Why don't more people use 220 grain bullets in .30-06's and .300 Magnums?

Roosevelt's African safari is an education of how completely dead you can make big African critters with primitive weapons like a Springfield and a .405 lever gun.

I'm not endorsing using light rounds, I'm endorsing selection of rounds that are appropriate. Using a .460 weatherby or .600 ne on kudzu, buffalo, or other massive game is fine, but it's not necessary. There is a big difference between choosing to use a substandard round like .243 on a great big zebra, and using the round in question, rather than a .375.

African game, for the big animals, I might use a bigger round, myself, but with backup, there's no reason to use a monster gun if you don't want to.

Jack o Connor killed everything in the world with a .270, it works, but it isn't ideal. He also had backup.

I don't know but the solid copper X bullet would maybe be a good idea. It would flatten the trajectory, track through like a laser, leave a good hole, and not stop for anything.

This round is entirely different from the traditional shooting philosophy of 3,000 and up with moderate weight expanding bullets, and much closer to the the old school BP rounds.
 
Why don't people use 220 grain bullets in .30-06s andd 300 magnums

I don't use them and most don't because the biggest game we have to hunt around her is deer.
There aare several here that hunt hogs and it would be dandy on monster but it is not usually called on.
In the magnums we are looking to reach out way out and kill the game. Lighter bullets are faster and flatter shooting. However heavy bullets out of either caliber will reach out a long way but a mite more elevation.
A 220 grain on a deer would be a lot of bullet.
 
FMJ

I have in my bullet assortment, a 100 ct box of Hornady, .30 cal, 220 gr RN/FMJ. I'd guess that box of slugs is near 50 yrs old.

I have not had them out for inspection lately, but I seem to recall the bullet has two jackets, a copper sheath exterior, and a steel one underneath, with a lead core. Seems like they would pull a magnet. That is from memory, I could be wrong about the jackets.

But they are indeed one massive slug. They are not for sale, as I am keeping them for mastodon and T-Rex hunts.
 
I have loaded 200/220/240 grain slugs, both for plinking and hunting in .308 for use in my Encore 10" barrel. They can be fun with a smaller charge of a faster powder. I will use the 240s at around 1000 fps to practice shooting the Encore for a little less recoil and a little less cost than the .414 SuperMag.

I did load 220 and 240s for the 300Mag though, I don't think my 300WM ever had a bullet under 200 grains through it. It was a range gun only with a comp on it. I sold it a few years back.

Have only ever shot up to 180 grain in the .30-06. When I want a heavier bullet, I go to the .338-06 where I shoot from 185 to 250 grain slugs.
 
RECOIL!

Art Eatman nailed it. Why punish yourself when you don't have to?

The vast majority of hunters who use the 30.06 are after whitetail deer. These animals just don't require the knockdown power of a 220gr. bullet pushed @ 30.06 velocities.

The real question should be -- "Why isn't the 30.06 with 220gr bullets more popular for larger game animals than the so called "Magnum" cartridges?

And The Answer Is----"MAGNUM MANIA!" :D
 
Well, I guess that you're right. The 180 or even a smaller grain bullet probably would have worked just as good. However, when I shot the hog at about 60 yrds, I nailed it right on the side of of the head and it folded up like a cheap suit. I am actually quite surprised at the accuracy of these at 100yrds. I was shooting groups within the space of a nickel. I had acquirwd these from a friend who passed and I figured this would be an homage to him using his bullets and his powder.

Mike
 
I used to shoot 220's in the 8x57. If I still had it, I probably still would for hunting deer. Not something you want to plink with, they are expensive.
 
I have used them but probably more a fan of the 180s in 30-06 for heavier bullets. But rifles are different so it is what yours likes.
 
Why don't more people use 220 grain bullets in .30-06's and .300 Magnums?
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Elephant insurance for one. And they work very well on bears. Shoots right through them if using FMJ and break their shoulder bones.

Even Moose as they are quite dangerous.

Oh, and any 220 gr bullet will kill a deer!

