Winchester 30-06

[justyhntr]

I've always been a bow guy but a couple years ago I picked up a Winchester Model 70 30-06 Springfield for bear hunting . The gun came with a lot of ammo but it is all kinds of brands , different loads and grains and none of them shoot the same . Like the arrows for my bow I want to find one load that shoots consistent and stick with it . I only use the gun for bear and where we hunt here on the west side rarely do I  have a shot exceeding 250 yards . For those that have experience with this type of gun what over the counter load would you shoot? Thanks .

[Henrydog]

agree with Core lokt.  180SP they fly pretty good out of my M70 3006

[C-Money]

I am a fan of the Federal Classic ammo. I like the 150s.

[300rum]

Whomever you bought it from did half the work for you, the expensive part anyway.  Here''s what you do.

Take a target and set it at 100 yards.  Shoot the rifle from a bench or prone off a backpack at least, make sure you are "bagged in" and have a solid rest.  What you are looking for is which ammunition groups the best (tightest), don't worry about anything else.  Don't worry about who makes what, don't worry about bullet weight (as long as it is made for hunting), don't worry if it ends up being "premium ammo" or cheap stuff, find out which one groups the tightest.  What you are looking for is what works best in your rifle.

Once you find out which one shoots best, buy a box of whatever it ends up being (if the ammo you shot for the test is older) and shoot a few rounds from the new box to make sure that the newer ammo holds the same point of impact as the older stuff that you have.  If it holds the same point of impact and tight groups, go back to the store and buy them out, buy all the ammo they have with the same lot number.  If you can't find the same lot number, call online retailers (smaller stores are sometimes better) and ask for the same lot number.  Even if you can't find the same lot number, these days ammunition can be very consistent over many years, I have found.  Personally, I would go with nothing less then 250 rounds per rifle, 500 is better. 

Go back to the range and sight in your rifle to about 1.5" high at 100 yards.  At the ranges that you mentioned in this post, although you will want to test it, you will be able to hit anything you want at those ranges by holding dead on.   

[theleo]

I'd recommend 180 grain plain jane stuff. Remington Corlokts, Federal Vital shocks, Federal Fusions.... The 30-06 is not an exotic cartridge and doesn't require exotic ammo to perform flawlessly. 180 grain and 165 grain run of the mill bullets will do everything you could want. If you go down to 150's maybe consider going with a bonded bullet in some of the premium ammo.

[justyhntr]

Thanks , I went through all the ammo that came with the gun , about 300 rounds , and I came up with 38 , 180 grain , 40 165 grain and 60 150 grain rounds all in Rem Cor lokt . So I'll be heading up this week to do a little shooting . 

[nwwanderer]

Any handloads in the bunch?  Might want to get a bullet puller and a scale just for safety sake.  Scrap the powder and sort the bullets.

[kodiak 907]

I've had my m70 30-06 since I was 12. I've shot everything through it. For deer and elk the 165 gr. Ammo is by far the best. IMO

Bears, go 180 gr. And higher, maybe a hand load.

[Wingin it]

Solid advice given by 300rum, do that and never look back. I agree with 165 grain being great performers too.

[Ghost Hunter]

Any handloads in the bunch?  Might want to get a bullet puller and a scale just for safety sake.  Scrap the powder and sort the bullets.

  Never again will I shoot someone else's reloads.  Just spent 7 hours extracting a solid coper bullet.  No powder, only primer. 

[Machias]

150 grains are fantastic Washington Black Bear medicine.

[jkononen]

150s work just fine.