Have a older rem 700 bdl in 30-06 bone stock.
What load should I start with for basic target shooting. almost all of it will be 100yds off a bench and I dont plan on hunting so impact performance doesnt matter
. the problem I have is there seems to be 1,000,000 loads for the '06 ranging from 110g bullets to 220gs, I just dont know were to start.

right now I get consistent 2" groups with factory rounds (I KNOW some of the spread is me) I figure with good handloads I should be able to get it sub 1" which is all I really expect out of the gun. what works in all of your 700s

125gr NBT with 55gr of N140 makes for some great groups. 165gr NBT's and 4350 will turn some heads when you get the right load as well. There are surely MANY more responses to come,..that is one versatile caliber.

Consider trying the 168gr Sierra Matchking. Graet accurate bullet.

I like Hornady V-Max too. My most accurate bullet for 25 06.

I would try Sierra Matchkings or Nosler Ballistic Tips. I have had good luck with IMR-4064 and 150 gr bullets, and IMR-4350 with heavier bullets.

My hunting load is 60 or 61gns RL22 with a Rem 165 pspcl. They go about 2730 and shoot sub 1" in everything I've tried them in. In my Son's Rem 721 they shoot in the .3" range. I bought a bulk box of 1000 from Midway so they are inexpensive. If your planning on doing LOTS of shooting, you might check into some of the surplus powders out there. WC852($8 a lb) loaded to the same velocity shoots sub 1" in my guns also. Surplus powder is a slightly different game so if your new to loading, then you might want to stick to canister grade powders until your more familiar with it.

57grs 4350 and any good 165gr bullet. As posted, Rem core lokt bullets ain't bad.

Unstable
I managed to avoid 30 caliber for many years, with the exception of those that Uncle Sam wanted to share with me.
I got an AR10t, shooting 308, to tinker with, to some success. I wanted a Winchester 95 to have as a project gun and lucked into a great buy on a 95 in 30-06.
I worked up loads using the Sierra 168 MKs and the 175 MKs using liberal does of IMR 4064.
Where all of this is going is......The 95 in 30-06 loves heavy, 200 gr. plus, cast bullets. You can load them up and down to suit your preferences. Being that I cast my own bullets shooting the 30-06 is down right reasonable. For my pistol shooting buddies that find the recoil of the 30-30 excessive I can load up stuff that does not offend their gentle sensibilities.
Try cast bullets.
Jim

That's the beauty of the 30-06 in that it's so flexible and most components, in the past at least, were designed for it.

I would start with the 125 gr Sierra. It shoots as good as any bullet and costs less than many. IMR 3031 should produce excellent accuracy.

All of the suggestions above are just as good and it is an excellent cast bullet cartridge as stated.

If you are just paper punching for fun, any decent bullet will do. For accuracy, go to the 168gr match bullets or the Nosler BT. I like H4350, RL19, IMR4831 & RL22.

For just target shooting off of a bench the previous suggestions of using a 125 grain bullet are pretty good. I've had very good luck with the Sierras. Depending on the rifle's throat, though, sometimes you have to seat them pretty far out of the case to get close to the rifling. On a purely bench shooting situation this shouldn't matter as the rounds aren't subject to rough handling.



But this post pretty much matches where I have started with five, or maybe now it's six - well, "a bunch" - of .30-06's.

Quote:

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57grs 4350 and any good 165gr bullet. As posted, Rem core lokt bullets ain't bad.

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If there is a "magic" recipe for the .30-06 this is it. Often I don't go any further except I would expand that range to say 57-58.0 grains of IMR 4350. In fact, if I had to load some relatively inexpensive rounds to go shoot and knew nothing about a particular rifle, I would load Hornady 165 grain Interlocks or BTSP so the case mouth almost or just touches the bottom of the cannelure over 57.5 grains of IMR-4350. As long as the bedding was sound, scope mounted right and all that other good stuff, I'd bet a modest sum that the first five shot group would go 1.5" or maybe even a good deal less.

I found that my 2 30-06 rifles really liked 57.5 gr H4350 and 165 interlocts. 2800 fps and I shot a group today of 1.25 inches at 200 yards. If I do my part at 100 they are all well under an inch.

these replies are exactly what I am looking for.

It looks like I will pick up some 165g bullets and some H4350 to start with... and maybe some 125s to play with.

just until I have a hundred or so rounds under my belt to get a feel for the caliber and see how my rifle reacts to it then I can start really playing.


thanks everyone.