Does the .30-06 need premium ammo for elk?

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colorcountrykid

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In all the research I've done I've seen a lot of people say that the moderate velocity rounds like the .30-06 don't need a premium bullet and bullet blow ups only become an issue as velocity hits 2800 fps or higher? What do you all think? Have you ever had a bullet failure with a .30-06? Would you feel comfortable with a 180 grain Winchester Power Point on elk? Even against heavy bone?
 
Jeeze, you guys never give up! lol

All bullets kill stuff, that's what they were made to do.

If you hit them right, no problem.

If you hit them a bit wrong, like center bone mass front shoulder, you may lose a animal because the bullet didn't reach the vitals and wish to hell that you had spent a few bucks more and bought or built the best ammo for the job that you could.

My equipment shoots lights out but it ain't the best. The one thing I won't skimp on is good ammo. That's what puts them on the ground or running off into dark timber as the sun goes down.

Joey



"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
 
About any 180 will work for an -06 or 308. that's why the core lokt made it this long.














Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
>>Killed several with rem core lokts
>>in 06's. Me too. But that was before the internet. mtmuley


Damn that al gore!
 
LAST EDITED ON Aug-09-15 AT 11:41AM (MST)[p]Yeah, them 180 round nosed core lokts are great bullets. They bust thru small trees, are great for sound shots where you can hear them in the thick brush but can't quite see them, and they really slam down the elk way across canyons because they hit harder with knock down power over those other more expensive bullets with sharp points.

My guess is not one of you above nimrods will be hunting with remington core lokts this year because there are way better pills available.

Joey


"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
 
Ballistic tips can blow up at those velocities (typically a little faster), but a bonded core or monolithic bullet like a Barnes TSX, Remington CoreLokt, Nosler Partition, or Hornady Interlock will stay together.

I would have zero concern at all about shooting an elk with a 180gr Barnes TSX or Nosler Partition out of an -06. I would not use a ballistic tip on one.
 
Sage, just cause we have killed stuff with Core-Lokts does not make us nimrods. You're absolutely right, better bullets available. But, a CL can and will do the job. As far as the Ballistic Tip, those have been redesigned, and I wouldn't hesitate to use one in the .06. Matter of fact, I've been loading them in mine. mtmuley
 
Nimrod means hunter.
numbnuts means something else.
Geeze man, get your facts straight! LOL

I think a "standard" bullet might work fine for some guys but I would want something better for elk size game. I've downed too many elk to count and they are BIG bodied animals. It's money well spent to buy something better.

For deer, elk, sheep I think a faster expanding bullet is just fine... although it makes a bigger mess.

Zeke
 
As i said right up front above, "All bullets kill stuff, that's what they were made to do."

Nimrod is a term to denote a "mighty Hunter or great Warrior" but Bugs Bunny used the term talking about Mr Fudd so some of the strength of the term has been washed thru the years.

Seriously, Round nosed, they refer to them as soft points, in the Ballistic tables, really as bad a flying bullet as it gets and nothing loses energy faster, is near as bad short of a rock in a sling shot. If you know how, check them Rem's out in the tables and see for yourself, it's eye opening.

Joey


"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
 
I shot a round nose once... wait, no I didn't!

Like uncle Sage said, it's money well spent to get a premium bullet for elk.

Some guys say it's all marketing hype but I say you owe it to yourself and the animal to do everything possible to tip the scales in favor of a successful hunt.

No reason to make things tougher on yourself. We know better nowadays.
Zeke
 
LAST EDITED ON Aug-11-15 AT 12:15PM (MST)[p]You do realize remington makes more core lokts than just the round nose? I've never bought a round nose but I've shot plenty of core lokts.
 
yessir I do. I was commenting on uncle Sage's comment about round nose bullets.
I think the Remington bullet is a pretty decent deer round but still want more for elk. Admittedly, my experience is limited since I think it's been near 50 years since I've used factory rifle rounds.
Zeke
 
I killed my first bull elk with 150 grain round-nose Remington Core Lokt out of a .270 win a long time ago. The end result was a dead elk. The down range retained velocity is horrible with those bullets. If you are shooting less than 250 yards they would work but there are a ton of much better bullets. If you are looking at saving a little money on ammo you could buy a simple bonded bullets like Federal Fusion or Federal Deer Thugs ammo. I have had slightly under moa with this ammo and have killed a couple elk cleanly with them. For premium ammo Federal, Barnes, and Winchester load a wide variety of bullets. I would choose Nosler Accubonds, Barnes TTSX, and Nosler Partition in that order. Good luck.
 
