Factory ammunition recommendation?

Jasper99

AH senior member
Joined
Feb 12, 2015
Messages
78
Reaction score
38
Location
Georgia
Media
23
Hunting reports
Africa
2
Going on my first safari in April for plains game. Taking a 300 Win Mag and my son a 30-06. What factory ammo would you recommend, brand and grain? Thanks!
 
For the 06.... Barnes TTSX 168 gr. It worked perfectly on all 10 of my PG animals
 
I believe Federal sell ammo with the Swift A-Frame bullets. That would be my 1st choice and I would use 165gr A-Frame bullets in both rifles.

Barnes would be another and use 150gr TTSX not the TSX bullets

We used the Swift A-Frame bullets on our trip to Africa for PG and they were great.

My 2 cents
 
Whatever premium bullets (bonded, Barnes, swift etc) that shoot accurately in your gun. Could be the best bullets in the world but if you can't get em to group they aren't worth a pinch of coonshit
 
Whatever premium bullets (bonded, Barnes, swift etc) that shoot accurately in your gun. Could be the best bullets in the world but if you can't get em to group they aren't worth a pinch of coonshit
Absolutely true! Some bullets just will not shoot well in some rifles. I just went through this for the past 9 months with a .264 Win mag. Finally found Nosler 130 gr Accu Bonds. It shoots holes in holes!
 
  • Like
Reactions: lcq
+1 to whatever shoots the best for you.

I like to support the ah.com sponsors whenever I can. I never heard of Norma before I started coming here so I gave them a try since they are a sponsor. I am glad I did. Their Oryx 180 gr ammo shoots extremely well in my Tikka T3 so that was all I needed for my choice of what to use.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lcq
All Great advice! I found A Frames in Remington's Premium line.

I know Hornady is not real popular on here, but their GMX bullets performed great in the 30-06 for us and Interbond in a 6.5mm. I can say with confidence those are both good loads... But stay away from the soft ones like SST or other whitetail loads... That goes for any other brand as well.... Good copper or similar alloy bullets and bonded bullets are the starting point and then finding ones that your gun likes is key.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lcq
If you use these rifles for elk hunting in the US then what ever you are using now will be just fine for your trip.

Time is getting short to try and figure out what you are going to be using for your upcoming trip by switching ammo.
 
Two fellows in our group last summer used .30-06 with 180 grain Barnse TSX bullets, in factory loading. They all got their critters without difficulty. I don't know anyone who has used the .300 Win Mag., but I don't think you could go wrong with a premium bullet around 180 grains as well.
As always, it's not so much what your putting out there, but where your putting it............practice off sticks prior to your trip with the ammo you find most accurate, and you'll have a hefty taxidermy bill at the end of your safari!:D
 
Absolutely true! Some bullets just will not shoot well in some rifles. I just went through this for the past 9 months with a .264 Win mag. Finally found Nosler 130 gr Accu Bonds. It shoots holes in holes!

+1 to whatever shoots the best for you.

I like to support the ah.com sponsors whenever I can. I never heard of Norma before I started coming here so I gave them a try since they are a sponsor. I am glad I did. Their Oryx 180 gr ammo shoots extremely well in my Tikka T3 so that was all I needed for my choice of what to use.

Well said sierraone!

I like your thinking brushmore. There's nothing you can't do on plains game with a 30.06 and 180 grain Norma Oryx ammo, as this is what I had on my first safari at Kanana where we took everything from giraffe, eland, kudu, wildebeest, zebra, hartebeest, impala... right on down the line to steenbok.

Any decent premium bullet that your rifle likes is fine.

Good Huntin!
Jeff
 
Any decent premium bullet that your rifle likes is fine.

Good Huntin!
Jeff

This just can't be said enough times. My .375 LOVES Barnes TSX. Shoots sub MOA. Another major brand, it hates. The groupings look like a shotgun blast.
 
Used Federal 200 grain trophy bonded bearclaws in my 300 WM, were deadly. Took a Cape Kudu at 400 yards, one shot kill. Dropped everything in their tracks.
 
I used a 300 mag with Federal Premium Nosler Partition 180 grain bullets on my two African safaris. Worked great!
 
We took Federal 30 -06 Nosler partition 180 gr (P3006F) and it worked GREAT.
Here is my write-up from Federal's website:

http://www.federalpremium.com/products/details/rifle.aspx?id=263

I took the Federal (Federal P3006F) 180 gr Nosler Partition to Africa this past August and it performed extremely well on large plains game such as Zebra, Wildebeest, Red Hartebeest and on smaller game such as Springbok. My first shot and my first kill in Africa was using this load on a 700lb Zebra. We did not recover all the bullets but the few we did recover showed a near perfect mushroom.
Prior to the trip to Africa all I ever hunted when it came to big game was North American Whitetails. Of course, the 30-06 was more than enough for that job. So even though I knew that the 30-06 was a powerful round what I learned in Africa was just how awesomely powerful it really is. The 700 lb Zebra was stopped just as quickly as a 180 lb Whitetail. I was told by our guide that many hunters use 30-06 for much larger plains game such as Kudu and Eland.
Accuracy:
Practicing & sighting in before the Africa trip I was able to consistently get 1-2 inch groups from my Browning BBR on a bench rest at 200 yards.
 
I took my Ruger #1 in 300WM last Sepember and used Barnes in 180 grain. Shot six shots an killed five animals. Only needed to shot my warthog twice since my PH was concerned that there were holes in the area that he might go down and we could loose him. Almost no tracking required in any of the animals. Animals ranged from an Impala up to a Red Hartebeest.
 
I use Federal ammo in 180 grain Barnes tsx. in my 300 wsm. Deadly as can be. Never had a single animal run even a foot. If your gun likes em use em. And then again Nosler partition are also excellent. See what shoot's better in your guns.
 
I, too, would suggest you support our fine sponsor Norma. From what I have read, their Oryx bullets would work great on the game you are planning to hunt. Give them a try. You won't be disappointed.
 
1. Nosler partition
2. A-Frame
3. TSX
4. North Fork bonded soft point
5. Remington hypersonic bonded
 

Forum statistics

Threads
54,208
Messages
1,148,772
Members
93,793
Latest member
JacquieLon
 

 

 

Latest profile posts

SETH RINGER wrote on Fatback's profile.
IF YOU DON'T COME UP WITH ANY .458, I WILL TRY AND GET MY KID TO PACK SOME UP FOR YOU BUT PROBABLY WOUDN'T BE TILL THIS WEEKEND AND GO OUT NEXT WEEK.
PURA VIDA, SETH
sgtsabai wrote on Sika98k's profile.
I'm unfortunately on a diet. Presently in VA hospital as Agent Orange finally caught up with me. Cancer and I no longer can speak. If all goes well I'll be out of here and back home in Thailand by end of July. Tough road but I'm a tough old guy. I'll make it that hunt.
sgtsabai wrote on Wyfox's profile.
Nice one there. I guided for mulies and elk for about 10 or so years in northern New Mexico.
sgtsabai wrote on Tanks's profile.
Business is the only way to fly. I'm headed to SA August 25. I'm hoping that business isn't an arm and a leg. If you don't mind, what airline and the cost for your trip. Mine will be convoluted. I'll be flying into the states to pick up my 416 Rigby as Thailand doesn't allow firearms (pay no attention to the daily shootings and killings) so I'll have 2 very long trips.
 
Top