkings into 30-06 and .308 cases for NRA match and service rifle competition so personally I use 165 grain Gamekings in both cartridges for areas when I expect to see deer but no bear. In areas where there is a higher likelihood of seeing a bear I use 168 grain Barnes TSX bullets.
 

ABolt

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
My '06 loves 168-grain projectiles:
Winchester Ballistic Silvertips for whitetail-sized targets, and Barnes Triple Shock for larger game...
 

JJWise

Twelve Pointer
Mine does best with 165-180gr bullets. I like the 180SSTs. The lighter SSTs seem a little too “soft” but the heavier weight seems to even it out and make a nice bullet. In my 308 I’ve had good results with Barnes 150 TTSX, Nosler 150 Accubonds and Hornady 150 Interlocks.
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Hornady #3045 Interlock. 165g BTSP. H380 powder. Large Rifle Primer. Useing the same load for 30+ years.
 

MJ74

Old Mossy Horns
I've used many bullets over the years and while not the most accurate of the ones I tried, the plain ole 150gr Hornady Interlock is my favorite all around bullet...plus they are cheap!
My go to powder for the 06 is IMR 4064
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
I've used many bullets over the years and while not the most accurate of the ones I tried, the plain ole 150gr Hornady Interlock is my favorite all around bullet...plus they are cheap!
My go to powder for the 06 is IMR 4064


singing my song,,,,interlocks and good ol' 4064,,,
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Sierra Game Kings or Hornady Interloks in 165 grain on top of Winchester 760 is my go-to load unless I'm out west hunting then I use Barnes X bullets in 165 or 168 TSX just for the added penetration and the copper tips that don't deform when loading and reloading into the rifle
 
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