Handload 30-06?
 

Has anybody tired to shoot handloads withtheir 30-06?

I will be starting to handload pretty soon but wanted a good base to start from. If any of you handload your 30-06, would you be willing to throw some of your load specs my way?

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

You could probably find a good load for your particulargunwith one powder - IMR 4350 - and one primer - Winchester Large Rifle. And if you really want to simplify things, try the 180 Hornady Interlock Spire Point. Does the rifle shoot factory ammunition well? If there is a certain bullet that groups well as a factory load, you might try to handload that particular bullet if possible.

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

I have a .30-06 that is known to be a bit tempermental. Getting it to group under an inch has been a challenge, but I have found some loads it likes. The 165 & 180gr Balistic Tips and the 180gr Hornady Interbonds have all shot well. All the bullets exhibited their best accuracy with IMR 4350 powder, toward the higher end of the safe loading limits.

When developing loads, I usually start with new cases and Fed 210 Match primers. I put 5 or 10 rounds together with powder charges varying in half-grain increments up to a maximum charge, as found in the bullet manufacturers loading manual. I seat all the bullets so they are no more than 10-15 thousandths off the lands of the rifling. This is a pretty good starting point.

If I can't find a load that groups well by doing everything described, I have a couple of options. I can change one of the components, usually powder or bullet. Or, I can take the load that grouped the best and play with the seating depth until I get the groups where I want them (or not).

Remember to periodically clean your rifle during your firing session. I usually clean the barrel every 15-20 shots, and fire a fouling shot before getting back into shooting groups.

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

Had good luck with IMR 4064, Rem and Win 150 gr PSP, CCI primers. As I recall, I was using 50 gr. powder. Best to check a currrent manual.

Most loadsI shot were very good. My gun was not fussy.

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

I'm with Roscoe on this one. IMR 4350, Winchester Lg. rifle primers. In my 30 year old rifle, 55 gr. will put 180 gr. Hornady Spire Points into an inch. 56 gr. will do the same for 150 gr. SP's

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

Count me as #3 on the IMR 4350 and Win primers. I am getting right at an inch with 180 Partitions and 54 gr of IMR 4350. And my successful load is in a 7600 pump which has been known to not be as accurate as a bolt action.

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

i've loaded the .30/06 for 35-40 years. i use Winchester primers, any available cases(sorted); Remington, Sierra, and a few Winchester bullets,as well as IMR 3031 and IMR 4350powder.i use IMR 3031 with bulletsup to and including 150 grain:IMR 4350 with 180 grain bullets. These components have worked out very well for me over the years. My Remington 700 willeasily shoot .5 inch groups at 100 yards when i am up to it.

ihave always usedIMR powder exclusively and find no need to use anything else.

Pick up a free copy of the IMR or Winchester reloading guide at your gun dealer,and reduce the loads 10 percent to start. Get personal tutoring by an experienced reloader, if possible.

Good luck re-loading.

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

It's hard to beat IMR powders in the ole 30.06. I've had great success with IMR4064, 4350 and 4831. Here's my two favorite loads and they both shoot under an inch at 100yds all day if i do my part.

Hornady 130gr SP
Rem Brass
CCI200
51.5/IMR4064

Sierra 150gr Pro Hunter
Win Brass
Win LG Rifle Primer
57.2/IMR4350

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

Ditto

IMR4350
55.5grs
WLR
180 gr Partition

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

This pet load use to shoot .407" @ 100m till the rifle was stolen/lost by UPS.

Source: "The Complete Reloading Manual for the .30-06 Springfield" (NOTE: DATA FOUND IN HORNADY SECTION)
Caliber: .30-06 Sprg.
Case: Remington
Primer: Winchester Large Rifle
Bullet: Hornady 180 gr. SPBT
Powder: RL -19MIN:52.1 grs VEL: 2400 f/s; PET LOAD:58.5 grs. VELOCITY: 2700 f/s; MAX: 60.6 grs. VELOCITY: 2800 f/s.

DON'T FORGET TO START AT MIN.

Good luck.

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

.30/'06 is the very first caliber I ever reloaded for (1954). That was so I could shoot a lot more. One of my CURRENT favorite loads for the .30/'06 consists of the 165-grain Nosler Partition bullet with 57 grains of IMR 4350 in WW cases withFederal 210 primers.

This load gives me just a little over 2800 FPS from my Ruger 1B with a 26" barrel.

It is a pretty hot load, and must be worked up to from at least 5% below.... so don't start with any more than54 grains of IMR 4350 to begin with.....

