Looking for input on 30-06 loads

[jason miller]

My m70 featherweight hasn't ever been a great-shooting rifle. It doesn't much care for 180's. It doesn't shoot different weight bullets anywhere near the same location. The barrel heats up quickly and it doesn't group with a hot barrel. Load development has always been a struggle.

Up until recently, 200 grain Accubonds with RL17 at about 2725 fps have been the only load that groups consistently well. I had just about given up and decided to buy another box of those bullets and just have one load for the rifle. But I went ahead and re-bedded the rifle and tried some 165 Partitions that I found an old partial box of. Loaded up some RL15 and H4350 and hit the range. The top H4350 load, 58.5 grains, stacked all three into a perfect cloverleaf. But they only went 2780 fps. I only had 20 left and didn't want to waste the rest of them chasing more speed, so I came home and loaded them up.

So, I'm wondering, am I really ever going to notice the 100-150 fps I'm leaving on the table? I've also got some 168 Ballistic Tips left. I've pushed them to 3,000 fps with RL17 before, but never found a load that grouped very well. Do I try to see if they also group better at the lower speed? And if I'm gonna be shooting 165-class bullets at 2780, would I be better off just shooting 200's at 2725? Or, again, am I really ever going to even notice?

 

[lefty315]

To me, 2725 is cruising right along for a 200 grain in an '06. I've always been of the mindset that if I want that much more speed I should choose a different cartridge. If I can get around 2700 from a 180, 2800 from a 165 then I'm in the ballpark for what an '06 will do. Just my thoughts. For what it's worth, I load the 200 AccuBond out of my .300 WSM at 2810 and there isn't much I wouldn't attempt with that load.

 

[Anonymous]

FWIW...
MV is highly overrated in a hunting rifle.... your 165PT cruising along at 2780 will knock anything on this continent spinning out to normal game ranges. Book max (Nosler 8) for H4350 is 57.5gr at 2872...and that's with a 24" test barrel...so you're likely not leaving as much on the table as you think.

I'd take 3 shots into a cloverleaf over another 100fps any day of the week.

One of the guys around here said it best- "Speed sells, accuracy kills."

 

[Guy Miner]

I'd take 3 shots into a cloverleaf over another 100fps any day of the week.

Same here. I load for a pair of 30-06 rifles, one of which has only a 21" barrel. For a long time the standard load for that rifle has been enough H4350 to move a 165 Partition at 2750 fps. In the past six or seven years my son has taken a couple of dandy black bear and a couple of bucks with it. One of the bears was out at a bit over 300 yards as I recall.

That 165 Partition is a good bullet for killing game, and if it's shooting them that accurately... That's the load I'd go with. Load up a few hundred and fill tags for the rest of your life!

Regards, Guy

 

[Elkman]

I am agreeing with the previous poster's but am Interested in what you are hunting and at what range? I have always been more concerned with accuracy than with speed. Lots of rifles will NOT shoot different bullets at the same POA, in fact most probably don't. The 165's are a great compromise, and there are fewer bullets better than the Partition. My favorite loads for the O6 were 61 grains of H-4831. for the 180 weight bullets, and 52 gr, or 4895 for the 150's.

 

[35 Whelen]

165 gr BT (or SST)and 52 grs of 4064......... Simply perfect, hunting load. Same load now for 35 years.
My featherweight just over MOA at 100yds.
Does it all day long at 2900fps out of a 22" tube, devistates about any big game up to 400lbs. High
Shoulder shots almost always, bang flop, instant clean kills.
After that, your 200 gr AB load sounds great, especially on a longish shot?
How many grains of RL 17 to get those velocitys???
E

 

[Polaris]

You're falling into the trap where perfection is the enemy of great. Component manufacturers love you for this. The .300 Savage has been taking big game on this continent for most of a century with inferior accuracy and ballistics to your 165 grain load.

