Please Recommend A 220 Grain .30-06 Springfield Factory Load

[Professor Mawla]

Good evening .
As many of you gentlemen know , I hunt Himalayan ibex once every alternate year .

In 2021 , I shall be going off again . Like I sometimes do ( when hunting in foreign countries ) , I shall be using the outfitter’s rifle - A .30-06 Springfield ( a sporterized Springfield Model 1903 ) this time around . The last Himalayan ibex which I had shot with a .30-06 Springfield ( pictured ) , was hunted by using 220 grain Remington Core Lokt soft nosed factory loads . However , my outfitters are currently unable to source any 220 grain Remington Core Lokt ammunition for my use in the .30-06 Springfield . I suspect that Remington going bankrupt has a hand in this . My outfitters can source .30-06 Springfield ammunition from most other brands for me , however .

I would be most grateful if anyone here would be so kind as to recommend a 220 grain soft nosed factory load for the .30-06 Springfield , which is currently being manufactured . But the bullet should be one of acceptable quality ( good expansion and at least 75 % weight retention) , because Himalayan ibex are very big animals .

With very best wishes ,
Anayeth

 

[Dirtdart]

Hello Professor,
The only two major ammunition companies in the US that loaded a 220 grain hunting bullet in the .30-06 in recent history would be Federal and Remington with their standard cup and core bullet. I did not see the 220 listed on the Federal website. It may be discontinued? I have a feeling that Remington 220 grain Core-Lokt may be the last hold out of that weight in the .30-06 but, for how long? A factory loaded 220 grain bullet in .30-06 is going the way of the dinosaur.
If you do not load your own it may be a good time to look at some of the many excellent factory offerings in 180 grain.
Good luck in your search!

 

[Forrest Halley]

Ammo seek shows a Federal Power whom loading of a 220 Speer Hot Cor bullet.
Double tap Ammo shows a 210 grain long range Accubond.
I respectfully submit that you also consider a 180 grain bullet of better construction before this loading. Swift offers an A frame loading and Nosler offers and Accubond loading.
I sincerely hope that you enjoy your hunt and all the preparation involved.

 

[Dirtdart]

It will be possible to find some older stock of 220's laying around for years to come but currently Federal doesn't show that loading on their website. Remington list their 220 in that caliber but take that with a grain of salt.

 

[krish]

Contact pro- loading they may be able to help you. They I think have export license.

 

[Waterbuck2008]

Good idea, @krish. I'm a little surprised Winchester discontinued their 220-grain Power Point offering. That said, there are numerous factory loads topped with premium controlled-expansion 180-grain bullets I'd trust for the large non-dangerous game. There's even the Nosler Partition from Federal, I believe, if one wants to wax nostalgic.

 

[Professor Mawla]

@Dirtdart , @Forrest Halley , @krish and @Waterbuck2008
Thank you all very much for your immense amount of help and support . Until today , I had absolutely no idea that Federal offer(ed) 220 grain factory loads . I certainly hope that they have not been discontinued .

I wholeheartedly admit that the 180 grain loads in the .30-06 Springfield may be a perfectly reasonable choice . However , I am an old soul and I prefer the original 220 grain factory load ( if procurable ) . As a young man growing up in the 1970s , our generation always considered the 220 grain offering to be THE .30-06 Springfield factory load . I suppose that this sensibility ( for me ) has not eroded over time , since the last 48 years .

 

[Corey0372]

Hornady has a 220 grain in 3006, their "Custom International", they can be a bit hard to find though.

 

[spike.t]

Sako hammerhead bullets in 220 grain. I like the 220 grain as well and these are what we get here in that weight

Sako Ltd Products portfolio

Discover the full range of products offered by Sako Ltd.

www.sako.fi

 

[spike.t]

Norma do a 200 grn but not 220

Norma Oryx 30-06 SPRG 200 Gr, 20 Rds

SFRC - The source in Canada for firearms, ammunition, fishing, sporting goods and fantastic customer service

theammosource.com

 

[JimP]

For right now and possibly into 2021 depending on just who wins the US election here in a month ammo of any type may be in very tight supply and very hard to find.

Most stores here in the US have no ammo in stock and if you can even find a place that you can order it from it will be on back order with no guarantee of when it will be in.

Between the protest that we have been experiencing and the election coming up ammo and reloading supplies may be in very short supply for quite a while.