A good accuracy load (for M1's, etc.) consists of the 168-grain Sierra Matchking bullet and 47 grains of IMR 4064. This load develops around 2600 FPS, and is safe, mild and accurate!

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

58.0 grains of IMR-4831. Nosler 165 grain Ballistic tip. This has been my favorite load for a long time. I agree with the other guys on the 4350, but I think the 4831 fills the case up, just a tad bit better. I do not like the 3031-too fast, and does not fill up the case. I know people who get good accuracy out of 3031, and you will get more loads per pound. I just prefer to fill up the case. Tom.

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

varget is another powder that has given me good accuracy in the '06 with 150-165gr bullets

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

Me 4

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

Hes somthing yall might find of intrest... you fire a couple factory loads and deprime (not resize) and seat a new primer, charge case with 3 grains of bullzeye pistol powder and seat a .311 round ball flush with the case mouth and rub bullet lube over to fill the groove. they make great loads for shooting rabbits and such, little noise and no recoil.

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

.311??? Tom.

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

.311 round ball ... round balls for rifle and pistols are over sized, for a 44 mag a round ball mics out a .433 instead of the .429 for a conventioal bullet. the soft lead swages down in the barrel.

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

I shoot a Gallery load in my 45-70. I use 3 grains of Red Dot, with a .454 round ball. I do not think I could get an oversized ball down the barrel. I have been considering a Cat sneeze for my 44 Magnun. I have done alot of research on the light loads. Everything I have found for roundballs said to go 3-5 thousandths under. What data did you use, I would be interested in reading it.

Are you using a neck bushing, or are you shaving lead when you seat the bullet? Tom.

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

I havent donemuch with the 44 mag. yet, dont have any range access for a while. But ive done a lot of work with the .311 in 30 cal rifles, i just used a case mouth deburring tooland seated the balls with a flat peice of hard wood lightly tapped with a mallet, i never noticed and lead shaving but i wouldnt doubt its occoring. If you look at a mold catlogue youll see that round balls are almost always oversized compared to a convential bullet. As to using a .454 round balls in your 45-70 as far as i know the proper bullet diameter for the 45-70 is .458 so you round balls wouldnt be in complete contact with the rifling, just a theory. How the accuracy of your gallery load ? In most rifle iv shot my loads out they grouped around an inch at 25 yards.

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

About 2 inches at 35 yards. I practice with my bow at 35 yards off my front porch and I shoot the same distancewhen practicing with my rifle. After 35 you can forget about it. I use mine to small game hunt while I am deer hunting. The load I suggested is completely quiet, I can hear the hammer drop on my 85, and 86. I believe what you are saying, but I find it hard to believe that 3 grains would be enough to force the oversized ball down the barrel. I have an occasional sticker in mine, being undersized. Are you shooting a short barrel? I have found that alot of the noise dissapation comes from a longer barrel. Tom.

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

im not framilar with red dot powder is it a fast burning pistol powder ?

the differencs between the size of the ball and the barrel is quite small because when you think about it very little of the ball would be in contact with the barrel so it would be very eazy for it to swage to proper size. My loads are about as loud as a high velocity 22 shot. ive yet to have one stick in the barrel. someday i will chronograph to find the acutal velocity, buti think it is probly higher than a expect. ive tried my loads at 50 yards once and i put maybe 2 out of ten into a 10 inch circle.

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

I use Red Dot in my skeet loads. It burns fairly clean. I would compare it with Bullseye. Tom.

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

Sorry for the late reply, was gone for the holidays. The rifle is sitting next to the others right now and i havent put the scope on it yet so needless to say im not sure how well it shoots with factory ammunition. Ibought a box of Winchester 180 Gr Ballistic Silvertips that the older 30-06 enjoys and was going to fling a few of those down the range in a day or so to see how they do. But other than that, im not sure what other brands to try. I was thinking of skipping factory ammo alltogether but now that i think about it, if a factoryround shoots well enough, there is no need to handload. We just have a few presses up here at the office and I wanted to see what i could get out of handloads. Thank you everybody for your suggestions. If anybody wants to add input on great factory loads that would be great as well!

RE: Handload 30-06?
 

When i started reloading you could really save money and gain performance. The race is getting a lot closer today. But for the30-06 unless you stay with Federal orHornady, most factory loads are kind of weak. Compared to what the 06' is capable of bacause of the old rifles. Plus there isnothing like smokin' a buck or bull with one you rolled yourself.I used IMR powders and Win primers on everything for years. They are good products, i have also had good results with Hogdons lately too. The most accurate loads are usualy well below max, so start out at the minimum or just above.