What do I take to Namibia? 30-06

[dchum]

I've been trying to figure out a factory load for my 30-06.
I'm taking my Ruger NO.1 30-06 with a 22 inch barrel to the highlands of Namibia in may.
(Mountain Zebra, Kudu, Gemsbok will be the biggest)

It is very, very accurate with 165gr TSX loaded by federal. I've killed a few aoudad in west Texas with this combo. It very much simulates hunting the open highlands of central Namib.

The “Issue”
It seems when shooting past 300 yards there is not enough velocity for the TSX to perform out of my ol 30-06. It seemed to pencil through the last aoudad ram I shot. Almost impossible to find the entrance and exit wounds on the last few I shot also…
Impact distances were 330, 370, 383 yards

My friend uses his 300 win mag with a 25 inch tube. With his 180gr factory TTSX we find mushrooms just like you see on the Barnes box. My 30-06 with the TSX has failed to prove its expansion or terminal performance like his load has IMO.
Yes I've killed the game, but I feel like I'm leaving performance on the table.

Am I Crazy?
My friend says I am crazy for not being excited about my load. It shoots tight groups and I keep stacking up these west Texas goats. But I want more blood incase of tacking and just feel very off about the TSX overall performance.

I'm debating just using a 180gr cup n core. Maybe with these velocities I might get what i'm looking for with a Core Lokt or a Partition. I have always thought down on “Soft” bullets. But that was in my younger days when I was all about velocity and most of my hunting was close quarters . I am now maybe starting to see the value of heavy and slow with good expansion.

Please let me know your thoughts. Am I overthinking?

 

[mdwest]

What sort of velocity are you getting at 300?

The reason Im asking is.. I shoot the 168gr TTSX in my .308 at a relatively modest speed (2700 FPS at the muzzle).. at 300 yards according to the ballistics chart I use, the bullet is still traveling at about 2175 FPS..

I think the number Barnes publishes is you need at least 1800 FPS for the TTSX to properly open? I think most guys that load their own here try to keep that number north of 2000 for ensured performance?

Anyway.. At 2175 Ive got full faith in performance.. While I haven't shot anything with my 308 at 300 yards yet, I have shot a few things in the 250-270 yard range and haven't seen any performance problems to date..

Im wondering if you either had a bad round, bad luck, or if Federal isn't loading their ammo a little slower than other options?

 

[PARA45]

I wonder if the issue is that the bullet did not hit any bone to expand? How about using the TTSX, instead of the TSX?

 

[PARA45]

BTW, the 165 grs bullets and the 30-06 are a match made in heaven.

 

[375er]

Worth thinking about. They can be tough animals! You would not go wrong with Swift A-Frames.

 

[shark_za]

Drop down a weight in mono bullets in 150gr or switch to lead based 180gr like the partition.

 

[Doug3006]

I’ve only hunted Namibia twice, so I’m by no means an expert on hunting everything in every part of the country…..but my longest shot was about 100 yards. I’d venture to say that your PH will not be too keen on you shooting beyond 200 yards. Take the 30-06 with the 165g TSX loads and you’ll not regret it.

 

[Doug3006]

Oh, and BTW…a Ruger #1 is an excellent choice! I’m taking mine to the Limpopo next June. Can’t wait!

 

[112Savage]

According to Joseph von Benedikt the 165 TSX is a much tougher bullet than any of the 168TTSX, 175LRX, or the 180TTSX. The TSX are flat based and tend to be very accurate but also have a lower BC so they shed velocity faster than their boat-tailed and tipped brethren. If you can test one of the others it may yield better expansion at distance. The other option is to just limit shot distance.

I’m planning on taking my 30-06 to the eastern cape with either the 175LRX or the 175Terminal Ascent due to the potential for long shots on smaller game but also with penetration in case a monster Kudu or Eland shows.

 

[IvW]

I would not use 165 TSX for the animals you intend hunting

 

[Denvir Tire]

The PH you'll be hunting with will be happy to advise.

 

[Joker12]

Were it my choice I would load 180gr A frames or Nosler partitions to around 2700fps and know that if there was a problem it wasn't the ammunition.

 

[R.M.C.]

I have the same experience as you, 30.06 isn't quite fast enough to make a Barnes open up. The solution is Fed trophy bonded tips. They're hard to find but they're the perfect combination of penetration and expansion. They're built a lot like the old school bear claw bullets, which were also excellent. Little bit of lead up front for expansion and a solid copper shank that will go deep and straight, perfect in my opinion.

