30-06...again

[ElevenBravo]

Buy a few boxes of Federal Premium 175gr. Terminal Ascent, .30-06. We have used them for 3 wildebeest, 2 kudu, Nyala, Gemsbok and numerous others. All one shot and down. As my PH enthusiastically yelled, "You Smoked Him" on several big animals. 95% weight retention. I used the 200's in my .300 WM too! Set your sights for +2" at 100 yards and then point and shoot out to 250 yards!

I'm liking this. I like how my 7BC shoots with TA bullets, was wondering what the terminal ballistics are like. I think the Sportsman's Warehouse has a few boxes to try out.

 

[Doug3006]

Broad side normally is the plan, frontal or quartering is normally the presentation.

If you’re patient, a broadside shot usually presents itself. Quartering to is also just fine. Quartering away gets dicey quickly as the angle gets greater.

 

[leslie hetrick]

11B - I’ll provide my last two Safari’s (‘25 and ‘26) using a 30-06 shot, mainly, by my 5’ tall 110 lb daughter.

Rifle: REM 700 CDL with 21” barrel (I had cut), suppressed. Stock cut to fit her with 12.75” LOP. With Zeiss scope and suppressor it weighs 7lbs, 10oz. She’s isn’t very big and she handles this like a witch’s wand!

Bullets: Hand-loaded 168gr TTSX running 2725fps. I can easily push them a bit faster, but this is the rifle’s “sweet spot”.

List of African animals taken with this rifle/bullet combo in 2025 and 2026:

Blue Wildebeest at 100 yds, point of shoulder quartering to, ran 40 yds and piled up. Bullet under skin of opposite hip. Perfect mushroom.

Blue Wildebeest at 65 yds. Perfect shot thru the shoulders - complete pass thru. Fell 50 yds from the POI.

Waterbuck at 225yds. Just behind shoulder. Pass thru breaking ribs on both sides. 40 yds and piled up.

Zebra at 90 yds. Thru the shoulders. Pass thru. 20 yds and piled up.

Zebra 100 yds. Thru shoulders slightly quartering. Pass thru. 40 yds and piled up.

Kudu at 100 yds. Point of the shoulder quartering to. Dropped in its tracks. Bullet recovered in off hip 2” before the skin. (This bullet hit a lot of big bones, shed all its petals, but drove straight.)

Kudu 185yds. Quartering away. Hit just behind shoulder and exited at the point of the off shoulder. 30 yds and piled up.

Bushbuck at 75 yds. Turned and ran straight away just before shot. Hit just off center on right rump and exited under center of the chest. Tumbled like it was struck by lightning.

2 Impalas. 175 and 140 yds. Almost broadside. Pass thru shoulders. DRT.

I’ve attached pics of the only 2 recovered bullets.

Honestly, I don’t know how this combo could’ve performed any better. The suppressed, cut to fit 30-06 is a pleasure to shoot. She had 2 days last July where she logged over 9 miles, much of it thru rough, hilly, and rocky terrain and she alone carried her rifle.
I’ve attached pics of the bullets and a few of her animals.

thats a nice looking ater buck.

 

[MHYOUNG 375]

Howdy,

I've shot the '06 a lot in Africa and elsewhere. TSX bullets are now my favorite. Your 150 TSX will work perfect for wildebeest. A wildebeest is not a really big animal and I would expect full penetration on a broadside lung shot. If it will shoot thru an elk it most certainly will kill a wildebeest.

PH are most of the times not gun guys, reloaders or up on what works best in modern time. They know what they have seen work in the past and that's as far as their thought process goes.

Mark

 

[David jr]

Have you tried a new recoil pad for the little lady ?
2400 fps is slow for a 180 30/06 should be in the 2700 fps range .

I have been using the 1.5 inch limb saver recoil pads on all of my rifles up to 458 win mag with 705 gr lead bullet at 1800 fps yes recoil is manageable but steel will kick you a lot ! my 458 is just 10.25 pounds with scope and a thin barrel new mod 70 CRF 24 inch

I will be putting the 1.5 inch recoil pad on a 458 lott I am having made for me along with a hart R.A.D. 2A recoil reducer in the stock but I am planning on the 458 lott shooting 705 gr bullets around 2000 to 2200 fps a whole lot of recoil on this one L.O.L

a 30/06 with 180 in the 2700 fps range WITH THE 1.5 INCH LIMB SAVER recoil pad will have felt recoil more like a 243 with out recoil pad .

Here is a 30/06 98 Mauser I just did for a friend the stock was cut very short I had to add 1/2 inch spacer and the 1.5 inch recoil pad to get to 13 7/8 inch oal .