LAST EDITED ON Aug-11-15 AT 03:07PM (MST)[p]There was a time not too long ago that if you wanted a 120 gr 257 Bob or 270 Winchester 150 gr. Remington core lokt, they only came in round nosed bullet. Same with 180 gr in the 30-06. They sold millions upon millions of them to hunters that thought they were buying good ammo.

I got nothing against pointed corelokts for deer, killed my share of Bucks both blackies and muleys with them but there's better bullets out there so i use them.

Joey


"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
 
Core lockts are an entry level bullet at best.

If core locts and the other factory bullets of those days were worth a crap then Nosler, Barnes , Swift and all the rest wouldn't be in business.
















Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
Agreed. I have seen a bull elk shoulder completely frag a 150 grain core lokt out of a .270 and the bullet not penetrate into the vitals. That's a big bone. I'm not sure a 180 grain pointed core lokt out of an '06 would penetrate the shoulder and go into the vitals or not. In a perfect world a heavy for caliber cup/core bullet placed on the ribcage/lungs of an elk will kill every time.
 
I used flat-nosed 30-30's on my 1st 2 bulls.......but,
I switched to Fed.Premiums w/Barnes a long time ago for my -06.
They stopped making them and I went to Noslers w/Accubonds 4 yrs ago and am happy camper with lots of elk in the freezer.
Using them for deer and elk again this year.

Oh I pick up all the cheap core-locks or any ammo I can get as my
home protection ,just go shoot supply.
Vitals on 2 legged varmits can be non-existant and they work fine for that.....lol
 
I'll be hunting elk with Remington .30-06 CoreLokt 180 grain bullets this year. I've killed three elk so far with these in three elk shooting opportunities. My elk hunting partner likewise took three elk (same years I shot mine) shooting Remington .30-06 CoreLokt 180 grain bullets. From what I can tell talking to my partner, he was highly successful shooting these same bullets at elk before we started hunting together. These shoot very accurately in my rifle. Based on my experience and my partner's experience I have no reason to mistrust them.
 
Are you guys using 180 gr round nose soft points?

If not, use them at your own judgement but knowing that there are better bullets for the job.

If so, you really should go to a better bullet. Yes, they will kill at closer ranges but at 250-300+ yards, you might as well be shooting a 30-30 because, FACT, they don't have even near the down range retained energy that other manufactures offer. Not even close!

Joey


"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
 
Have took several deer and caribou and a couple moose with Hornady Inter Lock,but now shoot Nosler Partitions and Accubond,but thinking of going back to the Hornady as Nosler price increase.
 
As someone has already pointed out, Remington makes CoreLokt 180 grain .30 caliber bullets that are pointed rather than round nosed. I use the pointed CoreLokt 180 grain .30-06 bullets.
 
The interlock is one of the best bullets you can buy at any price. for -06 velocity I don't see how you could do better.

I've shot Hornady in .264, .277 and .308 on deer and elk for years and performance has been absolutely perfect. I don't actually know why I shoot anything else.







Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
And, as others have already pointed out, there are way better bullets than corelokts, pointed or not, but my warning is mainly to those who have been using or might be tempted to use the sluggish round nosed version so not sure why you jumped in and posted contrary after my warning comment, post #7 above.

Nor do i longer care!

