.30-06 Bullets and Powder

[Larry in SD]

I recently picked up a T/C Encore with a 24" Stainless-Steel .30-06 Barrel. I have it all set up, Trigger Job with a Bellm #3 Trigger Spring for a 2 1/2 Lb pull, Stratton Custom Stainless-Steel Scope Base, Weaver 1" High Silver Quad Lock Dual Extension Rings with a Bushnell Elite 3200 3x9x40mm Firefly Riflescope.

I have started the barrel break in using Federal Factory Power Shoks, now I just need to find the time and a windless day to finish. The barrel is getting a little copper in it but it is cleaning up great with not to much effort, and seems to be getting smoother the more shooting I do. I also picked up 200 new Winchester .30-06 Brass, CCI-200 Larger Rifle Primers, a couple pounds of H-4350 and I had 200 - 165gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips on hand.

It has been many years since I loaded 165gr. Bullets for the .30-06. Back when I did I used W-760 exclusively. In the years since then I have mainly used 150gr. Nosler Ballsitic Tips with either IMR-4350 or H-4350. With that said when I bought the 2 pounds of H-4350 I didn't even think that I was now going to be using 165gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips rather than 150's.

My question is does anyone have a PET LOAD using the components I have on hand?

Is H-4350 (yeah I know it is a little late to ask this question) the right choice in powder for the .30-06 with 165gr. Bullets?

Or are there better powders to use with the 165gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip?

Thanks

Larry

 

[FOTIS]

H4350 is your huckleberry. :mrgreen:

 

[Guest]

I'm shooting 168gr BT's in my 30-06 with H4350, and the results are stellar! I followed the published data from Hodgdon (for the 165gr Sierra and the 168gr Hornady) as both had the same max charge, which was also consistent with several of my load manuals. I don't have the Nosler info handy, but I'm pretty sure it agreed. Anyway, I notice now that Hornady has some 165gr GMX data that's lower in both charge and velocity, so pay no attention to that.

The most accurate load for me was at max charge, and I saw no pressure signs, but your rifle may be different, I'm sure you already know.

My groups are running just under .5" at 100yds for three shots. Taking it out to 200yds shortly to confirm, and then in mid-November, gun season opens and some white-tails better watch out.

 

[Guy Miner]

Oh yeah, quality 165's over H4350 is a great combination! Here's a quote from an article by gunwriter John Barsness. Read it through, he gets to the H4350...


"Here's where good old IMR4350 really shines. For decades my standard load with 165's was 58.5 grains. The extra half-grain may have been superfluous, but did seem to result in better accuracy in more than one rifle than "just" 58.0 grains. Muzzle velocity was around 2900 ft/sec, and this load killed a pile of big game, first with Sierra GameKings, and then with Nosler Solid Bases and Partitions, long before we had today's vast array of "premium" bullets to choose from. In fact, I would still be happy to hunt any game in Montana with a 165 Partition and 58.5 grains of IMR4350.

(By the way, you won't find this load in any manuals, because .30-06 data is kept to 60,000 psi instead of the slightly higher levels afforded more "modern" cartridges. But a few years ago I loaded up some 165 Partitions with 58.5 IMR4350 in Federal and had Ramshot's pressure lab run them through their piezo barrel. The average pressure for 10 rounds was 58,348 psi, with very low standard deviation, so the load was entirely safe even by SAAMI standards - and with the Federal 215 primer, which tends to raise pressures slightly over standard primers.)

These days, however, I am far more likely to load 59.0 grains of Hodgdon's H4350SC, and for the same reasons I load Big Game instead of IMR4350 with 150-grain bullets: H4350SC meters a lot easier and is far less cold-sensitive. In fact in tests at around 0°F it didn't lose any velocity at all from 70-degree levels, while IMR4350 often loses 100 ft/sec or more. The loss of velocity isn't as important as the changes in point of impact that often occur. H4350SC also tends to be a little slower than IMR4350, though this isn't always true from lot to lot, so again watch that chronograph. "

Note that where John is referring to H4350SC, it's all just H4350 now - all of it is "SC" or short-cut - meaning the kernels are smaller and flow nicely through powder measures. I've been using H4350 and 165's as a standard combo for my .30-06 for some time now, with excellent results. My rifle likes 58 grains, while John's likes 59 grains. No big deal one way or the other.

There's more excellent .30-06 info in the article and here's a link:

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/newsletters/May_2009.html

Load 'em, sight in, then go forth and hunt!

Guy

 

[Larry in SD]

Thanks

Guy I actually had read that article once before (very good article). Hopefully this weekend I can get some test loads loaded up.

