# Varmit loads.....



## Ðe§perado™ (Apr 15, 2004)

I have a Remington 30-06 BDL and want to take care of a serious groudhog problem. I tried using my Savage .22 Mag. but is not doing the trick. These are the only rifles I own and want to make the 30-06 work, without getting a .223 or 22-250. What load will do the trick and be cost effective?


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## Minnowhead (Jan 12, 2011)

In my opinion a groundhog doesn't care what grain bullet passes through its head! If you are dialed in out to 200yds, then your deer round (150 gr ballistic tip?) will certainly do the job. You will probably notice the drop in your bullet when you try to hit a 2 foot high target instead of a deer sized vital at 300yds. Maybe sneeking up on it to close the distance will be better. As long as you know what your rifle will do at 100-200 and 300yds you can get that red mist, blow them in half result! A varmint caliber benefits you by shooting fast and flat with less recoil. Have fun! LOL


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## lonewolf (Mar 4, 2010)

Minnowhead said about perfect. Dead is dead!! I usually use a 243 but have shot them with muzzleloader with my deer rounds. Same thing happen with a good shot.


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## postalhunter1 (Jun 5, 2010)

I think that 150grain bullet is a little to big for "safe" varmint hunting.... Let me explain, what happens when that bullet passes through that groundhog and keeps going? What is beyond your target? That's a lot of mass & velocity to count on stopping in a 10 or 15lb groundhog. I shoot a lot of groundhogs and I always shoot a bullet that totally fragments on impact. Such as Barnes "varmint grenade" or Hornady V-Max. And usually in a 40 to 55 grain bullet. I would stick with a .17 thru .233 caliber. Whatever choice you make, just know a 150 grain bullet WILL ricochet.... Good luck.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I am in the process of reloading some bullets for our 30-06's as well. My 2 boys do a lot of hog hunting as well and like Desperado we don't have a true varmint caliber although the 30-06 will work very nicely. I have not tried a lot of combinations but the one I used last summer performed very nicely and I am doing them in the same load this time. I am using Sierra Match King 155 grain bullets with 55 grains of Reliant Reloder 19 powder. I can not recall what primers I am using. I had them given to me. I am pretty sure they are Winchester. I may try bumping the load up a bit hotter to see what it does for long range.

I think you can hunt groundhogs just as safely with 30-06 as you can with the smaller faster rifles. There was the comment about the ricochet but the way I see it is that the ricochet risk is there with most calibers.


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## T-180 (Oct 18, 2005)

I have used two different loads very successfully the last 7 years. I can get the recipe if you'd like, but they are 110 grain ballistic tips & 125 grain b-tips. Both shoot extremely well out of my old Reminton 700 ADL & the 110's are very explosive. It's not easy to find the lighter bullets, but they're well worth the effort and very reasonable price wise ,if you handload.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I believe the Sierra's had as light as 125 grain. I may try something lighter at some point. My son also bought some 150 grain A-Max which shoot very similar to the Sierra's.

I would be curious to hear how many grains of load you use with those 125's.


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## leupy (Feb 12, 2007)

If you really want to shoot well at long range contact me I have a conagragh ( SP) and can print you out a click chart for your bullets. A 30-06 is not what I would use but I can make it work. Or you can just let me know where the problem is, get me permission and I will solve the problem. We could also meet again use my equiptment and solve the problem together.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Last night I finished loading up about 50 rounds for my boys to hog hunt. These were 55 grains of Alliant Reloder 19 and 155 grain A-Max bullets. My oldest son was still zeroing in the scope a couple of days ago and took a picture of the 100 yard group. He dialed it up after that but needless to say we liked the tight pattern.


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