165 Grain Hornady Interlock bullet loading data.

Ysi said:
I just like to share some data.

Bullet - 165 Grain Hornady Interlock
Powder - Hodgdon H414
Full size casing.
Rifle - Browning X bolt 30-06

52.0 Gr = 2600 fps (start)
53.0 Gr = 2700
54.0 Gr = 2800

Looks like I can go easy up to 56 Gr. or even 57 Gr. Just do not exceed 2900 fps, it will be also a maximum pressure.
Next couple week i will post result for these loads.
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There is more than one way to assess safe pressures for your rifle.

Your Browning X Bolt is very strong.

I suspect the weak link, to be concerned about, in your shooting platform will be the brass cartridge case.

The loads listed in most manuals are kept to levels that will be safe in the weakest commercial/military actions chambered for 30-06.

This doesn't mean that you shouldn't be very careful when working up a load.

Your action is designed and built to regularly handle cartridges that routinely develop 65,000 CUP, with a decent safety margin.

Maximum SAAMI specs for the 30-06 are around 60,000 CUP

There shouldn't be any reason that the 30-06 can't safely be loaded to 65K CUP, IF THE CARTRIDGE CASE WILL STAND THAT PRESSURE.

There is also one other, very important, thing to consider. Pressures developed when a powder ignites, doesn't increase proportionately to the increase of the charge weight.

They reach a saturation point and spike dramatically, sometimes, especially with smaller cases, a few tenths of a grain will go from a safe load, to a catastrophic failure.

Most of the loads in manuals provide perfectly viable loads well within the parameters of our intended use. A few grains of powder will only give a few fps velocity increase, which a game animal will never notice.
 
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Thank you Bearhunter for very detail post.
Could you please tell what is maximum load can I use (for sure not exceed 60k CUP.
In accordance with table which I have it should be about 57.5 Gr.
 
Ysi said:
Thank you Bearhunter for very detail post.
Could you please tell what is maximum load can I use (for sure not exceed 60k CUP.
In accordance with table which I have it should be about 57.5 Gr.
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Your load of 57.5 grains of H414, will right in the ball park of 60K CUP.

I would suggest you use a magnum primer for consistent ignition.

Keep in mind that flat base, spire point bullets also have longer bearing surfaces, which are conducive to increasing pressures somewhat faster
 
Another result from range.

bearhunter said:
Your load of 57.5 grains of H414, will right in the ball park of 60K CUP.

I would suggest you use a magnum primer for consistent ignition.

Keep in mind that flat base, spire point bullets also have longer bearing surfaces, which are conducive to increasing pressures somewhat faster
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Finally, I got a chance to try higher load and get result.

Bullet - 165 Grain Hornady Interlock
Powder - Hodgdon H414
Full size casing.
Rifle - Browning X bolt 30-06

54.5 Gr = 2800 fps
55.0 Gr = 2830 fps
55.5 Gr = 2850 fps
56.0 Gr = 2870 fps
56.5 Gr = 2900 fps
57.0 Gr = 2930 fps

Very consistent speed inside each group. Best group I got on 55.0 Gr. and 56.5 Gr. load.

Maybe not bad an idea to try 57.5 Gr. load.

What advice from you guys?
 
Ysi said:
Finally, I got a chance to try higher load and get result.

Bullet - 165 Grain Hornady Interlock
Powder - Hodgdon H414
Full size casing.
Rifle - Browning X bolt 30-06

54.5 Gr = 2800 fps
55.0 Gr = 2830 fps
55.5 Gr = 2850 fps
56.0 Gr = 2870 fps
56.5 Gr = 2900 fps
57.0 Gr = 2930 fps

Very consistent speed inside each group. Best group I got on 55.0 Gr. and 56.5 Gr. load.

Maybe not bad an idea to try 57.5 Gr. load.

What advice from you guys?
Click to expand...


What primer are you using??? You may need to use a magnum primer, which is recommended by the manufactures for consistent ignition of most ball powders.

If you've found a sweet spot, my advice is to stick with it for hunting purposes. There isn't a game animal in the world that will notice the difference of a 165 grain, 30 cal bullet driven at 2850fps and one driven at 2950fps shot at less than 400 meters

That sweet spot indicates where the harmonics on your barrel have settled to a predictable and repeatable point.

Increasing that charge may or may not make the harmonics more repeatable. Maybe in one out of ten cases it's a positive move.

Still, give it a try, if for no other reason than to assuage your personal curiosity and learn a very good lesson.

Who knows? It may be positive.

In my experience, that isn't the case with most ball powders. They usually have a definite range that's consistently repeatable, which is crucial for accuracy.
 
Thank you BEARHUNTER for response.