Larry

 

[SJB358]

Great info Guy. One of these days I'll get that 30-06 everyone speaks of! Scotty

 

[J300UM]

My go to load for the '06...

57 gr H4350
165 gr AccuBond
CCI 200 Primer
Win Brass
COAL 3.300 If I remember correctly. I don't have my notebook in front of me at the moment.

This load has produced 1 MOA or less in 3 different rifles and approx.2800 - 2850fps.

 

[efw]

I've grown rather partial to RL19 and Ramshot Hunter for an edge speed- and accuracy-wise w/ 165s in my '06s, but 4350'll kill stuff just as dead.

 

[Larry in SD]

My go to load for the '06...

57 gr H4350
165 gr AccuBond
CCI 200 Primer
Win Brass
COAL 3.300 If I remember correctly. I don't have my notebook in front of me at the moment.

This load has produced 1 MOA or less in 3 different rifles and approx.2800 - 2850fps.

I was talking to my cousin the other day and his load is almost exactly the same as yours except he is using 165gr. Ballistic Tips instead of Accubonds.

Larry

 

[Guy Miner]

I'm detecting a common theme here... :grin:

 

[6mm Remington]

IMR4350 57.4 grs. 165 gr. AccuBond or Partition

Winchester Brass

Federal 210 Large Rifle primer

 

[balew6254]

58.5 H4350 worked great in my Ruger #1A with 165 Ballistic tips.

Bruce

 

[Gm weatherby man]

I personal think h4350 is the go to powder for the 06, and I'm very happy with r-17 for the ttsx 150 grn for 2950 fps with a charge of 56 grns, very accurate too. 8)

 

[onesonek]

H-4350 is my favorite .30-06 powder with 150, 165, and 180 gr. bullet weights.

 

[joelkdouglas]

57.6 grains IMR 4350
CCI primers--both BR and standard, without noticeable difference
Used both Nosler and Lapua brass
Tried 165 grain Accubonds and 168 grain Custom Competitions / Match Kings

It all shoots pretty well--just over a half inch for some of the 3-shot groups, but more normal groups are around 3/4 to 1 inch. I've never seen any pressure signs.

 

[HTDUCK]

Well for years it has been 57 grs of IMR 4350 and a 165 Hornady BTSP or a 165 NBT.
Killed a pile of deer with it but it never really shot exceptionally well,about 1.5 MOA out of my 24 inch barreled Interarms Mk10.

Fast forward to yesterday.
61 grs of RL 22 and a 165 NBT, 3 round .5 MOA group.
Almost fell of the bench,couldn't believe it.
Shot three more and same results.
I've had this rifle for 40 years (first rifle dad bought me )and had quit hunting with it as I have other rifles I have more faith in accuracy wise.

The old girl is back in the line up this year.

Howard

 

[Oldtrader3]

Wow, great outcome with 165 BT and RL22. You have inspired me to get out my .30-06 and some 7828 SSC and see what I can do with 180 gr Partitions.

 

[Larry in SD]

I ended up with a load of 57.0grs. H-4350 with the 165gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips loaded in new Winchester Brass with CCI-200 Primers. Cartridge overall length is 3.355" (.002" off the lands). Groups are hovering right at 1" with the best group going .858" center to center at 100 yards. The average Muzzle Velocity is 2940 FPS with an Extreme Spread on 5 shots of 28 FPS and a Standard Deviation of 6.63.

After having my Synthetic Forend Pillar Bedded I did have to experiment with forend screw torque a bit but finally settled on 15 In Lbs for both the front and rear forend screws.

I am thinking this load should put the hurt on any Whiteail provided I do my part.

Larry

 

[CatskillCrawler]

That's a smoking load for the 165gr NBTs. Don't see too much walking away from that.

I've been using 51.5gr of IMR-4064 under a 165gr NP for years. Very boring and accurate. Never chrony'd it but I may now that I own one. I've assumed it to be ~2850-ish. This gun has been ignored for too long but it's always ready.

 

[Guest]

I'll jump in here to add my 2-cents as well. I developed a load for my 30-06, goes like this.

Remington 700 22" Barrel
Winchester brass
CCI 250 Primers
165 Ballistic Tip
59.0 H4350

Clocked @ 2840 fps, shot my second .442 three shot group last week-end getting ready for Deer Season. Real pleased with the results. I will add however I have toyed with Ramshot Hunter a little that produced 2900 fps and will re-visit that powder in the off season this winter. I really like the Extreme Powders.

Don