Hi all,

I'm looking for a nice and pleasant to shoot load suggestion here, I've never shot bullets this small in my 06 before but think it might make a good load for my kids to learn on. So I'm looking for a powder suggestion. I'd like to have a MV of between 2000-2500 fps, and preferably as small a muzzle blast as possible.

Does anyone have a load they'd like to suggest?

TIA,

Mark

A light but accurate load I have used with kids. . .
31gr SR4759 (Max) with Sierra 150 gr Matchking for 2365 fps and 1895 ft lb. powder range 28 to 31 gr. Have to play with the IMR powder charge for best accuracy. Mine is at 31gr. Make sure its 4759 and NOT 4756

My all-time best accuracy load is 46.5 gr. IMR-4895 but, I used that with the 168 MK. You could start there and work up.

Never mind! I didn't read the "kids" load.

H4895 downloads well. I've shot the 155gr Palma bullet over H4895 in my Garand @ about 2600fps.

Hodgdon has some youth loads listed


http://www.hodgdon.com/data/youth/30-06_y.php

IMR-3031 is another good propellant if you want to go "slow" with 150's in the 30-06, though getting below 2700 with even 3031 will be difficult.

I'd suggest looking at some of Seafire's blue dot loads
for the '06...

AD

I've used 2400, RL7, IMR4198, and IMR3031 with 125 and 150 gr bullets to match the performance of Remington Managed Recoil and Federal Low Recoil ammo. I found the Lyman cast bullet manual a very useful reference. FWIW unless you have a specific competition need in mind Remington bulk bullets will serve as well as the Matchkings with much less expense.

If you are just punching holes in paper or shootin' squirrels, try 17.5 gr. Unique behind a 150 or 168 gr. match king on a still day. Didn't log the velocity, but it is slow! Produces a one hole 100 yd group but a variable wind will eat your lunch.

Another issue is that you need to segregate brass which has been fired with this load as it will develop excessive headspace. The firing pin drives the case forward into the chamber, setting shoulder back a bit with the low breech pressures.

Regards,
hm

quote:

Originally posted by hm1996:
Another issue is that you need to segregate brass which has been fired with this load as it will develop excessive headspace. The firing pin drives the case forward into the chamber, setting shoulder back a bit with the low breech pressures.

Regards,
hm

hm, it would seem this could be fixed by using brass fireforemed by full power loads in the same chamber and then either neck or partial full length sized.
- mike

Speer Book #13 suggests 42.0 gr H4895 with 150 gr as a youth load. Gives 2427 fps, basically 30/30 performance. S40

South40 is on the right track. I have shot in competition, probably about a 1000 rounds of 168 Sierra Matchkings with 42.0 grs IMR 4895 in my match 30-06. I would shoot this load standing and sitting RF at 200 yards. It is accurate enough to shoot a perfect score, and the recoil is low. Not insignificant, but low.

I would expect using a 150 SMK you would get quite good accuracy and even less recoil.

quote:

Originally posted by mho:

quote:

Originally posted by hm1996:
Another issue is that you need to segregate brass which has been fired with this load as it will develop excessive headspace. The firing pin drives the case forward into the chamber, setting shoulder back a bit with the low breech pressures.

Regards,
hm

hm, it would seem this could be fixed by using brass fireforemed by full power loads in the same chamber and then either neck or partial full length sized.
- mike

Hi Mike:
Doesn't matter. I used brass which had been once fired in my rifle and the cases came out short after firing the reduced load. The brass was LC M2 brass, which is a bit heavier than most commercial brass. The rifle was a pre-64 Win. match rifle.

I can measure the headspace on a once fired case, insert in rifle and "dry fire". When re-measured the case comes up a few thousandths undersized. Apparently the firing pin drives the case forward hard enough to set the shoulder back when dry fired or fired with the light unique load.

I would imagine that using cases that had been fireformed in that rifle and shot 6-8 times would reduce the setback due to work hardening of the case in the neck/shoulder area, but have not tried that.

I suppose one could salvage the brass by seating bullets long enough to contact rifling with a full load and thus fireform back to proper specs.

It's been a while since I played with this load, so can't remember precise numbers on set-back, but did not present a problem as long as the brass was only used for reduced loads. I just wouldn't want to use full loads (without fire forming), as it might result in case head separation.

Regards,
hm