I would like to reload a 30-30 equivalent (recoil, velocity etc.) '06 load for a new shooter. To date, he is not comfortable (accuracy suffers) shooting 150 gr. factory loads. What would be the best powder choice (loading density/accuracy) when using 150 gr. 30-30 RN (Remington) bullets?

I'd try H4895 with a 125 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip to make a reduced recoil load for a 30-06. 40.5 grs. H4895 should get you around 2600 fps. Recoil energy in a 8 lb rifle goes from 21 ft-lbs for a 150 gr. factory load, to 10 ft-lbs for the 125 gr. reduced handload. And it would make for a good 200 yard deer load as well.



As for your components on hand, I'd stick with h4895, but load it to around 2300 fps, to keep with the 30-30 velocity window.



30-06 reduced loads

Worked up a load for a friend's boy last fall with 150gr Hornady and 44gr XMR2495(works well at lower pressure) for about 2550fps in this rifle. In 8.5lb bolt gun feels like less recoil than a 30-30 carbine.

Alan
Try this load, I made some up from my wifes 30-06 drilling.
150gr. Flat or round nose 30-30 bullets,41gr of IMR 3031.
I got the load from Ken Waters Pet loads. A max load of IMR 3031 would be around 49 grains. Also another load I have not used is 30gr to 35 gr of IMR 4198, that load came from the NRA October of 1995.
I have also loaded 30-30 velocity loads for friends 308 rifles with IMR 3031. They kill deer very well. Pigs too.

I use 33 grs of XMP 5744 and 150 gr 30-30 RNs at 2450 fps in my '06. Get a little under 9 FP recoil. This powder is designed for exactly this type of application and will give you plus or minus 15 fps with 50% load density. Accuracy is excellent if your rifle is!

Alan,

Welcome to a fellow Oregonian!

I do a lot of downloading of ammo. Young shooters and women being about to have a managable rifle load is sort of becoming a hobby for me.

When it comes to downloading most calibers, I swear by IMR 4198 or Hodgdon 4198. For accuracy and decrease in recoil it has beat any powder combo I have tried. All I know from playing with this a lot, the less powder you burn, the less recoil, even if the muzzle velocity is the same out of both loads.

I have tried H 4895, IMR 3031 ( a powder I love for efficiency)
RL 7, RL 15, IMR 4895, 4064, 4320, XMP 5744, Benchmark, Varget, W 748, H414, W 760, IMR 4227, H 4227, H 335, H 380, H 322, .

IN an '06 case, the best is hands down the IMR or Hodgdon 4198's. I have standardized on 30 grains of it, with bullet weights from 110grains to 220 grains. 30 grains of H 4198 with a 165 grain Ballistic Tip, even downed a 650 lb cow elk in Montana at 175 yds at a dead run. She went 50 yds and piled up, down for the count.

I recommend Ballistic Tip bullets for this application because they open up at velocities down to about 1600 fps or less.
Although fast bullet speed is what guys commonly buy this bullet for, it actually gives highly IMPROVED performance at lower velocities than it does at higher velocities. Although I am a diehard Round Nose fan, I have to concede that the ballistic tip is a better bullet for on game performance at low speeds than even a round nose is.

Velocity will give you in the neighborhood or 2250 fps with a 165 grain bullet and 2350 fps with a 150. It will give 2200 fps with a 170 grain Flat Nose, which is a good application also.

Wth the two ballistic tips loads, 3.5 inches high at 100 yds, will put you dead on at 200 yds.

If have done these loads for kids, and I guess the success is measured when the dad comes back to me and wants me to make up the same loads for him to use in his 30/06.

Good luck and feel free to drop me an email on line if I can be of any more assistance.

seafire

If the rifle has a tubular mag then use flat nosed bullets only.

I have used IMR 3031 for loads like that in the 06. The suggestion to use 4198 may be worth looking into as the recoil might be a little less and one can get the pressure up with a moderate velocity load.

To all - your input is most appreciated.



Seagate - I'll certainly be bending your reloading ear in the future Grants Pass must be a great hunting area...my father-in-law's cousin lives along the Applegate River...he's killed some dandy (eye-popper) bucks.