 

[Safari Dave]

I'd use 165g Winchester Power Points or Remington Core-lokts, if I was going with factory ammo. They are cheap, but deadly at 300 yds. They don't expand enough on white-tailed deer IMO, but for what you are hunting, I think they would be fine.

I'd lean towards Remington, if they were accurate in your #1.

For me, they have always shot completely through 120-150 pound white-tails. I think they would work fine on your animals. I would use them with no problem on elk.

 

[dchamp]

For comparison, my youngest has been to Namibia twice, each time he used his 8X57 with 160 TTSX at around 2800-2850 MV. He has handily taken all of the animals you have listed with it from 20yds to a little over 250yds. I think your 30-06 should be similar. But if you don’t feel confident with your setup then ask your PH for his opinion or change it.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

I've been trying to figure out a factory load for my 30-06.
I'm taking my Ruger NO.1 30-06 with a 22 inch barrel to the highlands of Namibia in may.
(Mountain Zebra, Kudu, Gemsbok will be the biggest)

It is very, very accurate with 165gr TSX loaded by federal. I've killed a few aoudad in west Texas with this combo. It very much simulates hunting the open highlands of central Namib.

The “Issue”
It seems when shooting past 300 yards there is not enough velocity for the TSX to perform out of my ol 30-06. It seemed to pencil through the last aoudad ram I shot. Almost impossible to find the entrance and exit wounds on the last few I shot also…
Impact distances were 330, 370, 383 yards

My friend uses his 300 win mag with a 25 inch tube. With his 180gr factory TTSX we find mushrooms just like you see on the Barnes box. My 30-06 with the TSX has failed to prove its expansion or terminal performance like his load has IMO.
Yes I've killed the game, but I feel like I'm leaving performance on the table.

Am I Crazy?
My friend says I am crazy for not being excited about my load. It shoots tight groups and I keep stacking up these west Texas goats. But I want more blood incase of tacking and just feel very off about the TSX overall performance.

I'm debating just using a 180gr cup n core. Maybe with these velocities I might get what i'm looking for with a Core Lokt or a Partition. I have always thought down on “Soft” bullets. But that was in my younger days when I was all about velocity and most of my hunting was close quarters . I am now maybe starting to see the value of heavy and slow with good expansion.

Please let me know your thoughts. Am I overthinking?

You might want to put a little lead in your pencil...er, bullet. I used 180 grain Particians in 1983.

 

[Aaron N]

Here’s the ballistic chart for 168gr Vor-Tex factory Barnes loads. I’m surprised to hear you’re not getting the the bullets to open. Based on this they are over 1800fps until 550y. My father took his ‘06 shooting 168’s and had no issues including zebra and eland.

Are these TSX, or TTSX? I have heard about the TSX’s having issues opening, but I think the tip of the TTSX rectified those problems. I wouldn’t think accuracy would change much from TSX to TTSX either.

 

[shootist~]

Midway showes Barnes 168 gr TTSX in stock. They do not show a 30-06 "165 TSX" except in the Federal line.

I'm partial to my 180 gr A-Frame reloads, and know they work at 250 yds on Kudu - see avatar pic. But If I had 168 TTSXs, I would take 'em.

Ask your PH what the likely distances will be.

 

[dchum]

Midway showes Barnes 168 gr TTSX in stock. They do not show a 30-06 "165 TSX" except in the Federal line.

I'm partial to my 180 gr A-Frame reloads, and know they work at 250 yds on Kudu - see avatar pic. But If I had 168 TTSXs, I would take 'em.

Ask your PH what the likely distances will be.

"It is very, very accurate with 165gr TSX loaded by federal." is exactly what I said


I just cant trust the Barnes branded ammo. Had boxes of 270 and 243 where the bullets where not even seated. could spin them around over and over. called them and they didn't even care. Never again, and defiantly not taking it to Africa.

so I stick to Federal. Annoying federal chooses to load the older tougher TSX and not the new TTSX

 

[dchum]

Are these TSX, or TTSX? I have heard about the TSX’s having issues opening, but I think the tip of the TTSX rectified those problems. I wouldn’t think accuracy would change much from TSX to TTSX either.

I stated these are the TSX bullet loaded by federal.

I guess what I am gathering is that the TTSX has more reliable expansion? Other than the addition of a plastic blue tip what did barnes do to create this better expansion?

Im probably pushing these closer to 2700 or 2750 with my shorter rifle. Federal published 2800 on the box.