30/06 powder or load help

[Mickey]

I'm wanting to load 150 grain Nosler Ballistic tips in 30/06 for my son.
Not sure what powder to start with. I was thinking Varget.
I have H-4350, IMR4064, H-4895, H-335, and Benchmark on hand.
I normally load for 7mm and smaller cartridges, so not sure where to start with a .30 cal. Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated.
It's for a tang safety Ruger if that matters.
Thanks.

 

[DrMike]

Mickey,

The IMR 4064 or H 4895 will work very well with the 150 grain BT. Benchmark is a little fast, and while H 335 will work, I believe you will get better performance from the first two mentioned powders. Similarly, H 4350 will work, but you should get better performance from the aforementioned IMR 4064 and H 4895. Varget will certainly work, but you already have two good powders on hand. I'd try them first.

 

[FOTIS]

59-60 gr of H4350. Work up slow.

 

[Elkman]

DrMike has it right on, my most favorite load for the 06 and 150 gr bullets uses 4064. I also have had great results with 4895. Can't do any better. You might drop bullet a PM, he has probably done more load development with an 06 than the Remington Factory and may be able to give you some help with a good starting load. If not 50 gr of 4895 might be good as well as 48 gr of 4064. good luck with your load development

 

[JD338]

IMR 4350 was always my go to powder in 30-06.

JD338

 

[Mickey]

Thanks Guys.
Gives me an idea where to start.

 

[Murphdog]

How old is your son? The reason I ask is how concerned are you about recoil? If recoil is not much of an issue (you are not loading a youth load)I have always had better luck with the 165 grain ballistic tips then the 150s. Both of my 30-06 and half a dozen others that I have loaded for all loved them. The Balistic Coefficient is superior and it is not that difficult for the 165s to in effect match the velocity of the 150s. The 165 powered by 62 grains of RL 22 is my go to load for long range application on deer and antelope.

The felt recoil seems to be much less than the 180s and the bottom load of 59 grains of RL 22 in my rifles is mild for the 30-06 and you should get close to 2800 fps.

I have had good luck with IMR 4350 in the past and would be my first choice in a 150 grain bullet.

 

[6mm Remington]

I've had good success with 165 gr. bullets and IMR4350! Good luck.

 

[Guest]

Mickey,
I have a Remington 700 30-06 with the 22" Factory Barrel, my load is as follows:

150 Grain Ballistic Tip, AccuBond or the Partition

Winchester 748 Powder 55 Grains
Federal 210 Primers
Winchester Cases
Trigger is set @ 3lbs.

Produces 3,000 FPS (Measured with Chronograph)

This load cuts holes @ 100yds. and puts the Hammer down on Deer.
also my daughter shoots this rifle for Deer!!

NOTE: This is a max charge for my gun, start well below this level and work up slowly.

Don

 

[lrp3006]

+1 for IMR-4350

 

[1Shot]

This is the accuracy load that came from the #4 Sierra manual as far as the powder charge goes. I have used it for years and loaded it for a number of people and it is just plain accurate and is a good deer killer.

51.2 grs IMR 4064, CCI BR2 priemr, Rem case, 150 Nosler ballistic tip or Sierra SP average 2900 fps from 22" barrel.

I have a friend that has a Mark X Mauser in 30-06 and with most any factory load it shot patterns not groups. It had a non-adjustable trigger and the barrel was not free floated but it was glass bedded. I put a Bold adjustable trigger on it and set it 2 1/2 lbs, free floated the barrel and loaded up some of the above load with Sierra bullets. Took it to the range and it would shoot 3 shots in one ragged hole at 100 yards. He was blown away with the results. That deer season he shot a nice buck at a little over 200 yards and placed the bullet exactly where he was aiming. I sighted in the rifle 3" high at 100 yards. He was tickled.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

+2 for 4350.

 

[2ndtimer]

If I was in your shoes, I would start with the IMR-4064 powder with 150 gr bullets and work up gradually to a max of around 52.0 gr, assuming you don't encounter pressure signs before then. If that doesn't produce an acceptably accurate fast load, then I would try the H-4895 and work up to a maximum of around 49.0 gr. The 49.0 gr load of H-4895 with a 150 gr Nosler Solid Base was the first decently accurate handload I ever loaded for my old 30-06. I later found others, but the 4895/150 gr load gave me the hope to keep trying.
I also have to chime in on the 165 gr Ballistic Tip with Reloder 22, I also found excellent accuracy and ballistic performance from that combo. Even in a 20" Model 70 Lightweight Carbine, I got almost 2800 fps on a warm day. In that short barrel, I got the highest velocity with 150 gr bullets with Accurate 2700, a powder you rarely see mentioned when it comes to the 30-06. Accuracy with my model 70 was around an inch and a quarter at 100 yards for 3 shots from the bench rest.