Look at what your rifle was designed for. Light weight, fast handling, minute of deer accuracy. Don't obsess over cloverleafs or maximizing MV. If you're getting cold barrel accuracy under 2 MOA, you're good for any realistic hunting range on big game with that rifle. Skinny barrels will walk as they heat up. If you NEED better, you should consider a heavier rifle built to hold POI through barrel heating and longer shooting strings. My RRA National Match AR-15 will hold MOA and POI until the handguards start to melt, my hunting rifles will not, but they are much more enjoyable to carry through the woods and hunt deer with. They will place the first and second shots exactly where I aim. They are built for accurate (relative to target size) and rapid shooting from field positions. The loads are not the highest velocity available, they may not be the tightest possible grouping loads in this rifle, but they drop deer like Thor's hammer to 300 yards, and would suffice to 400 if I ever needed to shoot that far. Spend your time and components practicing field position and improvised rest shooting, leave the group tuning to the F-class boys.

 

[salmonchaser]

What they said. I would add the other trap is high magnification scopes. I'm sure I'm not the only one who believes he could shoot better groups with more magnification. My favorite scope is a 2x7x33? It's light, doesn't unbalance the rifle more than sufficient out to 3 or 400 yards.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[fightthenoise]

I’ve got a featherweight like yours but in .280. It wouldn’t group until I rebedded the stock and now it’s still picky but will shoot MOA with 150gr Partitions and IMR 4350 at 2950 fps. Only for about three shots because like you said the barrel heats up. It’s a great rifle though and this load will do anything I would expect a .280 to do in the field. Maybe these are just picky rifles. If I were you I would keep that 200gr load and hunt your hiney off with it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BretN]

Your experience with the featherweight mirrors mine. Those thin barrels can be frustrating to load for. I didn't get MOA or sub MOA groups with mine till I replaced the stock with a B&C Medalist. Take your accuracy load and run with it. Even now with a stock that free floats the barrel, my most accurate loads are often 100-200 fps below book max. I couldn't tell you if that's just my gun, or the nature of a very thin barrel.

 

[tddeangelo]

I have a pre64 standard rifle in 30-06 that is a super consistent, 1MOA shooter at 2700fps for a 165 Partition, and I hunt that load with no worries. That load is just rock solid consistent, always shoots right at MOA, from 100-300, all day long.

I've only taken one animal with it...a very large whitetail doe (150-165lbs live weight) at about 50 yards. I shot her through the shoulders and she hit the dirt so hard she literally bounced. Blood everywhere, but not needed, because she was on the ground where I shot her.

 

[Guy Miner]

It's not widely known, but the 30-06 is actually much older. Lewis and Clark had two Springfields on their keel boat... :wink:

You'd think it was that danged old from the way some folks run it down. I love the ol' warhorse!

Guy

 

[1Shot]

If you want to shoot 150s give 51.2 grs IMR 4064 a try. I have never seen a bolt 30-06 that did not like this load. It is one deer killing load using most any cup and core bullet like Sierra, Hornady, Remington. Speer or Nosler BT or Partition.

 

[Thankful Otter]

FWIW...
MV is highly overrated in a hunting rifle.... your 165PT cruising along at 2780 will knock anything on this continent spinning out to normal game ranges. Book max (Nosler 8) for H4350 is 57.5gr at 2872...and that's with a 24" test barrel...so you're likely not leaving as much on the table as you think.

I'd take 3 shots into a cloverleaf over another 100fps any day of the week.

One of the guys around here said it best- "Speed sells, accuracy kills."

THIS !

I know I will catch a little flak for this but wanted to tell you Mr.Miller that I used a 30-06 and store bought ammo for several years, in fact it was the only rifle I owned for several years, and used it for everything ( wolves white bears and everything in between, including brown bears, muskox, walrus, bison, moose, as well as the small stuff, goat, sheep, ) with no problem.

