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168gn A-max in 30-06

04 Feb 2016
@ 09:25 pm (GMT)

Bob Mavin

Hi all.
I finally caught a 168 A-max 30cal projectile from my 30-06.

Hunting for the venison, I hit this Fallow deer at 409m. I tucked the pill in tight behind the shoulder, it went between the ribs, angled back through the lungs into the stomach. The Deer just stood there for about 5 seconds then fell over. You can see where the skin stretched and caught the projectile like a pitchers mitt, after being slowed down by a full stomach.

Even when this pill takes out both shoulders (so far around 50 times) it exits with a 30mm hole. Love this pill in my 30-06





Replies

1
05 Feb 2016
@ 05:33 am (GMT)

Mike Davis

Re: 168gn A-max in 30-06
awesome looking job....that skin will make a great floor rug.
enjoy the venni
06 Feb 2016
@ 08:50 pm (GMT)

Nathan Foster

Re: 168gn A-max in 30-06
Nice shooting Bob and great performance. Thanks for sharing these.
20 Apr 2020
@ 05:53 pm (GMT)

Jack Dunross

Re: 168gn A-max in 30-06
Hey Bob, i asked this question in another thread, but it is probably more relevant here. How do you find the 168 eld-m performs out of the 30-06 at close ranges? I'm tossing up between a 30-06 and a 308 as my next rifle and by reading through the forum, i've noticed that you use both.

I'll mostly be targeting Fallow, Reds and Pigs at close ranges in dense forrest, but also stretching out at longer ranges for Roos and general target work on open farm land. The 308 seems pretty perfect, but i'm wondering if the 30-06 would let me stretch out a bit further for long range work and also give me a more all round rifle for doing hunting trips over east and up north Australia as well as over in NZ.

The reason i ask specifically about the 168 eld-m is that it seems to be significantly cheaper than most other projectiles and can be had for about 50c per projectile through cleavers. So i'd like to do the bulk of my practice with it and i like the idea of having one do it all bullet for the species i will be targeting at home (99%of my time), with the option to use bigger/different projectiles for any interstate/overseas hunting trip if need be. I understand that the 308 can do this, but with about 100 yards shorter range.

The 30-06 Winchester brass can be had for very cheap too, even though it's bigger than the 308.

Specifically i'm tossing up between a Winchester M70 Extreme Weather in 30-06 or a Remington 5R 20" in 308. Both are comparable prices, with the 308 being a bit more compact and heavy, but better for long strings. I imagine that the 5R might be more accurate out of the box too.

I've read all of Nathans books (except his newest one) and trawled this forum hoping to narrow my search down, which has taken me to where i am now.

I've been shooting a heavy barrel tikka 223 for the past 3 or 4 years and have improved my skill a lot since reading Nathans books. I'm ready for something bigger though. I have made myself a solid shooting bench as per Nathans video and am just about to start reloading, so i'm not overly concerned about availability of factory ammo, but i do like the idea of having quality factory ammo available at any gun shop if need be, which the 308 seems to have in spades in Australia.

I didn't actually intend for this comment to be any longer than the first paragraph, but i have a tendency to heavily over think things like this, trying to make the perfect decision, so i think even just typing my thoughts down has cleared my head a bit haha.

Anyways, i'd be interested to hear your thoughts, as well as anyone else reading this. I probably should have made a new thread haha, so sorry about that.

Cheers!
Jack

21 Apr 2020
@ 12:55 pm (GMT)

Bob Mavin

Re: 168gn A-max in 30-06
G'day Jack.
I really like the 168gn A-Max in 30 cal, I haven't used the ELD-M but Nathan said it's similar.
I'm using 143gn ELD-X in my 6.5x47 Lapua very happy with it's performance on Deer.

I like both the 30-06 & 308, not a lot of difference, the 30-06 comes into it's own on bigger critters using heavy projectiles.

308 works well, I've shot a lot of Red Deer on crops at 500 or more yds with the 168 A-Max with no problems.

I can't recommend a Rifle, mine are custom built on old Rem 700 & L579 Sako actions. My mate has a Tikka hunter in 308W It's a good rifle.

From what you said, out of the two I'd pick the 308. The 30-06 with it's long action and will require a longer barrel, won't be as compact as a 308.

If you don't handload a lot of the Pro shooters are using ADI outback ammo.
Most of the Roo shooters are using it in their 223's, it's as good as handloads.
21 Apr 2020
@ 06:58 pm (GMT)

Jack Dunross

Re: 168gn A-max in 30-06
Thanks for your advice Bob! I'm leaning pretty heavily toward the 308, for the reasons you just stated.

I'm actually using the ADI buffalo river in my 223 at the moment and it's great! I'm getting 0.4 of an inch out of it at 100 yards in my tikka and i'm steadily working my way through a bulk 900 pack. It's cheap too! I'm keen to reload though and i've ordered all the gear. I'm just waiting for it to arrive.

Curiously, have you ever had any troubles with the 30-06 and bullet blow up when using the Amax at close range?
21 Apr 2020
@ 07:30 pm (GMT)

Bob Mavin

Re: 168gn A-max in 30-06
Hi Jack. I've had no problems at all from 50yds out. I shot a huge Boar at about 50yds with my 30-06, I've only ever retrieved one projectile, that's it at the top of this page.

I like them both, for normal hunting I take the 308 it's more compact. If I'm going to sit and wait on an open crop shooting Reds or Pigs at long range I usually take the 30-06 even though the 308 will do it.
21 Apr 2020
@ 11:46 pm (GMT)

Jack Dunross

Re: 168gn A-max in 30-06
Good info thanks Bob, i appreciate it! Happy hunting mate!

Cheers
Jack
22 Apr 2020
@ 10:20 am (GMT)

Ed Sybert

Re: 168gn A-max in 30-06
I've owned and shot both .308 and 30-06 for many years. I've used them mostly for whitetail deer up to elk, and smaller cartridges for smaller game. There is plenty of data in the Knowledge Base and Forum, as well as Nathan's books from which you can compare the two cartridges. From my personal experience, I reserve the 30-06 for hunts were a 180 grain or heavier bullet is chosen. In my 308s, I don't go heavier than 168 grains. I just feel that this takes best advantage of the powder capacity of each cartridge. But one suggestion I can make is: if you choose the .308 and want to maximize its long range potential, go with at least a 22" barrel and consider 24" if you never or rarely hunt in really dense cover. So doing, you can gain around 100 fps over a 20" barrel. Also, don't go for a "pencil" barrel unless most of your hunting is in steep terrain with a lot of climbing.
22 Apr 2020
@ 03:07 pm (GMT)

Jack Dunross

Re: 168gn A-max in 30-06
Thanks Ed, i appreciate it!
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