Deaf
 
Well the truth of the matter is that a slower moving 220gr will tend to bulldoze a hole through a thin skinned animal without as much "shock" as a lighter higher speed bullet leading to delayed kills. That is the theory anyway, the heaviest I personally use in my 30-06 is a 180gr Hornady round nose and while they expand plenty quick I never tried all those 220gr that I have in the stockpile. They just seem like a massive penetration overkill on a deer.
 
This thread is a little out-dated but here goes anyway. I've got a .300 Win Mag with a 5R 26 in. Krieger 1/10 in. twist barrel. It will not shoot 220 grain MKs (8 in. group at 600yrds) as a matter of fact it doesn't like anything from 190gr. and above. But these are Match Kings - the 220 RN has a longer contact surface and may not need a faster twist(or performs well at a lesser velocity). I get very tight groups close to max velocity with 185gr Bergers out of this rifle. I think if I were to try to push 220 gr. MKs very fast I'd probably use a 1/8 in. twist barrel.
http://www.appliedballisticsllc.com/index_files/30cal_fullVersion.pdf
 
Wish I could quote. Post #18, guy claims 180 grain soft points, will be found on under the hide of the opposite side. What is he hunting rinos at 500 yards? I have never had a 180 grain Corelokt, not the pointed soft points, go through. Lungs or neck.

One good point is modern ammo doesn't need to be so heavy. True. But imagine what heavy modern ammo could do.

Looking at the ballistics of 220 round nose, 1.5" at 100 yards will zero you at 150. I have never shot a deer over 45 yards, hard to find a 100 yards where I hunt.


Hunting in heavy woods, if a deer runs 10 yards less, it may be worth it.
 
Berserker some of the 180gr RN expend their energy in a rapid fashion. The old Hornady bullets that I use do that, while I have never recovered one myself you can tell there is nothing delayed about their expansion.
 
Hunting in heavy woods, if a deer runs 10 yards less, it may be worth it.
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Actually, that's one of two good reasons for the 220gn load in the old, highly versatile 30.06.

(1) As you suggested, it serves well as a short-range, brush-bustin' load in the heavily wooded boonies - for close shots on deer or, for that matter, on feral hogs.

(2) Out in the wilds (whether it's Alaska or the Rocky Mts of the lower 48), if the '06 happens to be the only rifle you've got with you, a good 220gn load can be an *equalizer* on dangerous game, e.g., black and brown bear, and certainly Mt.Lions/Cougars.
 
And remember folks, Karamojo Bell used 6.5x54 and 7x57 Mauser with long FMJ bullets to kill off a couple of thousand Elephants.

The 220 grain 30-06 would do just as well if not better!

Deaf
 
Bell's famous shots were taken as the animals were quartering away, placed behind the ear into the brain pan. Not exactly stopping a charge of angry pachyderms.

Bell also mentioned that after changing to a 318 Westley Richards, his "inexplicable misses" went away....

Jimro
 
There are some 15 million hunting licenses sold. Of those, how many hunters go after game animals where 30-caliber bullets heavier that 180 grains are really needed?

I conclude from reading that 30-caliber is not the regular choice for the big bears, so that use seems minimal.

The largest animal of notable and most frequent choice is the elk. We have numerous posts relating kills with 30-caliber using bullets of 165 and 180 grains. That seems to hold true for moose, as well.

It would appear that there is no real need for 30-caliber 220-grain loads.
 
On a tangent, some claim when hunting black bears with 30-06, that the bullets don't open enough with a 180 grain, and 150 is better. Black bears are not a tough animal to kill, if you shoot good.

I was thinking of loading 200 or 220s for bear. It does make me wonder though.

I also wonder how much difference does 20-50 grains make. Not like you are making the jump to 45-70 and 300+ grains. Which I think about too.

So far I have stuck with 180, kills everything I need too, and I am not shooting that far. I can have a fairly flat arc to 150. Can shoot farther if you are willing to open your + and -. I like mine less then around 1.5", which is probably to picky.
 
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