Most explosive 30-06 varmit bullet?

[sbaker10]

Thinking of picking up a 30-06 in a month or two as a second gun to hunt coyotes and go on a elk hunt with later, for shooting coyotes I don't care about pelt damage I just want the most explosive bullet that will dump most the energy into the coyote instead of wasting it.

[FrankenMauser]

I don't use my '06 for any type of varmint use. But, based on what I have heard from friends and family, I would have to say....

Hornady 110 gr V-Max


The Nosler 110 gr Varmageddon sounds pretty good, as well; but I only know one shooter that has tried them.


Whatever you choose, don't buy a whole bunch until you try a few. Light-for-caliber bullets tend to be unpredictable as far was whether or not a particular rifle will tolerate them (the stubby shape of the bullet and the particular rifle's throat have a lot to do with it).
You usually get one of two extremes: 1. 12 MoA 'patterns'. Or, 2. Tiny little bug-hole groups.

[jimbob86]

If you could find load data for it in .30-06, I'd say Hornady's 100gr SJ- I've loaded them to 2300 f/sec for a 30/30 and the are downright splatty on p-dogs and milk jugs .... dunno what they'd do at 2700+ f/sec .....

It's a soft lead round nose bullet press fit into a longish gas check .... when they hit a milk jug full of water @ 100-200 yards, the lead fragments into coarse sand sized particles- we find them in the tattered remains of the plastic jugs .... never found any part of the short jackets ...

[Art Eatman]

An 80-grain pistol bullet ahead of about 54 grains of 3031: Close to 4,000 ft/sec MV.

Swaging down the old .32-20 flatnose bullet works well. Turns a jackrabbit into goop.

[SHR970]

Try the Speer 110 Varminter HP. Speer part # 1835. Stay within the max. speed (2900 fps) to prevent mid air disintegration; data available in Speer Manuals. They expand beautifully at 30 carbine velocities; violently when driven 1000 fps faster.

Varminter

[dodge]

Speer use to make a 130 HP that worked very well on groundhogs. When all I had was a 30-06 for hunting everything that is what I used.

[JD0x0]

Probably something like this.
http://www.hornady.com/store/30-Mauser-.308-86-gr-RN/
A light soft point pistol bullet is designed to expand at pistol velocities. (around 1000fps give or take) Load it up to about 4000fps and it's bound to be fairly 'explosive'

Also checkout the 100 grain raptor.
https://cuttingedgebullets.com/cgi-b...SP_C100_RAPTOR
It's an interesting HP which is designed to shed 6 blades of razor sharp shrapnel, while keeping a majority of the bullet intact. You can also turn it around 'backwards' and use it as a FMJ bullet.

[Mobuck]

If you're looking for a full power factory load, I'd suggest a 125 grain bullet if you can find it. There's not much difference between 125 and 150 grain bullets when shooting coyotes. I've not seen a really "explosive" factory round for the 30/06. I shot a 30/06 on everything for years and handloaded 110 and 125 grain so called varmint bullets with varied results. The 110 grainers may expand slightly quicker or more violent but (in most cases) were not as accurate as heavier bullets.
Since you seem to be unfamiliar with the 30/06 it might be better if you just use 150 grain Ballistic Tips and learn where to hold for longer ranges. Then when you're ready for an elk hunt, switch to 165 Nosler Partitions and you're set.

[FrankenMauser]

Probably something like this.
http://www.hornady.com/store/30-Mauser-.308-86-gr-RN/
A light soft point pistol bullet is designed to expand at pistol velocities. (around 1000fps give or take) Load it up to about 4000fps and it's bound to be fairly 'explosive'

They can't handle the velocity.
I load .312" 60 gr XTPs for my .30-30, and, even there, I have to be careful not to push them too hard. I tried 5 of them in the '06. Not one of them made it to the target (estimated 2,700-3,000 fps). They self-destructed in flight.
Explosive? Absolutely. ...but not in the manner desired.

[Webleymkv]

Remington offers an "Accelerator" loading in .30-06. It features a saboted 55gr .223 JSP bullet at over 4,000fps. I should certainly think it would be very "explosive" on small game, but I might be a bit concerned with its accuracy as the twist rates of most .30-06 barrels are probably geared towards substantially heavier bullets.

