30-06 for brush hunting?

[bankwalker]

what gr wieght and bullet style do you guys use for brush hunting with a 30-06? just go with w/e you have in the rifle at the time or do you use special rounds?

just curious because i will be hunting in general with 150gr bullets, not sure what bullet yet. BUT when it comes to brush hunting i can go ahead and pick up something in 180gr with a round tip.

so what are my options? or should i just stick with one round?

thanks

[Bean Counter]

I've been wondering this myself so I appreciate you asking the question.

My only other alternative is my 12 ga with a rifled slug, but part of my choice to use that on occasion was due to hunting a no-rifle unit. 

I've gone from spot and stalk to brush hunting in the same day so there's sometimes not much you can do. Main change I make is to slide the scope dial down to 3 or 4x instead of keeping it at 9x when I'm up on a ridgeline.  When I've come up on some big game at >50 yards, I'm glad I didn't have the scope set to 9x.  I normally use 150 gr. softpoints by Federal (powershok, I think, the blue box one) for deer, and I'm really curious if people think think that 180s or even 220s or Noslers are the 'only way to go' for elk.  Is 165 a good all around if I don't want to zero in twice? 

[Houndhunter]

IMO find one brand and one weight that shoots best in your gun and hunt with only that type of bullet. my dad switchs from 150 to 180 grain bullet for elk and i've been telling him not to the last few years but he wont listen, doesnt matter though he never shoots nothin anyways . but my point is different wieghts dont shoot the same outa your gun (atleast from exp). i dont know just my preference i guess

[CP]

I zero in with 180s and use them for most everything.  They will take anything in North America and work well at short or long ranges.  Sometimes I’ll go with 150s but I won’t change the zero on the scope, they shoot 1½” high at 100 yards and are just a bit flatter.  My rifle groups 180s just a bit better than 150s.

[tlbradford]

IMO find one brand and one weight that shoots best in your gun and hunt with only that type of bullet. my dad switchs from 150 to 180 grain bullet for elk and i've been telling him not to the last few years but he wont listen, doesnt matter though he never shoots nothin anyways . but my point is different wieghts dont shoot the same outa your gun (atleast from exp). i dont know just my preference i guess

+1 

Numerous studies have shown that all bullets regardless of caliber or shape will deflect when they hit any type of brush. 

[GoldTip]

   The one study I read actually showed the bullet which deflected the least was fired from a 220swift with a 55gr bullet.  This was compared to 220gr round nose from 30-06, big ole 45-70 slugs and the venerable 30-30 with 170gr Round nose bullets as well.  In my '06's that I've had, I have had a hard time finding a good 180gr bullet that didn't shoot well and kill anything it hit.

[Hoyt204]

You can NEVER go wrong with a 30-06 and a 180gr bullet

[MountainWalk]

For most all hunting with an 06, its hard to beat the 220 grain bullet for its penetration and momentum values. Too many people worry about velocity and a few inches. 

[DOUBLELUNG]

My .30/06 is picky, it only groups 150s very well.  So, I shoot everything with 150s (Federal Premium, Trophy Bonded Bearclaw bullets), pronghorn up to and including moose.  No problem yet.  However, I don't take bad shots; if I can't reach lungs through ribs, shoulder or brisket, I pass.

However, if my groups didn't open up, I'd probably go with 165 or 168, as the best compromise between trajectory and terminal energy.  I definitely agree with extensive range testing of hunting ammo until you know what your gun likes best, then sticking with that single load.  Any ballistic or terminal performance advantages switching loads are obscured by the rock-solid confidence of knowing that bullet is going where you want it.

[CP]

I zero in with 180s and use them for most everything.  They will take anything in North America and work well at short or long ranges.  Sometimes I’ll go with 150s but I won’t change the zero on the scope, they shoot 1½” high at 100 yards and are just a bit flatter.  My rifle groups 180s just a bit better than 150s.

Make that 3" high and the group sucks, YMMV.  I'll stick with 180s.   

[yajsab]

I find that 180 grn for deer is over power.  Destroy too much meat.  I like 150 grn better.  And for brush or pretty much anywhere, I used Barnes X in my 308.  Get the mushroom type.

[bankwalker]

thanks guys. i think ill just sight in with 165gr then and get the best (if thats possible) of both worlds. 

[bobcat]

I find that 180 grn for deer is over power.  Destroy too much meat.  I like 150 grn better.  And for brush or pretty much anywhere, I used Barnes X in my 308.  Get the mushroom type.

Generally a heavier bullet will ruin less meat than a lighter bullet. It's the higher velocity of the lighter bullets that is hard on the meat. So if you're worried about loss of meat, go with a 180, or better yet, a 220.

Of course if you're using a Barnes bullet, it really doesn't matter what weight you use. They don't come apart no matter what the velocity or how much bone you hit, so they are a good choice as well.

[CP]

All 30-06 rounds are overpowered for deer; they cut through deer like butter and hardly slow down on the trip through.  I’ve seen a 30-06 bullet shot through a buck, through a doe behind the buck and then through and oak branch, could have easily taken out a third deer if it was in the right (or wrong) spot.  Both double lunged, the doe dropped on the spot but the buck ran about 100 yards before dropping. 

Heavier rounds are slowed down less than lighter rounds by deer flesh and therefore impart less energy on the target.  The most devastating 30-06 deer round I’ve ever seen is a hand load 125g hollow point flat nose.  They still cut through deer like butter but they leave a tremendous mess behind and drop deer on the spot; excellent round for short range where you don’t want to have to track an animal but they do ruin a lot of meat.  Unfortunately I’ve lost the recipe for that round.

[MountainWalk]

I always thought that anything with two holes through both lungs and or the heart would die pretty quickly.   Why do you like a load that bloods up and ruins your meat?