30-06, 165 Partition, IMR 4350 or Win 760?

[Roegun]

I'm going back to my roots and just picked up a 30-06 Springfield. It was the caliber of my first deer rifle. Although this rifle is not a sporterized Mauser98 like my first rifle, I'm sure it will do the job just fine. After many years of shooting all the hype in calibers and bullets I'm back to what I know works (Nosler Partitions and a 30-06).
Growing up my father had me always loading 4895 for all our rifles as there were bulks of it everywhere so that is where my reloading experience is for the 06. I have not loaded for an 06 since the late 70s.
I have been using IMR 4350 and Winchester 760 for other chambered rifles for quite some time and was curious of others results using these powders for the 165gr Partitions in 30-06.

Thanks for any info that you can share.

 

[6mm Remington]

Roegun I really like IMR4350 in my 30-06. Actually two 30-06 rifles have digested and loved the same load.
The rifles were a Remington 700 ADL and my current 30-06 is a Ruger 1B. This is what I used.

Winchester brass
Nosler 165 gr. Partitions or Accubonds. Same load for each bullet and they worked great.
CCI 200 primers for a long time and then I switched over to Federal 210 match. Both seem to work equally as well.
IMR4350 - 57.4 grs

That load was safe in both rifles and my brass life was good. Of course you would have to work up in your rifle. Best of luck..

 

[Roegun]

6mm Remington - thanks for the reply. How is your case density using 57.4grs of 4350?

I use IMR 4350 in my 270 Win 700 CDL and it has always worked great.
I have used Win 760 for some initial brake in rounds in the new 06 using 125gr Nosler BTs and it did ok, but it has always seemed to be a bit of a dirty powder. I will do some testing with the 4350.

 

[Billyram]

I've gotten my best accuracy in the 30-06 with 4350,4895 and Reloader 7. All these powders have produced 1/2" or better 5 shot groups in my rifles. 4350 works well with 150gr and up is what I use in 165gr hunting loads.
Billy

 

[brikwhitt]

H4350 is great in my 3006. IMR4350 is a touch more accurate for me, but harder to find. My load for H4350 variety is 57.5 gns under 165gn AccuBond lit with Fed Match primers in win brass.

I used that load to help a doe reach her expire by date at 406 yds. One bang flop. Funny thing though, I took a nice 8 pointer at 80 yards and had to track him for a short spell.

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[preacher]

I've used 57-58grs of either Hodgdon or IMR 4350 with any 165/168gr bullet in 30-06. I never saw a need to start lower than 57gr, and usually go up in .5gr increments. My favorite primer for 30yrs has been the CCI BR2. I like the Fed 210M just as well, but they were always harder to find. I do use R22 behind the 200 Partition and a magnum primer ( Fed 215M) and R15 behind a Woodleigh 240PP but with a BR2. As written and attested to-one could hunt "almost everything" with a good 165 in the 30-06! ( AND, shoot them from a safe distance in the heart/lungs...everything!)

 

[joelkdouglas]

57.5 gr of IMR4350 with a 165 gr bullet has been good for me as well. Now I normally use H4350 but I would have no problem only using IMR4350 if necessary.

And you asked about case density, I haven't had any problems with 57.5 or 58 gr IMR4350 and 165s. I do start to have some difficulty with 59.5 gr IMR4350 and 150/155 gr bullets, but normally a drop tube fixes that. I don't need to use the drop tube with 165 gr bullets.


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[Roegun]

Thank you all for the replies. I knew there would be some members who had tried and true opinions on the mix of 165s and 4350.

I'm picking up some additional IMR 4350 this weekend for some test loads. This 06 will never see any other bullets besides Nosler. I guess I'm lucky living about 6 miles from the factory because I can pick up factory seconds for testing. Then purchase the premiums for actual hunting loads.

It does look like all of you are pushing the upper level of the powder scale in this combination, but even the Nosler manual lists 57.0gr as their most accurate with 95% load density. That's the fun of reloading though - work up and find what is right for the rifle.

