Deer Loads for the 30-06 165 gr BT

[JD338]

Helping out a buddy. He has a Remington 700 BDL 30-06 and wants to set it up for hunting WT deer. Shots will be from 50 to 450 yards. He has a Leupold VX-3i 3.5-10x40mm with CDS dial for optics.
I'm thinking a 165 gr BT loaded with RL22 or IMR4350 and a 200 yard zero would be ideal for him.
I'm open to your thoughts and load suggestions you fellas might have.

JD338

 

[6mm Remington]

I like your thinking and I know the BT is a good one, but I just like the AccuBond better. I like that it penetrates and holds together and shoots as well as a BT most of the time. Seemed easy for me to get a load. I use IMR4350 with the 165 gr. AccuBond and Partition. H4350 would be another good one and Guy probably has a load for that exact bullet, the BT.

I use 57.4 grs of IMR4350. No pressure signs and great accuracy. I had a couple fails with R powders. My rifle just didn't care for them so I didn't carry one. I just use what works.

 

[6mm Remington]

I like your thinking and I know the BT is a good one, but I just like the AccuBond better. I like that it penetrates and holds together and shoots as well as a BT most of the time. Seemed easy for me to get a load. I use IMR4350 with the 165 gr. AccuBond and Partition. H4350 would be another good one and Guy probably has a load for that exact bullet, the BT.

I use 57.4 grs of IMR4350. No pressure signs and great accuracy. I had a couple fails with R powders. My rifle just didn't care for them so I didn't carry on. I just use what works.

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

IMR4350 is pretty hard to beat. I’ve used it with Nosler, Sierra, Hornady, Speer and Barnes 165 grain bullets over the years. It just flat works. It’s by far my favorite powder for the .30-06!

In my experience RL-22 doesn’t start to cook until you get into the 180 grain and heavier bullets in a .30-06 because you basically can’t get enough of it into the case even with lighter bullets.

Sounds like you’re on the right track JD.


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[gerry]

I would also be looking at IMR 4451 and H 4350 along with your IMR 4350. The 165 gr Ballistic Tip is great and I would also look at the 165 gr Sierra TGK Gamechanger

 

[balew6254]

My load is 58 grains H4350 with the 168 ballistic tip and 165 AccuBond. Gets 2,934 fps at 7740' above sea level, shoots well under .75" @ 100yds in the M48 Custom. . As always work up from at least 5% below.

Bruce

 

[Gunner46]

+1 for the 165 BT. +1 for 4350. I would actually not look for a 450 yd load, but the best group I could get at sayyyyyy 200yds. 450 is Rare, 50-200 is common. Load for the 95% shots. The biggest buck I've ever shot was with a 165 BT at 2550fps, 150 yds out of a 308 carbine. Hit the front left shoulder, found just under the hide in it's rear right ham. 4' of penetration !

 

[ShadeTree]

JD, you're sure on the right track in my opinion. You've heard it several times already but IMR 4350 would be the first powder I'd be running to for the 06 when using bullet weights above 150 gr.

Somewhere around 57-57.5 for 165's, and 56-56.5 for 180's just flat works in 06's. Yes each rifle is an individual but if an 06 wont shoot that combo I'd be looking for the problem.

 

[ShadeTree]

P.S. Just looked on Nosler's reloading data site. With 165/168 gr bullets they show IMR 4350 as the most accurate powder tested, and 57 gr's as the most accurate charge. No surprises there.

Load up and go forth making history young man. :grin:

 

[1Shot]

56.5 grs. IMR 4350 was what I used with 165 Sierra Game Kings because that was the suggested hunting load in the manual at that time. It was listed as a max load with 2800 fps. I did not have a chrno at the time to check it. It sure was accurate and I killed every deer I used it on with one shot out to a little over 300 yards. I used a 3" high at 100 yards zero like I do with most of my deer hunting rifles no matter the caliber. Most will stay within a line of flight between 4" high to 4" low out to 300 yards. I just know that at 200 yards I need to hold just a little bit lower than center and at 300 yards hold just a little bit high but stay in the hair on a deer and they are dead. For the novice the 200 yard zero is a good zero because like as has been said most likely most of his shots will be under 200 yards. After a few years with that old 30-06 I barreled it in 25-06 and the rest is history. About the best deer killing caliber I have ever used. 117 Sierra sighted 3" high at 100 yards. Put the cross hair in the center of the shoulder out to 350 yards squeeze the trigger and 99% of the time they drop in their tracks. Good luck with your endeavor.

 

[26NosFan]

I have a friend who is testing StaBALL 6.5 in the 30-06 and is getting impressive speed out of a 24" barrel and 165gr bullets. Up over 3000 fps and hasn't maxed it out yet. that's singing for the old war horse

 

[mjcmichigan]

I’d add, given the parameter of 450 yards. A 165 will be down to about 2000 FPS. BT expands at 1800+ FPS. When it hits expansion will stop quickly in the meat. I’d definitely want to launch at 3000 FPS or even faster.