[Mobuck]

After some extensive(and expensive) testing, I found the "Accelerator" sabot ammo to be worthless. Whether factory or hand loaded, the stuff is very temperamental and variable. It takes a specific combination of bore condition and powder charge to give even moderate accuracy. After trying 4-5 30/06 rifles, I found one that would produce 1" groups but only after firing about 25-30 "fouling" shots to coat the bore with sabot residue. Simply not practical for general use.

[Againstthewind]

I have seen the varmint bullets for 30-06, but I have heard the same thing about rifling twist in a 30-06 (1 in 10") is common I think.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifling_twist_rate.htm

I haven't tried them. I just use a 150 grain bullet like other comments said. Works for me, but I haven't tried to sell and pelts either. The only trouble is re-sighting in for the 180's I like for elk.

[DannyB1954]

I would think any 30-06 ammo would turn a coyote inside out.

[Water-Man]

Remington 55gr. Accelerator.

[Art Eatman]

165-grain Sierra HPBT, mv of 3,150:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/atta...1&d=1135262262

On the way to the back-country deer camp. He volunteered. Big mistake.

[Brian Pfleuger]

Originally Posted by Art Eatman

An 80-grain pistol bullet ahead of about 54 grains of 3031: Close to 4,000 ft/sec MV.

Art, have you done this with a specific bullet? I was looking into this a couple of years ago and contacted Hornady about their 86gr .308 (.30 Mauser) bullet. They said it would never survive the trip down the barrel. I never looked any further.

[JD0x0]

There must be a extremely light .308 bullet out there, that can handle the velocity. Just remember that 4,000fps loads tend to lose velocity extremely quickly, due to the combination of the light low BC bullets and the increased wind resistance from such a high speed. Wind resistance tends to grow exponentially with speed.
A 4000fps load with a light round nosed bullet could lose close to 1000fps by the time it hits the 100 yard mark. If you're going to be shooting that far, it may make more sense to load something like the 110 grain V-max to max pressure, as you'd end up with a similar velocity (If not more) at 100 yards, with more energy, and projectile mass, as well as less wind drift. Time of flight will be about the same, and only about .2'' more drop at 100 yards. It's still laser flat, and should be just as 'explosive.'

[Picher]

One day, many moons ago, I didn't have any handloaded '06 ammo to hunt with and bought some factory 110 "mushroom" ammo that had a very broad hollow point.

I encountered a medium-sized woodchuck at about 100 yards quartering towards me and hit it in the right shoulder area. The chuck literally exploded, scattering body parts in about a 10 yard circle! Most destruction I've ever experienced.

[LAH]

I use this with 4064 or 4895. It stomps groundhogs.
https://www.sierrabullets.com/store/...0-gr-HP-30-cal

[kawasakifreak77]

Speer #1835.

I've loaded them in 30-30's to around 2600 fps & they pretty much turn inside out when they hit something. They'd be even more violent in the '06.

[Art Eatman]

Brian, when I first began reloading, my uncle had some swaged-down 80-grain .32-20 bullets lying on the desk. I asked; he suggested that I just use the 53.5 grains of 3031 that I used with the 110-grain Hornadys.

I could get five-shot groups of about 1.5 MOA. Enfield, K2.5.

So we go out one night to spotlight jackrabbits. I center-punched one at maybe 50 yards. Yuck. Pieces.

I've not used round-nosed 80-grain pistol bullets, but I figure they'd work.

Phil Sharpe had a load of a ton of 2400 behind an 80-grain pistol bullet which he claimed chronoed at 3,900.

[Scubasimmons]

Good lord a 30-06 for varmint? A day of varmint hunting with a 30-06 would leave me hating life the next day.

[Art Eatman]

Scubasimmons, the recoil from a 110 is not much, and from an 80 is trivial. And, generally, you don't find all that many coyotes or jackrabbits in a hunt session.

Not like prairie-dogging.

[LAH]

Good lord a 30-06 for varmint? A day of varmint hunting with a 30-06 would leave me hating life the next day.

There was a time I only had one centerfire so the '06 had to do it all. Took 10 groundhogs in a row one day, 10 shots.

[Picher]

I use a similarly constructed 90grain Sierra HP, ahead of a mild charge of IMR 4895 in my .270 Win and it's been very accurate and explosive. As a side benefit, it shoots to the same POI as my hot hunting 130 grain loads.