 

[Elkman]

Joel, 57.5 gr of IMR4350 with a 165 gr bullet has been good for me as well

I know this to be a fact, as I watched a nice bull killed with this combination.

 

[preacher]

The goal for me is I always wanted a 165 to go 2800fps with good accuracy. Some rifles do better than others, of course. I mean for decades the IMR 4350 58gr/165 was "known" as an accuracy load. Meaning that 58gr or a few tenths on either side of 58 will tell if that rifle will even shoot a 165 well. Its when you try to work up a load with pure copper jacketed/soft lead core or the old Barnes X that you have to start much lower and work up slowly. But Hornady, Nosler, Sierra, new Barnes TSX/TTSX you won't blow the rifle up if you 'started out" at 58gr! Sure, you could get a sticky bolt, flat primer,etc, that's why its "always smart" to start lower and work up. I once had worked up , in a sporterized 1917 Enfield, 57gr/IMR 4350/Barnes 165 original X in Remington cases. It was a moderate load, could load many times and did. When I fired one in a newly rebarreled (Douglas) Mod 70 FWT 30-06 it made the bolt sticky and blew the primer! So, I didn't even try to work up/use the Barnes X in that rifle. It shot the then new Hornady Light Magnum 180s at 2910 and I killed my first cow elk with it. It also shot the then new Federal High Energy 180 NP to 2970, so it had a tighter chamber and bore than the old Enfield. I "could" have worked up the barnes X but that version fouled really bad. I have found the TSX/TTSX are really no different than conventional cup n core "except" for those pure copper/soft lead core ones I mentioned.

 

[PJGunner]

I haven't tried H4350 with a 165 gr. bullet as of yet in my 30-06 but two years ago I shot a cow elk with the 165 gr. Nosler AccuBond using W760 and the elk died. Bullet entered in the ribs on the right side and destroyed the left lung. Elk went maybe 30 yards, laid down and died.
Rifle FN Mauser custom, 24" barrel.
Winchester brass and WLR primer.
Charge was 56.0 gr of W760. Was Maximum in my rifle BTW.
Load was worked up in 90 to 100 degree weather and was very accurate.
I'd have to check my notes but IIRC velocity was around 2880 FPS.
Checking the sights at the Whittington Center in Raton New Mexico showed no change in point of impact at 100 yards. Temperature was well below freezing and was at 6 degrees according to the thermometer in the guide's truck at the time of the shot.
I have used H4350 in another rifle with 180 gr. bullets but not in this particular custom.
Paul B.

 

[Guy Miner]

One of the nice things about the .30-06 is that so many powders and bullets work so well. Years ago I normally used IMR 4350, and eventually turned to H4350 for most of my .30-06 loads. Either one works fine.

Like others, I seek 2800 fps with 165's, and exceeded that with loads for my 24" barreled Rem 700 which I used last season.

These other guys are tired of hearing me cheer about my .30-06 and last season, but you're new here, so:

Black bear at 325 yards
Antelope at 245 yards
Mule Deer buck at 140 yards
Cow elk at 338 yards

All with the 165 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip and H4350. I was impressed with the results on all four animals I took last fall. Am also sure that IMR 4350, or 760, or several other powders would have done just as well. For the bear & elk, I would likely have been better off with the 165 gr Nosler Partition, but decided to just use the same load for all four hunts last year. It worked out great for me, and dang, do I have a full freezer!

Though designed for war, the .30-06 is no slouch in the hunting fields.

Regards, Guy

 

[Rocketvapor]

I'm going back to my roots and just picked up a 30-06 Springfield.

Roegun,
Saw the reference to the Springfield and it attracted my attention.

I have one I use for casual paper punching.
A 1903 Mark 1 made in 1918 Ordered from Montgomery Ward and delivered via air mail to my Father In Law for about $34.
A little front wood chopped as was the trend then.
It's now mine and I take it out of the safe sometimes to shoot.

I've almost narrowed down a load for the 168 TMK using IMR 4350 or IMR 4064. The 4350 seems to do a little better but not sure yet.
I don't load as hot as you guys do as I don't want to shoot this old girl out.
56.4gr of IMR4350, or 49.2gr of IMR4064 does pretty good with the 168gr TMK.

