.30-06 AI?

I am on my second barrel in 30-06 AI. First was a 22" factory Ruger that was rechambered. It shot sub MOA with 180 Accubonds at 2925 with IMR 4831. It was temperature sensitive.
The current barrel is a Bartlein 26" with a SilencerCo ASR brake. With a hybrid or chimera suppressor it shoots 200 Bergers hbts at 2800 plus with sub moa accuracy with RL 23 and Staball 6.5. Reloader 23 was a compressed load so I switched to Staball. I have found Winchester brass to have 3 to 4 grains more capacity than remington or federal. It is a little inconsistent though. I also like LC brass, and have found it has about 2.5 to three grains more capacity than Remington brass. I have never used Lapua in 06.
 
Lapua brass gives the consistency right out of the box. The trade off is the decrease in capacity. I've always wanted to try some RWS brass I've heard that stuff is indestructible. My WIN brass fully match prepped and annealed is consistent as well, just takes quite a bit more work to get there. I have SEVERAL pounds of 6.5 SB, and it looks like I'm once again, in for more trips down the rabbit hole.
 
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I'll be testing out staball, hunter, and h4831sc with my 24" 30-284ai (basically short '06) with 185juggs this weekend. It's not an '06, but it is to me haha
 
Started working up a load in the 06 AI last fall with StaBall 6.5 and 165 grain Speer bullet. Took it to 3063 with no pressure sign, used Nosler and Winchester X2 brass. Finally found some 165 Nosler BT bullets, need to load up a few and see what I can do with this bullet.
 
I'll be testing out staball, hunter, and h4831sc with my 24" 30-284ai (basically short '06) with 185juggs this weekend. It's not an '06, but it is to me haha

Let us know your results!!


185 juggernauts
Cci200

All recorded with a Caldwell chronograph

55.5gr H4350 - 2815

Hunter
56.5 - 2798
57 - 2795
57.5 - 2793
58 - 2809
59 - 2874
59.5 - 2857
60 - 2873
60.5 - 2917 full case

H4831sc - probably much better with a 200gr bullet
57.5 - 2657
58 - 2661
58.5 - 2679
59 - 2743
60.5 - 2780 compressed

Staball
54.5 - 2708
55 - 2700
55.5 - 2732
56 - 2732
57.5 - 2862
58 - 2881
58.5 - 2906
59 - 2942

No definitive pressure signs but a very slight ejector mark on the highest hunter charge.

Accuracy was pretty good. Surprisingly small group considering the charge spread. About 1 moaish for all staball charges and maybe 1.5moa for hunter charges. 4831 was about 1moa.
 
I wonder what the case cap of a .30-280AI would be vs something like the Gibbs case. I went with a Serengeti reamer and 28" 9 twist…
I cannot speak for the .30-280AI or the Serengeti but the H2O capacity of my .30 Gibbs after the COW method using .35 Whelen brass is 73.96g and after fire-forming it from the chamber with a full load, 75.8g.

30-gibbs-75-80-h20-after-fireforming-off-the-chamber-jpg.227914
 
I cannot speak for the .30-280AI or the Serengeti but the H2O capacity of my .30 Gibbs after the COW method using .35 Whelen brass is 73.96g and after fire-forming it from the chamber with a full load, 75.8g.

30-gibbs-75-80-h20-after-fireforming-off-the-chamber-jpg.227914


What kind of col do you get with 180-200gr bullets?
 

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