30-06 powder for 200gr bullets

CheeseBurger

CheeseBurger

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Picked up a box of 200gr Accubonds and going to start load development. I have seen a lot of recommendations for RL17 but I don’t have any and I’d rather not add another powder to my shelf. I’m thinking H4831SC or H4350 but I have other options too
 
Reloder 22 or 23, Norma MRP [my favorite at 59 grains] H4831, IMR 7828, Vihtavuori N560 or N165.

Out of a 24 inch barrel, I am getting just north of 2700 with the 200 Partition or Accubond with
the MRP load, and very good accuracy as well. Dave.
 
Here's my take on the Alliant powders, and why they are not my most often used powders. In the past I've run into issues with developing a load and getting good performance, only to find that it was OK in winter, but had pressure issues on hot days. This, and having better pressure testing equipment, is why over the years some load data has less powder than older data. This characteristic is prevalent with ball powders and most double based powders. You can search the details, but increases in the nitroglycerine can give some negative issues on the high end. On lower pressure loadings, lets say for shooting cast bullets in a rifle, the nitroglycerine helps with ignition and keeps the pressure consistent.

I responded to your post because I have a load for my -06 and 220 gr bullets (Nosler Partitions) that works for my me. Simply, it is H4831SC with a F215 primer. Nothing fancy, just the 55 grains that Nosler says is max. If I didn't have a suitable powder on hand, I'd look at the newer stable powders in that same burning rate. IOW something like IMR 4955 or IMR 4451. For the time being I have about 8# of H4831 made in Scotland that will last me ...... likely forever. H4831 is not known to do anything funky at temperature extremes, especially at near 100% loading density in the -06. When I used H4831 in my 300 WinMag, I stayed a bit below max, silly accurate.

In the end, the -06 is not that fussy, many powders will give decent performance.

Nitro.
 
Code: 
Cartridge          : .30-06 Spring.  (SAAMI)
Bullet             : .308, 200, Nosler AccuBond 54618
Useable Case Capaci: 58.151 grain H2O = 3.776 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.340 inch = 84.84 mm
Barrel Length      : 22.0 inch = 558.8 mm

Predicted Data for Indicated Charges of the Following Powders.
Matching Maximum Pressure: 60000 psi, or 413 MPa
or a maximum loading ratio or filling of 104 %
These calculations refer to your specified settings in QuickLOAD 'Cartridge Dimensions' window.
C A U T I O N : any load listed can result in a powder charge that falls below minimum suggested
loads or exceeds maximum suggested loads as presented in current handloading manuals. Understand
that all of the listed powders can be unsuitable for the given combination of cartridge, bullet
and gun. Actual load order can vary, depending upon lot-to-lot powder and component variations.
USE ONLY FOR COMPARISON !

117 loads produced a Loading Ratio below user-defined minimum of 80%. These powders have been skipped.
Powder type          Filling/Loading Ratio  Charge    Charge   Vel. Prop.Burnt P max  P muzz  B_Time
                                      %     Grains    Gramm   fps     %       psi     psi    ms
---------------------------------  -----------------------------------------------------------------
Alliant Reloder-26                 103.9     59.9     3.88    2732    99.9    60000   11416   1.129  ! Near Maximum !
Norma MRP                          104.0     58.2     3.77    2679    98.4    59098   11313   1.123  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-17                  93.5     52.6     3.41    2655   100.0    60000   10042   1.125  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 7828 SSC                       104.0     57.3     3.71    2636    95.3    59079   10932   1.121  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-16                  99.7     52.1     3.37    2624   100.0    60000    9907   1.138  ! Near Maximum !
Ramshot Hunter                      98.1     54.3     3.52    2613    99.1    60000   10280   1.137  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-19                 102.7     55.1     3.57    2610    97.1    60000   10483   1.132  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H414                        92.4     52.4     3.40    2600    98.5    60000   10231   1.143  ! Near Maximum !
Winchester 760                      92.4     52.4     3.40    2600    98.5    60000   10231   1.143  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-22                 104.0     56.4     3.65    2595    96.4    56022   10832   1.154  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H4831 SC                   103.9     56.3     3.65    2578    94.6    60000   10212   1.131  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4831                           102.1     52.4     3.40    2577    99.9    60000    9658   1.154  ! Near Maximum !
Ramshot Big Game                    88.0     50.2     3.26    2572   100.0    60000    9380   1.150  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon Hybrid 100V                100.1     51.9     3.36    2566   100.0    60000    9083   1.146  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4895                            87.6     46.9     3.04    2562   100.0    60000    9360   1.160  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-15                  88.5     47.4     3.07    2556   100.0    60000    9351   1.161  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H380                        89.9     49.2     3.19    2548    99.7    60000    9499   1.162  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H4350                       99.7     52.3     3.39    2547    97.9    60000    9654   1.149  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4350                            97.9     52.2     3.38    2547    98.0    60000    9639   1.149  ! Near Maximum
 
Eagleeye- I’ve never come across MRP. If I do that might be a powder to try.

