Range Report: Blue Dot, 30/06 150 gr SP
Thanks to all the guys that gave me suggestions on the next project for Blue Dot load testings. Somehow when I went to my gunsafe, one of my 30/06s sort of jumped out at me.
So what I worked up and tested was the '06. Firearm used was a Browning A Bolt in 30/06. This rifle does have a tighter chamber than my 2 Winchester Model 70s in this caliber. Barrel length is 22 inches, and the sythetic factory stock has been replaced by a grey laminate stock from Boyd's Gunstock Industries.
I will also do testing in this caliber with 165 and 180 grain bullets, but the first I tried was the 150 grain SP. I do not normally use the 150 grain bullets in the '06 myself in the field, but I did have some Remington 150 grain SPs that were not going anywhere, so that is where I started.
Cases were once fired Remington brass with a CCI Large rifle primer. All bullets were seated to the cannelure, regarding this rifle's tight chamber.
ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, is that my theory of effective powder range being between 40 to 60 % DID NOT HOLD TRUE in this 30/06. I am going to redo the tests in a long throated Winchester 30/06 to see if there is a difference.
EFFECTIVE RANGE was only between 40 to 52%. This is the percentage of what a case's, filled to the brim, capacity is. The velocities I got with these loads was higher velocities with lower powder charges than I assumed would happen. Case capacity was 51.8 grains.
Rifle: Browning A Bolt Barrel Length: 22 inches
Case: Remington Primer: CCI large rifle
Bullet: 150 gr Rem SP O.A.L.: 81.35 MMS
Charge Wt / Velocity comments
21 gr / 2057 fps Lt recoil equal to 22/250
22 gr / 2180 fps
23 gr / 2225 fps
24 gr / 2272 fps
25 gr / 2363 fps
26 gr / 2421 fps Represents 50 % of full case
27 gr / 2422 fps ONE fps increase, NO pressure signs
28 gr / 2512 fps Extractor marks
29 gr / 2522 fps Extractor marks
30 gr / 2640 fps NO extractor marks, but loose primer
31 gr / 2677 fps Blew Primer
Conclusions:
I recommend stopping at 26 grains with this load ( 50 % capacity).
I did the 28 to 31 grains strictly for test purposes. I DO NOT RECOMMEND ANYONE ELSE DOING THIS. 31 grains represented 60 %. Also tried same powder charges with Large Pistol primers to check possible effect on pressure. It did not lower pressure, same results happened.
This rifle has proven several times, that below max loads in manuals are to be considered HOT in this rifle. Will duplicate in a Winchester Model 70.
Personally I was impressed with the 21 grain load as the recoil was like a 22/250 or less. This would be an effective 200 yd load for a kid or small adult.
All cases used with charges over 27 grains were scrapped.
Once again I hope this information is helpful to some of our bretheren on this site. Please remember to work up your loads carefully.
The results shown here are indicative that all individual rifles have their own personality. That is why it is important to work up, and also know the parameters of your individual rifle.
165 and 180 grain bullets will be tested next before I move on to the 270 and 300 Mag.
Cheers and good shooting
seafire
13 April 2004, 02:53
Major CaliberUse the 30-30 flatnose bullets, and you would be in the correct velocity range
15 April 2004, 05:35
Alan RExcellent write up Seafire...much appreciated!
I now have 100 165 gr. Nosler BT's to experiment with using the powders we have already discussed. I'll buy some Blue Dot before the end of the month and start working up some loads.
Alan
19 April 2004, 02:04
p dog shooterCool that load could kill lots of deer.
Loaded up 15 rounds of the 21 grains of blue dot and the 150 grain Rem SP and shot them at the range today.
For those that were wondering about accuracy, the distance was 50 yds., and the rifle was a Browning A Bolt that is not one of my more accurate rifles.
The scope was a 6 power Leupold with a target dot on it.
Muzzle velocity is 2050 fps .
Two 4 shots groups tested measured: .760 and .740 of an inch. all bullet holes were touching. This is before minusing the diameter of a 30 caliber bullet. I view this as pretty darn accurate by any standards.
Cheers and good shooting
seafire
TC, that is exactly my MAJOR reason for doing all of this testing. I put a lot of focus on training youths to shoot. It bugs me the number of times I have seen some Macho type dad, out at our local range and trying to teach his son, to shoot the 30/06 Grandpa just passed down to him.
Of course they just stop off at Walmart or BiMart and pick up a box of 180 grain bullets and then they get pissed off at their son, because he is 12 yrs old and is crying because the rifle is beating the crap out of him. Then he has dad screaming at him or calling him a wimp ( or worse) in front of other people on top of it.
Normally I will offer to load up some ammo for them if they buy the componets. I offer them to try some downloads that I have with me, especially before deer season. It is funny when after shooting them, the dad sometimes, without a lot of attention or fanfare, wants me to load up some for him also.
If you check out a trajectory chart, most deer weight bullets at 2200 to 2300 fps ( I use 2250fps), if you zero a bullet at 3.5 inches high at 100 yds, it will be dead on at 200. So put the cross hairs on hide at that range and you will hit the game if you can hold the rifle steady. At 2250 fps, I figure that the rifle is carrying about 60% less recoil. If you take a look at the velocities of most game rifles in the early part of the 20th century, their velocity was in the 2200 fps range. At that velocity, a SP bullet does not do much for you, or a Round Nose is not really hindered in the trajectory enough to worry about.
Shot placement was and is easier at the lower velocity. that is also why the rifles in those days had a steel butt plate. It was cheaper and they did not really need a recoil pad. I am not really doing nothing new, I am just returning things to where they started.
Cheers and Good shooting
seafire
27 April 2004, 16:57
Paul5388I didn't find this thread before I posted on the "early report, .223 and Blue Dot" thread in the "Small Calibers" section.
1 3/8" at 100 yards is a little better than than .760" at 50 yards!
OOOPs, I subtracted for bullet diameter.
Thanks for Posting that Paul. Don't take this as "one upmanship" but my Browning A Bolt did manage to turn in a much tighter group than yours using REM 150 gr SP.
It just shows the accuracy potential of the load.
Thanks for posting that.
Cheers and Good shooting
seafire
27 April 2004, 20:23
Paul5388Seafire,
That was the first load I made up for the .30-06. I would imagine the group would shrink if I played with it some. Just for grins, I loaded the same 21.0 gr with surplus FMJ bullets to see what they are capable of.
This 03-A3 isn't exactly in the same catagory as a Browning. It's a 2 groove RA 5-45 barrel and the only thing that has been done to make it shoot better is having a scope mounted. I haven't even shot it enough to know what it is really capable of.
As a side note, all my neighbors are getting interested in Blue Dot loads. I guess they're tired of getting kicked by their belch fire magnums!
28 April 2004, 15:39
Paul5388Military surplus bullets didn't do quite so well. 2 3/8" for a 5 shot group. Velocity average was 1950 fps using 21.0 gr of Blue Dot with CCI 200 primers.