Which amo for 303 & 30-06

**ventera1** · 23-08-2012, 20:50

I just got my license for a 303, and I'm waiting for my 30-06 license.
I don't know allot about rifles and I need some advice with choosing the right ammo.

What ammo will be the best to use in both rifles? What grain whould you suggest for both Bushveltd and plains hunting? What type of bullet whould you suggest, SP, FMJ or solids?

**Maroelas** · 23-08-2012, 21:01

For hunting always an expanding bullet for these calibers.

I have always been happy with PMP Proamm for hunting up to medium sized game (up to Gemsbok/redhartebees). For 30-06 you get 150gr and 180gr Proamms. I have used the 180gr extensively in my 30-06.

For the .303 it is usually a 174gr bullet.

If you want a premium bullet you can get PMP african elite for the 30-06, but at R750 for 20 rounds that is too expensive (unless hunting kudu or eland).

**Longshot** · 24-08-2012, 08:49

The 30-06 usualy likes the 165-168gr bullets and both does well when hunting bushveld and plains although 180 is better fot the bush. I reload so I cannot comment on factory ammo.

**308FN** · 24-08-2012, 09:40

PMP bullets are good enough for hunting and many animals have been taken with them. For the 30-06 get the pro-amm's in 150gn for plains game and 180gn for the bushveld. Use the Soft points be it sharp/round nose. No experience with the 303 so won't be able to tell you what to get...

**driepootx** · 24-08-2012, 10:44

In 303 you have choices of 150 or 174gr only in the normal brown box. The bullets are fairly soft and as I reload I will only use them for plinking or target practice.

**Marshie** · 24-08-2012, 12:32

another vote for the pro-amms in a 30-06. I use the 180gr mostly and rifle enjoys them!

**Toxxyc** · 03-01-2013, 15:12

Right, so I have a .303. Fairly new licence owner, to be honest. Still have to fit a scope (have one) and then it's time to search for loads for it. So, info:

1. The rifle isn't sported. It's the original full-wood type, still with perfect open sights and everything.

2. I want to use it as a temporary hunting rifle until I can afford another (probably a CZ 550 or something similar), for smaller game (absolute maximum being kudu, although shooting one is too hard on my pocket so it will probably not happen with the .303) mainly.

3. Having it shoot sub-MOA isn't needed, as I understand and accept that it's not a precision rifle (although I know what these old military .303's can do). The rifle is very old, but was rarely shot, so still in impeccable condition.

4. I want fairly cheap ammo that will perform well. I reload, so I'm looking for bullets. Brass/primers/powder will be sorted. I was looking at Hornady InterLock 150gr bullets, as they are very cheap (something like R3,70 per bullet) and I quite like Hornady's bullets.

5. I dislike Rhino due to the increased wall thickness they incorporated and I got some shitty performance with it after. Claw is a choice, but accuracy isn't that awesome. I dislike PMP for what they stand for, but I'll take their factory ammo if I need brass (which I do, by the way). Swift/Nosler/Barnes is generally too expensive, and Nosler is taking a nosedive in availability it seems. I had very surprising performance with Sierra ProHunter bullets in the past (accuracy and weight retention in Blesbuck) so they're an option, however for the price I'd rather take the Hornadys. Impala - don't even mention it, please.

6. The rifle and ammunition will mostly be used for hunting with a little fun shooting on the side. Fun shooting, not trying for sub-MOA groups.

7. Basically, what do you guys think about the Hornadys, and what would be best - 150gr or 174gr? I'm not really shooting very far, so yeah.

**Maroelas** · 03-01-2013, 15:20

Does that old barrel stabilise the 150gr bullets?

I know you dislike PMP, but I use their Proamms as my cheap bullets in my 30-06 and they perform very well. Also wouldn't hesitate to hunt with them if that is all I have (if I go after kudu, well that will take months of preparation so I will make sure I have Accubonds on hand for that, but anything smaller/cheaper no worries).

**J-Man** · 03-01-2013, 21:07

I have a had my .303 for a little more than a year. I don't reload yet, and finding ammo that it shoots acceptably has been a bit of trial and error.

I've firmly established that my rifle doesn't like PMP 150gr, and it doesn't like their 174gr bullets all that much either. I also don't like the PMP price much for what you get.

I've now settled on 180gr Prvi Soft point ammo - R209 for a box of 20, and apparently the brass is good quality (or so they tell me).

My best group ever with this rifle happened last week with my first box of this ammo: 1.7" inch group @ 100 meters. Before this my best was a 3"group @ 100 meters using PMP and Prvi 150 grain ammo.

I had a fixed power 4x40 Nikko Sterling Scope (circa 1993) on the rifle when I shot this group, and recently upgraded to a Nikon variable power - I'm hoping to see more improvement.

**Toxxyc** · 04-01-2013, 00:07

Originally Posted by rboshoff

Does that old barrel stabilise the 150gr bullets?

I know you dislike PMP, but I use their Proamms as my cheap bullets in my 30-06 and they perform very well. Also wouldn't hesitate to hunt with them if that is all I have (if I go after kudu, well that will take months of preparation so I will make sure I have Accubonds on hand for that, but anything smaller/cheaper no worries).

I have no idea what the barrel does to 150gr bullets. 174's seem to shoot VERY well in these old rifles, and if it's bullet length they need shouldn't I be looking at even heavier? 200gr? 215gr like Rhino makes? I'm willing to give Rhino another go, they used to do well. I'm also not a speed chaser. not in my rifle anyway. 215gr going slowly would please me if it rather ended inside the impala than go straight through. It's what you'd expect from a good bullet. Think I'll try out the Rhinos or the Claws. Claws will unavoidably expand better at slower speeds due to thinner copper walls, which is what took my favourite bullets (Rhinos) down from that little throne in the first olace. Jackets were made thicker and suddenly we no longer got bullets that stopped in our quarry, they pass straight through. I've got pics where an impala was shot at 270m with a .303 British with a 174gr Rhino from the front, and the bullet was picked up about 10m behind where the animal was standing, with only a slight bend. How does a premium bullet only slightly bend after traveling through 1.2m of tense muscle, bone and organs?