flat shooting 30-06 load for antelope

[FrankenMauser]

My last 2 antelope were killed with my 270 and 130 gr Nosler bullets....Antelope are not hard to kill with a decent hunting bullet, the hard part is getting close enough for a shot when they are all staring at me from 450 yards away, hence the need to get out there. I have yet to kill one at less than 275 yards.

Be patient. Work the terrain (no matter how flat). Stop chasing.
My average is about 175 yards, and that is skewed by a few 400+ and one 650 yard shot.

Chasing antelope is a sure-fire way to convince yourself that long shots are necessary and normal.
But if you set up the right way and let them come to you, you can damn near rope the things before the bullet through their vitals lets them know that they just screwed up.

 

[F. Guffey]

My son had questions about the limit I placed on him when it came to distance. He wanted to know why 150 yards was a good number when a shooter, hunter, trophy type was shooting pistols twice that far. At the time he was in Searcy, Arkansas and so was the pistol shooter.

I introduced my son to the pistol hunter/shooter; my son wanted to know about an antelope hunt in eastern Wyoming that was reported in the newspaper. The shooter said he aimed about 5 foot over the antelope and 7 foot to the to the left and then pulled the trigger. After a while he saw dirt kick up and then made corrections. He claimed his next shot was about 7 foot over the antelope and 9 foot to the left.

He claimed had he not made the shot the guides would still be laughing. After that my son wanted to know about my model 29 with the long barrel; I told my son I was not going to contributed to a habit he could not afford.

F. Guffey

 

[JeepHammer]

The longest whitetail shot I've ever took was 603 yds. according to the range finder.
That was with Hornady A max bullet, 175 grain, pushed through a Reminder 700 in .30-06, light weight mountian rifle with skinny barrel,
I don't remember which powder, I was starting to use Varget, but I honestly can't remember.

I won't lie,
The deer dropped right where it stood, the shot placement couldn't have been better, and with that rifle at 603 yds it was 1/1,000 shot.
It wasn't a heavy barrel, it wasn't a bench rested shot, it was the factory cheap plastic stock which I hadn't worked out yet.
I did use optics, a fixed 6x Leupold I've had for a couple decades.

If it wasn't the last day of the season (I got there late) I probably wouldn't have taken the shot.

I was using a brush buster round (175 grains) so I wasn't expecting to make a 600 yard shot.
The only bad part was, it was in the serious mountian in West Virginia and it took me three hours to get it to the truck.
600 yards in a straight line across a gulley can take an hour or more to climb down, then back up over there in gulch country! I worked my butt off for that deer! Kind of a skinny 6 pointer, but last day of season, beggers can't be choosy...

I've only done the high planes a couple of times after antelope, it's a workout!
Elevation + out of shape + beer = an exhausted idiot chasing switching tails!
No UTVs back then, it was Jeep or boot leather... Couldn't do it today.

I threw a 168 grain in one side & out the other, the guys clued me into 125-135 grain bullets, they weren't chasing them, so I listened.

 

[T. O'Heir]

"...hoping for about 3000 fps +/-..." Not likely or necessary for a 150. 3,000ish is the Max load velocity with several powders though.
Heavier bullets like a 165 are better for long range. Except for the rapid loss of energy and enormous bullet drop past 300. The whole thing is about knowing exactly where your rifle/load hits at long range. And being able to read the wind/mirage.
An A-Max is not a hunting bullet and should not be used for hunting anything but varmints.
"...very slightly over SAAMI maximum..." It's 1 grain over Hodgdon's max, not SAAMI's, out of a 1 in 10, 24" barrel. One grain can be merely differences in manuals.
At 500 yards, a typical 150 grain SP will have insufficient energy left and will drop about 50" with a 200 yard zero. Sighted in about 2" high at 100. A 165 will have more remaining energy, but will still drop 45ish inches with the same sight in.

 

[Zen Archery]

Got a sweet load for the Hornady 125GR SST's. Shoots lights out to 400 yards. I haven't tested it beyond that distance. Of course you're gonna have to figure out what the ft.lbf for the distance you are hunting with lighter bullets.

 

[tango1niner]

You mentioned '03 Springfield Sporter but didn't say if it was low number or not. Rather than start that controversy again I'll just say shoot what grandpa shot. There is no reason to pound the snot out of that very fine old rifle. If you want a hot rod use your other rifle...

 

[NWPilgrim]

I keep hearing good things about Varget. Have not used any. Guess I will have to give it a whirl?

Varget is great at least for moderate loads. Not sure if it will reach the velocities that H3450 will. Varget is my favorite powder for Garand level loads (about 2600-2700fps) pushing a 168 gr bullet. Unlike some powders that have large variance in group size from node to node, it is very well mannered and only varies a bit from one charge weight to another, to the point where almost any load of Varget is acceptable hunting accuracy, and it is just a matter of finding the best of several good ones.

