favorite .30-06 moose loads

sharp shooter

sharp shooter

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I'm new to reloading. Infact, I don't even own any reloading tools other than for shotguns. Anyway, my moose partner is a reloading and shooting fanatic. We started reloading for my gun. It is a 1968 BAR (.30-06). Beauty of a gun. Anyhow, I can't get better than 1.25" groups at a hundered yards. I can shoot .75" groups with my buddies gun. We are using varget (around 47 grains I think) and 165 grain interbonds. We've gone up from 46 grains to 47 and change but my groups got a little bigger, so we backed off. My barrel isn't the biggest and gets dam hot quick. We've also been shooting in hot weather wich could effect the groups in regards to barrel heat and so on. I know every gun will like a somewhat different load right? Does anybody else load for a gun like mine. Any other recipe recomendations?
 
my 30-06 didnt like varget either...

let me be clear, Im not an internet sniper, Im just happy to hit targets.. when i started reloading and seeing just how accurate a round I could make I got giddy... and i still cant believe I can shoot that well...

IMR 4350 and Im punching a single hole the size of a fat dime with 5 rounds at a hundred yards...
mini_IMG00218.jpg

30-06 5 rounds 165 gr Hornady SST - 57.2 gr IMR 4350 - fire formed brass -

You did mention that this was for Moose... an inch and a half is far better a group then your going to need to take down a moose...and that is an almost 50 year old rifle - who knows how its been handled over the years...maybe your getting all its got to give.
 
You are already getting groups well inside the requirement for hunting and the expectations for that rifle.

If you are serious about hunting, pratice shooting offhand and shooting sitting, no rest, from both shoulders.
 
I still load 180 gr Winchester Power Points ahead of 56 gr of IMR4350 for all my rifles, including the new Marlin XL7.

HPIM2801-2.jpg


It shoots plenty flat enough out to 300 meters, and is hard on moose. :)

Ted
 
I realize the gun is old but the guy I got it off is the origional owner. He didn't take it hunting or hardly shoot it. The gun is near mint. It is a safari grade 4. I'm not trying to brag but I am saying its a beautiful brand new, 40 year old gun if that makes sense. I'll try the 4350. Do you guys think that 180 grainers will give better accuracy? I think I'll grab a box of the Interbond @ 180 and try it.
 
It's very good in general, and especially for semis, for guns of that vintage to get groups nicely under 1.5 inches (or more for that matter), even if the gun weIB.

No reason not to chase better though, it is a hobby after all.

RG

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I have a BRNO ZG-47 that i picked up last February and the gentleman that sold me the rifle (for a very reasonable price i might add) also threw in 5 boxes of reloads. I have yet to start reloading so i didn't know anything about the powder,bullets,primers and brass until i read up on it. The boxes he gave me all have load labels on them so i'll re-print one here just to give you an idea of what i'm shooting.

Load Label

Caliber 30-06
Powder IMR 4350. 54.0 Grains
Bullet Hornady Round Nose SP. 200 Grains.
Case 30-06 Remington
Primer CCI - Big Rifle

This is the second time this brass has been loaded and they are all seated properly. ( well duh right?, i know :) )

Since i don't reload and only shoot these rounds, all i can say is they are really accurate and pack a mean punch. I'm planning on using these things on Moose and Bear this year.

Dorian

Oh, and i forgot to mention, the average velocity with these types of rounds is 2450ish feet per second. At least thats what the load label tells me. I honestly don't really know cause i don't own a chrony.
 
Don't worry, be happy. If you can hit a paper plate (offhand) at 200 yards with your rifle (whatever load you choose) you are in fine shape. The bullet you choose is the most important factor, IMHO. I personally think Nosler partitions are just the ticket.
 
saskcop said:
57.3 grains of H4350 and either a Nosler Partition or Hornady Interbond.
Click to expand...



This is similar to what I've always loaded, however I'm finding that the 4350 powder has large inconsistencies in extreme weather differences. It shoots great for me at +10 C, but at -30C it doesn't group so nice anymore. Does anyone else find this? I've got several hundred cases trimmed and primed and ready to go but I'm wondering if there are better choices for powder.
 
Dorian Gray said:
..... The boxes he gave me all have load labels on them so i'll re-print one here just to give you an idea of what i'm shooting.

Load Label

Caliber 30-06
Powder IMR 4350. 54.0 Grains
Bullet Hornady Round Nose SP. 200 Grains.
Case 30-06 Remington
Primer CCI - Big Rifle...........
Click to expand...

I could certainly be wrong, but I don't remember Hornady ever producing a 200 gr 30 cal RN. They have made a 220 gr RN for at least forty years. Either way, at that velocity they will be great big game medicine! :)

Ted
 
I'd just take it out to 300 yards and see if you like the results. Chances are you can just leave it alone.
BARs can be very sensitive to barrel heat, there's a lot of jewelry hanging under the barrel, and there's no way it can all expand at the same rate. Keep it cold in your testing.
4350 is a classic powder for the 30-06, but it is a little rough on gas guns. Slower burning powders hold the pressure curve longer and operate the action faster than faster powders. A quick and dirty check on how fast the bolt is slamming back and forth is how far the empties are flying. If factory loads are stacking beside your bench, and the handloads are landing 3 tables over the gun is talking to you. Surprisingly few people hear it, or consider that energy increasing with the square of velocity applies to the bolt as well as the bullet.
Powders in the 4895 to your Varget range are a good pressure match.
 
Dogleg
This is true. The factory federals that I've shot are just about landing on my bench and the reloads are landing on the next bench. Should I be backing off. You said to try 4895? What about switching to 180 grain Interbonds and sticking with the same powder. I would be doing all of this right now but I won't be home to fire my guns for another two weeks. I'll have the whole month of October off though!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait. I've been working 12hrs/day, 7days/week for tooooo long.
 
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