The Plan... 30-06 165 gr Nosler BT IMR 4350

MudChucker

MudChucker

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As the subject says... Im loading my first cartridges this week, these are once fired brass from my 30-06

Based on info I've taken from this site along with a few books I went out shopping today and bought,

CCI #200 primers
IMR 4350
Nosler BT 165gr

So, where do I start ? my cases are cleaned, resized, debured, primer pockets cleaned and primers inserted... everything is ready to load.

Ive found that the maximum load for this cartridge/powder combination is 57 gr. I'd prefer to stay away from the maximum. I'd like to hit oranges at 500 yards, and take the odd dear when they are in season.

So, where do I start ?

I thought I'd load 3 of each, 48gr, 50gr, 52gr, 54gr :runaway:

I thought I'd set the COL at some place around 3.230 and 3.330 - what ever I choose I'll keep the same COL for all the workup loads and start changing COL once I find a load that groups nicely.

Before I start weighing out the powder and seating projectiles does anyone have any advice to share ?

PS: the W.A.F (Wife Acceptance Factor) is exceptionally low at this point in my reloading career of 2 weeks - Im in no hurry to run out and buy different projectiles and powder etc- not for a few weeks anyway... then I'll start collecting :dancingbanana:

Cheers folks.
 
Sounds like you've got a good plan to me. Don't be afraid to keep working up to max as long as you don't see any signs of pressure after you get that first batch through the rifle, especially if you don't get an "acceptable" grouping out of it.
Those Noslers are really nice bullets, but they are really pricey too when you're working up a load to "hit oranges at 500 yards"! LOL! I love it.
 
MudChucker said:
As the subject says... Im loading my first cartridges this week, these are once fired brass from my 30-06

Based on info I've taken from this site along with a few books I went out shopping today and bought,

CCI #200 primers
IMR 4350
Nosler BT 165gr

So, where do I start ? my cases are cleaned, resized, debured, primer pockets cleaned and primers inserted... everything is ready to load.

Ive found that the maximum load for this cartridge/powder combination is 57 gr. I'd prefer to stay away from the maximum. I'd like to hit oranges at 500 yards, and take the odd dear when they are in season.

So, where do I start ?

I thought I'd load 3 of each, 48gr, 50gr, 52gr, 54gr :runaway:

I thought I'd set the COL at some place around 3.230 and 3.330 - what ever I choose I'll keep the same COL for all the workup loads and start changing COL once I find a load that groups nicely.

Before I start weighing out the powder and seating projectiles does anyone have any advice to share ?

PS: the W.A.F (Wife Acceptance Factor) is exceptionally low at this point in my reloading career of 2 weeks - Im in no hurry to run out and buy different projectiles and powder etc- not for a few weeks anyway... then I'll start collecting :dancingbanana:

Cheers folks.
Click to expand...

My first thought also, was what a waste of excellent bullets, to start out shooting them at 30-30 (more or less) velocities, in a 30-06. Then I see that aletheuo has given you good advice.
You made a great choice of components and 4350 is about the safest powder you could be using. And, as has already been said, what your book shows as a maximum load, is still pretty mild.
I notice in my notes I once chronographed 54 grains of 4350 in a 30-06 with 180 grain bullets. In my rifle they clocked about 2450, or about 250 fps slower than the figures always given for a 30-06, with 180 grain bullets, 2700 fps.
That dire sounding figure, maximum, in reality is the charge which should give the bullet about the same velocity as a factory loaded cartridge.
 
With the 48 and 50g loads might be a little light of a load which could cause a high pressure(signs). Nosler books 4 and 6 show a load of starting at 53g to a max of 57g and velocity of 2832. My load is 56g in 180g bullet so 57g in 165 might be able to be increased a grain or maybe 2.

Keith
 
seems to be a common statement that I might be a little skinny on the loads...

So I'll start at 55gr and workup in .5 gr increments to 57.5 ?

I suppose not having a real grasp on the volume of a grain or the pressure and energy I thought it best to start lower.

I realize I might have started with an expensive projectile, but I figured I might as well jump in and start loading the round I'll carry in the bush.

if I can find some decent bulk paper punchers I'll buy them and work up an orange killing round - the decision to pay out for the nosler was driven by the W.A.F - if I go near an outdoor sporting goods store in the next 60 days I may have to buy myself an ice shack to sleep in out in the yard... hmmm gonna need a heater, and should an ice auger to drill a hole in the ground to use as a toilet... mmm camping...
 
You are on the right track. The Max in the book is the Max for their rifle. Each is different. Watch for pressure signs. If you have any extraction problems you are well over max.

I would make test btaches all the way up to 57 gr. test them for accuracy. let rfle cool between tests, otherwise results are not valid. be prepared to bring the hot ones home and pull the bullets.
 
