Top go-to powder for 30-06 with 168-172s

[MagnumManiac]

Magnum, if you have not tried it, R#25, SD is very low with accuracy at the top end of the pressure curve with R#25 with Win Mag primers!

Have been a huge fan of RE25 ever since it came out, use it in several of my cases, 25-06, 257 Bee, 264WM, 270 Bee, 7STW, 300WM, 300Bee, 300RUM, 338-416 Rigby and my 416 Rigby. Also used it in several others I no longer load for.

Cheers.

 

[SSG Graybush]

I haven't loaded much for the 30-06 but obviously there's guys on here with years and years of experience loading for the 30-06 before the "cool" calibers took over.
I've got a 22in proof savage ultralite on the way and planning to shoot the 172 speer impact with the 168 berger classic hunter being a backup. I've got access to quite a selection of powder.

What would be the top 2 go-to powders for my setup?

I do a 150 gr with H4831sc. GK or Interlock. Also imr 8208 max loads work well with 150 and 165 Accubonds. H4831sc is where I'd start for 168-172 gr bullets. Maybe RL16 or H4350 after that.

 

[rustyshackleford]

Ramshot Hunter or H4350 for me. Max charge of hunter under a 180 Sierra prohunter gives 2770 from my 22" barrel and this was at ~75 degrees. I put the same ammo in the freezer for a few hours and got 2720, so not that much drop considering the temp swing. H4350 I got 2920 with a 165 with good accuracy but not as good as the 180 load with hunter.

 

[OFtrash]

Ive gotten good results with IMR 4350 and IMR 4320 with 168s.

 

[Ronald W Schaefer]

I've used 57 gr IMR-4350, 165 gr Sierra Tipped Game King, CCI BR-2 primer and Lapua brass for years. Shoots well in 3 different rifles and gives about 2850 in velocity. Pretty much maxes out 30-06 capabilities. Shoots well in 22-24 inch pipes.

 

[QuietTexan]

Hodgdon Superperformance powder has done well for me, from 150gn to 180gn. Not the same stuff as in the ammo labeled the same way, it's a spherical powder that can run at high load densities. Plus it's not as popular so it was one of the first powders that came back to being available during the last crunch.

 

[6.5x300 WBY]

Hodgdon Superperformance powder has done well for me, from 150gn to 180gn. Not the same stuff as in the ammo labeled the same way, it's a spherical powder that can run at high load densities. Plus it's not as popular so it was one of the first powders that came back to being available during the last crunch.

Just wish it was more temp stable. Unfortunately it's not

 

[RidgeTop]

I use IMR4350 because I only use it in winter temps. I think a double base performs better in colder temp.

 

[thomasbangs]

I've loaded for the 30-06 for over 50 years, IMR 4350 and IMR 4064 are excellent choices for 165 gr and 168 gr bullets in bolt guns, IMR 3031 also shoots well with 180 gr bullets, I have used these powders for hunting loads for half a century. In a M-1 Garand, IMR 4895 is hard to beat, I have used this powder with bullet weights from 125 - 175 grains with a lot of success when I used to shoot in John Garand matches.

 

[Karey Kimmel]

I haven't loaded much for the 30-06 but obviously there's guys on here with years and years of experience loading for the 30-06 before the "cool" calibers took over.
I've got a 22in proof savage ultralite on the way and planning to shoot the 172 speer impact with the 168 berger classic hunter being a backup. I've got access to quite a selection of powder.

What would be the top 2 go-to powders for my setup?

Took a while to find the load, but, 56.0 gr of IMR 4350 w/ Sierra GameKing 165gr SBT bullets, Lapua brass, W primers produces 2900 fps out of my Browning Hunter A-Bolt 30-06. It's a tack driver at 200 yds from the bench and has taken everything from groundhogs to Elk. Most were DRT. Longest shot was 392 at the Elk. It wandered about 20 yards and dropped. This pic is 3 shots @200 yds from a bench.

 

[baldhunter]

These are my go to with 168gr.

 

[Lenny Foffa]

I have always been really happy with IMR 4350 and H 4831SC. I'm sure there are newer options, but I'm pretty well set.

 

[VinceMule]

A rem 700 long range el Cheap-o of my brothers shoots a bug hole with the 168g LRAB at 3030 fps, 30-06 with R#22 with it's 26" barrel, peak pressure = incredible accuracy, I had to see it to believe it. The bore looks terrible in a bore scope, but who cares?!

 

[Lenny Foffa]

Today, I shot my friends Bolt action Hunting Rifle, a Sig I think, with new Leupold 2X to 10X scope which I mounted for him, in 30-06. I made up some loads for him using H 4831 SC, and 165 Grn Horn Bullets. At the 50 yard Sight In they shot one hole, then at 100 yds. they shot very close together. The interesting thing was I did not touch the elevation dial. The 50-yard shots were only about 1/2 inch to 5/8th lower than the 100-yard shots. For this rifle, used on his farm, with most of his deer taken between 35 and 50 yards of his Elevated Blind and 100 yards would be max for him, that load with that H 4831 SC powder works just fine. The factory Federal Fusions 06 ammo , also 165 grain bullets , Which I also tested for him , shot slightly higher that my moderate velocity loads at both ranges. Still room in the 06 cases, so I can make my hand loads a bit faster and match the velocity of the factory ammo. That may change the POI at 100 yards making it even closer to the Federal Fusion. Absolutely nothing wrong with H 4831SC, ignited by a Win LR Primer, in my .270 Win, or his 30 -06 White Tail Deer rifles.