30.06 for Maine Moose

[pdugie]

Hi Guys,

I just found out that I am going on a Moose hunt here in Maine. I was wondering if any of you guys have had any luck with 180g-200g hand loads? Powders, brass, primers? Im leaning more toward 180g so and advice would be great!!!!

Any info would be much appreciated.

Pat

 

[FOTIS]

Welcome to the forum;
180 AB or PT win primers and 57 gr of H4350.

 

[DrMike]

Pat,

Welcome to the forum; it's great to have you aboard. Your 30-06 will work perfectly for Maine moose. Either a 180 grain or a 200 grain PT or AB will hammer moose. I used 180 grain Fail Safe bullets for quite a few years to take moose, and they worked splendidly. Actually, I'm using 165 grain bullets in my 30-06 now, and I don't believe myself to be undergunned for either moose or elk. We'll all be pulling for you as you strike out into the woods this fall. Best of luck to you.

 

[SJB358]

I would think any of the combos given would work great in your 30-06. Seems like a 180 or 200 PT would be just about awesome for your moose hunt. Good luck. What rifle are you loading for?

 

[JD338]

pdugie

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on the moose tag.

The 180 gr PT should serve you well in the 30-06. 55.0 grs IMR4350 was always my go to load.

JD338

 

[gerry]

Welcome to th forum as well. Thousands of moose have fallen here with 30-06's and all sorts of 180's you will be in excellent shape with either the Partition or Accubonds. The 4350's are great as mentioned but guys have done well also with Hunter. Good luck and please post some pictures of you moose hunt when you bag your bull

 

[big rifle man]

pdugie, where in Maine are you hunting? I got my moose in "Stinkin Lincoln" (pulp factory town) back in 1999. Best of luck and you have a chance to bag an excellent tasting animal.

 

[Guy Miner]

Never shot a moose, but... I'd sure feel comfortable with a .30-06 and 165 or 180 grain Nosler Partitions over H4350. Good combination.

Welcome to the forum! Looking forward to seeing some great moose-hunt photos posted up in time!

Regards, Guy

 

[pdugie]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm using a Remington 700 CDL, very nice rifle that's knocked down 2 deer in the last 2 years. I used Remington's in the Army, and will never use anything else. Very partial towards them, if they can get you home from war, you can do anything with them.

I'll be up in Jackman, Maine. Very close to the Canadian border, a friend of mine has 60+ acres that we will be on.

Any word on brass and primers? I've been using my old Nosler brass with CCI primers. I will probably get some new brass for the hunt.

Again, thanks guys.

 

[JD338]

Use the brass and primer of your choice. Nosler brass is good.
Just remember to start low and work up.

BTW, pictures of the hunt are mandatory. :mrgreen:

JD338

 

[BK]

I wouldn't change brass and primers if what you have been using hasn't caused you any problems.

I've never hunted moose, so take this for what it's worth, but the country would decide for me what bullet I would be shooting. If my shots were going to be 200 yards or less, I might be looking at the 220 Partition. If you do have the possibility of a long poke, I might look at something a little more streamlined, maybe a 180 AB or Partition, or a 200 Partition.

 

[6mm Remington]

Congratulations on the great tag first, and second, welcome to the forum. The 30-06 is a great cartridge and all I ever loaded in mine was 165 gr. Partitions. I now have also loaded some 165 gr. Accubonds and those shoot great as well. I would not hesitate to hunt moose with either of those bullets in 165 or 180 grs. The final choice would be made by your rifle in my opinion, and which one it liked the best!!

My load with both the AccuBond and Partition. This same load also worked great in a Remington 700 ADL that I had prior to my Ruger #1B in 30-06.

Winchester brass - (nothing wrong with Nosler if that is what you have used)

Federal 210 match primer - (I used CCI 200's before and then switched to Federal at a gunsmiths suggestion. I did not notice any change in accuracy)

165 gr. AccuBond or Partition - (My OAL with the Partition is 3.375. That happened to work in both 30-06 rifles, but your throat might not be the same as either rifle of mine. The 180 gr. in both bullets would work equally as well.)

IMR4350 - 57.4 grs. (Same load both 165 gr. bullets and both rifles. Seating die left at the OAL for the Partition & I just loaded up the Accubonds without changing it and shot some groups, and they were fantastic. Got lucky and it worked great and no huge POI change.)

H4350 is a real go to powder also in the 30-06. (Again, which ever one your rifle likes best and you will be good.)

Good luck on your hunt. As others have stated, must have pictures!!
David

 

[Oldtrader3]

Having lived and worked as a diamond driller in St. Magloire, Quebec (about 20 miles west from Jackman) and hunted there for moose, most of your shots will be in the alders and will not be long. The .30-06 seems to be really popular in that area with 180 or 200 grain bullets. I would use Partitions for moose just because of shot angle and animal size.

 

[Guy Miner]

What do you guys think of the 220 gr Nosler Partition for moose at modest range?

Here's a link to the bullet test on the 220: viewtopic.php?f=50&t=19074

 

[DrMike]

The 220 grain Partition would perform marvellously on moose at modest ranges. That is a lot of mass delivered at reasonable velocities, which translates into a massive energy transfer with attendant hydrostatic shock on whatever game is shot.

 

[SJB358]

What do you guys think of the 220 gr Nosler Partition for moose at modest range?

Here's a link to the bullet test on the 220: viewtopic.php?f=50&t=19074

When you say modest range Guy, are you talking 300-350? Just wondering? Seems like with any decent load with a 220 going about 2500, it would get out to 350 pretty easily and man, it would be like a drill when it hits. I am a sucker for those big heavy bullets!

 

[pdugie]

Ok guys....we are starting to get a packing list together. For those of you who have gone on big game hunts, what was the one thing you forgot/wished you had brought with you?

Thanks for the reloading info. In looking at the 180 partitions!!

Thanks
Pat

 

[sask boy]

Hi pdugie, welcome to the forum I believe you are going to enjoy the people on the forum they really are a great group of people, with a sense of humor and lots of knowledge on most things including all aspects of the shooting sports.
I believe your choice will do you very well, the 180gr PT is a great bullet and if you use Nosler brass, CCI br primers & IMR4350 powder the rest is the shot placement which we all know is what really counts :wink:
Good luck on your hunt, remember lots of stories and photo are almost mandatory :mrgreen:
Looking forward to lots of post?

Blessings,
Dan

 

[joelkdouglas]

Sorry this is late!

I would try 58.0 grains of Ramshot Hunter under a 180 grain Partition with a magnum primer. Magnum primer for the ball powder, as Ramshot powders sometimes work better with them. I use Lapua brass.

For a 24-inch barrel, I have found 3.280 inches OAL to be a good length.

 

[Guy Miner]

Hunter and H4350 are my favorite powders for the .30-06 - both are good!

Hunter surprised me a little - it's well worth trying..