IMR 4955 in 30-06

[jbadams66]

I am wanting to work up a load for my 30-06 using 180 gr AccuBond and found IMR 4955 and thought I would give it a try based on Hodgdon data using 180 gr. Sierra bullets. They list a starting load of 56.7 and max of 61.0. Would 56 be a good starting load with the accubonds?

Anyone use 4955 and have any data for it? Also, what kind of velocity should I be expecting in a 22" barrel. Will use H4350 if I cant make the 4955 work.

 

[jason miller]

Start at the published starting load and work up with your chronograph until you get to the maximum published velocity. There isn't enough difference between those two bullets to worry about, and the max SAAMI pressure in a 30-06 is low enough to provide some leeway. Add/subtract about 25 fps per inch that a barrel is shorter or longer.

 

[DrMike]

Welcome aboard. Good to see new posters. Here is a QL projection for the Sierra 180 grain SP (No 2150).

Cartridge          : .30-06 Spring.  (SAAMI)
Bullet             : .308, 180, Sierra SP 2150
Useable Case Capaci: 61.045 grain H2O = 3.964 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.340 inch = 84.84 mm
Barrel Length      : 22.0 inch = 558.8 mm
Powder             : IMR 4955 Enduron

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 1.0% 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

-10.0   98    53.64   2419    2338   42453   9263     89.2    1.288
-09.0   99    54.24   2447    2392   43869   9393     89.8    1.268
-08.0  100    54.83   2474    2447   45334   9521     90.4    1.249
-07.0  101    55.43   2502    2503   46853   9647     90.9    1.230
-06.0  102    56.02   2531    2559   48426   9772     91.5    1.211
-05.0  103    56.62   2559    2617   50057   9894     92.0    1.193
-04.0  105    57.22   2587    2675   51741  10014     92.5    1.175  ! Near Maximum !
-03.0  106    57.81   2615    2733   53498  10131     93.0    1.158  ! Near Maximum !
-02.0  107    58.41   2643    2793   55309  10247     93.5    1.140  ! Near Maximum !
-01.0  108    59.00   2672    2853   57202  10359     94.0    1.123  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0  109    59.60   2700    2914   59160  10469     94.4    1.106  ! Near Maximum !
+01.0  110    60.20   2729    2976   61185  10576     94.9    1.090  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.0  111    60.79   2757    3039   63281  10679     95.3    1.074  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+03.0  112    61.39   2786    3102   65453  10780     95.7    1.058  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0  113    61.98   2815    3166   67709  10878     96.1    1.042  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+05.0  114    62.58   2843    3231   70054  10972     96.4    1.026  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba    109    59.60   2837    3217   69801  10657     98.7    1.030  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba    109    59.60   2529    2557   48933   9855     86.9    1.204

A similar projection for the 180 grain Sierra SPBT (No 2160) looks like this:

Cartridge          : .30-06 Spring.  (SAAMI)
Bullet             : .308, 180, Sierra SPBT 2160 G7 Litz
Useable Case Capaci: 61.216 grain H2O = 3.975 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.340 inch = 84.84 mm
Barrel Length      : 22.0 inch = 558.8 mm
Powder             : IMR 4955 Enduron

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 1.0% 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

-10.0   98    53.73   2421    2343   42431   9253     89.3    1.290
-09.0   99    54.33   2449    2398   43840   9383     89.9    1.271
-08.0  100    54.92   2477    2453   45309   9510     90.4    1.251
-07.0  101    55.52   2505    2508   46825   9636     91.0    1.232
-06.0  102    56.12   2533    2565   48397   9760     91.5    1.214
-05.0  103    56.72   2561    2622   50024   9882     92.0    1.196
-04.0  104    57.31   2590    2680   51711  10002     92.6    1.178  ! Near Maximum !
-03.0  105    57.91   2618    2739   53459  10119     93.1    1.160  ! Near Maximum !
-02.0  107    58.51   2646    2799   55268  10233     93.5    1.143  ! Near Maximum !
-01.0  108    59.10   2674    2859   57156  10345     94.0    1.126  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0  109    59.70   2703    2920   59108  10455     94.5    1.109  ! Near Maximum !
+01.0  110    60.30   2731    2982   61127  10561     94.9    1.092  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.0  111    60.89   2760    3044   63217  10665     95.3    1.076  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+03.0  112    61.49   2789    3108   65384  10765     95.7    1.060  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0  113    62.09   2817    3172   67634  10863     96.1    1.044  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+05.0  114    62.69   2846    3237   69973  10956     96.5    1.029  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba    109    59.70   2840    3223   69729  10640     98.8    1.032  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba    109    59.70   2532    2563   48891   9845     87.0    1.207

Perhaps that helps.