30-06 Hollowpoint?

[KMAX]

Does anyboby make a 30-06 hollowpoint cartridge or bullet? A guy at work keeps talking about wanting to get some 30-06 hollowpoint ammo. I don't think I have ever seen any or even heard of any, but I don't know everything so I just say "Huh." when he mentions it. I don't want to agree or disagree and be wrong. All I ever see is soft points. Just curious.

 

[Art Eatman]

Sierra makes a 165-grain boat-tail hollow-point as a hunting bullet. Federal uses them for their Premium High-Energy load. It is definitely a mean motor-scooter as a load; I found it horribly ruinacious on a poor, innocent coyote.

 

[KMAX]

Thanks Art. Guess I could have Googled it first, but TFL is usually faster. Thanks again.

 

[jmr40]

The plastic tipped bullets such as Hornady SST's and Nosler Ballistic Tips are really HP bullets with a plastic tip for better aerodynamics. When they hit game the plastic tip is driven into the HP and aid's in expansion.

Many target bullets as well as the Berger VLD Hunting bullets have a tiny opening in the tip. These are they type Art is referring to. They weren't initially made as a hunting bullet or intended as a true HP. But many hunters tried them and found that they work. Bullet makers responded by tweaking the design for more reliable expansion and now market a version of the as a hunting bullet. I still wouldn't recommend a bullet designed as a target bullet for hunting, although many have tried it and found it to work.

This is a photo of Hornady's version including a cross section. They all work very much the same. Notice, this bullet is not recommended for hunting.

http://www.hornady.com/store/30-Cal-.308-168-gr-BTHP/

 

[AllenJ]

The Barnes line of TSX bullets are hollow point with no plastic tip. They are also very reliable on game in my experience.

 

[emcon5]

These are they type Art is referring to. They weren't initially made as a hunting bullet or intended as a true HP

No, the Sierra 165 gr. HPBT is part of the GameKing line, and a hunting bullet:

https://www.sierrabullets.com/index.cfm?section=store&page=item&stock_num=2140

Sierra MatchKings are match bullets, and the hollow point it part of the manufacturing process, and not for expansion.

Sierra also makes a 110gr "Varminter" Hollowpoint, but I don't remember anyone making it available in loaded ammo.

 

[wogpotter]

True. The 165 Gr Gameking is a very different animal than the 168 Gr Matchking, only the names are similar.

Surprisingly my target rifle was better (more accurate & with tighter groups)with the Gamekings than Matchkings, so I used them for everything!

 

[bamaranger]

yeah

The Sierra .30 cal 165 HPBT is indeed a hunting bullet and it is available as a component or as a commercial load in one of the Federal ammo lines. I cannot say if it is available in '06. Seems like I read somewhere that the 165 HPBT had some accuracy records of some kind at one time when if first was introduced.

Many of the bullet makers do not recommend their .30 168 gr HPBT or other Match slugs for medium/big game. But some folks report good results. Others disaster. With so many good hunting bullets out there why gamble.

Berger's hunting/match is one exception, not to be confused with their pure match slugs. The Barnes alloy bullets are another line that have an excellent rep and have a hollow point.

 

[wogpotter]

I read somewhere that the 165 HPBT had some accuracy records of some kind at one time when if first was introduced.

Maybe you're thinking of the 168 Gr "Matchking" which won several 1,000yd Palma target matches?

Shooters started using them for hunting because of the accuracy & Sierrra created the 165 Gr "GameKing" as a hunting alternative to the match bullet with its unsuitable terminal ballistics?

 

[Art Eatman]

Years back in a similar discussion here, I got a Sierra guy to give some explanations.

Basically, Sierra's 150-grain SPBT and the 165-grain HPBT can be driven a bit too fast for best results at ranges under 100 yards or so. Excessive expansion; "blow up".

Once they are down to 2,800 ft/sec or less, they perform in what we could call a normal result for penetration and expansion.

The flat-based bullets are slightly heavier in construction in these weights and don't have an "overdrive" problem.

One time on my 500-yard range, I was down to my last eight rounds of 165-grain HPBT handloads for my '06. So, two four-shot groups. 0.8 MOA. They are indeed accurate little doofers.

Purely FWIW: The 150 Sierra made a slight dimple in the steel at 500. The 165, a bit deeper. But the 180 SPBT made the beginning of a crater, with a bit of back splash. I'd have no qualms about using the 180 on elk. And, the 180 gave me 0.4 MOA on my 100-yard range. (Not bad for an old rifle with some 4,000 rounds through it.)

 

[hooligan1]

Right on Art, I also load the Sierra Gameking Hollow Point in 165, and have tested them only on paper so far, I bet that "lil doofer" will detonate a coyote,, Heheheheh. I ran myself out of powder testing that bullet, but have close to what I think is an all round hunting round, for my hunting grounds,,

 

[huntinaz]

Looks like someboday is making ammo with the 110gr vmax. I expect these would make a pretty big mess of varmint-sized game.
http://www.deadzeroammo.com/30-06-Hornady-110gr-V-MAX-20rd-box-High-Power-654367002971.htm

 

[603Country]

I don't have a 30-06, but this chat on the Sierra HPBT answered a question or two that I had about the 140 gr HPBT in my inherited 270 (my Dad's Ruger Ultralight) I didn't want to use the same bullet in that 270 as I use in the Sako, and I had a box of unused 25 yr old Sierra HPBT's so I loaded them up for a shooting test. Wow. That old Ultralight loved the bullet/powder combo. I loaded them to shoot at an estimated velocity of 2700ish, so I guess that it won't be terribly explosive. Good to know, since I haven't used it on anything yet.

 

[Art Eatman]

"Explosive" is an 80-grain pistol bullet in an '06 with about 55 grains of 3031 behind it. Around 4,000 ft/sec.

It does truly obscene things to jackrabbits.

 

[rc]

I have an old cartridge that has a hollow point but these are probably out of general production as a factory offering unless you get an all copper barnes.

 

[bamaranger]

accruracy records

No, I am not confusing 168 match bullets with the 165 game bullet. I meant what I said.

I'm just to the point that I've read so much stuff, I can't remember where I read it all.

It was some type of bench record as I recall, but that's all I've got.