Bullet Question

[TEAM TOAD]

Quick question....I shoot a 30-06 and have killed plenty of deer with 150 grain. I was thinking about going to 125 grain to reach out there a little? Is it worth it? Will it make a difference? Does anybody else shoot that grain in 30-06??

[ac guy]

Absolutely. I was going to make the switch myself, but couldn't find accu-bonds in 125gr. As you probably know, you are around 2600-2800 fps with your 150gr. You can push the right 125gr with the right powder to 3200 fps. The extra velocity will give you a flatter trajectory as well as reduced recoil, which in my single shot 06 would be welcome (never imagined a 10lb gun could kick like a mule). 125 is also good for yotes, both deer species, and lopes. I'll catch some for this, but technically, you could also take elk with it with proper shot placement. Best bet is to try it out at the range, and come up with some conclusions of your own, that's the fun part

[TEAM TOAD]

Well there you go.......125 grain it is! THANKS FOR THE INFO...IT WILL HELP A BUNCH!!

[kphunter]

That would work for coues, but I wouldn't try it on mule deer.

 

KP

[BERTZ]

I was thinking about making that switch myself, after seeing all the damage to the buck a shot last fall with 150 grain. Let me know how that works out for you. The only place I've ever seen that particular grain was at Sportsmans warehouse. Good luck!

[bcoover]

I just shot a buck last Friday with my 30-06. I used 125gr soft point. One shot at 100 yds dropped the deer in its tracks. I would highly recomend it.

[ac guy]

That would work for coues, but I wouldn't try it on mule deer.

 

KP

KP you are a wise man, but I have to disagree on this topic. 125 gr is a potent bullet, and in the grand scheme of things, a mule deer isn't that tough of an animal. many people use 140gr .270 on bull elk with no problem, 125gr .30 on a 250lb animal is money in the bank. I have seen many eastern WT taken with 90gr .243 and even .223. I think we tend to underestimate the power of projectiles. heck, our boys in uniform take down bad guys all day long with 56gr 5.56 FMJ

[Kevin]

I tried them several years ago. I handloaded several loads behind the 125 Sierra but never could get acceptable accuracy out of them. My 06 will shoot a 5/8 5 shot group with the Sierra 150's but I couldn't seat the 125's out as far as the 150's and I believe thats the main reason they wouldn't group any better than they did.

 

Kevin

[Kevin]

I was thinking about making that switch myself, after seeing all the damage to the buck a shot last fall with 150 grain. Let me know how that works out for you. The only place I've ever seen that particular grain was at Sportsmans warehouse. Good luck!

 

I doubt switching to 125 will solve the problem, in fact it may increase the problem due to increased velocity and bullet fragmentation. What kind of bullet were you using and did the bullet hit bone?

 

Kevin

[Non-Typical Solutions]

30-06 with a 125 grain bullet will kill those mulies all day long.........

[jnobleinaz]

I am also changing to 150 grain interbond's for my .300 win mag for greater distance. -33 inches @ 500 yards.

[kphunter]

I didn't say 125 grain wouldn't kill a mule deer, my comfort zone for that sized animal is a larger bullet.

 

KP

[BERTZ]

I was thinking about making that switch myself, after seeing all the damage to the buck a shot last fall with 150 grain. Let me know how that works out for you. The only place I've ever seen that particular grain was at Sportsmans warehouse. Good luck!

 

I was using Winchester brand 150 grain power point. ac guy makes a good point with regards to the .243. I used that caliber rifle for over 18 years with 80 grain bullets and took down both coues and mule deer. I only recently bought a 30-06 and wasn't familiar with what size of load to try out. The only grains I could find in 30-06 caliber were .150, .165, and .180. As I stated before, only a dumb luck chance trip to Sportsmans Warehouse that I discovered that 30-06 came in .125 grain, but that was already after I'd zeroed in at the range and did'nt have time to switch. Turns out it didn't matter anyway, I just came in from my Oct. 36A hunt empty handed. I passed up a spike buck second to the last day, and that was the only buck I seen the entire trip out. I stared that deer down for ten minutes at 50 yards wondering if I should take em' or not. I came away with the fact that, that buck was dead meat standing, and yes it would have felt good to harvest a deer this season, but I felt even better letting him go, knowing that he may grow up to be a monster someday, and that I may even be the one to take him when he's all grown up. The good news was that my brother TATA@27 just bagged a nice 4x3 this evening. I'm sure he'll post the pictures as soon as he can. Good job Richard now we are both tied with 13 kills apiece ( bothers always competing)

[firstcoueswas80]

Shot my first coues with a 125 out of an 06 and i didnt like it. tore up too much meat, and that was out at 400 yards! shoot a good sldi bullet like a accubond or TSx in the 165 grain area and you will be good to go!

[ac guy]

Shot my first coues with a 125 out of an 06 and i didnt like it. tore up too much meat, and that was out at 400 yards! shoot a good sldi bullet like a accubond or TSx in the 165 grain area and you will be good to go!

That's interesting. Wonder why it tore up more meat? I really like the accubonds as well. Took a deer on Thursday with one. Performed very well. Used a 150gr with 58.6 gr of reloader 19. Haven't run it through a chronograph,should be getting around 2850fps, give or take, but I get 3/4 groups at 100yds. That's in a very solid rest of course.