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Speer 125 gr. TNT in 30-06!

Any of you good people tried the Speer 125 gr. TNT in a 30-06? I was looking on their website last night and stumbled upon these bullets. I have had great luck with them in my .243 Win and was wondering if they were worth a try in an 06! My 06 has a 22" 1:10 3/8 twist, per my measurements with a patch on a jag and cleaning rod. I know this is plenty fast for these bullets but, maybe too fast? If you have tried this, what powder and primer combination? Thanks!

Mike
 
The smoking load for an 06 is 57 grs Varget, CCI 200 primer. 24" barrel will yield about 3400 fps. NO pressure issues. Switch to a 125 Ballistic tip or 130 Barnes & you have a very flat deer slayer. No issues with either bullet switch. USUALLY quite accurate.
 
I have shot the 125 TNT in my 30X47 HBR and my 308 Win. Very accurate bullet and really comes apart on impact. Great for varmints really messes up groundhogs.
 
I've run quite a pile of Speer 130 gr HP's through various .30-06 & .308 Win rifles over the years. Terrific accuracy and very explosive performance on rock chucks.
 
Thanks for the replies guys! I was beginning to wonder if anybody was going to comment on my question ;)! I like Speer TNT bullets, they just seem to shoot inherently well. I might have to look at their 130 gr. HP's too! Thanks!

Mike
 
Back in the '70's, when I was a teen, I had a M70 PF 30-06. I tried to shoot varmints most weekends in So. Cal. My load was either the Sierra or Speer 125 with IMR 3031. I "inverted" lots of Calif ground squirrels with that load.

Alan
 
I have used the sierra 125 in .308 & 30-06. can't remember the load in 30-06. it did work very well on deer with the 308. It was slow, as it was only an 18" m600 rem., I think it was the minimum load of imr4895 or imr4064, but very, very accurate, with little recoil at all. it would flat hammer a deer. I did shoot one doe in high shoulder to see just how bullet would perform, I figured I would recover it due to the shoulder bones. I did not. it also took out a 1/2"-3/4" oak tree behind her. two I shot at over 100yds. niether walked another step. I never shot anything smaller than deer.
 
Guys, thanks again for all the replies! Looks as if the 125 TNTs shoot, as well as the 125 Sierras. I need to order some stuff from Sinclair here soon, wish they carried Speer bullets though. From the looks of the 125 Sierra it appears as if it would work well on varmints. Sinclair has them so I may have to give them a try. Thanks again all!

Mike
 
The 125 Sierra is a MUCH tougher bullet than the 125 TNT. The Sierra will kill a varmint but so will a FMJ. The TNT will really come apart and the Sierra will not. The 125 Sierra works well on deer but I would not try the 125 TNT on a deer myself. With the Sierra you will have more problems of ricochet than with the TNT.
 
Iv used lots of the 130 gr Speer varmint HPs, in my 308w. im using a 50 gr max load of H4895 chrono it 3200 fps.26” barrel. H4895 pips Varget in speed dept with lighter bullets in the 308 w. great on varmint not good for pelts though. I also ran 110 sierra HP using 50 gr H4895 for 3250 fps. accurate out to 200 yards or so.
 
Thanks for the heads up 338! I was wondering about the 130 Speer and 110 Sierra also. What is the twist on your .308? I tried some 52 gr. Speer Varmints in my 9 twist 22-250 and it was just too many RPMs, they would blow up on the way to the target. Thanks!

Mike
 
Took the ol' 06 out last night and shot her a bit more with the Speer 125 TNTs! I was having trouble getting enough neck tension out of my Lee Collet die so I did some polishing on the expander to size the necks down a bit more. I don't know who mentioned the load for 53.0gr. of IMR4064 for the 30-06 but, it shows some serious promise with the 125 TNTs. Bullet holes touching at 100 kind of promise ;)! Still need a better trigger on this rig and I think it will shoot really well! Thanks to who ever suggested that lodad along the way.

Mike
 

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