Reloading for 30-06 - Barnes Bullets

[IHFarmer07]

I've taken a bunch of elk with the 150 gr TTSX in my .30-06 Rem Mtn rifle. My load for years has been 52.0 gr Varget, CCI 200, seated .05 off the lands. I was getting just shy of 3,000 fps with it. You could also try Big Game powder if you have it around. I'd probably go with a magnum primer if you try BG.

Good luck!

Don't have Big Game but I'm using cci200's and I was around 60-61gr varget.

I can't get close to the lands on this factory rifle, she's throated long. If I would, there wouldn't be much bullet to push in the neck.
I started reloading on more precision rifles and reloading for this factory 700 has me frustrated. I'm not wasting components on a rifle that I use once in a while anymore with the way things are to get components.

 

[OldBronc]

I've taken a bunch of elk with the 150 gr TTSX in my .30-06 Rem Mtn rifle. My load for years has been 52.0 gr Varget, CCI 200, seated .05 off the lands. I was getting just shy of 3,000 fps with it. You could also try Big Game powder if you have it around. I'd probably go with a magnum primer if you try BG.

Good luck!

Don't have Big Game but I'm using cci200's and I was around 60-61gr varget.

I can't get close to the lands on this factory rifle, she's throated long. If I would, there wouldn't be much bullet to push in the neck.
I started reloading on more precision rifles and reloading for this factory 700 has me frustrated. I'm not wasting components on a rifle that I use once in a while anymore with the way things are to get components.

Sorry. My info was intended for the original poster, in which he's looking for a recipe to use with a 150 gr. TTSX.

 

[Sixgun17]

58.5gr H4350 behind a 168 gr TTSX has worked well for both my wife and I here in the states as well as for a wide variety of African plains game.

I've used the same load behind the 168 gr TSX (no tip) with equal effectiveness. For whitetails, the 150 gr TSX has been rock solid. I've had great experience with the TSX line from .458 Lott down to .25-06, but there are a number of bullets that I'm sure would have been equally effective.

 

[Roughrice]

That Ole 30-06... Hmmmm..........
We all went for the new best caliber fad... but when I think of it,,,,,,,,,,I had no tracking skills back in the day when I ran 30-06 with 165 grain!!!! Probably because I never needed any!!!
Didn't mean to derail!..........Just sayin'!!!

 

[central iowa couple]

I've been shooting the 152 hammer hunter over 60.5 gr of h4350. Amazingly it groups at .25 moa at 100. This is with a cheap mossberg rifle. Right at 3100 fps. It's going elk hunting next fall. The hammers did wonders on the 2 elk my wife and i shot this last fall with our 7 rm. Couldn't be happier

 

[Muddyboots]

Barnes has load data on their site:

https://www.barnesbullets.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/30-06Springfield.pdf

Plus reloading guidance on jump recommendations. I've had really good luck with W760.

When loading a Barnes TSX, Tipped TSX or LRX bullet, your rifle may prefer a bullet jump of anywhere between .050" up to .250" or more. This distance off the lands (rifling), aka "jump" may be limited to the rifles throat length, magazine length and bullet length.

When selecting the cartridge overall length (COAL) we recommend starting with a minimum "jump" of .050" off of the lands. You can test different seating depths and find a "sweet spot" that your particular firearm prefers. We suggest working in at least .025" increments as follows seating the bullet deeper to allow a further jump. Your test plan could look something like this:

1st group- .050" jump
2nd group- .075" jump
3rd group- .100" jump
4th group- .125" jump
5th group- .150" jump
6th group- * see below

This length can be determined by using a "Stoney Point Gauge" or other methods. You do not have to seat the bullet at, or on one of the cannelure rings. Remember there are many factors that may control or limit the seating depth for your application. You may find that you need to start at around 0.150" off the lands and are not able to get any closer due to limiting factors including proper neck tension and magazine length.

*In rifles that have long throats you may be limited on how close you are able to get the bullet to the lands. In these instances, it is not uncommon to find the best accuracy with a jump of .200" or more.

This jump may possibly stay the same regardless of powder or charge weight within a given rifle. If preferred accuracy is not obtained, we certainly recommend trying another powder, for the powder type and charge greatly affects the overall accuracy of each individual firearm.

FYI- An accurate load requires a bullet with the proper consistent case neck tension which leads to more constant pressures and velocities.

Couple screen shots as example:

 

[IHFarmer07]

Barnes has load data on their site:

https://www.barnesbullets.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/30-06Springfield.pdf

Plus reloading guidance on jump recommendations. I've had really good luck with W760.

When loading a Barnes TSX, Tipped TSX or LRX bullet, your rifle may prefer a bullet jump of anywhere between .050" up to .250" or more. This distance off the lands (rifling), aka "jump" may be limited to the rifles throat length, magazine length and bullet length.