Joey


"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
 
>The interlock is one of the
>best bullets you can buy
>at any price. for
>-06 velocity I don't see
>how you could do better.
>
>
>I've shot Hornady in .264, .277
>and .308 on deer and
>elk for years and performance
>has been absolutely perfect.
>I don't actually know why
>I shoot anything else. Then don't shoot anything else. Easy. mtmuley
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
The 180 grain CL spitzers that I shoot at 2700 fps group quite well and have performed very well on elk. IMHO, partitions are a better choice (perhaps the best choice at that velocity), but since they shoot well and they kill elk just fine I'm not going to work up another load for the 06. The BC published by Remington is very optimistic. I just keep shots under 300 yards. If you want to impress the Best of the West crowd you will need another rifle.
 
Hunting ammo is like anything else, you get what you pay for. I'll have thousands tied up in most of the good hunts that i get to go on. I'll not skimp on ammo knowing that it can possibly make the difference between a clean one shot kill or a animal that might get away wounded.

I used to hunt bucks with a Browning B-78 single shot w/28" octagon barrel, loved it, and took a fair amount of game with it. Before loading that beauty, i'd kiss the cartridge for luck before dropping it into the chamber. You can bet that i used the best ammo for the job that i knew how.

Joey


"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
 
You guys who only buy bullets based on price keep it up. it's hard enough finding premium bullets as it is.












Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
I'm just glad nobody told them boys back in the 40's they needed premium bullets to kill anything with the 06. If they knew that we might all be Deutsch sprechen!
 
.....at one point in time, power points were "premium" bullets....and worked very well..
 
Compared to what?

Maybe a power point was a premium bullet compared to a core lokt but neither are a partition. that's why John's grand kid is set for life with a thriving company.








Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
Yeah, i used a lot of power points too. My experiences with them was if you hit even the tinyest bone that they would detonate and leave that whole front side a bloody mess might just as well cut out and throw away.

by the time i had 30-40 bucks to my credit, i started and kept on using Federal ammo until i rolled my own. Not saying it was any better than the rest but i didn't seem to blow up as many as i did with the other stuff.

In ,my book,any of the regular stuff that we all used for years is nothing like a Accubond bullet. Those things are like a core machine that opens up, smashes thru and leaves a wound channel the size of a golf ball that i swear sometimes you can see clear through, puts them down fast, yet doesn't seem to be too bad at wasting the meat.

Do what you want, just don't be shooting across big canyons at game with them round nosed bone smashers because they more than likely will either fester and pop back out someday or bounce off entirely either one. :)

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
 
Dw, let's head to the 1000 yard range. I'll bring my Bergers and you bring your core lokts. loser buys.

I don't care if you use cheap bullets they suit you well, just don't tell me they're as good as the premium lines it's insulting.











Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
Show me where I said core lokts are as good as premium ammo and I'll buy. The op asked if premium ammo was necessary to kill elk in his 06. My response was I've killed several with core lokts in an 06. The longest kill shot I've attempted was 500yds on a limpin doe antelope. If she wasn't limpin I wouldn't have shot. She was a few hundred yards from my unit boundary and I wasn't going to be able to head her off on foot. She had little heart left after the 7mm 150 grain core lokt went thru it. Sages signature says it all, I'm not a cross canyon 1000yd type shooter, I'm a hunter. 1000yds at paper would be fun to play around with, I can see where that could get addicting. Could lead to tinkerin with loads, bullets, barrels, could probably just about drive ya nuts tryin to perfect it! If I had the time I'm sure I'd love it, but I'd leave it to paper not to flesh and blood. I've killed a fair pile of elk and none have been much over 100yds. Fact I've killed the last 10 or 12 with a 45-70 because my shots will be close and I got a soft spot for lever guns. I enjoy the meat so the shots are broadside never a frontal. I've never hit the front leg bone or shoulder bone because of that and the pic I posted earlier in this thread. I'd rather a guy be able to buy a pile of ammo and shoot alot so he hits where he aims, than to buy 2 boxes sights his gun in with 10 and hits the woods. If u put a bullet behind the shoulder of a broadside elk it's a dead elk. If you hit the front leg of a broadside elk you got a problem and it didnt matter how much u spent on your ammo as there's nothing behind the leg of a broadside elk that's going to result in a dead elk. I'm not a cross canyon shooter, I'm not a "break em down" kinda guy, I'm a 1 shot 1 kill type a guy. Do you need premium ammo to kill elk with an 06? Not if your shot selection matches your gear and your personal ability. Lost animals are more likely due to poor shot selection resulting in a bad hit than how much u spent on your ammo. Find a round yer gun likes, buy a pile of it, shoot as often as u can, and take high quality broadside shots at distances u never miss at with your first shot.
 
