30-06 Hog Load w/ j-words

[LeadPoisonTX]

I am hunting hogs over bait in Texas, and my shots will be 80 yards or less due to heavy cover. My rifle is a surprisingly accurate Ruger 77 (red buttpad and tang safety) that fits like a glove. I think either 150 or 165 grains Hornady Interlock, Speer HotCor, or Sierra Pro Hunter at 2000 - 2500 fps MV should do the trick. My thinking is that I need to slow the projectile down so it does not blow up on impact. I am leaning more towards the 165's. Powders to try are, in order of consideration: H4895, 5744, Big Game, and I'm open to other recommendations. I intend to wait until I am presented with neck shots, but boiler room will do. The toughest challenge is: these suckers are nocturnal, so I will be hunting at night with a red light. I have a clear Nikon Monarch scope, however everything, including depth perception, is different in the dark... I have marked key distances to bait sites, trails, etc., and with a 100 yard zero, I just need to put the cross hair where I want to and squeeze.

My questions are:
Which loads have worked well for you when shooting close range?
Hodgdon shows: 165 grain Sierra SPBT with H4895 Start Charge of 43.0 grains (2607 fps) to Max of 47.5 grns (2782) and...
Using 60% Reduced H4895 gives a range of: 28.5 grns to 47.5 grns. Does 38 - 42 grns window sound about right for my target velocity range of 2000 - 25000 fps?
Should I use Dracon filler with H4895 and j-words to get tighter ES and SD?
Do you see any holes in my logic?

By the way, I am in the early steps of putting together a Cast hunting load with 311041 and H4895 with a filler in 30-06 for Hogs, but I do not want to rush as I have a steeper learning curve with casting and powder coating.
Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.

[jcren]

Sierra 165 hollow point gameking over 48 of imr 4895 has been strong medicine for me. Mild by 06 standards, but deadly and easier to stay on target shooting off hand.

[Leslie Sapp]

I've found 150 gr Sierra pro hunters loaded to normal 30-06 velocity's to be an effective load for both deer and hogs. I wouldn't load them down at all, you need a little speed on them for reliable expansion.

[Harter66]

I shot a few head with a 150 gr BTSP Hornady #3033 , sadly it is discontinued . I shot 4 mule deer under 100 yd with that and never had anything that looked like a bullet failure . I shot it over IMR 4350 just under 2700 fps . 30 cal hole in the hide about 32-35 through a rib , off side exits were base ball to softball cavities and a half dollar skin exit hole .

I've killed 90-165# hogs at powder burn to 50yd with an 1100 fps 250 gr 454424 Lyman and a 265 gr 452-255 RNFP Lee . The one that ran about 200 yd was already running and juiced up when I shot him , the others​ went inches before collapsing . I witnessed a hog take 2 165s from a 300 WSM , 1 of which flipped him on his back and still run off . I saw a hog go 25 yd with a left side short rib entrance and a right side jaw exit from a 140 gr power point at 3000 fps from a 264 WM at about 80 yd . A 100 gr Game King in a 257 Roberts tears up a lot of real estate when the hit is in the neck head on at 60 yd on a 90# sow .

While you didn't ask a 350 gr 45 Colts , Raptor/S&W or 45-70 with about a 1150 fps MV will do all that needs to be done to kill hogs dead .

For the sake of suggestions the NOE 312-230 will hold 1000 ft lb at 100 yd with an 1800 MV .

[Kestrel4k]

I've done much more accuracy testing w/ hunting bullets than actually taking big game, but every time I test the Hornady Interlock against other brands, the IL always comes out on top. My only regret is that I didn't know this ~25 yrs ago; I could have saved a lot of time.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I use 165 Speer HotCor to do load development in my 308's, then drop back a grain or so for the 165 Nosler Partition, rechecking accuracy and pressure. I use the 165 Partition for everything i hunt with the 308 - antelope deer elk. I use the Speer for initial zero and practice, check zero with the Nosler and go hunting. The 165 Nosler will punch both shoulders of an elk, but does expand on light stuff. They are worth the money for the number needed to hunt. I have used the Speer and Hornady 150's for deer and antelope in the 300 Savage and both worked well and without incident. I would not 'slow down' my bullets, hoping for better penetration. An '06 with a 165 Nosler is good for almost anything you might be hunting, just not first choice for really big bears, elephant, Cape buffalo.

[jsizemore]

The Inter-lock, Pro-hunter and Partition will stand up to contact with bone at closer ranges. Hogs like to move a lot. Waiting for the perfect shot will leave you waiting.

[Texas by God]

ANY 150 gr or heavier 30-06 jacketed hunting bullet will kill a pig dead dead with proper shot placement.
"super bullets" are not needed. Go kill a bunch!
Best, Thomas.

[LeadPoisonTX]

Thanks for all your replies guys - really appreciate your input and hard earned experience. Good to hear all the votes for the Interlock since I have enough for load development and hunting. Let's see how my Ruger likes it.

jizemore - I hear you about hogs moving a lot. I experienced that last weekend when I was surrounded by more than 15 hogs. With all the competition to get a bite at the "goodies" in the bait hole and the fighting between them, I did not get a shot. However, that was an awesome rush and I'm eager to get back out to close the deal this time.

Harter66 - I do plan on developing a hunting load for my 44 Mag with 256 grns MIHEC, but that will have to come after the Ought Six is dialed in. I will look into the heavy boolits. I have a 311644 around 190 grns that I could try for starters.

Keep 'em coming, please.

[LeadPoisonTX]

ANY 150 gr or heavier 30-06 jacketed hunting bullet will kill a pig dead dead with proper shot placement.
"super bullets" are not needed. Go kill a bunch!
Best, Thomas.

Thank you Sir. Hopefully I will have pictures of the bounty to share next week.

[Texas by God]

You're welcome. It may seem cruel to some, but just shoot into the feeding group; you may get more than one. Eradication is our impossible goal here. We look forward to pictures!

[bdicki]

I've always liked 180 gr round nose in the 30-06

[ole 5 hole group]

You could consider IMR4064 behind a 150 grain Hornady SST in your 30-06.

[w5pv]

Choot em the bud of the ear and anything from a .22 shorts to a 12 gauge shot gun with # 4 buckshot will do the job. With shorts the distance need to be closer.Most of them there isn't squeal.But I have killed many farm animals with .22 shorts through the years.

[arlon]

You're welcome. It may seem cruel to some, but just shoot into the feeding group; you may get more than one. Eradication is our impossible goal here. We look forward to pictures!

Amen to THAT..

[JimP.]

30-06, Hornady 190 gr BTSP, 2650 fps, slays everything....JimP.

[oldblinddog]

180 Speer SP over 48.0 gr IMR 4064

[jaysouth]

I loaded up some .308 reduced recoil rounds for a 90 lb grandson. !50 gr. Hornady RN (for 30-30) over 30 grs. of H4895, with a dacron filler. I loaded up 50 rounds for his last year. So far he as killed several deer and a couple of 200 lb feral pigs with it. I don't know the exact velocity, but it is under factory 30-30.

Shot placement is king.

[725]

+1 the round nosed bullet. Wicked impacts.

[Lloyd Smale]

using an 06 on hogs id say it would be harder to find a load that didn't work then one that did. Any cup and core bullet over a 130 grain should get the job done just fine. As to my own personal experience the only hogs ive shot with the 06 have been taken with the 150 ww power point and the 150 sierra pro hunter. Both absolutely deck pigs. As a matter of fact absolutely deck anything under 500 lbs.