help with 30-06 load

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revylou

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I have been working on a load for my 06 I started off with 56grIMR4350 behind 165grSGKs just over 2700fps
as i increased the charge my group spread and I was not able to get the velocities advertised in the loading manual I tried H4350 velocities as advertised or a touch better but not near as accurate.
Anyone have any other powder suggestions?
 
If H4350 is giving you the speeds you want, then experiment with different bullets. As a general rule it is easier to get a flatbase bullet shooting.

If you want to try some different powders don't over-look Varget and 4064. I have a "houseload" that I use interchangeably in several 30-06s. 50.5 grains of varget and any 165-168 grain bullet that I wanted to test. It is consistently accurate in all my 30-06s. Velocity is right at 2850 fps in my Cooper in the summertime. 40 below sucks, back its actually faster the "go fast powders" which sucked even worse
 
My 06's are very accurate with around 49gr of varget and berger 168 vld. No doubt that ~50gr of varget and 165-168gr bullet should be a perfect match!
 
How far is the bullet from the lands? I couldn't get my 30-06 Remington 700 to shoot until I got a longer bullet that could get closer to the lands. 150 gr flat base bullets had a quarter inch of jump and wouldn't group inside 2 inches. Switched to a 168 SMK and got the bullet to within 0.090" and things tightened up alot.
 
I've had good success with 49 - 50 grs of Varget, depending on the bullet. Accuracy is good, but I don't have a chronograph.
 
You won't find any current manuals that list as much as 59 g of 4350 with the 165 gr bullets, but the older ones did. I found that the 59 grain load shot better than the lighter ones. Legal considerations make many top loads back off a bit. The '06 has been around for over 108 years and some of those old rifles are still being used, so the listings have been backed off from max pressure.
 
You won't find any current manuals that list as much as 59 g of 4350 with the 165 gr bullet, but the older ones did. I found that the 59 grain load shot better than the lighter ones. Legal considerations make many top loads back off a bit. The '06 has been around for over 108 years and some of those old rifles are still being used, so the listings have been backed off from max pressure.
 
Alec F said:
You won't find any current manuals that list as much as 59 g of 4350 with the 165 gr bullet, but the older ones did. I found that the 59 grain load shot better than the lighter ones. Legal considerations make many top loads back off a bit. The '06 has been around for over 108 years and some of those old rifles are still being used, so the listings have been backed off from max pressure.
Click to expand...


Hodgdon's website lists 59 grains of H4350 and 60 grains of IMR 4350 with a 165.
 
Don't know about 165s but my old standby 06 load, that has shot well from every 06 I've ever owned is 56-57 gns of IMR 4350 and a 180 gn bullet approx. .020" off the lands. Never had to play much beyond that with an 06, and in a 24" barrel this will usually give right around 2800 fps. Never needed nor asked for more from the old girl, works very well for most everything.
 
The one 30-06 that I'm using 180s in right now is pushing them out at 2850 with 56 grains of H4350 and 180 Woodleighs, Sierras and SSTs. Most 30-06s that I've had/have struggle for 2700, but this one has a tight chambered 26" Benchmark barrel. Its a real shooter with the Woodleighs as long as they are jumped .030", and acts very un '06 like with the SSTs. Those like to lightly touch.
 
Here are some notes of mine, when I was using an Oehler 33 chronograph.
180 grain Norma bullet----57 grs. Herters 100 powder--------Husqvarna rifle------ 2728 av.
" " " " ----58 " " 100 " -------- " " ------2789 "

180 Norma-------------- 58 grs IMR4350 --- Husqvarna rifle--- 2642 fps.
180 Norma -- 58 grs IMR4350 ---- Remington 30 Express rifle -- 2731 fps.

180 Norma -- 58 grs Norma 204 powder Husqvarna rifle -- 2732 fps
180 Norma ---- 59 grs Norma 204 powder Husqvarna rifle --- 2810 fps average. This load had an extreme spread of only 11 fps.

I was looking at some loading book that showed 54 grs of IMR4350 as a "maximum load" for the 30-06, so I tried this load over the Oehler.

180 gr Norma bullet-- 54 grs of IMR4350 powder---- in Husqvarna rifle--2405 fps av. with ES of 62!
 
I thought IMR 4350 was the go to powder for the 06? once i get above 58 grains my primers are pretty flat and I still don't touch
2800
 
rebrousse_poil said:
My 06's are very accurate with around 49gr of varget and berger 168 vld.
Click to expand...

This is what I shoot as well. Scary accurate but slow in my m70. I think its around 2730 fps ish.

I load 57gr h4350 with sst's and get 2830. Minimal recoil and shoots good. 56.5gr of imr 4350 is a little faster.
I have shot 178gr amax at 56.5-57gr of h4350 and they are high 2700's I think.
 
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