 

[thriller]

the only one i know of is the Remington core lokt they work well out of my gun.

 

[Shootist43]

Professor since you already reload one option is to consider the following.

 

[Shootist43]

Professor, as I recall from working up a load for Kowshik's 7 x 57, Winchester 760 Powder is available. I can work up other QuickLoad simulations if you like. BTW I used a 22" barrel, does your rifle have a different length?

 

[Professor Mawla]

Professor since you already reload one option is to consider the following.View attachment 371164

@Shootist43
I had absolutely no idea that you use the quick-load software too . I find it most accurate and a wonderful software .

 

[Professor Mawla]

Professor, as I recall from working up a load for Kowshik's 7 x 57, Winchester 760 Powder is available. I can work up other QuickLoad simulations if you like. BTW I used a 22" barrel, does your rifle have a different length?

@Shootist43
I have written an email to the outfitter to inquire about barrel length . But if my memory serves me correctly , then I remember 22 inches as well . It is a sporterized Remington Springfield Model 1903A3 . Yes , we can source Win760 gunpowder , but I prefer IMR3031 gunpowder for my hand loaded .458 Winchester Magnum rounds .

 

[shootist~]

Reloading for a rifle I cannot test fire would be a bit scary, IMO. What if that rifle hates them?

Probably best to watch and see what comes in stock, but otherwise plan to use the ammo the Outfitter has already proven. Just my $.02.

Just some random thoughts:

Two in our group were able to source factory loaded Norma 180 grain Oryx recently. This is for a July 2021 Plains Game hunt. It's currently out of stock at Grafs and Midway-USA, but they seem to get some in fairly often. Best be on an email list for anything ammo-wise you are looking for. It's proven to be accurate in two different Tikkas and a Ruger 30-06.

For reloading, the heavy (200 and 220 grain) Nosler Partitions appear to be available. I know from recent experience that RL22 works well for the 200 grain NP in my Tikka 30-06, but that load was worked up for one specific rifle.

 

[bruce moulds]

the difference between the ratio bore capacity/barrel capacity is huge between 458 win and 30/06.
this could also be thought of as expansion ratio.
while 3031 suits that ratio in the 458, it is way too fast for the 30/06 particularly with heavy bullets.
high pressures will appear long before potential velocity.
the 4350s, 4831s, re17, 19, and 22 will be much more suited to the 30/06 with heavy bullets.
h4350 and h4831sc will be the most temperature insensitive on that list.
norma oryx will be a better bullet than the nosler partition, as will the swift aframe.
when you think about it, a good 180 gn bullet will probably perform terminally as well as a so so 220 gn, and shoot flatter into the bargain.
bruce.

 

[Professor Mawla]

the difference between the ratio bore capacity/barrel capacity is huge between 458 win and 30/06.
this could also be thought of as expansion ratio.
while 3031 suits that ratio in the 458, it is way too fast for the 30/06 particularly with heavy bullets.
high pressures will appear long before potential velocity.
the 4350s, 4831s, re17, 19, and 22 will be much more suited to the 30/06 with heavy bullets.
h4350 and h4831sc will be the most temperature insensitive on that list.
norma oryx will be a better bullet than the nosler partition, as will the swift aframe.
when you think about it, a good 180 gn bullet will probably perform terminally as well as a so so 220 gn, and shoot flatter into the bargain.
bruce.

@bruce moulds
I understand that you have had negative experiences with the Nosler Partition . However , I have only had good experiences with them on a wide variety of large game ( this is of course , not to cast any doubt as to the credibility of your negative experiences ) .
Take this Markhor , for example .

I took him out with a single 286 grain Nosler Partition factory load , fired from a 9.3x62 mm Mauser ( a BRNO ZKK - 600 ) .
I have shot my last animal ibex with a single 250 grain Nosler Partition factory load , fired from a .338 Winchester Magnum ( a Blaser R-8 ) .

I have also used 500 grain Nosler Partition factory loads in my .458 Winchester Magnum , to hunt marauding Royal Bengal tigers .

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I saw some Remington 220 grain 30-06 cartridges in one of my local stores the other day. It could be old stock however.
If you could find the federal with the 200 grain trophy bonded bear claw, or swift loads 180 grain a frame cartridges. Either one should out perform the 220 core loct.