Latest .30-06, 180 gr Nosler project

[Guy Miner]

After such a great season with the 165 grain Ballistic Tip, I probably shouldn't mess with a thing. That load was terrific! But... Hoping for bigger game in 2017 (maybe that moose tag, or maybe bull elk) I've decided to return to heavier bullets for the .30-06, and it dawned on me that for this particular .30-06, I've never used anything except 165's on game! So, back to an old favorite, the 180 gr Nosler Partition. Am looking for 2700 - 2800 fps, with reliable performance for warm weather bear hunting or cold weather mule deer and elk hunting, and it's got to be accurate enough for 300+ yard shots.

Rifle is the Rem 700 CDL, factory 24" barrel, an old 2-7x Redfield. It's been pillar bedded, free-floated, the trigger set at a crisp 3 pounds. Was very successful in 2016, with bear, mule deer, pronghorn and cow elk. Just fooling around a little, looking for more penetration.

Why H4350? It's done well for me in the past, and I've got about 12 pounds of the stuff on hand. I suspect it will do just fine. Using Federal 210 primers, and brand new R-P brass.

I might give the 200 gr Partitions a try as well, but long ago learned to respect the 180 gr Nosler.

 

[C.Smith]

Reloading a no fun unless you are tweaking it all the time right?

Corey


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[FOTIS]

56-57 gr of h4350

 

[DrMike]

Should work just fine, Guy. I'm guessing you'll be pleased with the load you work up.

 

[DON]

The 180 Partition is a proven performer for sure. I like the powder you selected. It's done very well for me in the 30-06. I know you'll have that load perfected in no time! :wink:

Don

 

[lefty315]

Guy, I'd be curious what velocity you could safely hit with the 200 grain.

 

[Guy Miner]

56-57 gr of h4350

Great minds think alike...

Friend of mine, using my rifle today. The 57 gr load worked well, but someone, likely me... forgot the chronograph. ooops



Temp was 18 - 20 degrees while we were shooting. We finished before the freezing rain started!

Guy

 

[elkhunternm]

Guy, I'd be curious what velocity you could safely hit with the 200 grain.

I'm getting 2650 fps with a stiff charge of H-4831 and a 200 gr NP. That's from a 22" barrel.

 

[salmonchaser]

I had great luck with that load for years. Some time ago I switched to RL 22; 61.5 and nearly 2900 (from memory, I'm sitting in the vets office).
My brother is a one rifle guy. His A-bolt looks like he dug tanks out of the mud with it, but it shoots. He's clobbered at least 10 Bulls and god knows how many deer, jack rabbits, coyotes, pasture poodles with that load.



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[BretN]

Not much will stand up to a well placed 180 gr Partition from your 30-06. Good choice for nearly any NA game. Good luck with it and let us know how the load develops.

 

[gerry]

A 30-06 with a 180 gr NP? That will never work With H 4350 that is one of the great classic 30-06 loads.

 

[Guy Miner]

A 30-06 with a 180 gr NP? That will never work With H 4350 that is one of the great classic 30-06 loads.

Ya, I'm hardly treading on new ground here... Typical of me, work up to a well-proven load and use it.

Guy

 

[gerry]

It will be interesting to see what kind of speed that 24" barrel will get with H 4350.

 

[Rol_P]

My Montana ASR with 24" barrel gave me 2,750 FPS with 57.0 gr. However 56.0 gr gave sub moa accuracy. I did not have the chronograph on the 56.0 gr loads.

I could not find H4350 so I switched to IMR 4451 with good velocity and accuracy.

 

[preacher]

When it comes to shooting in temperature swings, its a sure bet using the Extreme powders, with H4350 the "Gold Standard"...for my use anyhow. I couldn't see a big drop at all in shooting my 61gr 200NP/R22 load in real cold weather. In warm weather it seemed fine too. I used a LEE FCD on that R22 load btw, it is compressed, and I used a BR2 primer. Looking forward to your speeds in that 24" bbl. Oh yeah, I have left a lot of stuff at home when going to the range ( which is 25 miles from home) once I even left my rifle I wanted to use! It comes with the territory of Great Men Like Us...we have "the world on our Shoulders"... :twisted:

 

[6mm Remington]

Guy I like your thinking there and that certainly would be an awesome combination of bullet and powder but................the darn 165 gr. is such a great weight in the 30-06 as you have found out. Only thing I would change would be to use the Partition or AccuBond instead of the Ballistic Tip.

Let us know how your development goes. Must remember we require lots of photographs and stories.

David

 

[SJB358]

Very cool Guy. I will be watching pretty closely on this one. H4350 is all but non existent around here now. But, I know there are plenty of other great powders as well for the old 30-06.

I would like to see what you do with the 200 Partitions of Accubonds as well.. Those are sort of a sleeper in the the 30-06 with some of the slower powders. Seems like alot of folks are getting 2650-2700 out of them fairly easily and man, either one of them has some serious legs.

 

[elkhunternm]

Either 180 or 200 gr Partitions will handle any big game you want to hunt here or abroad.

I used 60.0 grs of H-4831 with a 180 gr NP at 2750 fps. That was with an late-80's or early-90's lot. The newer lots of H-4831 with the same charge gets just under 2700 fps.

Never tried H-4350 in a .30/06,but use it in my .375's.

 

[Guy Miner]

Remembered to take the chronograph to the range with me this afternoon. And ammo, and the rifle, etc...



Temp hovered around 36 degrees, and I have some work to do with accuracy. Could be me, could be the loads. I know the rifle and scope were terrific all through hunting season, so I'm not worried there.

Rounding up about 5 fps, the 180's shot right at 2800 fps, and the 200's just shy of 2600 fps. Both with H4350. I was pleased with the velocity, but need to tune the loads some for accuracy, they don't compare well with the 165 grain Ballistic Tip loads I used during the hunting season.

It was a good way to spend part of the afternoon!

Guy

 

[lefty315]

I'd say 2800 fps from a 180 grain is darn good. Good luck with the accuracy.