180 grain TSX, Accubond, or Hornady SST.

[roosterslayer]

I am looking for a good deer, bear, elk and antelope bullet. My 30-06 groups 180 grain the best but not sure of the bullet i should be using. What do you all think?

[Curly]

You should try the TSX.  But you should try 150gr or 168gr bullets.  The length will be closer to a lead 180gr bullet, so it should shoot in your rifle like a lead 180 gr bullet.  A 180gr TSX in a 30-06 will be kind of on the slow side.

[Intruder]

I luv the TSX.  I agree w/ Curly.... try the 168/165/150.  I would think a 30-06 would shot the 165 and 150 really well.  They're flat based and a little shorter than the 168 boattail.   

A-Frame, Interbond, Accubond, Scirroco and BearClaws are all good bullets too... you can't really go wrong w/ any of em.  I'd stay away from the SST.  It is too light jacketed to be an all around bullet.  Fine for deer but not nearly the structural integrity that I like for bigger animals.  I believe the Interbonds are a lil less $ than the others and they should shoot similiarly to the SST if you've already got experience w/ those.   

[roosterslayer]

Well to be honest I only shoot the reminton yellow and green box 180's and have had great results on deer and bear,but i have a few buddies that think its time for me to switch to something a little more dependable on big game (elk, and big bears). thats the reason i am asking.

[Sagedawg]

 Agree on the SST's . I helped my buddy track a buck he hit with one, came apart before it did any major damage, Myself I use Nosler Partions in my '06, 165 gr does the job, and its very accurate to boot.

    Sage

[Intruder]

If you're not reloading then check out Federal Premium ammo.  They load the TSX and the Bear Claw in it.  Remington also loads A-Frames and Sciroccos in some of their high end ammo.  Not sure what's available in 30-06 from those companies though.

Again... most of the bullets that have been mentioned are top shelf.  Just find the ammo w/ 1 of those bullets that shoots the best in your gun.  You'll be in great shape.   

[thinkingman]

see if you can find some Federal High Energy 30-06.
I think these may have been discontinued but they were loaded with Trophy bonded bear claws.
Next to A-frame and Partition, probably the best big game bullet out there.
I load 180gr TSX for elk.
Pretty pricy to buy off the shelf, but great bullet and no separation issues....match grade accuracy.

[WDFW-SUX]

TSX

[FOsteology]

For the game you intend to hunt, the TSX is hands down a better bullet.

[Ingwe]

180 nosler partition

[jackelope]

my a-bolt 30-06 really likes the 165 tsx's.

[Red Dawg]

I like to role with 180 grain and 200 grain accubonds. They make some sizable damage and keep there weight very well. With my 06 though i used to shoot remington factory ammo in the 165 grain cor-lokt variety and those things are deadly. A deer never took more than a step with those.

[roosterslayer]

well thats the other thing that i wondering, could i just get away with the remington 180 PSP, i will be using it mainly for deer but from ranges between 100-300yards?

[Red Dawg]

165 are a perfect load for any sized deer, i would save your 180's for an elk.

[GoldTip]

Rooster, if your not into handloading and your rifle already like the remmy core lokts, stick with them.  Before I got into handloading and getting hot loaded magnums, I shot plenty of deer and elk with a 30-06 factory 180gr core lokt bullet, never had any animal retrieval problems.  Looking back on it, not exactlty sure why I ever switched!

[boneaddict]

I use 180 grain Hornady hand loads, but for shooting I also use Federals loaded with Nozler partition.  They shoot great. 

[Intruder]

Rooster, if your not into handloading and your rifle already like the remmy core lokts, stick with them.  Before I got into handloading and getting hot loaded magnums, I shot plenty of deer and elk with a 30-06 factory 180gr core lokt bullet, never had any animal retrieval problems.  Looking back on it, not exactlty sure why I ever switched!

Hard to argue w/ this advice.  Been a boat-load of critters dispatched w/ the old core-loks.  If they shoot good I would suspect that at the ranges you're talking you're gonna be fine.... for sure w/ deer.

[Curly]

My first buck was shot w/ a factory 30-06 Remington Cor-lokt bullet.  The deer was running, quartering away and the bullet hit a rib on the way in; the deer dropped instantly and never even twitched, but........it blew up and fragmented.  The heart and lungs were just a big pile of mush and there was lead fragments all over the place.
 
That was the first and only deer I ever shot with a core lokt.  I like heart and liver too much to risk blowing them up, and on that deer the bullet only hit a rib and blew up..........what does it do if it hits something more substantial like a shoulder?

[Red Dawg]

That must have been a fluke. I have shot to many animals with cor-lokt's and never had anything happen like that. They are a great bullet. I think you can buy them and load them yourself.

[MountainWalk]

my opinion means little to you guys, but in the absense of fail safes, in the 06,, i really really like speer hot core 220's.. not as flat shooting, and not fast and flashy, but there isnt much in the way of animal matter that can stop the 220's from penetrating.. im always a heavy for caliber guy. roosevelt and hemmingway used the 220's from an 06  to take cleanly cape buff, rhino, lion.. with full patch loads, you can brain shoot pachyderms..
also, ive had good luck with bear claws. but one of my 06's will not shoot them. nuthin wrong with plain ol noslers partiontons...

[Curly]

That must have been a fluke. I have shot to many animals with cor-lokt's and never had anything happen like that. They are a great bullet.

Yeah, I guess it must have been a fluke.  But I will never give Remington ammo another try after that experience.  (That was about 20yrs ago, maybe they had some quality issues back then?)  I'm an unleaded guy now........only solid copper for me; I don't like lead seasoning in my venison .

[Hunter4Life]

I love the Barnes Triple-Shock X bullet.  I think Barnes makes a great product down the line.  Their Varmint Gernades just blow-up varmints.

[roosterslayer]

I heard  that about the barnes, but i like to save my coyote hides so BTSP, or 55 grain vmax are my choices on coyote and fox!