Sabot - do you find that 5744 leaves a lot of residue and unburned powder? I have not tried 5744 in my 45 colt rifle or handgun for that very reason.

I have used the 5744 in 30-30 and 7BR. While accuracy was very similar to IMR-SR4759, the amount of unburned powder and cellulose 'fluff' left behind was troubling. So much so that I had to 'blow-out' the chamber on my XP.

I use 4198 in my reduced loads. I know a lot of kids that have killed their first deer with a light loaded 06 or 308. I just wish my DAD would have down loaded the 03-A3 for me when I was 12. Dam that thing kicked with the miltary stock.

You will need a powder that mostly fills the case,of the 30-06.That would be,Winchester "748"38.9gr Max for 2300fps,and MIN 32.0gr for 1900fps,with the 150gr bullet.

Should the brass used for the 4198 reduced loads be file marked not for use in full snort loads?

Alan,

At 30 grains of IMR 4198, your pressures are only running in the 35 to 40K psi range. You will not hurt anything.

Maybe loading them in different brass might help sort them from the regular loads.

It may be anal retentive, but I keep my loads separated in plastic Zip Lock bags. I mark the load with a 3 x5 card with all the info, such as Powder, Charge Weight, Bullet, Primer, OAL, Accuracy Potential Observed, Case, and Date Loaded.

Then I keep each calibers loads in a big plastic tube from Walmart and catalog them in my computer for reference, in a file. I just handload a lot during winter, in the evenings, listening to the radio instead of wathcing TV ( we have a local Country/Blue Grass Station, that gets me in the rifle out in the woods mood.. It plays old country music, like Bob Wills, and Bing Crosby doing country tunes to some modern stuff that is at least 4 to 5 yrs old minimum.)

Hope that idea helps a little.
cheers,
seafire

The title of this thread is so strange I havent really bothered to read it yet. I have never shot a 30-30 so figured I wouldnt be much help. Anyway it sounds like you just want a LIGHT 06 load huh? Heres a link to Hogdons 06 'youth' loads http://www.hodgdon.com/data/youth/30-06_y.php

I have been known to be strange



The purpose of the reduced load is to get this shooter used to recoil from his new '06. He shoots barrel fulls of brass through his .223. His accuracy has really suffered shooting factory 150-165 gr. loads...recoil management is the key. I happen to have a lot of 30 cal round nose bullets on hand so I'd like to reload ammo for him in the 30-30 velocity range...which is @2300 fps. with 150 gr. bullets.



Seafire - I think I will do as you suggested earlier...RP brass for reduced loads, another head stamp for full snort loads.

For years, the 200 meter target loads were done with IMR3031 and it performs well around this area. Geo.

alan,

If you are marking your ammo for hunting purposes, I normally use Nickel brass for my hunting loads. That way it is easily identifiable.

I was out playing a little bit at the range, this morning, and was testing some loads in a 30/06 with 110 grain Sierra HPs and using Blue Dot powder.

I chronographed them at 2300-2320 fps.

Accuracy at both 50 and 100 yds was one ragged hole.

After getting back from doing a little client contact, I loaded up the same brass with increasing increments of Blue Dot from 23 grains to 27 grains with 110 grain bullets and 150 grain Round Nose for 30/30s.

These were not chronographed. All I was looking for was where the possible MAX load exists. The 150 grain bullet's max was at 26 grains. The primer was loose on the 27 grain load. I will chronograph it maybe if I get the opportunity this weekend.

I have found Blue Dot to be unbelievably accurate in anything I have used it in, and in chronographing it, it possesses the lowest standard deviation from case to case of any powder I have ever loaded.

With a 110 grain HP or a 130 grain Speer Flat Nose or any of the 125 grain SP bullets, especially a 125 Ballistic tip would definitely be alight recoiling load for Oregon Blacktail.

Zero it 3.5 inches high at 100yds and it will be dead on at 200 yds. With the 125 grain Ballistic tip, velocity will be about 2250 fps, which is 30/30 level, and it should be good for about any deer hunting under 200 yds, for even the big Upper Midwest Whitetails.

Recoil on this load was even less than the recoil with IMR 4198.

I might catalog this load for use for kids that are starting out on grandpa's 30/06.