Reloading Info Needed Please

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Meadow Muffin

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I am starting to reload my own hunting rounds and would like to know what is the best load for my set up.

Set up is :

Gun = Ruger model 77 30-06

Brass = Factory federal shot once

Bullet = Nosler accubond 165 grain

Powder = IMR 4350

Primers = Winchester & CCI

What is the best load for this set up ?

I have been hunting for a long time and finally decided to start loading my own rounds, I have been using my 30-06 since 1980 with nothing but factory loads and even though I have a lot of hunting experience I have absolutely zero reloading experience, so I could sure use all of your help with this .

I have already purchased all of the above products and they are the ones I will be using.

Thnx
 
First, try to replicate your favorite factory ammo,

My lyman 49th has 52.0 grains as a starting load, up to a max of 57.0 grains (compressed) for that bullet/powder combination

IF you have zero reloading experience, definitely pick up a reloading manual and read it back to front before you start, there are some very important considerations to make before starting.

Cheers
 
Your best bet is to buy a manual to get powder wieghts. I load a lot of 165 gr. 30.06, but can't recall the grains of powder offhand.(will check notes on the weekend)
Other than that, what do you have for a reloading setup? press, dies, measure, scale, ect.?
 
57 grains of 4350 with a 165 grain bullet is usually a very accurate load in the 30-06. It's always a good one to try.

You should work up to it though. Try some at 53 and 55 grains first.

This is one of Ken Waters' 'Pet Loads' and works very well in a wide range of rifles

The 165 Accubond is an excellent bullet too. You should do well.
 
lister said:
Your best bet is to buy a manual to get powder wieghts. I load a lot of 165 gr. 30.06, but can't recall the grains of powder offhand.(will check notes on the weekend)
Other than that, what do you have for a reloading setup? press, dies, measure, scale, ect.?
Click to expand...

I do not have any of my own reloading equipment, but a friend of mine has everything I need and said I can use it when ever and as often as I want.

He does do a lot of loading but mostly (98%) for hand guns and only for a few rifles with most of it being done for his 50-Cal. He does not have any info for me regarding my 30-06 questions but he does have a bunch of reloading manuals that I have read.

I realize that I need to do up a bunch of different loads to figure out what is best for me but I thought I would throw my questions out here at you guys and gals who have experience doing this so I can gather as much advice and information as I can before I start.

I figured that there would be some people out here that have or still do shoot the same combo as I do so I figured I would get as much info as I can.

Once again thanks for your help.
 
If you want to try a different powder at some point consider Reloader 22.

A very good powder for the 30-06 with a 165 grain bullet.

Impossible to get too much powder into the case and a case-full gives very good velocity, often close to the max velocity you'll get with a 150 gn bullet.

I use it in my '06 and have to vibrate the case to get all the powder in but it shoots very well. At 66 grains it's 3 grains over the max in the book but is safe in my rifle. Lower charges gave me great accuracy too.

I suspect you'll be happy with 57gn of 4350 though. Let us know how it goes.
 
Thats very close to what I'm using in my 06. It seems to me that I switched to H4350 because the pressure was lower with Hodgdon. I could be wrong on that, there was some reason I did.

Not that fond of Federal brass as I found that primer pockets stretched over time. Like you said you have it so your using it. I like Hornady or Winchester brass better.

Work it up like the others have said. The advise about trying to match factory is good advise.

My buddy told me when I got into reloading "Don't try to turn your 06 into a 300 mag, if you want to have that kinda power buy a 300 mag".
 
corney said:
Thats very close to what I'm using in my 06. It seems to me that I switched to H4350 because the pressure was lower with Hodgdon. I could be wrong on that, there was some reason I did.

Not that fond of Federal brass as I found that primer pockets stretched over time. Like you said you have it so your using it. I like Hornady or Winchester brass better.

Work it up like the others have said. The advise about trying to match factory is good advise.

My buddy told me when I got into reloading "Don't try to turn your 06 into a 300 mag, if you want to have that kinda power buy a 300 mag".
Click to expand...

Not trying to turn my gun into anything bigger or more powerful, just trying to find the most accurate round.
 
Maybe this will help From Nosler

30-06 Springfield
165gr Ballistic Tip®, AccuBond® & Partition®
Primer: Winchester WLR
Ballistic Coefficient: BT&AB (.475) PT (.410)
Sectional Density: .248
* Most Accurate Load Tested
Powder: H4350Charge Weight (in grains)Muzzle Velocity (fps)Load Density
57.5*
redbox.gif
2872 fps96%---55.5
redbox.gif
2757 fps92%----53.5
redbox.gif
2642 fps89%
 
reloadersnest.com has tons of free reloading data.You can't usually just buy powder and decide that's what you're using.Both IMR4831 + H4831 are old standbys in the 30-06 I get .392" groups out of my ZK47 with 58gr of IMR 4831 and a 165 gr Hornady Every gun is different..............good luck, great hobby!!!!Harold
 
if you want the most accurate round then load up 5 rounds at the starting load and go up in half grain increments. 5 rounds at a time and pound them down range at 100 yards till you get the best groups..and a chronograph is the best investment you can make..write down all your data so you can see what works best.
 
