I'm new to reloading ... burned some Cabelas Visa points the other day, and I'm set up with a single-stage reloader and some other "stuff" that I should need.

I'm planning on reloading for .30-06. I purchased some 165gr Remington PSP bullets and some Winchester brass ... BUT they had no powder or primers, so I can't start to reload just yet.

So ... supposing I can find some components, can someone suggest some powder/primer combinations for my set up -- preferably something I could cross-reference in a Lyman manual

And if you can point me toward a good source of powder or primers, let me know.

I'm just looking for a good "first load" to work with and learn with.

A pretty common combination would be IMR 4350 and the #210 Federal or #9 1/2 Remington primers.

I have used up to 58.5 grains safely in my rifle with the 165 grn Hornady flat base seated way out touching the rifling. This is a maximum load so start out where the manuals tell you.
I doubt that this is a primer sensitive load but I would be careful with it at 100F°

quote:

IMR 4350

H-4350 is also excellent in the .30-06 as is H-414, H-4895, IMR-4831, Win. 760, and RL-19

Use any large rifle primer and you can also use any large rifle magnum primer as well.

work up!!!

tickie,

Welcome to the "Joys of Reloading!"

.30/06 Sprg. is an easy cartridge to load for usually makeing good, solid, successful attempts right off the Bat & a bunch of fun, too.

Here's another suggestion for a newcomer to keep those pesky stretched cases at bay - makes for a nice uniform batch without alot of fusss using any electronic screwdriver.

http://www.leeprecision.com/html/catalog/casecon.html

A 165 gr. .308" bullet is an outstanding place to start; with H or IMR-4350 with the .30/06 Sprg. Anywhere between 55.0-58.5 grains (SR4759's suggestion an upper level load so be sure to start around 55.0 grs.) ought to find you a good load quickly.

As a rule if I've got WW, R-P or Federal cases I ususally initially try the same component manufacturer's primer. That way (even though I keep good records) if I pick up loaded cartridge made with XX cases it's probably got a xx primer in it, too (situations vary).

Good Luck and hopefuly you'll have some powder & primers shortly to get started.

If you encounter a situation requiring some additional advice be sure to holler.

Deertick,
Welcome to reloading. You might ask around to see if any of your friends or neighbors reload. It helps to have someone handy with experience to get you started but beware, there are some people in every endeavor that don't always use their heads. Also, resist the "let's see how fast she'll go" route that all of us have fallen for at one time or another. Keep it safe. BTW I have also had good luck with IMR4320 as well as some of the other powders previously mentioned.

welcome, deertick -

the lyman book is a great manual. one that goes along perfectly with it is "modern reloading" buy richard lee.

very comprehensive even though it is also a bit of an advertisement for lee products - the load data in there is the best i've seen, and organized in the best way i can imagine.

Buy yourself all the manuals you can find, thats the best start. Thats how I did it, before buying any equipment.

First of all, I've been reloading for about 40+ years but never for an '06. In general, I'd advise getting several manuals - the Sierra manaual being one of them. The Lyman manual, which you've already mentioned is another.
Most manuals have a "most accurate powder & powder charge" listed. When I'm looking for an accurate load, I first go to a manufacturer I know that has a reputation for accurate bullets (Sierra if possible). I then start working with the "accurate powder" listed. Once an accurate load has been worked up, I then go to the bullet I expect to hunt with and tweak things from there. This is just what I do, hopefully it'll help you too.
Bear in Fairbanks

Purchase a Wilson head space gage for your 30-06 if used properly you will not have any head space problems unless your rifle was not chambered properly.

I went deer hunting one year and seen the biggest buck I have ever had walk under me. I could not get a good shot since I was standing on a tree limb and had to twist the wrong direction. I pointed the rifle at the deer pulled the trigger and missed. The deer ran about 30 ft stood there looking at I could not get the shell out of the rifle. He finally ran off I was aggravated for missing the shot about then the limb I was standing on broke and I fell about 8 feet to land on my rump.

I thought the rifle was messed up but one of my friends had some factory shells so out to the range we went. After firing several of his in my 30-06 Remington BDL with out any problems I determined that it had to be my reloading error.

I asked a local gunsmith about the problem and he said to purchase a head space gage to check the shells for proper case dimensions. I found out that I had set the shoulder back more than 30 thousands using a set of Hornady New Dimension dies. I was setting the Full Length Resizing die according to the directions running the all the way down to the shell holder and then another 1/4 turn.

I followed the directions on the Wilson Head Space Die and was able to load shells that worked perfectly. The Hornady dies went into the trash and I have purchased Redding dies every since.

I have burned many pounds of 4350 and found it to be temperature sensitive. It worked perfectly in the winter with one charge to be to hot in the summer. I don’t remember if it was IMR 4350 or H4350. If you check on Hodgdon web site it may still say which one is not temperature sensitive.

FYI just a little of my hard learned experience.

Good luck with your reloading.

quote:

I have burned many pounds of 4350 and found it to be temperature sensitive. It worked perfectly in the winter with one charge to be to hot in the summer. I don’t remember if it was IMR 4350 or H4350. If you check on Hodgdon web site it may still say which one is not temperature sensitive.

H4350 is supposed to be the non-temperature sensitive one. (I have just started using it in the form of AR2209 which will be slightly different due to lot differences).

Thanks for all the help ... I'll be looking for some H4350 and some large rifle primers.

Join www.ammoguide.com for about $20 a year and get access to more firearms information than at which you can shake a stick. I'm a member over there. I love it. They have 482 loads for 30-06 in toto, and 27 for 165-grain bullets. You can select loads by powder maker, bullet maker, bullet weight, and on and on...