How many grains of IMR 4064 do I need?

[justmetric]

Could anyone please tell me how many grains of IMR 4064 the Nosler reloading book calls for reloading a 30-06 165Gr Nosler AccuBond bullet. Thank you.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

This should get you in the ball park:

Cartridge : .30-06 Spring. (SAAMI)
Bullet : .308, 165, Nosler AccuBond 55602
Useable Case Capaci: 59.818 grain H2O = 3.884 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.340 inch = 84.84 mm
Barrel Length : 24.0 inch = 609.6 mm
Powder : IMR 4064

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 0.99% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms

-09.9 87 45.50 2558 2397 42334 7796 97.6 1.320
-08.9 88 46.00 2583 2444 43584 7872 97.9 1.302
-07.9 89 46.50 2608 2492 44868 7944 98.2 1.285
-06.9 90 47.00 2633 2539 46189 8015 98.4 1.268
-05.9 91 47.50 2657 2587 47546 8083 98.6 1.251
-05.0 92 48.00 2682 2636 48942 8149 98.9 1.235
-04.0 93 48.50 2707 2684 50377 8212 99.0 1.219
-03.0 94 49.00 2731 2733 51853 8272 99.2 1.203 ! Near Maximum !
-02.0 95 49.50 2756 2782 53370 8330 99.4 1.187 ! Near Maximum !
-01.0 96 50.00 2780 2831 54931 8385 99.5 1.172 ! Near Maximum !
+00.0 97 50.50 2804 2881 56537 8438 99.7 1.157 ! Near Maximum !
+01.0 98 51.00 2828 2930 58189 8487 99.8 1.143 ! Near Maximum !
+02.0 99 51.50 2852 2980 59888 8534 99.8 1.128 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT U
+03.0 100 52.00 2876 3031 61637 8578 99.9 1.114 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT U
+04.0 101 52.50 2900 3081 63437 8619 100.0 1.100 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT
+05.0 102 53.00 2924 3131 65289 8656 100.0 1.087 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT

Results caused by ± 3% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 3% relative to nominal value:
+Ba 97 50.50 2838 2951 59384 8364 100.0 1.133 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 3% relative to nominal value:
-Ba 97 50.50 2766 2804 53701 8475 99.0 1.183 ! Near Maximum !

 

[DrMike]

justmetric,

Nosler doesn't list IMR4064 as one of the powders used with the 30-06 and 165 grain bullets. This doesn't mean that the powder won't work, it just means that it didn't provide the velocity/accuracy they sought when generating data for the handloading guide. The powder is a little faster than IMR4895, so I suspect that it is a velocity issue. I would recommend that you secure a pound of IMR4350 for your loads. Use 53.0 grains as your starting point and work upward toward 57.0 grains as your maximum. As you approach maximum, you should see accuracy improve.

 

[justmetric]

Thank you for the reply. I meanwhile called Nosler and they said that they had IMR 4064 reload data in some of their earlier books. The gentleman (Nosler) on the phone said that max load from that book for a 30-06 was 50Gr using IMR 4064 with a 165Gr AccuBond bullet. But than he proceeded to say that the load data that I can obtain off of the IMR website is ok. So what am I missing? Does he know what he's talking about? Because the IMR website has max load at 52.5Gr. Any ideas? Thanx.

 

[Guest]

What he's telling you is, if you start out 10% below either of those max loads, you'll be safe. And then you can work up carefully, and back down if you see pressure signs. In as much as you're a beginning handloader, I'd suggest you work up carefully to 50gr (what Nosler told you) and then see if that's accurate and speedy enough. The extra 100-150fps you'd get from the additional 2.2gr of powder probably isn't going to make more than a 1" difference in your drop at 300yds, so I'd not worry over it. If you're just dismal with the 50gr load, you could then (if there are NO PRESSURE SIGNS) work up to the higher IMR data max load.

Max loads vary from one rifle to the next, so be careful working up, as you may reach max for your rifle before you reach the book max load. If you have any questions, just ask - we all love this stuff! (And, I suspect, you will to, very shortly!)