You did not say what rifle you are using.
Oranges at 500 yards might be a stretch.
Since when did "dear" have a season? With a low W.A.F., one should check their spelling.
 
horseman2 said:
You did not say what rifle you are using.
Oranges at 500 yards might be a stretch.
Since when did "dear" have a season? With a low W.A.F., one should check their spelling.
Click to expand...

the ironies of a Freudian slip ;)

The rifle is a stevens 110 from the 80's I got it on my 17th birthday and shot it maybe twice before it was put in the back of my closet - 23'ish years later I just took out of the case...
 
H4831 said:
My first thought also, was what a waste of excellent bullets, to start out shooting them at 30-30 (more or less) velocities, in a 30-06. Then I see that aletheuo has given you good advice.
You made a great choice of components and 4350 is about the safest powder you could be using. And, as has already been said, what your book shows as a maximum load, is still pretty mild.
I notice in my notes I once chronographed 54 grains of 4350 in a 30-06 with 180 grain bullets. In my rifle they clocked about 2450, or about 250 fps slower than the figures always given for a 30-06, with 180 grain bullets, 2700 fps.
That dire sounding figure, maximum, in reality is the charge which should give the bullet about the same velocity as a factory loaded cartridge.
Click to expand...

Well said...and more so if your rifle is a modern bolt action.:)
 
Sounds like you have the powder plan.
If you want to get used to the load with a cheaper bullet you could initially use the Hornady 165 gr. SP (either flatbase or boattail). They're cheaper than Nosler and it'll get you where you want to be range-wise.
Good luck.:)
 
lister thanx for the info, I was standing in front of a wall of choices and went with familiarity as i have a friend who loads with the noslers.

I saw the Hornady but didnt know what would be a good "range bullet"
 
Don't bother trying cheaper bullets in your quest to blow up oranges at 500 yards. You'll need good bullets for that (and the ones you have chosen are good bullets).

You seem to have an appropriately cautious approach, and you've been given good load work-up advice. It does take a while to develop a feel for how much is a little, how much is a lot. Your choice of 0.5 grain increments is a good one (it would be silly to work up in 0.1 grain increments, that's too small to be meaningful. You could get away with 1.0 grain increments, but definitely on the "pretty coarse" side).

You might want to see if you can seat out your bullet far enough to nearly touch your lands, and if so, try loading about 10 or 20 thou off of the lands. If this doesn't fit in your magazine and you would like to feed from your magazine, seat the bullet as long as will practically fit in your magazine and reliably feed from it (leave 10-50 thou extra clearance to be sure).

Or don't even bother at this point, just set your bullet at normal max magazine length and be done with it.

Shooting oranges is fun and worthwhile. Before I was married I took my wife on a date in which we worked at a match for two days of a long weekend (running a Service Rifle match for the Army), and then shot a 1000 yard fun match on the Monday. She was set up with a .223 bolt gun (an early prototype Savage belonging to one of the posters in the thread above), with a 4X scope and a bipod. It was able to shoot issue ammo (IVI 5.56) to about a minute and a half group size at 600 yards - where we had placed an orange, and where she proceeded to rain down a nice 8-10" group and knock it about all over the mound. She seemed peeved that she wasn't hitting it, while we were proud of her for delivering a group that was more or less at the capability limits of the rifle+ammo.
 
Awesome, im also looking to start loading and beginning with a 30-06, from the million sources i have read i have a very similar setup, 30-06 brass spent shells, 165 grain bullet not sure which brand but most likely will be a boat tail (more accurate), CCI large primers, and powder grain size i will test out 55, 56, 57 and 58 of course in IMR 4350, anything below 54 may work, but it's not the preferable range that others use to get their optimum cartridges. Your setup looks very good, What press will you be using? Im looking into the Lee 50th anniversary kit to start off.
 
While I may have just wasted my first 12 rounds Im still looking forward to a day of making things go boom...

I couldnt find my verniers - I know, I should have just put everything away and gone back to the couch... but I didnt...

So, I adjusted the seating die as per the RCBS instructions - I figured Id have to sacrafice a round maybe 2 to niggle the depth of the bullet in the brass...

the first 3 are in about an 1/8th inch more then they need to be (thats my guess) but the cartridges are still very close in over all length to a factory 125 gr round

the others - well, I seated bullets in all of them they "look" normal and are about the same length as 180gr factory round.

I dont know if I should just pick up an inertia bullet puller tomorrow and pull all of them apart - re measure the powder - and re seat the projectiles once I find my verniers...

or take the rounds I have and just go blast them off - at least now I can see the difference of length with the same powder charge.

my guess is that a projectile seated about an 1/8th inch too deep with 55 gr of IMR 4350 is not going to be excessive pressure.. is it ?
 
If you are interested in economy while maintaining good accuracy and velocity, you might think about going to either IMR 4895 or IMR 4064 in the future. Check you manual and you will see that you can get the same performance as IMR 4350 with 5-7 gr less powder. I like 4350 for 180gr .30-06 loads though. Also, you will find that bullets like the 165gr Sierra are cheaper and every bit as accurate as the Nosler BT. I've shot deer with both bullets with equally good results.
 
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