.30-06 Ammo : Turn the Warhorse into a Thoroughbred (2023)

Updated 05/04/2023Photo by Massaro Media GroupFind the.3006 ammo to shoot with the best. What Is The Best.3006 Ammo?HuntingNosler trophy grade partitionBarnes VOR – TXFederal Berger hybrid HunterHornady custom international interLockFederal terminal AscentM1 garand M2 ball clonesWinchester service grade ammunitionFederal American Eagle – M1 GarandSellier The legendary cartridge is a big-game hunting staple, and has achieved success that few other rifles can match. Maybe the 7mm Mauser. The ammunition advances of the last few decades are especially impressive. Shooters have never had better propellant, primers and projectiles in the history metallic cartridges. Not to mention uniform cases. Even the cheaper stuff is better than the premium options from a few years ago, creating a golden age for shooting. The.30-06 ranges from bone-crushing ammo for big-game to hair-splitting ammunition for match competition. Making A ListA final thought: it’s not as easy as it sounds. Even though ammunition is more accurate, consistent, and reliable than ever, not all loads are compatible with every rifle. Some loads may produce too much recoil to allow a marksman perform at his peak, while others may not have the right velocity for the rifle’s barrel. Still others might not match up with a rifles idiosyncrasies. It takes time to find a rifle that runs like a thoroughbred. Photo: Massaro Media GroupThis brings us to our main point–test a variety of.30-6 ammo with different bullet weights. We’ve provided some suggestions in the buyer’s guide, but that doesn’t guarantee you’ll have success with them. Take the time to thoroughly examine your ammunition and give yourself and your.30-6 the best chance to succeed. You’ll be happy you did it when you go to your next match or hunting trip. Best.30-06 AmmoHunting AmmoNosler trophy grade partitionStory goes that John Nosler tried plugging a large moose but the old cup and core bullets wouldn’t penetrate the vitals. Frustrating, but the genesis of one of the modern era’s projectile breakthroughs–Nosler Partition bullets.Adding a copper partition two-thirds of the way through the core ensured the soft-point bullet would still expand at low velocities, but wouldn’t fragment at high velocity. Nosler’s ammo for.30-06 loaded with these gems is a great idea. They have enough integrity to shatter an elk scapula, or a moose scapula, and keep on trucking until they reach the heart or lung tissue. Real peace of mind. Springfield offers three factory-loaded options: 150-grain (3,500 fps, MV), 165-grain, (2,800 fps, MV), and 180-grain, (2,750 fps, MV), each of which is more than capable in a hunting situation. Barnes VOR-TXIn some parts of the country, lead ammo is prohibited. It’s a good thing that massive projectiles are now more affordable. It’s a boattail version of the TSX bullet with a polymer tip that delivers excellent ballistics, both in flight and at terminal. Barnes’.30-6 ammo is a 150 grain load (3,000 fps,.440 BC). It’s an incredibly powerful little round. Do not be fooled by the bullet’s size. Its solid structure and high velocity allows it to compete with the 180 class. The load is also a little more tolerant in terms of recoil. barnesbullets.comFederal Berger Hybrid HunterStudy the .30-06 Springfield for any amount of time, you come to realize it can go the distance. The cartridge is said to be a superior performer at long ranges compared to other.30 calibers such as the.308. Federal’s Berger Hybrid Hunter.30-06 is the best choice for this. The bullet’s cutting-edge hybrid, tangent-secant-ogive gives it match-level accuracy. The bullet’s thinner jacket ensures that it expands at its final destination. Federal goes all out with the finely tuned 168-grain load (2800 fps,.489 BC) using Gold Metal primers and nickel-plated brass cases. federalpremium.comHornady Custom International InterLockPioneers of polymer-tipped bullets, the company has excellent choices in this corner of the market. It’s hard to beat ‘Big Reds’ Custom International ammunition with InterLock bullets for hunting anything in North America, except coastal brown bear. This is a little bit of a teaser since these are only available outside the US. Hornady used them in their Custom line. It doesn’t make them any less effective or worth mentioning. These babies perform season in and season out. You do give up a few ballistic coefficient points, but this is marginal at most hunting ranges. In return, you receive some of the toughest, non-bonded-core bullets available. The 180-grain SP load (2.614 fps,.452 BC), is a versatile bullet that can be used for any large game. The 