30-06 reloading

[michiganmuzzy]

30/06 is one of the first cartridges I started reloading. It’s fairly forgiving. I use 150 grain fmjbt. I now reload all calibers I own. I chose 150 grain because it plays well with .300 blk and it’s cheaper. For 30/06 I used h380 now I probably have others that will work too.

Glad to hear you are reloading my friend imo you could not have picked a better caliber to reload with. Tons of reload info out there. Hodgdons(can never spell it right) is free. Lees is a good print option.


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have you loaded any flat base bullets? I get that most people prefer the boat tails, i do too. Im just thinking about lighter bullets and seating them higher/longer with the BT causing problems.

 

[gle3105]

How light R U thinking? Here on the east coast of WV we call the 110 & 125 grainers in an 08 0r 06 the the Siberian Sniper . Unbelievable how they put down a whitetail. In the past year I loaded some 125 SST's in an 08 and 06 and was astonished at accuracy results.
Flat base vs boat tail. While BT's generally have a greater BC that doesn't tell the whole picture. Look at sectional density as well.
That being said a flat base will stabilize faster in distance in a gyroscopic fashion than a BT.
Whatever the choice as I have stated b4, " that deer didn't say that was dirty powder, or that bullet could be better ".
I'd be glad to share my load findings with a PM
Bests,
gle

 

[Half-Cocked]

have you loaded any flat base bullets? I get that most people prefer the boat tails, i do too. Im just thinking about lighter bullets and seating them higher/longer with the BT causing problems.

Yes I have before. As stated above load data is available down to 110 lighter bullet more powder. The boat tail has little advantage honestly under 300 yards. They were just cheaper. I can give you pics of all the weights listed for 30.06 in the Lee book. As always start with the min charge and work up. The cartridge overall length should be good as listed.

There is a specific technique for measuring how long you can go with a cartridge before it becomes an issue. Once you get a decent load, then you can play with cartridge overall length. Keep in mind deeper bullet more pressure seating farther less pressure.

When playing with this stuff I found it all starts with the projectile. The rest of the variables will depend on projectile selection.

To make it real easy use Hodgkin website that will give you the specific bullet to purchase. Matter of fact I will take some screenshots and edit this post.





Try to stay away from military brass you’re gonna have to swage the primer pockets and have a hard time getting new primers in there without crushing them. best bet is to get a box of factory ammo and start reloading. That federal is good.

 

[LBAhunter]

The only "light" bullet I trust is Barnes. My experience is with the 7mm 110gr. TTSX-FB in a 280AI. It's a lazer beam to 200yds. It's nasty whitetail medicine!!

 

[WP79Vet]

Oldest info I've looked at was a 2022 Hodgdon manual. Hodgdon lists the min/max with this brass and bullet at 53/59. Hornady, who makes a bullet same weight and type(hpbt 168gr) lists h4350 min/max as 49.1/58.5. I feel safe with staying in there. Although I havent look at it in QuikLoads yet.

I really like Quickload, and use it to check data listed in the manuals and vice versa. Every now and then a load that’s published in a manual is waaay too hot according to Quickload, and sometimes most of the published loads for a given caliber are way too hot according to Quickload. The .45-70 loads published in the Lee manual are a good example.

When I’m testing loads I like to compare chronograph velocities to Quickload as an indirect way of verifying Quickload pressure calculations. If they agree, I have more confidence in Quickload than the manuals - partly because you can set Quickload to match your specific barrel length, seating depth, bullet, and so forth.

I also use Quickload to search for optimal powders for calibers/bullets of interest, and to assess sensitivity of pressure to variations in charge, etc.

 

[bronko220002]

My 06 Tikka shoots a load of 47 gr of IMR4064 and 180 Barnes or Sierra Game King bullet somewhere around 2700 fps and is super accurate. It has accounted for many deer, a pronghorn and 2 bull moose.

 

[bronko220002]

I really like Quickload, and use it to check data listed in the manuals and vice versa. Every now and then a load that’s published in a manual is waaay too hot according to Quickload, and sometimes most of the published loads for a given caliber are way too hot according to Quickload. The .45-70 loads published in the Lee manual are a good example.

The 45-70 is not a good example of manuals vs Quickloads. I've never used Quickloads but from what you're saying the reason their loads are way under manuals is that manuals (good ones) list loads for trapdoor models, lever guns, and Ruger #1s. You shoot a lever gun max charge out of a trapdoor design and you'd likely be wearing the trapdoor in your forehead!

 

[bronko220002]

I have shot 5,000 rounds through my Carl Gustaf (Husqvarna) .30-06.
I bought it at the Berlin Brigade Rod & Gun Club in 1976 (Yes that Berlin).
The one load that has killed hundreds (deer, antelope, bear):
55 grains IMR4350, Large Rifle Primer, 165-168 Hornady SP.
2700-2800 fps..

IMR4350 is an excellent powder for the 06 as well as the 270 and 280. My 270 Win would shoot 1/2" groups all day with 54 gr of IMR4350 under a 130 gr Nosler BT. That load shot both whitetail and mulies and antelope from 5 yds to over 400 yds.
But like I said above I now shoot IMR4064 in my 06 because I can get the same accuracy with less recoil.

 

[Half-Cocked]

Same info on the 110 per Hornady

I can confirm Lee is a little hotter for most loads.

Starting 10% under min listed is acceptable most times. Just give the completed cartridge a shake and hold it up to your ear. Too much space is bad too little can also be bad. You will get a feel for it.

Once you go out to the range look at the spent shells and pay attention to the primer. Flat primer is almost always bad. Like I said though 30/06 is forgiving.

 

[WP79Vet]

The 45-70 is not a good example of manuals vs Quickloads. I've never used Quickloads but from what you're saying the reason their loads are way under manuals is that manuals (good ones) list loads for trapdoor models, lever guns, and Ruger #1s. You shoot a lever gun max charge out of a trapdoor design and you'd likely be wearing the trapdoor in your forehead!

The Lee manual does list loads for all three categories of .45-70s, and the pressures which Quickload calculates, for loads from all three categories, are WAAAY too high for that category. On the other hand, Quickload pressures are very much in line with Hornady loads in all the .45-70 categories.