Varget is just a bit slower burn rate than IMR4064 and I've found any load data for 4064 is usually safe for Varget as well (caveat: of all the loads I have examined I've never found a case where Varget has a lighter max charge weight maximum than 4064, but I won't claim that is absolutely the case. Always check a manual for any specific load max, and work up to it if unknown.)

 

[GeauxTide]

Try 150gr Hornady Interlock flatbase, 52.0gr IMR 4064. This has always worked in three 30-06's I have

Have used this load in several different rifles. I went to 53gr in a 24" barrel and passed 3000 with primer flattening. With 22", my results are the same as his. The 52gr load shoots cloverleaf groups, too. Never encountered any pressure signs.

 

[pogson]

.30-'06 is a "Near Magnum" - Might as Well Use It's Range

jmr40 wrote, "No serious shooters even consider that any more. Any modern rifle, shooting decent bullets shoots flat enough to make hits at 300 yards with little or no hold over using a 100 yard zero. Beyond 300 yards even the flattest shooting loads drop enough that you need to be using a range finder to determine exact distance and a scope with multiple aiming points or dials to adjust the scope."

I disagree. Rather than arguing with words, I will publish some numbers, the trajectory from .30-'06 24 inch barrel 130gr SP at 3100 ft/s. Zero is 350 yards.
Range Height of Bullet Above Line Of Sight
(yards) (inches)
000 -1.6
050 2.35
100 5.27
150 7.07
200 7.61
250 6.74
300 4.28
350 0

That trajectory will fit in the vital zone of any antelope worth shooting and it's long past 300 yards. The key to this is to realize the flattest part of the trajectory is at the top. If you can sneak within 25 yards of an antelope you are a way better hunter than I. I don't think I've ever seen one closer than 100 yards that wasn't in a zoo. So, I'd say hold at the bottom edge of the vital zone and you are very likely to have meat on the table if the beast isn't moving.

Further, with slightly heavier and sexier bullets you probably can zero for 450 yards and hold under to do the deed. With Sierra 165 SPBT, for instance you should be able to reach 2900 ft/s.
Range Height
000 -1.6
050 4.18
100 8.81
150 12.22
200 14.31
250 14.94
300 13.99
350 11.31
400 6.72
450 0
So, holding 8 inches low will put a bullet in the vital zone from a little inside 100 yards to nearly 400 yards with no twiddling or ranging. Accuracy is another matter but the .30-'06 can do the job unaided. This may not work well if the critter is standing in crop/long grass/brush but it's worked for me in the open. A shooter/hunter just has to make a plan and stick to it. Set up at short range by the numbers and test at long range both for accuracy and penetration to be sure.

 

[Unclenick]

I sight my hunting rifles in to hit about 1 3/4 inches high at 100 yards. This puts them about zero at 200 and maybe 3 inches low at 300 yards.

Something went wrong with that calculation somehow. Should be about 3" low at 250 yards if it passes through 1¾" high at 100 and is on zero at 200. Assuming a scope 1.5" above the bore line, to be zeroed at 200 yards and fall only 3" at 300, even a bullet with a super high BC of 0.7 has to be launched at 4000 fps, and with that sort of super flat trajectory, it will then be only about 0.4 inches high at 100.

 

[Tallest]

I like Varget too. I have only used it in .223 though. I am fairly inexperienced with the 30-06, but I'm always looking for excuses to develop a new load and this one is kind of personal.

Shooting an antelope with my Grandpas one/only hunting rifle he hunted antelope with frequently is something I'm looking forward too.

I might try the 125's AND the 150's and see what they can do. Lots of options in the 150 range.

My last 2 antelope were killed with my 270 and 130 gr Nosler bullets....Antelope are not hard to kill with a decent hunting bullet, the hard part is getting close enough for a shot when they are all staring at me from 450 yards away, hence the need to get out there. I have yet to kill one at less than 275 yards.

Stats - I'd love to hear more about your experience with Varget and .223, as I'm developing loads for 223 with that powder for 55 and 60 grain Nosler, Sierrra, and Hornady bullets. I find the Nosler book has significantly smaller charges than most other published data, kind of makes it tricky to pick a starting point.

 

[Stats Shooter]

Stats - I'd love to hear more about your experience with Varget and .223, as I'm developing loads for 223 with that powder for 55 and 60 grain Nosler, Sierrra, and Hornady bullets. I find the Nosler book has significantly smaller charges than most other published data, kind of makes it tricky to pick a starting point.

Pm me and I will tell you what I can....I have not used Varget on bullets that light though

 

[Don Fischer]

Don't shy away from using a target size for MPBR. If your using a 6" circle you are never gonna be more than 3" high, close antelope or deer has a bigger target than that! I like the 6" target but also use the 8" target now and then. Never have a problem but then though I would take a 300yds shot, I usually pass on them. All my rifles some with just a bit of hold over are good to go to 300yds! After that with most cartridge flat is merely a state of mind. When you reach a point where you have to hold over, flat is gone! There are some cartridge's that will push or make 350yds but not a lot!

