I'm looking for advice on loading .30-06

[midmo]

I bought some H4350 ( because it is not temp sensitive) to charge cases for my rem 700 .30-06. I am using 150gr bullets. I have some Sierra gameking soft point boat tails, some Hornady interlocks, and some Hornady sst's. I started mid range for charge recommendation in my Hornady manual and I have not gotten great results until today and I would t call it great. I had 58.5gr of h4359 under a 150gr sst and I got 1 inch 3 shot group at 100. Everything I have loaded has been under that charge and nothing under 2 inch group size. My manual says 60.6 is max but Hodgkin says 61.6 is max. On my 58.5 load the bolt was just a tad harder to open than normal but no other signs that I saw of high pressure.
Now I am new to reloading but I know h4350 is better for 165 and above. Since I am getting a little harder bolt on open am I safe to go up a .1 of a gr at a time to try to tighten my groups or is it time to change either bullet weight or powder?
I would like to stick with a Hodgdon extreme or another power that is not temp sensitive.

 

[benchracer]

My advice is to back off to 55 grains or so and shoot the Berger VLD seating depth test (it is a sticky at the top of this forum). Then do your powder charge workup. By the end of that process, you will have some idea of the overall potential of the combination you are working with.

In the meantime, here are some things to think about:

1. Do you know the accuracy potential of your rifle? If not, how do you plan to evaluate your handloads? A box of factory match ammo might tell you something useful.

2. What are your performance goals (accuracy, muzzle velocity, effective range, desired terminal performance, intended application) and why? Your answer to this question will go a long way toward selecting the right components.

3. The Sierra manual lists 59.6 grains of H4831SC as its accuracy load for 150 class bullets. Nosler's online data shows 61.5 grains of RL-19 as the top accuracy load for 150's in 30-06. The Hornady 9th edition manual states that VARGET and IMR4831 gave the best overall results with all bullet weights in 30-06, with H414 and IMR4350 doing well also.

 

[gohring3006]

Your at max for that combo, I would do what Benchracer said.
Also, I used IMR 4064 with bullets up to 165 grains, and the 4350s for 178 grain up to 215 grain bullets with good results.

 

[philipbrousseau]

is this an off the shelf rifle,the reason i ask is the bolt face is a good place to look for psi indications. working up loads my advice is use sierra bullets, federal 210 primers and the h4350 would be my first choice powder. same lot brass. start at .010 off the lands with a starting charge of powder and work up watching pressure and group size. i've seen the last grain increase in powder shrink groups from 1&1/4 to half inch. what is your intended use for the rifle and what model is it if you don't mind my asking? the 4350 powders are fine for 150gr. weight bullets.

 

[roninflag]

looks like a good group . you do not say what rifle or what you are shooting at.

 

[midmo]

The rifle is factory except for a Timney 510 trigger. It is a Remington 700 ADL in .30-06 with a 24 inch barrel. I have not changed the seating depth from he spec in my manual yet. Everything I have tested has been at the text book col. I haven't had great luck with the factory ammo I have used in it except for Hornady superformance with 150gr sst. That was the only factory load I would trust that I tested.

 

[midmo]

The group in the picture is 100 yds. The loads I am developing are for Missouri whitetail so nothing too far for this load.

 

[roninflag]

I load for several 30-06's . I use H4350 and varget. lapua brass. some other bullets, 155 lapua, 167 lapua. 168 cbt. 168 berger. usually .030 off the lands if the magazine and bullet allow it.

 

[midmo]

I will have to ty that. I have used varget for one load that was decent but I had more promising results from 4350. But I guess we know that the varget could be the one

 

[benchracer]

The group in the picture is 100 yds. The loads I am developing are for Missouri whitetail so nothing too far for this load.

If you are hunting for whitetail, and not doing so at long range, the group in the picture is easily adequate for that task, provided it is repeatable.

 

[Waynzee]

I've had good accuracy with Reloader17 in the 150gr Hornady IL and 165 gr Sierra Game King bullet shot out of an older Rem. 760 Gamemaster, Browning A Bolt 2 and Ruger American in 30/06.

 

[midmo]

Are the reloader powders temp sensitive?

 

[Wolf76]

1" groups at a hundred is really not special for the '06. My favorite load is 57gr of imr4350 with 165/168gr bullet +- 1 gr of powder. Don't worry about the "temp sensitivity" if your shooting less than 200 yards. I use this in Michigan with no problems. BTW, I think the '06 shines with 165/168 gr bullet.

 

[gohring3006]

I used to think the 178-180 class bullets was perfect for the 30-06.
Then I tried the 208 Amax and then the 215 Berger, all I can say is, those bullets put the 30-06 in whole other class of cartridges, the ballistics are awesome.... I'm currently messing around with the 208 ELD M and reloader 17, if I can get it to 2600 fps, which I think is very doable, it will be close to the 215 Berger but not quite.

Just run the 215 Berger @ 2600 fps in a ballistic calculator and check it out... 2650+ fps is doable with the right powder/brass combo, maybe even faster....