I haven’t looked at this round on 3006, but I’d definitely pick a powder than gets speed without pressure spikes. Super performance and RL26, I’d look at if not try. RL is great on heavy for caliber, the 165 is medium ish for 3006, not a 180-220, but not a 110-150 either.

165 is a great weight for many applications.


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[Nimrod84]

Outside of H or IMR 4350, IMR 4451 and Staball 6.5 would be two additional powders to consider. IMR 4831 might be worth looking at if you have it on hand - but either 4350 should be a better fit.

Staball 6.5 is giving very good velocities out of a 22" barrel and 150 grainers - 3100+ fps in virgin Starline brass. Still experimenting with accuracy, but down around 3000-3050 fps it seems to group well.

IMR 4451 acts like a modernized 4350 to me. 54.5 grains of IMR 4451 is my go to with 165 grain Core-loct's. Provides about 2600 fps and it is light recoiling. I use the load in three different 30-06's as a medium target / hunting load. We use it on steel out to 500 yards with good accuracy. I can and have pushed it faster, but my father has a bad neck and much prefers the lighter loading.

We tend to zero just past 200 yards and point blank ends up being a little past 300 yards. Each rifle is a little different, but about 2.75" high at 100 yards is zeroing the light 165 grain Cor-loct load between 200-230 yards. The Cor-locts, I think are a bit tougher than the BT's and have worked okay out to 300ish yards (lets say 275 yards) even at the lower velocity.

I'm not recommending the Cor-locts, as we have to aim for the shoulder, as bone helps promote expansion. They will go through like a pencil even at short range at 2800 fps if bone isn't hit. If your friend is opposed to shoulder shots, then higher velocity is definitely called for as MJ noted.

I'll second what MJ mentioned about RL-22. It is probably not worth mentioning but RL-22 for what ever reason did not work in two of the 30-06 with 180 grain NP's. 60 grains of H4831sc did work very well though in both.

 

[PJGunner]

I run the 165 gr. Nosler AccuBond at 2880 FPS from a 24" Mauser custom. Powder is W760, 56.0 gr. Winchester brass and WLR primer. Average accuracy has run tight around .75" and I took down a nice cow elk with it about three or four years ago. Bullet hit right at the short ribs and angled up into the left lung. The elk went about 30 yards and collapsed. She did require a finishing shot. I didn't find the bullet and no sign of exit. I think it was probably still in the mess that was her left lung.
I wouldn't hesitate to use it again.
Paul B.

 

[TackDriver284]

I don't own a 30-06, but I would love to have one in my arsenal. The 165 AccuBond and 165-168 Ballistic Tips really rock, I love how they fly true and how they perform on game. It's hard to beat. I use them in the .308 and once I took a nilgai in the chest head on with a 165 grain Ballistic tip from a .308 at close to 350 yards and the bullet tore through its heart and it dropped about 40 yards from its spot. I never expected it to be there, and I was hunting whitetails at the moment.

I am sure you will be happy with the Ballistic Tips and Accubonds. Cheers

 

[boomer68]

I’m using IMR4350 with the 165gr BT. Shoots well out of my Mossberg Patriot. Dropped a WT last season.

 

[JD338]

Great input fellas. IMR4350 was always my go to powder in the 30-06 for 150, 165 and 180 gr bullets.
For my friends sake, what kind of recovery distance have you guys experienced with the 165 gr BT on deer, with a solid lung shot for example?
Thanks for the input!

JD338

 

[boomer68]

Mine was a 100yd shot straight on to chest (deer was looking right at me and would not turn). Dropped right where it was hit. Upon field dressing, lungs were completely destroyed.

 

[clearwater]

Echo Echo Echo
58 grains I4350, 150AB
57 grains I4350, 168BT
56 grains I4350, 180BT

Equally accurate in mine have been BT's with Reloder 19 and 17 using loads from the Lyman manual.

 

[preacher]

Have used 58gr/of either IMR or Hodgdon 4350 for decades. 59gr/150 and 57/180. 54/200 Almost w/o fail every 30-06 (using Remington or Win cases) handled these and with great accuracy. Today, with our new powders, I'm sure more fps can be gained, if wanted.

I like to experiment and handloading is a Big Love of mine. I liked how the 165s made "less of a mess" on deer than the 150s I used for years. I've shot alot of 180 Hornady sp, pretty tough all around. The 200 Nosler was a hog killing booger! I'm sure it would work very well on elk. But "all around" the 165 is just a sweetheart in the 30-06, I even liked it in the 308 just as well.