Browning X bolt 30-06 best round for it ?

[-JR-]

Buddy just bought a Browning A bolt 30 06 .
Are they any factory bullets that don't shoot good groups in this rifle.
Whats shoots better 150 or 180 and what brands have you gotten good groups with .

[Flatlandliver]

Buddy just bought a Browning A bolt 30 06 .
Are they any factory bullets that don't shoot good groups in this rifle.
Whats shoots better 150 or 180 and what brands have you gotten good groups with .

His barrel will tell him what it likes and the only way to find out is by shooting groups with different brands and wts. Most 06’s like 165/168 gr imo.

[ORVIS]

I own a browning a bolt in 30-06. It loves federal 150’s fusions and blue box, Nosler partition 150g. It doesn’t group well with Hornadys which is unfortunate but there is a wide verity of factory ammo too choose from.
I haven’t tried 180’s and 165’s yet but I’m sure they would work in the said brands.
Good luck!

[marky_mark]

Best thing you could do is figure out the twist
Once you know that, you will be able to at least target the bullet weight range

[-JR-]

He just let me know it is an X bolt not an A bolt
Anyone have one ,and what shoots the best group .
Hate to spend $200 of factory loads to find out these rifles only shoot heavy loads in a tight group .

[gunluvr]

He just let me know it is an X bolt not an A bolt
Anyone have one ,and what shoots the best group .
Hate to spend $200 of factory loads to find out these rifles only shoot heavy loads in a tight group .

Being an x bolt, it no doubt has a 22" barrel. Not optimal IMO. Twist will be 1 in 10".
165 Accubonds best if you reload and can find them.
Factory ammo? Hard to be picky right now.

[WV911]

I have a X bolt hells canyon 30.06

I have tried a lot of ammo and most shot well except partitions.

ELDX shot really well but Im a little hesitant about it.

Past 2 years I have been using 165 gr accubonds, very consistent groupings and good results on game both years.

One thing I learned is that Nosler factory accubond groups different than Federal Premium with accubond bullets,

[3blade]

He just let me know it is an X bolt not an A bolt
Anyone have one ,and what shoots the best group .
Hate to spend $200 of factory loads to find out these rifles only shoot heavy loads in a tight group .

Most consistent factory ammo (imo so it’s worth what you paid for it):
-Barnes TTSX (not sure if its still in production or shipping to Canada right now)
-hornady GMX or eldx
-nosler accubond

Barrel length and twist rate can get you a suggestion, but the only way to know is to shoot ‘em. I have seen several 22 and 24 inch 30 cals do exactly the opposite of what they should, and do it very well. I know budgets are not infinite, but $200 is on the low end for picking out new factory ammo. Skip the Tim’s or beer run for a couple months.

[obsessed1]

Since every gun is different even from the same manufacturer my practice is this. Figure out what you want to shoot ( might be a cost consideration, or a weight or bullet type/ manufacturer ect) and start with that, if you get adequate performance great, if not move on to your #2choice and so on. If he bought it to hunt moose a120gr pill likely wont be the ticket even if it shoots best in someone else's rifle...there are no real short cuts with firearms.

[Dean2]

Since every gun is different even from the same manufacturer my practice is this. Figure out what you want to shoot ( might be a cost consideration, or a weight or bullet type/ manufacturer ect) and start with that, if you get adequate performance great, if not move on to your #2choice and so on. If he bought it to hunt moose a120gr pill likely wont be the ticket even if it shoots best in someone else's rifle...there are no real short cuts with firearms.

Agreed. I will also make the comment; it is often repeated that every gun is different and two otherwise identical guns will show a wide variance in what they like. I can categorically say I have never found this to actually be true. Example one 12.6 grains of Lil'Gun, Privi or WW brass, federal small pistol primers, 40 grain Vmax, 1.80 COAL. I have shot that exact load in over 30 22 Hornets. Every single one shot the load under 1 MOA, some did .25, some .75 at 100 but all were great to plenty acceptable. I could shrink the groups on some playing with seating depth but I never changed the charge weight.