220-grain Rn (2,365 fps,.220 BC), is a great choice for tougher game, but not dangerous. hornady.comFederal terminal ascentHunters are aware that reliable expansion at long distances can be iffy. Worrying about whether your ammo is going to perform when it reaches its intended target can cause you to miss a critical shot. Federal designed the Terminal Ascent range from the ground-up to deliver reliable expansion. The 175-grain projectile has an extremely high ballistic coefficient (.520 BC), and a muzzle velocity advertised of 2,730fps. This, combined with the patented AccuChannel grove, makes for a very accurate and stable product. The Slipstream ballistic tip is specially engineered so that it expands at a slower rate than similar designs. The copper shank, bonded lead core and copper shank also ensure good penetration and weight preservation. Terminal Ascent is a great choice for ranges that have similar loads but are lacking in effectiveness. federalpremium.comLearn More About The .30-Caliber:Match/M1 Garand AmmoA brief note on .30-06 ammo meant for competition, most of it is milder than you’d expect. This is due to the M1 Garand’s continued use in matches. It has even gained in popularity in recent times. The rifle was not designed to handle the pressure spikes in modern ammunition. There is some debate on this topic. If you want to know more about the situation, Corey Graff’s essay on M1 Garand ammunition is a great resource. Ammo surplus is dwindling. Study new factory ammo prior to firing it through your Garand. Most will say that it is loaded for the rifle. M2 Ball ClonesWinchester Services Grade AmmunitionWinchester pushes its.30-6 ammo velocity a bit, but the 150 grain option (2,740fps MV and.420 BC), performs well. FMJ ammo tends to be priced for volume shooters. winchester.comFederal American Eagle M1 GarandA stand-by label shooters trust, American Eagle has a specific load for the M1 Garand–you’ll know it by the picture of the rifle on the box. The 150-grain ammunition (2,740 fps,.410 BC, MV) is also loaded to protect the rifle. However, a concentric FMJ bullet will ensure top performance. American Eagle also offers a 150-grain.30-6 ammo loaded with a much hotter bullet (see below). federalpremium.comSellier & Bellot M1 GarandA very well-balanced load that attempts to replicate M2 Ball down to the smallest detail. This means a 150 grain FMJ bullet (2700 fps, MV, BC.498) with better ballistics than surplus. This ammo is considered by many to be the best choice for those who are cautious with their M1. Sellierbellot.usM1Garand Safe Match AmmoSig Sauer Elite matchThere’s no reason to be a slave of tradition when gold is at stake. Sig’s Elite Match.30-06 175-grain ammo (2,700 fps MV and.496 BC), which has a velocity of 2,700 fps, is a very interesting.30-06 ammunition. The OTM bullets are among the heaviest match bullets available. They offer an excellent BC for factory-loaded, M1-compatible ammo. sigsauer.comHornady vintage matchIf only they had Extremely low drag bullets in the war… Hornady’s M1 Garand ammunition boasts one the most advanced bullets for any factory stuff available for the rifle – the ammo maker’s ballistic-tip, ELD. The 168 grain load (2,710fps MV and.523 BC), which is also available in bolt-action, offers the best performance. Match AmmoBlack Hills goldTopped with Hornady ELD-M Bullets, Black Hills.30-6 match ammo has been loaded for maximum performance. Hot is the translation. The 150-grain (2,900 fps, MV,.461 BC), is made of high-quality components and tested rigorously to ensure consistency. black-hills.comAmerican EagleThe perfect option for kicking your .30-06 bolt gun up a notch without breaking the bank. The 150-grain FMJ (.408 BC, 2,910 fps, MV) load is usually very affordable. You’ll have plenty to reach out with. You may not want to use this ammo if you are cautious with your M1 Garand. federalpremium.comRemington UMCUnion Metallic Cartridge Company has produced .30-06 ammo perhaps longer than any other company. It knows what it is doing. This 150-grain load (2.910 fps, MV, and.314 BC), which is much hotter than the ones advertised for the M1 Garand rifle, has been a subject of debate. The FMJ ammo has been classified as match for the safety of your firearm. remington.comNEXT: Download Your Free Storm Tactical Printing Target Pack62 Printable MOA targets with DOT drills – Rifle range in YARDSThis impressive pack from our friends at Storm Tactical includes62 printable targets for rifle and handgun ranges. The target grids and bullseyes are measured in MOA. Subscribe to the Gun Digest newsletter and we will send you your print-at home target pack immediately. Enter your email below.