Reduced loads -30/06

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Hirsch_Creek

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I've been trying to figure out how to safely come up with recipes to create low recoil loads for my '06. Information I have found is most powders recommended for full charges are too slow burning and could blow my rifle up. I found some Hodgdon info on a reduced load with H4895, they said 60% of max load. Anyone tried that? I also looked in my Lyman 49th into the cast bullet section for '06 where fast burning pistol are used like RX7. Anyone tried that with jacketed bullets instead of cast?

I am loading 110 gr. Sierra HP's and 110 gr. Barnes Tsx bullets. I have a pound of H4895 and IMR 3031 which are my go to options I think if I go with that Hodgdon reduced data. I have ruled out my other powders like varget, IMR 4350 and W760 because of the slow burn issue. Friend of mine suggested trail boss as well because it's fluffy..

If anyone has any experience, tips or recipes they are willing to share that'd be awesome
 
I have used IMR 3031 And either 4895 in many cases for reduced loads with good success.

For years my pet "plinker" load in my 308 Norma Magnum was 60% of a full load of IMR 3031
behind practically any 180 grain bullet. This was also very accurate, and pleasant to shoot.

Regards, Dave
 
Eagleye said:
I have used IMR 3031 And either 4895 in many cases for reduced loads with good success.

For years my pet "plinker" load in my 308 Norma Magnum was 60% of a full load of IMR 3031
behind practically any 180 grain bullet. This was also very accurate, and pleasant to shoot.

Regards, Dave
Click to expand...


Sounds like I'm heading in the right direction, thanks dave
 
H4895 works very well for reduced loads. I've also found the starting load with H4350 to be quite mild (56 grains under a 150 grain bullet, to be specific).

You could also try 10-12 grains of Unique - lots of guys use that for cast boolits. I've used 12 grains behind a 285gr jacketed bullet in 9.3x62 for fire forming brass. It's very mild. I can't see why it wouldn't work for other bullet types. If it was for a hunting load I would check it over a chrony to make sure it's going fast enough to expand the bullet (~2000 fps minimum for the Barnes).
 
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Check the Speer manual for reduced .30-06 loads using a 150 or 165gr jacketed bullet using IMR SR4759. Edition 12 gives 20-24 gr as the min/max for a 150gr bullet and 21-25 gr for a 165 gr.

I've shot a lot of 150gr loads with 23/24 gr SR 4759 and have found it very satisfactory for accuracy with almost zero recoil.

I've heard that SR4759 is going to be discontinued by Hodgdon, which is a real shame. During WW2 a lot of it was used in reduced loads with frangible bullets to train fighter pilots by firing against Bell P-63 aircraft, called the "flying pinballs".
 
If you're just looking for a plinking round, I've had great results with 19grs of Trail Boss under a 150gr Hornady FMJ. It's leaving around 1500fps.

I've also used 2400 for plinking loads in a 35 Whelen, I would imagine it could be used with the 06' as well.

Google "30-06 Silhouette loads", should produce some info.
 
Depending on what you are using these loads for cast maybe an option? Great for plinking or to introduce anyone recoil sensitive to mid bore center fire rifle. Cast loads are economical, low recoil, low muzzle blast, accurate (in most cases) and certainly bore friendly. As you are probably not interested in casting your own there are several suppliers here on website as well there maybe a local caster in your area.
 
I made reduced power loads for an M14 (7.62, not 3006) using 4895. A full charge for the 150 FMJ was 42gr. I loaded all the way down to 25 grains, and it was quite accurate at 35 yards. What amzwed me was that it still cycled the action!

If you have 3031, use that.
 
Another vote for SR 4759 and Trail Boss, you can't double charge your cases like you can with other powders used for reduced loads.

Below I use a lot of SR 4759 and Trail Boss for fire forming my .303 British cases. I switched to Trail Boss when I couldn't find SR 4759.

When you are forming 100 to 200 cases the reduced loads make the Enfield's brass butt plate much softer. ;)

303pistolbjpg_zps9c6de94d.jpg
 
The easy way is SR4759 which is discontinued or A5744.

Light loads of pistol powders will work, but you better come up with some fool proof ritual to make sure you never get a double charge.
 
I've been shooting reduced cast loads in all of my 30 cal military rifles for years. For 30-06 I'm using Lee 180 grain .312" bullets sized to .311".

For powder with those bullets I'm running 25 grains of Imr4198, 18 grains of 2400, 14 grains of red dot and several others.
I shoot these loads all the way out to 500 yards and they are as accurate at 500 as most service loads in my rifles. At 100 yards most are MOA capable.

Google "Ed Harris the load" and read some of his articles. I've been shoot Ed's loads for years and have tried almost every combo he's mentioned. They work great!!
 
I am new to reloading, after decades of putting it off. The primary reason I'm reloading now is because I got sick of chasing down cheap, bulk rimfire ammo. Have been enjoying my centerfires now, with rimfire performance. I use titegroup under cast in 8mm Mauser. Not loud, no kick, and a hoot to shoot in general. Just got a chrony last week for more definitive testing/development. Will be working with 6.5x55 really soon too.

As suggested there is a concern with double charging. In the current range I'm loading a double charge wouldn't be catastrophic, but there is potential to really mess up a day(understatement) seeing as how the case could hold many times the amount used. Stay diligent regardless of what you're loading. OCD isn't always a deficit.
 
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