When selecting the cartridge overall length (COAL) we recommend starting with a minimum "jump" of .050" off of the lands. You can test different seating depths and find a "sweet spot" that your particular firearm prefers. We suggest working in at least .025" increments as follows seating the bullet deeper to allow a further jump. Your test plan could look something like this:

1st group- .050" jump
2nd group- .075" jump
3rd group- .100" jump
4th group- .125" jump
5th group- .150" jump
6th group- * see below

This length can be determined by using a "Stoney Point Gauge" or other methods. You do not have to seat the bullet at, or on one of the cannelure rings. Remember there are many factors that may control or limit the seating depth for your application. You may find that you need to start at around 0.150" off the lands and are not able to get any closer due to limiting factors including proper neck tension and magazine length.

*In rifles that have long throats you may be limited on how close you are able to get the bullet to the lands. In these instances, it is not uncommon to find the best accuracy with a jump of .200" or more.

This jump may possibly stay the same regardless of powder or charge weight within a given rifle. If preferred accuracy is not obtained, we certainly recommend trying another powder, for the powder type and charge greatly affects the overall accuracy of each individual firearm.

FYI- An accurate load requires a bullet with the proper consistent case neck tension which leads to more constant pressures and velocities.

Couple screen shots as example:

View attachment 394327View attachment 394328

I tried some of that to the extent of almost using up the bullets I had and then there was no more bullets to buy to keep going with load development so I had to deal with what I had. There were times where I'd have a great group, go back out to confirm said group and it would be a 2" group. Just seemed like something wasn't consistent. Idk if the 1-10 was enough for them bullets or not but I'm going to go to a 130 or so next time and have lasers, if /when Barnes bullets come back and if I have the coin for them.

 

[Muddyboots]

Some may disagree but I have the best accuracy consistency with Barnes (monos) is with a clean barrel unlike cup and core bullet. The same with Hammers, clean barrel for best accuracy is confirmed by most. If you haven't tried this, it might be the wild hair you are looking for.

 

[IHFarmer07]

Some may disagree but I have the best accuracy consistency with Barnes (monos) is with a clean barrel unlike cup and core bullet. The same with Hammers, clean barrel for best accuracy is confirmed by most. If you haven't tried this, it might be the wild hair you are looking for.

Interesting, yeah, I've been leaving them dirty for consistency

 

[kfreeze]

I've had good luck with 150 grn barnes tsx bt in my 30-06 with imr 4895 and rl-16 and rl-19. All I shoot in my 06 is 150 grn bullets. I gave up on the tipped barnes bullets after a 120grn barnes ttsx in a 7mm-08, pushed hard, poked through about a 160-170 lb doe at about 150 yds and didn't seem to expand. Looked like an archery broadhead wound. 2" cut both lungs. Double lung hit. It ran about 250 yds. That was wierd, because every deer I've shot with a tsx had nothing but red pudding left for lungs. That said though, I love the barnes tsx. Every deer I shoot with them in my 06 gets rocked when hit. The Hammer Bullets do look good to me too though, and I will try them some day.

 

[longshotsavage]

I load the 165/168gr TTSX with h4350. Sub-MOA out of my rifle, and an honest 2940fps avg., it's a great combo out my rifle.

This is close to my results as well. 168 TTSX, H4350, 0.050" jump. MV of 2951 with my 26" barrel and groups under 1". I haven't messed with them much lately, so maybe there's even more to be had.

OP, good luck in your search. I have loaded Barnes in a few calibers and seem to have had luck in being able to get a pretty decent shooting load without too much work. In my testing, it seems like they start getting better groupings as you get more toward the high end of your powder charges.

 

[grpolarbear]

My 22 inch m77 likes 63g of R22 and 165 NBT .01 off the lands,good for 2990. My ten round .5 grain ladder measured about 1moa. Rifle is bedded and floated.I'm happy with that. Right out of the Nosler book. If I can't get more R22 I'll try 6.5 staball next.

 

[9531 Hunter]

I load the 165/168gr TTSX with h4350. Sub-MOA out of my rifle, and an honest 2940fps avg., it's a great combo out my rifle.

How many grains of H4350 are you loading ?

 

[thomasbangs]

Personally I wouldn't change a thing if my family and I have had 60 years of success with a powder bullet load combo regardless of the latest trend in bullets and or powder. One of my sons a few years ago thought that more expensive latest and the greatest would be better, after pinholing a couple of deer and having to track them for a couple hundred yards he was very disappointed. In the state where he hunts that could mean going onto another property and that presents more problems. He went back to his old powder bullet combination and started dropping them in their tracks again. My family and I use mostly Speer, Hornady, Sierra, Winchester, and occasionally Nosler bullets and have had very good success on deer, elk, moose, and bear over the years.