I am working up a load for an older gun I've had. I had to buy a different powder (IMR 4350). I thought I'd search the web to learn a bit about load recipes that have worked for other people and back off from there a bit to start testing the powder charges.
But, I've gotten a bit confused, there are some manuals that say not to go above what others have done and seem to be fine with...but the amounts above seem rather high, I've listed some of them below.
I've read a number of other threads of people who say around 56.5gr of IMR 4350 with a 165 bullet worked good, but I've got 185 berger VLD's.
A few years ago, I pressure tested the rifle, and my notes from a few years ago said with H4350 powder, at 59gr started to show signs of sticky bolt and imprints on the case...but that was a different powder than what I have now....logic says to pressure test with the new IMR 4350, but others have suggested that powder is similar enough to H4350...i dunno?
I was thinking of doing an OCW starting with the following: 55.5, 56, 56.5, 57, 57.5
But, when I poured in 55.5gr of IMR 4350 with an berger 185 VLD, seated .010 off the lands, the bullet I could hear began pushing against the powder...is this ok? It didn't crush the powder, and I didn't have to press it in very much, I just noticed it. I normally have been loading 300WSM and haven't noticed that before.
The bigger concern came when I opened my Richard Lee reloading manual. He has the max load for 180gr jacket bullet at 52gr. And Berger's website has it at 54.4 for a 185VLD hunting IMR 4350. Yet, Hodgdon's websit has the max load at 56.5 for a 180 bullet IMR 4350.
Thoughts? Should I continue loading for the OCW listed above, or go lower and start from there? Is IMR 4350 that much different from H4350, where the 59 gr max pressure test from a few years back should be thrown out?
Thanks for any input!
My gun is:
Gun: Ruger M77 Mark II 30-06 Springfield
Powder: IMR 4350
Bullet: Berger 185 VLD Hunting
Primer: CCI #200
Brass: Winchester (fireformed, FL sized, shoulders bumped .002 thousands)
I found this recipe from someone else:
Berger Says this about the min/max starting loads:
https://bergerbullets.com/pdf/30-06-Springfield.pdf
min: 49gr
max: 54.4gr
The Modern Reloading Second Edition by Richard Lee has this for min/max starting loads for a 30-06, 180gr bullet, IMR 4350
min: 49gr
max: 52gr
Hodgon says this:
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle
min: 53gr
max: 56.5gr
But, I've gotten a bit confused, there are some manuals that say not to go above what others have done and seem to be fine with...but the amounts above seem rather high, I've listed some of them below.
I've read a number of other threads of people who say around 56.5gr of IMR 4350 with a 165 bullet worked good, but I've got 185 berger VLD's.
A few years ago, I pressure tested the rifle, and my notes from a few years ago said with H4350 powder, at 59gr started to show signs of sticky bolt and imprints on the case...but that was a different powder than what I have now....logic says to pressure test with the new IMR 4350, but others have suggested that powder is similar enough to H4350...i dunno?
I was thinking of doing an OCW starting with the following: 55.5, 56, 56.5, 57, 57.5
But, when I poured in 55.5gr of IMR 4350 with an berger 185 VLD, seated .010 off the lands, the bullet I could hear began pushing against the powder...is this ok? It didn't crush the powder, and I didn't have to press it in very much, I just noticed it. I normally have been loading 300WSM and haven't noticed that before.
The bigger concern came when I opened my Richard Lee reloading manual. He has the max load for 180gr jacket bullet at 52gr. And Berger's website has it at 54.4 for a 185VLD hunting IMR 4350. Yet, Hodgdon's websit has the max load at 56.5 for a 180 bullet IMR 4350.
Thoughts? Should I continue loading for the OCW listed above, or go lower and start from there? Is IMR 4350 that much different from H4350, where the 59 gr max pressure test from a few years back should be thrown out?
Thanks for any input!
My gun is:
Gun: Ruger M77 Mark II 30-06 Springfield
Powder: IMR 4350
Bullet: Berger 185 VLD Hunting
Primer: CCI #200
Brass: Winchester (fireformed, FL sized, shoulders bumped .002 thousands)
I found this recipe from someone else:
Berger Says this about the min/max starting loads:
https://bergerbullets.com/pdf/30-06-Springfield.pdf
min: 49gr
max: 54.4gr
The Modern Reloading Second Edition by Richard Lee has this for min/max starting loads for a 30-06, 180gr bullet, IMR 4350
min: 49gr
max: 52gr
Hodgon says this:
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle
min: 53gr
max: 56.5gr