I use a regular primer. The speed is very consistent in each group, about +- 10 or less fps. That shows me that load correct and ignition stable.
As I wrote, I found the sweet spot, just can not decided which better. For this purpose I like to repeat test for these to loads and try another, in 57.5 Gr. Just for curiosity.
Another test need to be done for sure to confirm result on cold barrel, not "barely warm"
 
Ysi said:
Finally, I got a chance to try higher load and get result.

Bullet - 165 Grain Hornady Interlock
Powder - Hodgdon H414
Full size casing.
Rifle - Browning X bolt 30-06

54.5 Gr = 2800 fps
55.0 Gr = 2830 fps
55.5 Gr = 2850 fps
56.0 Gr = 2870 fps
56.5 Gr = 2900 fps
57.0 Gr = 2930 fps

Very consistent speed inside each group. Best group I got on 55.0 Gr. and 56.5 Gr. load.

Maybe not bad an idea to try 57.5 Gr. load.

What advice from you guys?
Click to expand...

I use 180 grain round nose interlocks in my 30-06 for everything and personally I'd stick with 55 grains if you plan on hunting inside 100 yards. They're gonna start gettin unlocky in the 56.5 grain area quickly.
 
A bit curious why OP would want to rely on published data without getting the entire "recipe" - I do not see how the published recipe can be relied on if components are changed - if it does not work out, is on the person that made the changes, not the published data? I am looking at Hornady 9th Edition - they used Hornady/Frontier cases and Federal 210 primers. With 165 grain Interlock soft point, they used a C.O.L. of 3.210". Their test rifle was a Model 70 Winchester with 23 3/4" 1 in 10" twist barrel. Min and Max with H414 was 45.8 grains and 58.3 grains. Min and Max for IMR 4831 was 50.6 grains and 59.5 grains. For both powders, start load was 2,400 fps, and max load given as 2,900 fps.
 
Potashminer said:
A bit curious why OP would want to rely on published data without getting the entire "recipe" - I do not see how the published recipe can be relied on if components are changed - if it does not work out, is on the person that made the changes, not the published data? I am looking at Hornady 9th Edition - they used Hornady/Frontier cases and Federal 210 primers. With 165 grain Interlock soft point, they used a C.O.L. of 3.210". Their test rifle was a Model 70 Winchester with 23 3/4" 1 in 10" twist barrel. Min and Max with H414 was 45.8 grains and 58.3 grains. Min and Max for IMR 4831 was 50.6 grains and 59.5 grains. For both powders, start load was 2,400 fps, and max load given as 2,900 fps.
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You see, I got 2900 fps with 57 Gr load for my rifle.
I think, if you play with personal load for your rifle you must follow only one published data - maximum fps. ll other just for information and good starting point.
 
Recently I test my new load for same bullet (165 Grain Hornady Interlock) and would like to share result.
Please see below.
Powder Hodgdon H4350 loads from 53.0 - 56.5 Grn.
Rifle Browning X-bolt 30-06
tolerance in group ± 15 FPS
53.0 Grain load, speed ~2700 FPS
54.0 Grain load, speed ~ 2750 FPS
54.5 Grain load, speed ~ 2780 FPS best group
55.0 Grain load, speed ~ 2810 FPS not bad group
55.5 Grain load, speed ~ 2840 FPS around a pressure limit
56.0 Grain load, speed ~2870 FPS slightly above a pressure limit
56.5 Grain load, speed ~ 2900 FPS above a pressure limit
 
Around 2800 fps is a classic with 165 grain. You are good to go with your 54.5 grain. In my Browning BAR I went up to 57 grain H4350 for similar speed. CCI LR works great with H4350.
 
bearhunter said:
i've used both of those powders, with that same bullet, in a 24in barreled antonio zoli, 1900, (husky 1640 clone, but smoother) made in Italy...
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Nobody made clones of the 1640. The 1900 and the 1640 Husqvarna are 2 completely different rifles. The Antonio Zoli M1900 is a clone of the Husqvarna M1900 and Carl Gustaf M1900 rifles. The M1900 is push feed not so different from a Rem700 action. Husqvarna made the 1640 from early 1950s to mid 1960s. The 1640 is controlled round feed, with a mauser-type claw extractor.
 
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Ysi said:
Recently I test my new load for same bullet (165 Grain Hornady Interlock) and would like to share result.
Please see below.
Powder Hodgdon H4350 loads from 53.0 - 56.5 Grn.
Rifle Browning X-bolt 30-06
tolerance in group ± 15 FPS
53.0 Grain load, speed ~2700 FPS
54.0 Grain load, speed ~ 2750 FPS
54.5 Grain load, speed ~ 2780 FPS best group
55.0 Grain load, speed ~ 2810 FPS not bad group
55.5 Grain load, speed ~ 2840 FPS around a pressure limit
56.0 Grain load, speed ~2870 FPS slightly above a pressure limit
56.5 Grain load, speed ~ 2900 FPS above a pressure limit
Click to expand...


How are you determining where the pressure limit is?
 
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