QL Request, 30/06, 168 gr ABLR, RL22

Jimbeaux82 · Jan 27, 2018

I was at the range yesterday and met a friend of mine shooting who started asking me some serious reloading questions. When he told me he was chronoing 3200 fps from a 30/06 with RL 22 and a 168 gr ABLR I almost had a heart attack. He was using Norma brass and throwing it away after 1 shot! I explained to him all of the reasons why he should not do that and really got his attention. Nosler shows a max velocity of 3000 fps with RL 22. I know he is way over pressure and in a potentially dangerous situation. I think I got his attention as he has not been handloading very long and truly did not realize the danger. He was trying to stay supersonic to 1600 yards and I showed him how he could not safely do this with a 30/06, instead he needed a 300 Win Mag if he wanted to stay with a 30 cal.

Could someone run a QL on this combo so I can show him pressure wise the danger he was in?

30/06, Norma brass, RL22, 168 gr ABLR, primer unknown.

Thanks

Jimbeaux

DrMike · Jan 27, 2018

The AB is a 165 grain bullet. There is a 168 grain BSB. I've run the QL projection for each of these.

Code:

Cartridge          : .30-06 Spring.  (SAAMI)
Bullet             : .308, 168, Nosler Bonded SB 38145
Useable Case Capaci: 63.135 grain H2O = 4.099 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.340 inch = 84.84 mm
Barrel Length      : 22.0 inch = 558.8 mm
Powder             : Alliant Reloder-22

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  101    59.13   2581    2485   41045  10737     90.3    1.259
-09.0  102    59.79   2614    2549   42546  10892     91.0    1.238
-08.0  103    60.44   2647    2614   44108  11043     91.7    1.217
-07.0  104    61.10   2681    2680   45736  11191     92.3    1.196
-06.0  105    61.76   2714    2748   47432  11335     93.0    1.176
-05.0  106    62.42   2748    2816   49200  11474     93.6    1.156
-04.0  107    63.07   2781    2886   51043  11610     94.1    1.136  ! Near Maximum !
-03.0  108    63.73   2815    2956   52967  11740     94.7    1.117  ! Near Maximum !
-02.0  109    64.39   2849    3028   54974  11866     95.2    1.098  ! Near Maximum !
-01.0  111    65.04   2883    3100   57073  11987     95.7    1.080  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0  112    65.70   2917    3174   59263  12102     96.2    1.061  ! Near Maximum !
+01.0  113    66.36   2951    3249   61554  12212     96.7    1.043  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.0  114    67.01   2985    3325   63950  12315     97.1    1.026  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+03.0  115    67.67   3020    3401   66455  12413     97.5    1.008  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0  116    68.33   3054    3479   69080  12505     97.9    0.991  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+05.0  117    68.99   3088    3558   71832  12590     98.2    0.974  !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    112    65.70   3087    3556   73073  12081     99.8    0.973  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba    112    65.70   2695    2709   47519  11395     87.9    1.173

Three thousand fps is somewhat warm. However, it is only slightly over-pressure if a 64K psi pressure limit is tolerated.

Code:

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      : 22.0 inch = 558.8 mm
Powder             : Alliant Reloder-22

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  103    57.24   2570    2419   40676  10158     89.0    1.256
-09.0  104    57.88   2603    2483   42188  10310     89.8    1.234
-08.0  105    58.51   2637    2548   43763  10458     90.5    1.213
-07.0  106    59.15   2671    2614   45409  10603     91.2    1.192
-06.0  107    59.78   2705    2681   47123  10744     91.8    1.171
-05.0  108    60.42   2739    2749   48914  10881     92.5    1.151
-04.0  110    61.06   2774    2818   50785  11014     93.1    1.131
-03.0  111    61.69   2808    2889   52738  11143     93.7    1.112  ! Near Maximum !
-02.0  112    62.33   2843    2960   54783  11267     94.3    1.093  ! Near Maximum !
-01.0  113    62.96   2877    3033   56921  11386     94.8    1.074  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0  114    63.60   2912    3107   59158  11500     95.4    1.055  ! Near Maximum !
+01.0  115    64.24   2947    3182   61503  11609     95.9    1.037  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.0  116    64.87   2982    3258   63958  11713     96.3    1.019  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+03.0  118    65.51   3017    3335   66535  11810     96.8    1.001  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0  119    66.14   3052    3413   69238  11902     97.2    0.984  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+05.0  120    66.78   3088    3493   72075  11987     97.6    0.967  !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    114    63.60   3089    3495   72882  11555     99.6    0.968  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba    114    63.60   2684    2640   47525  10755     86.5    1.167

Again, 3000 fps is certainly doable. It will be a full case, however.

Jimbeaux82 · Jan 27, 2018

Dr Mike,

thanks as always. I think this run will be sufficient to make the point I was trying to make. But on the Nolser site, it does show a 30 cal 168 gr ABLR with a G1=.525

Thanks

Jimbeaux

DrMike · Jan 27, 2018

Gotcha! I do see the bullet. I only looked on the load data they posted. They haven't posted data for that particular bullet yet. My version of QL was released for sale this month, and it doesn't have this particular bullet in the data file. I would suppose it was too recent for inclusion. Still, you can use the 168 g BSB to make a similar point.

SJB358 · Jan 27, 2018

Either way, 3200 is 300 Win territory!

DrMike · Jan 27, 2018

I definitely need to get my eyes examined. Jim, Mea culpa. I was focused on the 3000 fps and slipped right past the reported 3200 fps. Yes, that is definitely 300 Win Mag territory, as Scotty rightly notes. Your friend needs to dial it back a bit. Thirty-two hundred fps is definitely tickling the dragon's tail. She will bite!

RL338 · Jan 27, 2018

Maybe he has a 36" barrel. :lol: Either his chrony is off or he is pulling your leg , I don't know how you can get enough RL-22 in an 30-06 case to reach 3200fsp.

mjcmichigan · Jan 27, 2018

Tail wind?? [emoji56]

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Jimbeaux82 · Jan 27, 2018

I have not chronoed his load, just going by what he told me. He could be mistaken on the velocity but he definitely wasn't pulling my leg. Said the load was so compressed he could barely seat the bullet and as stated before , was using Norma brass and throwing it away after one shot. Also commented that it kicked really hard for a 30/06. He is coming over to my house this afternoon with his data and we will try to get to the bottom of it. He is a former military sniper but new to handloading so I believe he really did not understand pressure limitations and the dangers they represent. I'm just trying to help a friend out and keep him from blowing up his rifle. From what he wants to accomplish, he really needs a 300 Win Mag.