I have never used a 150gr bullet in any 30 cal rifle but enough have that I have no doubt it would be a fine bullet. I have hunted with Hornady cup and core bullet's in everything for big game most my life. Wouldn't phase me a bit to use a 150gr interlock in a 30-06. But I would shy away from anything with one of those plastic tip's. Have to make the bullet expand more rapidly! That tip has to go some where and that's right into the bullet. Probably the only reason I don't use tht 150gr bullet is that I get to and animal I'd feel comfortable with it, I'd drop down in caliber. I do thing a 150gr bullet at 7mm-08 velocity would hold together better than the same weight in a 30-06. About all my rifle's are loaded up to shoot one weight only bullet.

 

[Yosemite Steve]

Hodgdon Superformance at max load 3072 fps.
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle

 

[rickt300]

I shot most of my antelope burning 4350 under a 150 gr. Sierra Gameking. Worked up to 59.0 grains and was very happy with accuracy, the rifle is a 1943 03A3 Springfield with a 2 groove barrel. I sighted in 3 inches high at 100 yards and filled tags in Wyoming for years on both Antelope and Mule deer. I will say that the 30-06 can be some destructive if you hit the eatin parts but it is a dead reliable hunting cartridge. I would happily run the 150 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip and the same powder today.

 

[HiBC]

I've done quite a bit of antelope hunting.
First,nothing mystical magical happens at 3000 fps. I know,for some reason any load under 3000 fps will cause ED according to some folks but IMO,its a silly criteria.
Especially if you choose whiffle bullets with the Ballistic coefficient of a potato chip.
Add the factor of an antelope being a fairly small,lightly constructed piece of delicious eating.No need to splatter it.

If I had to recommend a .30 cal bullet,I'd say the 168 gr ballistic tip.Its not the only bullet,but it darn sure is not the wrong bullet.
It use IMR or H 4350.Probably IMR. You don't get temp extremes antelope season.

I'd guess 80 % of my kills have been inside 250 yds. Only two over 400.

One thing you can just about count on. The wind will be a factor. For all the attention given to "125 gr bullet at 3200 fps" and 350 yds,etc,here is the gut shot fact. Wind skill is more important than worrying about flat trajectory.
If you want to have long range fantasies,you better know more than drop.

Someone else got it right,most folks don't quite understand antelope hunting.

I'll tell who is the guy to "don't be that guy". He sees antelope 1200 yds away because he is skylined on a high point rubbernecking. Then he goes after them,or,worse,drives his pickup after them.

Pretty soon,the herd is run out of the country.

I know the herd,and their habits.What you need to know is the LOW GROUND they use.The land is not flat. I can travel a lot of the ranch I hunt without you seeing me. The antelope know that,too. The food is better,too. There may be a sentinel doe on the ridge.She sees you. And they signal each other.If you are stalking upon a herd to the south of you,that doe to the east watching your stalk is warning them.

Scout ahead.Know where you are going.Before light, Get in a bowl where you can see maybe 400 or 500 yds in most directions. That way,if you can't see them,they can't see you. You are covering 1/4 of a square mile. Most of what you can see is in range,or may be soon.Be patient.
Every antelope that you have not spooked is an active decoy for you.
Stay put,stay still.
The low ground is where they disappear.
A gulley,a watercourse,is low ground. Low ground avenues is where they travel,invisibly.

If you walk or drive around you will run all the antelope off a couple or three square miles,and every other serious antelope hunter will despise you for being an idiot.

Knowing these things is worth way more than which bullet or how fast.

Most of my antelope have been opening morning before 10 AM and a .250 Savage with a 4X Weaver would have been fine .

 

[Stats Shooter]

Look,

Im not a novice hunter....I know many folks put wayyy more stock in their equipment and ammo than they should, and have delusions about what they are capable of. One fella my Grandfather hunted with used open sights on his antelope kills. He simply knew where they would be 25-30% of the time and would get there before sunup, wait in the grass, and shoot from about 200 yards or less with a .243.

My grandfather used his old fixed 4x weaver and this 1903 his whole life on everything from elk to badgers that were digging up my grandmas lawn.

I know how important wind reading is, and how hard it is with draws, bowls, and flats all changing the direction, and making it swirl. Its why I try to get the job done before 9 am as the wind in western nebraska where I am from typically increases from mostly calm around 7am to 25 mph by 2 pm.

I appreciate the insights though. I think I will try a 150 gr bullet as it has plenty of stuff to knock a speed goat down at any range I would try a shot from, and a pretty flat trajectory w/ moderate wind bucking ability.