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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Rifles

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ar15a292f
.224 member


Reged: 25/03/04
Posts: 5
30-06 bullets for plains game
      #17584 - 05/08/04 03:24 AM

I have a 30-06 that I would like to take to Africa one day for hunting plains game. The 180 gr. bullet is generally thought of as the all round bullet weight for the 30-06. I use the Swift A-Frame 180 gr. loaded to 2700 fps. For African use I have read that the 220 gr. is the best weight to use (from John Taylor's African Rifles & Cartridges). Would it be better to use a 180 gr. Swift A-Frame @ 2700 fps. or a 220 gr. Woodleigh loaded to 2400 fps. for African plains game. If the 220 gr. Woodleighs were used, I could probably also load up some 220 gr. Barnes solids that would have a similar point of impact to the Woodleighs. With modern bullet technology, the new super premeium 180 gr bullets (A-Frame, Trophy Bonded, X-bullets, Failsafes, etc.) seem to work wonderfully on larger game. Should I stay with a premium 180 gr. bullet like the A-Frame or should I load up some 220 gr. Woodleigh Softnoses and possibly some 220 gr Barnes Solids for use in Africa? What are the pro's & con's of either bullet weight?

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Ingwe
.275 member


Reged: 08/07/04
Posts: 70
Loc: Texas
Re: 30-06 bullets for plains game [Re: ar15a292f]
      #17589 - 05/08/04 06:14 AM

A lot of guys don't like the solids for plains game, but I do because with a solid you can make a shot on any animal from any angle. It is not all that uncommon to have to take the ol' Texas heart shot, ya know? The solid gives you that option. I also like them in 220 gr. It hits harder, and to me, the fact that it is not as flat shooting as the 180 is really no problem, because I would not be taking too many 300 yd shots anyway. I have been looking hard lately at the GS Flat Nose solids-I think they are 200gr. I also like the solid in case of bumping into something big and angry. Unlikely, yes, but with my luck, the day I loaded with softs, would for sure be the day I got charged by everything and their mothers..

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Learn from other people's mistakes - you can't live long enough to make them all yourself.


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BSAJoe
.224 member


Reged: 15/06/04
Posts: 47
Loc: Texas
Re: 30-06 bullets for plains game [Re: Ingwe]
      #17622 - 06/08/04 01:43 AM

On my only safari to date, I used my 30-06. I took greater kudu, zebra, gemsbok, impala and warthog. I used 180 gr. Nosler Partitions which gave excellent penetration and expansion.
Based on my solitary safari, I would stick with the 180gr. premium type bullets.
Keep in mind with 220 gr. solids, you may get such penetration that you may completely penetrate one animal and injure one behind it. Since you pay $$ anytime blood is drawn, whether killed or wounded, you take a chance with solids.
I hunted in Zimbabwe and South Africa. There were no dangerous game in the areas I hunted.
Ironically, my PH's rifle was a 30-06 as well.
Joe
in Houston
Always looking for BSA Lee Speed commercial sporters


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"A man and a gun and a star and a beast are still ponderables in a world of imponderables." Ruark


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allenday
.333 member


Reged: 18/04/04
Posts: 318
Re: 30-06 bullets for plains game [Re: ar15a292f]
      #17865 - 12/08/04 12:08 AM

You don't need 220 gr. bullets in the .30-06 for any African plainsgame. I've always 180s in the .300 Winchester when I've used that cartridge for African plainsgame, and they've always either made exit or were found just under the hide on the off side. From what I've seen so far on almost sixty plainsgame animals taken with either 180 gr. Winchester Fail-Safes or Nosler Partitions, 220s would have done nothing but decrease trajector and increase recoil.

If your .30-06 does well with 180 gr. Swift A-Frames, that is surely the bullet I'd use.......

ADay


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Safarischorsch
.275 member


Reged: 28/02/04
Posts: 98
Re: 30-06 bullets for plains game [Re: ar15a292f]
      #18137 - 18/08/04 05:20 PM

Try the 165 grain RUAG CDP! The 180gr Brenneke TUG is also a good choice on plainsgame. Or something exclusive: KJG from Lutz Möller.

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atkinson6
.375 member


Reged: 26/01/04
Posts: 678
Loc: Idaho
Re: 30-06 bullets for plains game [Re: Safarischorsch]
      #19379 - 23/09/04 08:32 AM

For the 06, I have never found a better bullet than the 180 gr. Nosler Partition, Northfork or Woodleigh, they all work...The 220 is a great bullet but limits your gun to 30-30 ranges but they sure do kill well...

I use the 200 and 220 in my 300 H&H...


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vapodog
.300 member


Reged: 28/12/04
Posts: 237
Loc: Nebraska USA
Re: 30-06 bullets for plains game [Re: atkinson6]
      #22924 - 31/12/04 08:39 AM

The 180 nosler partician will get a deserved vote because there's so much good experience with it. It's a great bullet for the .30-06.

My preference is for the Swift A-Frame 200 grain and I can drive it at 2,700'/sec with a minor amount of creative loading from a featherweight barrel of 22". A featherweight rifle that shoots well under minute of Duiker to 300 yards with 3,250 ft-lb of energy is a very fine rifle indeed. Some of these plains game animals are really big and the heavier bullet gives me the assurance I want.

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