Powder thoughts for 30-06 180gr for a Rem 7600 22in barrel

Fox

Fox

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My dad wants me to look at building up a load for his 7600, with the 22in barrel.

I use IMR 4831 in my 6.5x55mm 24in barrel and was thinking that would be a good option for his gun but I wanted to see what others thought, is this too slow a powder for the 22in barrel?

I know this is pretty temperature stable, which would be a good option for an all around hunting powder for him.

Thanks for your insight.
 
Ganderite said:
A good choice. Try 57 to 59 gr and check for accuracy and easy extraction.
Click to expand...

Thanks, 56.8gr shows as max and compressed though, you may have read H4831, that has a max of 60.0gr

I hope to get him a decent speed but not looking to push anything, the max range of vision where we hunt is 225 yards and moose hunting may or may not happen.
 
IMHO, H-4831, and by extension the slightly faster IMR-4831, are at their best when attempting to get maximum velocity in a .30/06 bolt gun. I'd be inclined towards using 4350 (choose your brand) in the 7600, starting around 55 grs, and work up the load until I got 2700 fps with the 180. Attempting to get 2800+ from a pump is not going to aid cycling the rifle.
 
I just did up a bunch of 06 with IMR 4350 pushing the 190 grain accubond long range at about 2650 FPS out of my 760. Accuracy is right at .75” at 100. I’m gonna leave it at that. Zero pressure signs and smooth cycling to
 
My "standard" load for the .30/06 was 56-57 grs. of IMR 4350 & a 180 gr. bullet. Velocity ran in the neighbourhood of 2700, except with partitions, which got 2750.
 
IMR 4831 is an OK choice, and you have it on hand, so try some. If satisfied with the speed and accuracy, you're done. If not satisfied, try H4350. I use both with good results in bolt guns. The only difference in your application is that you can't get away as easily with pushing pressures /speeds to the ragged edge of safety in a pump like some hand loaders try to do in their bolt rifles. The cases will likely stick and extraction affected sooner than a bolt gun would show problems. The safety limit is actually the same in both types though.
 
Longwalker said:
IMR 4831 is an OK choice, and you have it on hand, so try some. If satisfied with the speed and accuracy, you're done. If not satisfied, try H4350. I use both with good results in bolt guns. The only difference in your application is that you can't get away as easily with pushing pressures /speeds to the ragged edge of safety in a pump like some hand loaders try to do in their bolt rifles. The cases will likely stick and extraction affected sooner than a bolt gun would show problems. The safety limit is actually the same in both types though.
Click to expand...

So the pump is safer because you notice the pressure issues earlier on :D

I am liking this talk of 4350, not that the 4831 will not be good but it keeps his stuff as his stuff.

Does anyone load heavier with 4350 or is that where the 4831 will shine? I ask because I have an 06 bolt parker hale that I will be loading 200gr NP in and possibly some 220gr RN bullets, dad has that one hunting rifle and I have a few so the 06 will be my big medicine until I get something or build something of larger bore.
 
I was finally able to get the gun out to the range, went with H4350 and the 180gr Hornady BTSP.

The starting load of 52gr was the tightest group but velocity was not great and the primers were backed out, just low pressure. 55gr gave me MOA, which is just fine but the primers are a little flat, not really flat but a little flat. There was no difficulty ejecting the rounds with the pump and the velocity was really nice. I took the max and min loads and split them in to 5 loads of 5 rounds, I think I will load from 53.5 to 55 again in half grain variations, I guess I hope I can sneak out the same or a slightly better load with a little less flatness on the primer but the primer pocket is not filled, you can still see the round on it, just flatter than the factory loads. This is using Remington brass and a WLR primer.
 
"primers a little flat" is not really an indicator of excess pressure. It does mean "more pressure than the non-flat primer load".

Go with the accurate load that extracts easily. And be mindful of the temperature you test at. If ammo and/or rifle is cold, results will be different on a hot day.

Your "hunting" load (colder weather) load might have a grain more powder than your summer, plinker/practice load.

My original suggestion of 57 to 59 of IMR 4831 stands, although 56 to 59 would have been more prudent. Somewhere along there I would expect you might hit an extraction issue.

I use 4831 in my 3006 180s, because I have a lot of it (a 60 pound drum). It is a compressed load.

BVHMH3v.jpg



4350 is easier to work with. And 760 is even better.
 
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Ganderite said:
"primers a little flat" is not really an indicator of excess pressure. It does mean "more pressure than the non-flat primer load".

Go with the accurate load that extracts easily. And be mindful of the temperature you test at. If ammo and/or rifle is cold, results will be different on a hot day.

Your "hunting" load (colder weather) load might have a grain more powder than your summer, plinker/practice load.

My original suggestion of 57 to 59 of IMR 4831 stands, although 56 to 59 would have been more prudent. Somewhere along there I would expect you might hit an extraction issue.

I use 4831 in my 3006 180s, because I have a lot of it (a 45 pound drum). It is a compressed load.

4350 is easier to work with. And 760 is even better.
Click to expand...

Sticking with the H4350 now, one thing that I really like is that it is not supposed to be altered much by temperature, I shot it at 3C this weekend, which will not be far off the deer hunting temperatures.

I plan to load up more and test it when it warms up a bit in the spring.

Extraction is no different than with the start loads or factory loads, which is nice to see, the added velocity is a nice plus too, Remington Core-lok are about 200fps below what they claim, this load of 55gr comes in just under 2700fps.
 
I would recommend, and I use personnally, Hornady Superformance powder for a 30-06 Springfield using a 180 grain bullet. Check out the Hodgdon's reloading website ... the velocity is impressive and beats out all other powders with acceptable maximum pressures. It meters exceptionally well and burns clean.
 
Ganderite said:
"primers a little flat" is not really an indicator of excess pressure. It does mean "more pressure than the non-flat primer load".

Go with the accurate load that extracts easily. And be mindful of the temperature you test at. If ammo and/or rifle is cold, results will be different on a hot day.

Your "hunting" load (colder weather) load might have a grain more powder than your summer, plinker/practice load.

My original suggestion of 57 to 59 of IMR 4831 stands, although 56 to 59 would have been more prudent. Somewhere along there I would expect you might hit an extraction issue.

I use 4831 in my 3006 180s, because I have a lot of it (a 60 pound drum). It is a compressed load.

BVHMH3v.jpg



4350 is easier to work with. And 760 is even better.
Click to expand...

How much does a 60 lb drum of powder cost?
 
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