Nitro- Yeah I’m trying to get away from the Alliant powders for that reason.

Phil - what velocities were you getting with the Varget?

Thanks to everyone for the confirmation on H4831.

Toddbartell- Thanks! Out of curiosity and nothing to do with this data - with QL can you adjust the COAL to see pressure change or is that not a variable you can play with? Just curious for chambers with long throats where you can seat bullets further out than SAAMI spec.
 
CheeseBurger said:
Toddbartell- Thanks! Out of curiosity and nothing to do with this data - with QL can you adjust the COAL to see pressure change or is that not a variable you can play with? Just curious for chambers with long throats where you can seat bullets further out than SAAMI spec.
Click to expand...

yes you can adjust OAL
 
Mark's QL chart pretty well verifies my MRP load. :) I have been a big user of MRP for many years, and it is
pretty close to optimum in the 30-06 with bullets from 180 grains and up. Looks like Reloder 26 is a winner
as well. Remember.....always start lower and work up carefully!! Dave.
 
Wow running those numbers with RL26 and the 200AB makes me want a 30-06. Only 5 inches more drop at 400 than a 300 mag...
 
I really like Alliant powders. They're very consistent between lots and have great loading density. They can be difficult to source at times.

I also like MRP but it's often very hard to find. I've only been able to pick it up in 5 pound tubs once. It's also expensive. My other gripe with it is it's inconsistency between lots. Still, it's usually the powder that gives the best velocities at reasonable pressures. It seems to like being compressed as well.

I found several cans at a Chilliwack gun show, dumped it all together as one lot to get a usable quantity.

OP, some of the 30-06 rifles I've seen lately have 1-12 twist rates. All of them were custom jobs, built specifically for 165 grain bullets. I don't know if this twist rate will stabilize the long Accubonds.

I really like accubond bullets. They do everything they were designed to do well and they're accurate.

The folks that have commented on loads are knowledgeable and their loads will work just fine.

There are all sorts of 30-06 rifles being kept in the dark, neglected at the back of safes. It's no longer considered to be a ###y cartridge.

In reality it's likely one of the best bread and butter, do it all cartridges on the market. There's a very good reason why people that only own one rifle choose the 30-06 as the cartridge it's chambered for.

Fifty years ago, it was my go to cartridge, along with the 303Brit. Back then, hand loading was considered by most to be forbidden Alchemy. I actually started hand loading a bit earlier than that and powder could be had cheap from surplus outlets. A dollar per pound wasn't unusual. The only thing was, there wasn't a lot of good choices of either bullets or powder.

I exclusively shot 220 grain, round nose, exposed base bullets in both the 30-06 and 303Brit. Velocities were both just around 2400fps, which was a stout load for the 303Brit. Shots were almost always well under 200 yards, usually under a hundred yards. Those bullets did their jobs well but recoil was definitely present.

Things are so much different today. The bullets are better in so many ways, especially consistent jacket thicknesses all the way around and with evenly tapered thickness to the points. This makes minute of angle accuracy possible with most rifles. 50+ years ago a "good shooting rifle" shot 3-4 moa and a tack driver shot 2 moa. I'm describing hunting rifles here.

mike, anyone without at least one 30-06 should feel deprived.
 
Eagleye said:
Frequently, people put their noses up at the venerable 30-06, but with today's powders and high BC
bullets, it is a pretty impressive chambering. D.
Click to expand...

People talk "best caliber all the time" . Take talk of which is better 308, 3006, 300. Shoot the same bullet, say a 165gr sp. Ballpark, without looking, 308/2650: 3006/2800: 300/3000. Yet mine is better, dont bother with 308. Meanwhile, they advocate for the 300 at long range, and a 200 yards the 300 is effectively a 308.

Putting that aside, a splash of red, and no tracking makes me a advocate of high velocity.
 
Add 200 fps to each of your "ballpark" numbers, and pretty much at what Nosler 7 manual shows as max for each. Point taken, though!!

Many overlook, or do not know, that when 30-06 was "earning its creds" - Roosevelt, White, etc. - was being done with 150 grain at 2,700 fps. There are not many "modern" 30 calibers that do not meet or comfortably exceed that.
 
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