Admittedly I am not a reloading, load work up person, once I am comfortable with a load, that is all I use. Preferring to spend my time outside --but I am only explaining and sharing my experience and view with Mr Miller, not trying to put down those who prefer to do and enjoy doing things differently. I can not make a post without a disclaimer so I am careful about the threads I respond to, but wanted to share my experience with Mr Miller and to tell Hodgeman, for an engineer you are kind of boring, as you should tell us exactly what the bullet will do in every situation lol

Mr Miller, IMHO -if you find a load that works, use it, dont try fix it.

 

[Nimrod84]

I'm with Hodgeman and Polaris, and I truly don't think you are leaving much if anything on the table. After bedding, any and everything could have changed so I think you should re-check your 200 grain load if you haven't already done so.

FYI - I am surely biased by the M1 Garand that use M2 ammo with 150 grain bullets between 2700-2800 fps depending on age and manufacturer.

Those 168 grain BT I suspect should have a node in the 2800-2900 fps range. I can't speculate on your setup but I seem to normally run into a node around 2800-2850 fps with 165 grainers.

My primary "use" load for a couple of bolt 30-06's is a 165 grain in the mid 2600 fps range. Low recoil, easy on the powder, groups great and deer don't know the difference out to 250-300 or so yards. Wind is usually an absolute pain much beyond 300 yards; if there is low wind those 165 grainers go to the 500 yard gongs easily. Main benefit of this load is that I can do a lot of offhand practice, and brass life is great.

Same rifles use 180 grain Nosler Partitions in the low 2700 fps range and they do great as well, just more recoil, powder, and expense. So practice time is limited with them and I don't know the ballistics as well.

Point being, a 30-30 or a 300 Savage still kills game just as well as when it was introduced; maybe even better with newer bullets and powders. Find what gives you confidence and makes you happy, while keeping you and those around you safe. Anything beyond that can overcomplicate the joys of shooting, reloading and hunting; or it can be icing on the cake of life. I like to experiment and have options for when a component isn't available; otherwise I hate to mess with success!

 

[Anonymous]

[Hodgeman, for an engineer you are kind of boring,

It's a hazard of the business! LOL

I've found that coming up with something good for general purpose use is much more challenging than developing something highly specific.

Maybe not exciting...but it's predictable. It's why I hunt the bulk of my animals with just one rifle and one load- I know it works and it doesn't lead to confusion!

 

[270elk]

My primary weapons for elk and antelope are a couple of 270 winchesters. But every so often I venture into the great abyss of other calibers. Actually I shoot my Sako 30-06 (nicknamed CK or cow killer) quite a bit and enjoy the rifle. This rifle is scary accurate and has a "hot" barrel. Here are my load data from a magnetospeed chronograph:
I primarily shoot 165 grain Hornady Interbonds with their SST version for target practice.
165 grain Interbond
Win cases/CCI 200
60 grains of Ramshot Hunter
Avg velocity=2889fps
SD= 6.7fps
If I shoot 180 grain Accubonds for hunting and BT for target practice here is my go-to load.
180 AccuBond
Win cases/CCI 200
Avg velocity=2767fps
SD=5.6fps
The Sako has a 22.4 inch barrel.
Results
2017 Wyoming Cow. A hike of approximately 2 miles, a duck-walk of about 150 yards and a belly crawl of 50 yards I was within 80 yards of a large herd. Single shot with complete pass-through. Having troubles attaching a photo??

 

[fightthenoise]

If I shoot 180 grain Accubonds for hunting and BT for target practice here is my go-to load.
180 AccuBond
Win cases/CCI 200
Avg velocity=2767fps
SD=5.6fps
The Sako has a 22.4 inch barrel

What powder charge on the 180’s?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[270elk]

Sorry,
The charge is 57.0 H4350

 

[6mm Remington]

FWIW...


One of the guys around here said it best- "Speed sells, accuracy kills."

I heard it told "Speed is fine, accuracy is final!"