30/06 help

[JD338]

Cleaned the rifle good, fired a fouler and laid 3 into a .6 group center to center. I may try 55.5grs just to see, but I think this will do it.


Thanks for the help fellas, I was fixing to bury this thing in the yard!

Heath,

Way to go!
What powder and bullet did you use to get this group?

JD338

 

[HeathSexton]

JD,

I used:

WW Brass
CCI 200 Primer
IMR4350 Powder - I have 5lbs so I was going to make it work - LOL
180gr NBT
.025" off lands

The last 3 groups of 3 rounds I fired were at or under 1". I found a dynamite load for the 190 Hornady BTSP too, 59grs H4831. It was quite brisk from the light weight Ruger.


Thanks for all the help!

 

[DrMike]

Nothing like the sweet smell of success. Good job, Heath.

 

[JD338]

Thanks Heath, that is an excellent load and it will get the job done well on WT deer.

JD338

 

[hardpan]

way to hang in there! Unfortunately there seems to be a lot of magic and perseverance in reloading sometimes.
Hardpan

 

[boomer68]

Heath,

What make of seating die are you using and what method to set the distance to the lands? Are you using a OAL gauge? Reason I ask is that I am working on a load for my Vanguard SubMOA in .30-06 as well.

 

[HeathSexton]

I am using RCBS sizer and seater dies. I sized just the very top of the neck so it would hold a bullet but it was still moveable with some force. I then seated my bullet long, inserted the case and closed the action. I then eased the blt open and measured the length. I did this 10 times and was always within .001" using my Hornady comparator so that was where I was on the lands I figured. I screwed the seater down on to that and adjusted down from there.


This will be a deer load, I was a little iffy on the NBT until I saw a cross section of the 180's, they are pretty heafty and since I am not running them an Mach 27 they should hold up well. I need to get some AB's too.

 

[SJB358]

That 180gr BT looks pretty stout. I almost want to try them out in my 300 Win Mag. I used them in the Win Supreme line of bullets while stationed in Ca. They never struggled with the little mule deer I shot in Ca. I have a bunch on my bench, so they may make a great long range practice load. Good luck with them. Scotty

 

[JD338]

Heath,

The 180 gr BT will open up just fine on a WT deer, no worries.
Good luck this season.

JD338

 

[HeathSexton]

Well, I have no idea what is up. The gun has fired 5 straight groups under 1", I backed up to 150yds today and my 3 shot groups were pretty good as far as vertical spread 1/2"-3/4", I had consistent 4"-5" horizontal strings, WTH!!!! I have had it with this rifle. I have fired 150,165,168,180, and 190gr bullets, H414,H4831,IMR4350 powders, 3 scopes, 3 sets of lapped rings and it does this every time. Close up it groups good and farther out it goes completely insane.

I was shooting prone bipod front with rear bag, the pod was on a table top on the ground, that would not cause this problem would it?




I have spent a war pension on this sucker. I floated it, had it recrowned and lapped, still no good. I then had the stock bedded, same thing, then I restocked it and it still sucks.

I am going to pick up either a Stevens 200 or one of these: http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/116FCSS The 116 is the preaccutrigger with the detachable box mag. Anyone have any pros/cons the detachable mag????

The Stevens is $309 from my local pusher and the 116 is $425, both are brand new still in the box. Which one would you recommend?

 

[6mm Remington]

My buddy had a Remington MTN rifle in 30-06 that was glass bedded and had a great trigger job done on it. It would shoot a great group and be right were you wanted it. Two weeks later you might try another groupd and it would be off you would have to sight it in again. A month would pass and you would shoot it again, and again it would be off. He finally called the dog what it was and sold it. Sounds like you grew a couple of grey hairs and lost sleep trying to fix this one just as he did his. Sometimes you simply cannot and they need to go. Get rid of it and start all over from scratch with something else. Even the same make and model, but a new one, a different one. I guess it's like anything and sometimes you get a stinker. Good luck!

 

[longwinters]

I know you've probably ck'd this out, but could it be your scope?

Long

 

[HeathSexton]

Nope, not the scope(s), I have had 3 on it, all were good scopes. It wears a Leupold M8 4x right now, done with same thing with a 3-9 and a Burris 2-7x35, it lived on 2 .358 Wins, a muzzleloader and a .22 and all were zeroed and shot great from close to far. I stretched the .358 to 250yds and everything held up fine.


What got the whole thing started, I fired another 3 shot group of under .75". I took a 16"x16" box, placed a target on it and took it to 225yds and let one fly. I never touched the box, so I moved back up and fired another group of right around 1". I moved back to 150 and a nice huge horizontal string.

 

[Murphdog]

Heath buddy I am feeling for you.

Are all of the bullets doing the same thing when you get out over 100 yards? Is there any chance that by shooting prone you are hitting grass or other debris? Are the bullets showing any evidence of tumbling when they get over 100 yards (look for a keyhole on the target)?

You may have a dog in your current rifle, have you contacted Ruger?

If you are able to shoot a tight group at 100 I would not think that a new trigger is going to help you out.

Just some thoughts best of luck.

 

[HeathSexton]

All bullets and loads do the same thing over 100yds, every one of them. I had a 180PT load with H414 that was super accurate, set up a target at 150yds and averaged around a 6" group. No keyholes, just nice round holes with lots of space between them.


Trigger is set at 3.0lbs with zero creep.


I started shooting prone betcause it does it off a bench with bags also.

 

[Murphdog]

If it were me, I would be either getting a new barrel or a new rifle. I thought the rifle was a Ruger, you might want to contact them? If it is a defect they might be able to help you out. Keep pestering them the first answer is normally no.

I think that you have been more then patient and went above and beyond it might be time to cut your loses.

 

[boolit]

Use a large rifle primer, mag primers are not necessary.

JD338

What about in really cold weather? CCI says mag primers burn hotter than regular primers.

 

[JD338]

Use a large rifle primer, mag primers are not necessary.

JD338

What about in really cold weather? CCI says mag primers burn hotter than regular primers.

Unless you are hunting in actual temps that are well below zero, a mag primer is not necessary for '06 size cases.

JD338

 

[big rifle man]

Heath, I would definitely give IMR4064 a chance with the 165. I had my best performance with that powder. Your not going to need a mag primer and your not going to have to cram as much powder in the case.

 

[boolit]

Fixing to start on a can of H4831, after that I am using it as a tomato stake.

Oh shnap, I feel ya brother.