Glad to see people still using the '06, even if it is newer iron
RV

Old girl is the one down left of the wife's little girl gun. Every one else was using optics, and did better

 

[Guy Miner]

Great photo there Rocketvapor!

The ol' .30-06 can still deliver the goods. On targets or on game. No problem.

Guy

 

[DrMike]

Very neat picture. Is this family sharing time on the firing line?

 

[Rocketvapor]

The old battle girl is a favorite but I don't want to shoot her out.
I keep loads a little below factory levels and she shoots well.
The wife has a little 6.5x55 Swede (in the pic). It's just the two of us and paper punching is our recreation. That trip the old guns didn't fare too well. It was our first time out past 100 yds.
The rest are friends from another forum. Two times a year we travel from Louisiana to South Florida for a "Shoot". Camping, food, classes, and some friendly "competitions". Wife and I usually hold our own

Didn't mean to sidetrack the thread.

I have a link to a video that one member made with a drone.
Ask and I'll post the link.
To add a little validity to my distraction, try some IMR4064 in that '06.
Might cost you a little in velocity but accuracy is good in mine.
You might like it

 

[35 Whelen]

Have tryed both powders in different 06's over the last 40 years, and 4350 & W760 both work fine but the old Jack
O'Conner load of 52grs of 4064 with 165gr bullet, will give great accuracy normally, around 2900fps from 24" barrels and less preasure to do it. Still have not found a better "all around"
Powder for us , loading the 30/06 cartridge.
(Note: this load is probably over max in alot of recent loading manuals printed since 1990) :wink:
No doubt the gals can shoot well and enjoy it as much as we do!

 

[Divernhunter]

I have tried IMR4350 and I got better speed with Win 760 in several 30-06 rifles with excellent accuracy. Win 760 has been my go-to powder using mag primers for many years. I test others but usually come back to 760.
IMR4350 has always been slow compared to 760 even though the Nosler book shows it as the fastest powder. I have never been able to get the speeds the nosler book shows with 4350.
IMR4064 and 4895 are also excellent in the 30-06.

 

[Roegun]

I appreciate all the replies.
I'm not against high velocities, but Im not a speed freak when it comes to reloading. I don't care how fast or hot of a load my rifle can handle or any of the components before they blow. This is why I went back to the 30-06 and the Nosler Partitions.
My choice of going back to the 06 and Nosler partitions was based on just a few well known facts in addition to some of my own experience with it.
The first being that the 06 is flexible to accurately shoot pretty much any bullet weight you want to load up. It is also said to shoot well with a wide variety of powders. I have shot my old 06 with everything from 100gr plinkers to 200gr thumpers, all doing well through the rifle with 4895.
Second - Partitions do well fast or slow. They just plain work. They expand well at any speed (some better than others). I always start low and work up until I find "my" most accurate load. Some at the lowest suggested powder charge some not.

My main interest in IMR 4350 is to limit my powder usage to only having to keep a couple types around for 270Win and 30-06. I have shot many other powders in 270win, 30-30 win, 7mm, and 243. for example 4895, 4064, 4320, Win760, Win 748, Reloader 22.
I feel that the 4350 out of all of these will do as well in the 06 as it does in the 270. My old bolt action 30-30 just loves 4895 and low pressure loads. It does not really do very well with other powders or with higher velocities "for just one example". So I always have 4895 on hand for it.
I also know that if 4350 gets scarce the 06 and the 270 will always work with many other powders I can find. That is the fun of reloading - knowing you can adapt to supply variations and still come up with loads that work.
Thanks again for all the great replies and info.

 

[preacher]

I've used ww760 a lot in several calibers but I always use a magnum primer. I am a super-dooper stickler for cold weather stability. I can't abide powders that lose a 100 or more fps at single digit temps. Having said this, I "normally" use H4350 or one of the newer temp stable powders. I have found R15 to work very well for cold weather in a 35 Whelen AI ( same '06 type round). I used Fed 215m/760/300 Sierra in a 375 H&H one winter, and it did swell.