BluRidgDav
New member
(I know that the .308 WIN case neck is too short.)
I shoot .30-06's more than any other caliber, and tend to test alot of different loads looking for that ultimate bullet. Started-out shooting bullets that looked good on paper, long range ballistics wise; Federal ammo with fast, sleek Sierra boat-tails. But, after a few bullet failures (breakups at close range and poor penetration on hog armor, etc) I got on the Premium Bullet kick. Found that all my rifles shot better groups with heavier bullets. Gravitated from 150's-to-165's-to-180's, and settled on 180 grain Nosler Partitions. Great performance on every critter, but now I'm tired of spending $25 for a box of ammo. (I don't reload)
Then I bought a box of 220 grain Remington Core-Locks for $13. WOW!!! My 100 yard groups are half the size (now 0.5") at half the price! (I read somewhere that the 1-in-10" rifling twist was designed for 220 grain bullets in the .30-40 Krag cartridge.)
With that large exposed lead tip, I'm pretty confident they'll open up at the close ranges that I actually shoot big game. (I used to dream of and plan for making those 300 yard shots, but my average over the last 20 years is actually less than 50 yards.) And with a sectional density of .331, penetration should not be a problem.
Everyone fawns all over the 6.5mm's, because of their extremely long 140-to-160 grain "giant killer" bullets. It would seem that .30 caliber 220 grain slugs would be even better.
Why aren't the 220 grain loads more popular?
I shoot .30-06's more than any other caliber, and tend to test alot of different loads looking for that ultimate bullet. Started-out shooting bullets that looked good on paper, long range ballistics wise; Federal ammo with fast, sleek Sierra boat-tails. But, after a few bullet failures (breakups at close range and poor penetration on hog armor, etc) I got on the Premium Bullet kick. Found that all my rifles shot better groups with heavier bullets. Gravitated from 150's-to-165's-to-180's, and settled on 180 grain Nosler Partitions. Great performance on every critter, but now I'm tired of spending $25 for a box of ammo. (I don't reload)
Then I bought a box of 220 grain Remington Core-Locks for $13. WOW!!! My 100 yard groups are half the size (now 0.5") at half the price! (I read somewhere that the 1-in-10" rifling twist was designed for 220 grain bullets in the .30-40 Krag cartridge.)
With that large exposed lead tip, I'm pretty confident they'll open up at the close ranges that I actually shoot big game. (I used to dream of and plan for making those 300 yard shots, but my average over the last 20 years is actually less than 50 yards.) And with a sectional density of .331, penetration should not be a problem.
Everyone fawns all over the 6.5mm's, because of their extremely long 140-to-160 grain "giant killer" bullets. It would seem that .30 caliber 220 grain slugs would be even better.
Why aren't the 220 grain loads more popular?