I am retired and just do recoil pads for friends around me in New Mexico but it will help the little lady a whole lot if the rifle is fitted to her .

barnes 150 tsx 168 tsx and the 180 tsx will do what you are wanting to do with no problems
which ever one will shoot the very best go with it .

the barnes ttsx are made to open very quickly on impact the barnes LRX are better with the 300’s unless you are intending on shooting past 400 yards which you should not need to do in Africa.

Just making a suggestion to help her on recoil management with the lovely 30/06

 

[SwampTrooper]

I really don't believe this is overthinking it. I have multiple contradictory sources of information and trying to square them away. Unfortunately, when I asked my PH I got an unhelpful canned response.

It's really a simple question: I have 2 handloads: Bullet A travels at B velocity. Bullet X travels at Y velocity. Will either work? Seems hard to get a definite answer.

Both will 100% work if you’re about 200 yards and in so select what gives her confidence so that in the moment she’s not all in her head and can focus on the animal. Both bullets have good construction and will perform on a blue (golden phenotype) wildebeest. While technically speaking, the slower bullet and heavier bullet will be less flat and shorten your maximum point blank range, unless you’re doing longer range shooting, this really won’t be an issue if your PH brings you to an ethical distance. Let them know your shooting limits though. PHs tend to be conservative in their culture and usually won’t complain if you bring a heavier albeit slower round. As others said above, shot placement outweighs every other factor by a lot so choose the option that maximizes her shot placement performance first. You can’t go wrong here in my opinion.

 

[KPinOKC]

Below is a ballistics table for a 30.06 Barnes 180g TSX fired at 2400fps. TSX requires 1800fps at impact for full expansion, so you’re good out to 300 yds. I’d stick with the 180g.

 

[MooseHunter]

Better to have bullet with lower velocity required than advertised velocity manufacture says will work. 2000 FPS seems to be the threshold for the copper bullets. I would hate to give up a shot just in case animal is farther or velocity is less than expected. I am betting on Cutting edge Maximus 200 gr for Moose hunt in a couple weeks. Advertised velocity to shed petals is 1400 fps minimum. Plenty of margin for error as I get 1950 fps at 400 yds according to chrono and ballistic calculator. Seriously doubt a shot that far but plenty of room for error inside that range or even a bit farther. The last thing I want on my mind is whether my bullet will perform. Full concentration on hitting the vitals. Inside 400 yds I can guestimate the range and be off a bit and know the bullet will perform if I do my part.

 

[Mekaniks]

On the advice of this forum, I changed out the handloads for my wife's -06 from Barnes 180gr TSX @ 2400fps to a 150gr TSX @ 2900fps as the goal was to reach that velocity to produce reliable expansion while making the recoil manageable and she can consistently put shots where needed. Her primary target is a golden wildebeest which is a relative of the blue, and they are considered to be rather tanky. After watching a few videos and interviews with PHs on Youtube and reading some previous threads here, it seems like a heavier bullet is preferred. I emailed the outfit I'm using asking about bullet weight and velocity and got a canned response "180gr Swifts are our preferred bullet, Barnes second" but no mention of velocity.

Now, there's no way of propelling a 180gr Barnes out of an -06 to 2900fps that wouldn't turn the gun into a pipe bomb. According to Barnes' reloading data, I was getting almost max velocity for a 180 using H4985. Other common powders aren't getting much more velocity gains. I could get somewhat near 2900fps with 165gr but using powder that I don't have ready access to and unsure if I could get enough anyway.

So here's what I know:

• yes, shot placement matters, but shot placement alone isn't the only factor
• Despite good shot placement, you need to be able to hit the vitals for placement to matter which brings us to...
• Sectional density matters for penetration, that's why PHs are asking for 180s. The SD between the 150 and 180 aren't that much different (.226 vs .271)
• which brings us to velocity. KE = .5mv^2 so velocity is a huge part of the kinetic energy equation, more input than bullet mass.

Now, I've done the calculations, and Barnes' recommended minimum velocity for reliable expansion for the TSX line is 2000fps. For the 180gr @ 2400, that gives me 250 yards of distance which is more than twice what my outfitter says the typical engagement range is for where we are hunting. I'm not sure why someone said I have to have the -06 going at 300Winmag velocity, probably my fault for taking that statement at face value.

So I'm looking for good recommendations here for a 30-06 load or performance parameters that can be fired by a 110 pound woman that stands a good chance of flattening a golden wildebeest. Will a 150gr Barnes @ 2900fps drop one? Will a 180gr @ 2400fps do it? Do I need bullets tipped with lead azide? At this point, I'm ready to just have the Ruger melted down and have her use my 7Backcountry.

You are overthinking it. My son took a Blue Wildebeest one shot with a .243. I was standing next to him for backup, but none was needed.