For those of you with experience on 30-06AI's what powder are you using? What bullet weights have worked well for you?

I've used RL25 and IMR4350. 200gr Accubonds love both the powders. IMR4350 with 175gr SMK's shoot a tiny hole. Move the same load and components with 180gr Accubond and I'm looking at 1.5" or so.

Tried 165gr Accubonds w. Varget and not so great results.

Any advice on the 30-06AI is appreciated.

Never played with the 30-06AI but I have done a whole lot of work on various 280 & 338 versions from the base though AI's and my own Gibbs style widlcat. I would say that RL25 is two slow for your case capacity and bore. I would look more to the RL22, MRP, H4831 range of burn rate.

p.o ackley stated that of all the improved cartridges he developed, the '06 showed the least benifits of the few that didn't meet his expectations from the process. he said it was basicly a waste of time and effort for this cartridge
....says allot for the original design!........if you get my drift.....

quote:

Originally posted by merlinron:
p.o ackley stated that of all the improved cartridges he developed, the '06 showed the least benifits of the few that didn't meet his expectations from the process. he said it was basicly a waste of time and effort for this cartridge
....says allot for the original design!........if you get my drift.....

Say what you will, but never intended to ask an opinion on wheter the 30-06AI was a worthwhile endeavor; simply looking for info from those who have loaded for on previously. I can assume fron your post you have NOT loaded for one.

I have used IMR 4831, RL 22, and my favorite IMR 4350. Have always used 180gr bullets.
From what I have read, P.O. Ackley liked the cartridge very well (As I do )

quote:

Originally posted by merlinron:
p.o ackley stated that of all the improved cartridges he developed, the '06 showed the least benifits of the few that didn't meet his expectations from the process. he said it was basicly a waste of time and effort for this cartridge
....says allot for the original design!........if you get my drift.....

Yes & P.O. is long Dead! Lots of new powders & bullets have been developed since his published data

PM me. I have extensive loading data I'll be glad to share with you. '06 AI can be reloaded quite well with fantastic results. Regards, AIU

My best results with 150 and 165 grain bullets were with Win 760, IMR 4350 would also work well here. 175's and 180's for accuracy IMR 4831, 200's I had best luck with R22, but lot variation and speed alone weren't much fun. I would realy love to try the 208 A-Maxes and some R25 from what I am reading.

quote:

Originally posted by Ackley Improved User:
PM me. I have extensive loading data I'll be glad to share with you. '06 AI can be reloaded quite well with fantastic results. Regards, AIU

AIU: Thanks for all the load data. Have you tried 200gr bullets? Mine loves the 200gr Accubonds.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Merlinron,

We must be talking about 2 different P.O. Ackleys.

On page 427 of "Handbook for Shooters & Reloaders" (Vol. 1) Ackley is describing the 30-06 Improved and says it has "a great deal of merit and for handloaders it can be highly recommended". And that's just the start of his description of it.

I have one, but haven't finished working up handloads.
IMR 4064 is the go to powder for my 35 Whelen AI, and I suspect it will be for my 30-06 AI as well.

I've experimented with 4064 and RL-15...I need to play around with RL-19 as well.
It's just hard to beat the velocities and accuracy that 4064 delivers.

As to bullet weight, it's hard to improve on 165 grains...try the TSX and see what happens.
Ackley recommends 180 grain bullets and heavier, but the TSX 165 grain bullet is just slightly longer than the 180 grain Accubonds.

Sorry I can't offer more help, but my stockmaker is still working on my mesquite blank.

Garrett

I had one built early last fall. I didn't have much time to try different loads, but shot a cow elk with a 168gr tsx with IMR4350. This past summer I used other powders and ended up with RL-19,with a 168gr tsx. Best group and speed.

I'm concerned mine might not like the 180gr Accubond. She shoots 175gr SMK .5 5 shot groups. I shoot a lot of Accubonds in various calibers and it is usually one of the most accurate bullets.

Guess it's time to play with seating depth. I'm real close to the lands. Maybe I should back off a bit. Where do you guys usually seat your Accubonds?

BISCUT, haven't used 200 grain bullets - don't see much advantage over the 180. In fact, I like the 165 gr. Accubond best (69 grs. of Norma MRP, ~3200 fps, 26.5" barrel, accurate, flat, killed a 4x4 Muley at 515 yds, my go to gun for deer). Regards, AIU

BISCUT,

Listen to what AIU has to say. IMHO he has more "hands on" experience with the 30-06AI than anyone else around. He pointed me in the right direction several years back and my 26" 1:11 3-groove Lilja will put 3 180 BT/AB's with Rel 25 into 4-5" at 800 yds. I topped out close to 3200 but backed off to about 3000 fps for the accuracy.

Last year I worked with the 200 AB and PT for a AK grizzly hunt. AIU has, I believe, Quickload and he suggested a few powders which at the moment slip my memory. I ended up using 68.4 (69.7 should be tops for about 2900) gr H1000, 200 PT, F210m for about 2850. I got upto 2930 with 68.3 gr of Rel 25 but groups were no good.

My rifle/components is a Rem 700 LA, the Lilja barrel chambered by Ian of Barnes bullets (no longer there), Win brass, MK4 4.5-14x50 w/ M1 dials and TMR reticle. Oehler M33 set 10' from muzzle. 200 Pt seated .020" off lands.

Ramshot Magnum and the 200 AB showed promise too with 71.2 tops but I hit a node @ 67.3 gr for 2623 fps, 45 es, 14 sd, 1.5" 5 shots @ 300 yds.

Do you need a primer on how to compress/seat bullets with LOTS of powder compression?


Alan