Arguments that one bullet is better than another are ridiculous. Its all about application. There are plenty of good choices for the 06 out there. Find a bullet that your rifle likes and you have confidence in. Some people need to spend more money to have confidence in their hunting bullets. More expensive is not necessarily better. Premium bullets with high weight retention may not expand as you would like at 2600 or 2700 fps muzzle velocity. Bullets with thinner jackets can splash on a shoulder.

People have different opinions based on experience, how they like a bullet to perform, or what they read on line. Lots of good choices. A safe choice is the partition. My guess is no one who has posted here would hesitate to use for elk medicine in an 06. Pretty safe bet that the bullet will do its part. But by all means do your research and go with the one that you have confidence will do the job when you pull the trigger.
 
" Find a bullet that your rifle likes and you have confidence in."
This may be the best advice.

I'm not the shooter that most of these posters are--saying that with respect for the knowledge and experience they have beyond me.

From an average joe's perspective, I've killed around 20 elk, a few more deer and a plethora of antelope with the Winchester Super X, pointed soft points. 165 grain. Its more than you need for antelope, but I like shooting the same thing for everything. Is it the best bullet? I don't know. I just found I could shoot sub MOA with it (apparently my rifle likes it) and it has done the job on every animal I've shot with it. It is a factory round that works for my humble needs. I've shot deer from 40 yards to 425 yards with it. Elk, from 40 yards to 150 yards. It has expanded and held together well. It may not be the best out there, but I'm confident and accurate with it and it seems to kill what it connects with. I've no experience with it on long shots on elk.
 
Not an expert huh?
It's hard to argue with that kind of success both on the range and in the field.
Well done!
Zeke
 
Pre64 said, "Arguments that one bullet is better than another are ridiculous. Its all about application."

So, would you then agree that for certain applications, one bullet might be better than another?

I think that is why we have these threads. I know that i certainly have earned a opinion from seeing first hand, just what a particular bullet does to the body's of the many bucks that i and those around me have taken thru the years. When all the variables, at least the most important ones, are considered, it's easy for me to see where some bullets are lacking and where some others have excelled.

Joey


"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
 
Old thread, but I like talking bullets.

>So, would you then agree that
>for certain applications, one bullet
>might be better than another?

Sure. I don't want to get lost in semantics, but,,,, people have different ideas of what "better" is. First had experience is the best teacher and it weighs heavy in opinions and confidence, as it should. Your mileage will vary. I kinda think Accubonds are the best thing since sliced bread, but not everyone has had the same experience I've had with them.


Upon reflection, I can recall several elk shot with 06 class rifles. All that were hit in the boiler room went down directly. The few that were not hit well required further work. Didn't seem to matter if the bullets were A-frames or core-lokts; the poor shots I witnessed with 06s and 270s did not knock over elk. 338s and 300s, that's another story. To your point that one should guard against a poor shot (good point), I think its a function of energy delivered with an appropriate bullet.

Just a thought my mind wandered into trudging up the mountain in the dark.
 
Pre64 said, " I kinda think Accubonds are the best thing since sliced bread, but not everyone has had the same experience I've had with them.


You about made me fall over backwards when i read that, i thought that you were a die hard "Partition" man for life.

I think Partitions are great bullets in certain applications but for the game hunting that i do most, i too really like how the regular ol Accubonds perform.

Joey





"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
 
Which bullet from Hornaday?Just curious, since they make several different kinds.
On a whim,I bought some 165gr Bergers loaded by HSM.I found this to be the most accurate load ever for my 06,so I used it on my recent hunt.It worked perfectly on the deer I shot at 200yds,with the deer piling up about 30yds from where he was hit.If I was going for Elk I would use something else.
 

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