Barnes bullets in 30-06

[SAWMAN]

Hornady makes a 125 and 150gr GMX bullet also. They are even harder than the Barnes and could perform better on the heavy boned animals.
Never shot them but got a buddy that killed a moose with one two years ago in Maine. --- SAWMAN

[Guy]

Concur with lighter bullets for mule deer, particularly with Barnes or one of the other non-lead bullets such as the Nosler E-Tip, or the Hornady version.

30-06 is a great all-around hunting cartridge. I've used mine for mule deer, elk, black bear, pronghorn, wolf and grizzly. It works well!

Normally I use a 165 grain bullet, usually a Nosler Ballistic Tip but I did bump up to the 200 gr Nosler Partition for the grizzly hunt.

I've used Barnes bullets, and they penetrate like crazy! Even the lighter ones. You should be able to get a 165/168 gr bullet up to around 2850 - 2900 fps with careful handloading. No need to go crazy and try to turn the ol' 30-06 into a 300 magnum either.

Re mule deer hunting... Glass! Get someplace where you can see some country. Be in position before first light and glass, glass, glass. If you want to take a mid-day break, that's fine. Then glass, glass, glass again in the evening. Be prepared to MOVE OUT and go get your buck when you see one.

Have a way figured out to get the meat & antlers back to your truck... I bring a good sized pack, and just bring out the meat in quarters or even de-bone it in the field. That works well, even for a guy in his 60's. Dragging the buck any real distance is difficult.

Practice your marksmanship. Get off the bench! Shoot from field positions. Prone, sitting, kneeling, standing... Rest your rifle on your backpack or on a bipod or shooting sticks. I sight-in my rifle at 200 yards and have taken mule deer from about 20 yards out to an honest 400 yards. I prefer to keep the shots at 300 or less. I shoot year 'round, but switch my shooting to the hunting rifles a couple of months before the season, and burn a fair bit of ammo making sure I'm good to go.

Best of luck on your hunt!

Regards, Guy

[Muddydawg75]

I also pick the 150, partly because I used them in 300wm, and partly for all the reasons already mentioned, smaller, faster, flatter.....

[Mambochicken]

Hello again all, picking this thread back up for some more advice.

I test shot my 185’s, and the results were pretty solidly underwhelming. So I bought a box of 150’s to try out.

My book shows a min/max of 49.5/52 gn of IMR 4064. What increments would you use for ladder tests with a 2.5 gn spread? Is 0.2 too far?


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[Jay Andrew]

Barnes Bullets a pretty sensitive to COL, you might try seating them further off the lands.

.2 is find for a ladder test, but I think I would go with .5, and then test different COLs.


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[JeffreyDeGraff]

I would do .5gr increments. I would also start with my COAL at .030” off the lands.


JTD

[Mambochicken]

I’ve heard they like a jump, so I was running at 0.05 pff the lands. I want to say that’s what they recommended, but I could be wrong. I know that number came from somewhere though, not thin air or anything.

I’ll try .5 gn steps, and start back .3 off the lands then.

Thanks guys!


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[Jay Andrew]

It’s not uncommon to see good results as much as .100 off the lands.


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www.theballisticassistant.com

[JeffreyDeGraff]

I’ve heard they like a jump, so I was running at 0.05 pff the lands. I want to say that’s what they recommended, but I could be wrong. I know that number came from somewhere though, not thin air or anything.

I’ll try .5 gn steps, and start back .3 off the lands then.

Thanks guys!


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Barnes recommends .030 - .050 off the lands. I’ve always had better luck closer to .030”.



JTD

[Mambochicken]

I knew I got that number somewhere reliable. I’ll give the .03 a whirl and see how they fly.

I guess I’ve got brass prep to do, then back to the bench. Not a bad deal really.


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