You have made an excellent choice for your 30-06. If ever there was a "standard" powder for any calibre, it is 4350 for the 30-06. However, the 165 grain bullet is about as light a bullet to be ideal with 4350. Any lighter bullets and a bit faster powder would be more effient. 4350 powder works well with a bit of compression on the powder as the bullet is seated.
Your 77 Ruger is a very strongly built rifle. Some of the early ones did not have the accuracy for competetive bench rest shooting, but certainly more accuracy than required for hunting anything.
With that bullet, 165 grains, and 4350 powder, you could not get enough powder in the case to make a dangerous load in your strong Ruger!
57.5 grains has been mentioned and that is most likely a very accurate load. That may not reach the stated velocity of the 165 grain bullet in the 30-06, though.
My line of thinking runs contrary to the vast number of shooters on these postings. I do not fiddle around trying to make a "just right" loading for my rifle. I load a load to the velocity I want, usually about standard top loading for the calibre. With a good bullet and proper powder, this will be accurate ammunition.
If the rifle shoots it poorly, then something is wrong with the rifle and virtually always, poor bedding of the rifle is at fault.
Shoot five rounds from the best rest you can get. If the last one or two have a different point of impact on the target than the first, then it is walking the bullets, a sure sign of poor bedding.
I have about six bolt rifles and not one of them will walk the bullets! Most of the rifles I have, or had, would walk the bullets when I got them, so I bedded every one of them. They will all shoot factory ammo or any normal handloads, into nice little round, five shot, or more, groups. I have a 30-06 that will shoot 165 and 180 grain bullets into exactly the same group at 100 metres.
I didn't dream up the idea of how rifles required proper bedding. Back int the glory days of shooting it was widely discussed in the great shooting magazines of the day, by the top shooters, such as Col. Townsend Whelan and Jack O'Connor, to name just two. The phrase used by a member on these threads, "The only interesting rifle is an accurate rifle," originated from Col Townsend W.
 
O load the 168 gr Barnes TSX in my son's 30-06 with 58 grs of H4350, excellent load. You are on the right track, but you have to work up and play around a bit.
 
I think your combination of bullets ,powder will work for you if it doesn't get groups you satisfied with Try same bullets with Rl19 powder near max load.
I have loaded many years for 30.06 in differant guns One cuton 700 with 26" hart barrel
some of the good powdrs where H414, H4350, but the smallest groups I ever attained was with the Rl19 well under 1/2" at 100 and just over 1.5" at 300 in A older Rem 700 22" barrel
lets us know how you do
manitou
 
My advice is figure out what you want to kill.
How big a bullet will it take and especially from what distance.
Bullets are designed to open up differently for different purposes. They usually open up based on what they hit (i.e. skin , bone, organs, etc.) and they open up at a specific rate depending on speed.
You need a bullet that does all its damage before it leaves or goes through the intended target. So you,ll need to know what type of animal your basing this load on and from what distance. If the bullet expands best at say 2000 fps and its leaving the gun at 2700fps what distance do you need to be away to get the best results.
If the bullets his a substantial target going way to slow the bullet might only be mildly deformed and do minimal damage leaving you with a bruised/wounded animal running off leaving you little more than foot prints. If you hit too small an animal too fast your bullet could be mostly through the animal before the majority of the damage gets done.

Being that your talking 30:06 I assume your thinking something bigger as in not ground hogs. Research the bullet types designed for your purpose and find out what speeds you need for them to work their best and then check out loads either on line or in someting like a Lyman book. There was a good write up a few months ago in one of the hunting /shootings mags regarding bullet design and purpose.
For me shooting paper i don't care what the bullet does after it makes a hole in the page but your not so lucky, putting little holes clean through your target won't get you dinner.

M.
 
You've already picked an excellent bullet, don't worry about that.

Unless you're going after Grizzlies, the 165 Accubond will be great for pretty much anything in Canada.

I've used it on both Moose and Deer and the performance was perfection. It is a great bullet.
 
H4831 said:
You have made an excellent choice for your 30-06. If ever there was a "standard" powder for any calibre, it is 4350 for the 30-06. However, the 165 grain bullet is about as light a bullet to be ideal with 4350. Any lighter bullets and a bit faster powder would be more effient. 4350 powder works well with a bit of compression on the powder as the bullet is seated.
Your 77 Ruger is a very strongly built rifle. Some of the early ones did not have the accuracy for competetive bench rest shooting, but certainly more accuracy than required for hunting anything.
With that bullet, 165 grains, and 4350 powder, you could not get enough powder in the case to make a dangerous load in your strong Ruger!
57.5 grains has been mentioned and that is most likely a very accurate load. That may not reach the stated velocity of the 165 grain bullet in the 30-06, though.
My line of thinking runs contrary to the vast number of shooters on these postings. I do not fiddle around trying to make a "just right" loading for my rifle. I load a load to the velocity I want, usually about standard top loading for the calibre. With a good bullet and proper powder, this will be accurate ammunition.
If the rifle shoots it poorly, then something is wrong with the rifle and virtually always, poor bedding of the rifle is at fault.
Shoot five rounds from the best rest you can get. If the last one or two have a different point of impact on the target than the first, then it is walking the bullets, a sure sign of poor bedding.
I have about six bolt rifles and not one of them will walk the bullets! Most of the rifles I have, or had, would walk the bullets when I got them, so I bedded every one of them. They will all shoot factory ammo or any normal handloads, into nice little round, five shot, or more, groups. I have a 30-06 that will shoot 165 and 180 grain bullets into exactly the same group at 100 metres.
I didn't dream up the idea of how rifles required proper bedding. Back int the glory days of shooting it was widely discussed in the great shooting magazines of the day, by the top shooters, such as Col. Townsend Whelan and Jack O'Connor, to name just two. The phrase used by a member on these threads, "The only interesting rifle is an accurate rifle," originated from Col Townsend W.
Click to expand...

Advise doesn't get much better than this.
 
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