Next example Sellier and Bellot factory 7x57 ammo. Have used it in 5 different rifles. Shot it at targets making brass, worst one shot .75 with it. Privi factory 30-06 165 grain, used in 3 rifles, all shot it under an inch. Weatherby Select 100 grain 257 Bee ammo, 2 rifles, one Mark V one Vangaurd, one shot it .3 other shot it .45. Except for the Hornet groups all others were 3 shot groups at 100 yards.

The same holds true for most Factory loads. The ammunition makers go to a lot of work to land on a load that will work pretty well universally. Can you find one that shoots tiny groups if you test enough ammo, yes, will the very best be different between guns, maybe but often not. Like O1 said, pick the weight and style of bullet you want, start with it. If it will give you the accuracy you want, close enough. Only move on if it won't, ammo is too expensive to chase .25 in a hunting rifle. Most guys can't hold 1 MOA under hunting conditions anyhow, let alone .5.

[elkhunter11]

Agreed. I will also make the comment; it is often repeated that every gun is different and two otherwise identical guns will show a wide variance in what they like. I can categorically say I have never found this to actually be true. Example one 12.6 grains of Lil'Gun, Privi or WW brass, federal small pistol primers, 40 grain Vmax, 1.80 COAL. I have shot that exact load in over 30 22 Hornets. Every single one shot the load under 1 MOA, some did .25, some .75 at 100 but all were great to plenty acceptable. I could shrink the groups on some playing with seating depth but I never changed the charge weight.

Next example Sellier and Bellot factory 7x57 ammo. Have used it in 5 different rifles. Shot it at targets making brass, worst one shot .75 with it. Privi factory 30-06 165 grain, used in 3 rifles, all shot it under an inch. Weatherby Select 100 grain 257 Bee ammo, 2 rifles, one Mark V one Vangaurd, one shot it .3 other shot it .45. Except for the Hornet groups all others were 3 shot groups at 100 yards.

The same holds true for most Factory loads. The ammunition makers go to a lot of work to land on a load that will work pretty well universally. Can you find one that shoots tiny groups if you test enough ammo, yes, will the very best be different between guns, maybe but often not. Like O1 said, pick the weight and style of bullet you want, start with it. If it will give you the accuracy you want, close enough. Only move on if it won't, ammo is too expensive to chase .25 in a hunting rifle. Most guys can't hold 1 MOA under hunting conditions anyhow, let alone .5.

I have go to loads that work in a variety of rifles, and yet they don't work at all well in some rifles. The same with some factory loads. Many years ago, two hunting partners bought the exact same model of Remington 700, with close serial numbers, and I ended up with a different load for each one, because my go to load worked well in one rifle, but the other one didn't like it at all. I actually worked up loads for two different 7mmremag rifles for current hunting partners last year, and the result was the same, I ended up with different powders and different bullet weights. And after a friend bought a new 6.5CM , I tried the load my own 6.5CM liked, and again, I had to change the bullet, as his rifle didn't like the load. Then another friend ought a 6.5CM, and his rifle loves the same load as my 6.5CM.

[obsessed1]

3of my brothers have the exact same savage 11 in 243 bought on the same day from the same store.
One of them wont shoot anything over 95 into anything close to a group. That one shoots the 80gr barnes like a house afire. One shoots the 100gr partition far better than the 95gr or the barnes. and one favors 95gr over the 100gr. In the lighter loads none shoot a 55gr well but all shoot 60-70 gr bullets well.
My mod 11 243 bought 5 years later shoots bug holes with 87gr v max and only does ok with 95-100gr partition( good enough to hunt with but i have to work to get sub 1.5" moa. I do have a couple boxes of 90gr Etips I have never tried but I was surprised at the differences in each rifle.

[58thecat]

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/30-06-springfield-165-gr-gmx-full-boar

If you can find a box of these I would give them a whirl.