the most common 30-06 loads go from 130gr-220gr. The 165gr is the most ballistic effecient and is available most anywhere. Go for the premium ammo with a good 165gr boat tail and it will be good for any deer and elk with good shot placement at reasonable ranges. The 220gr drops very fast and the 130gr doesn't have enough weight to maintain the required energy levels. Stick to the 180 or my preferance the 165.

 

The legal deer hunting caliber minimum in Oklahoma has to be center fire w/at least 55 grain bulltet. I would think the largest 30-06 grain you could load was any of the 30 caliber family weights.

 

Howdy, Here in New Mexico the minum calibe you can use for deer is 24 caliber. The .243 is good deer rifle because of its flat shooting ability and it is capable to be loaded up to (I think) 100 grain bullet. My preference is the .308 just about as fast as a 3006 wiht lest recoil-very efficient cartridge and inherently accurate (I loaded with 150 grain Nolser Ballistic tips). Elk hunting requires a little bit more, so I use a 300WSM handloaded with 180 and 200 grain Nosler Partition bullets (180 grain for cow elk and 200 for bull elk). Then for just plain plinking ruger mini-14 223 (Winchester 64 grain for Coyote) and me old rememington 22-loaded with anything cheap.

 

Depends. If you are shooting at an Alaskan brown bear that won't always do it. .338 shells have bounced right off many times. Even with moose, my buddy was putting a kill shot in the moose's skull from 10 yards away, the .338 bullet just bounced right off. Being overconfident is not a good thing. Respect what you are hunting and know your guns limits.

 

One caliber that I have had very good success with on black bear is the .45-70 Gov. It may not be very good in a short rifle like mine at long distances, but it is a dandy at ranges up to 100. yards. In a long barreled rifle, it can be very accurate if you are knowledgable of its ballistics and trajectory over very long ditances.

 

really? bouncing off at 10 yards, bone ain't that thick! .338 is really strong but i guess it is possible i can't see it happening though. no immediate experience with that stuff, i will take a grizzly bear with my 300 rem ultra magnum, it will take anything in the northern continent, with little work, i have confidence in that ol rifle.

 

I've killed a deer with a .22 before, right in the temple!

Normally I use a Remington Model 700 Synduro .223 matched trigger, floated barrel. 55gr moly-coated ballistic tip noslers in nickle cases.
Drops em like nothin.

 

Catterman.....AMEN!!!!!!!! ................ extremerider2811......thinking like that will make you bear food! Deer dont get pissed off if they are wounded, durring dangerous game, OVER-kill is better than UNDER-kill anyday!

 

Yes!

extremerider2811, a moose skull is VERY thick! My buddy has the skull in his garage, I will try and get over there this weekend to snap a picture for you. You are right though, a .300 RUM could take anything in North America, just be carefull. I use my .300 win mag for moose, caribou, and bear with no worries. But shot placement is still key. If I could do it over again I probably would have went for the .338.

 

Doesn't anyone here fancy the .45-70 Gov. cartridge? Packs a mighty big WHAMP! May not have great muzzle velocity, but has a tremendous amount of kinetic energy stored in its load!