Hello!

I´ve been away for quite some time - had a whole company for me, so lts of works. All is well, so I thinking of taking up Match shooting with Military rifles.

I already loaded, for several calibers, for Rifle Hunting and Handgun plinking, but there are considerations now, which are new to me!

For example I DO NOT strive for rather high velocities, I want the barrel to heat up as slow as possible, to use modarate charge weights, ...

As I first will use a .30 -06 Norwegian Mauser ( later a Husquarna 20" M 38 6.5 x 55 and even later a Mauser 98 Mod 08 LONG rifle in 7 x 57 ):

I have RCBS and LEE dies.

I intend to use the 150 or 168 grs Sierra MKHP´s.

I think that loads appropriate for "Gas Guns" ( the Garand ) will be "period correct" and not too hot on the action, as they will use medium burn rate powders, e.g. Varget, H 4895, N 150, 2520, 4064 ... YOU name it please!

Please tell me your opinions, frankly please, about your experiences, what Bullets, what powders, what else tips .. any help is appreciated!

Good shooting, Hermann

57grs of IMR4350 behind a good 165gr bullet has always worked well for me in a number of different 30-06 rifles. I've never used the 168gr SMKHP bullet but I can't help but think it would help your cause.
Usually, if you use H4350, you need to boost the charge up to arond 59grs.
These charges will give you 2800fps +/-. Of course you may need to tweek the load to suit your rifle.
Good loads but not red-lined by any means.

wasbeeman really nailed it on this one.
either 4350, IMR/H and a good bullet in the 150-168gr range is really hard to beat in the 30.06. I have yet to see an .06 that will not shoot well with 4350.

quote:

wasbeeman really nailed it on this one.
either 4350, IMR/H

Add Hornady A-Max bullets or Sierra Matchkings and go to the range.

IMO you might want to see what Berger makes in something around 165 grains too....they make excellent bullets!

Oh....don't forget the ballistic tips.....another fine bullet to try!

Thx for your answers.

I DID use up to 56,4 grs 4350 with 180 for a stubborn 7400, and I DID kill game with a Speer 165 grs SP and 57 grs 4350 ...

---- BUT I am looking for MILDER, and accurate, loads

;-)

... and preferrably lighter charges, too!

I don´t want a red hot barrel and I don´t want my shoulder hurt ... from several rounds with an iron capped Mauser Carbine!!!

Hermann

quote:

Oh....don't forget the ballistic tips.....another fine bullet to try!

The BT's actually outshoot the target bullets in several of my guns. Where you want something mild on the shoulder, perhaps you could give the 150gr BT's, or the 135gr Matchkings a try?

There is a lot of good info in the Sierra manual and the folks there are one of your best sources of info for that type of shooting. Like a lot of other places, we have at a club where I shoot, a class for service rifle competition that excludes Ar type rifles as the old tried and trues just cannot compete. The lat time I talked to the 2 top shooters in that class they were using 168 gr. matchkings and N540 powder.

quote:

a club where I shoot, a class for service rifle competition that excludes Ar type rifles as the old tried and trues just cannot compete.

Our club gives extra time to the bolt guns so they can all compete together.

quote:

Originally posted by amamnn:
There is a lot of good info in the Sierra manual and the folks there are one of your best sources of info for that type of shooting. Like a lot of other places, we have at a club where I shoot, a class for service rifle competition that excludes Ar type rifles as the old tried and trues just cannot compete. The lat time I talked to the 2 top shooters in that class they were using 168 gr. matchkings and N540 powder.

N 540???

Please forgive me: are you sure?

N 150 or N 140 I´ve read elsewhere, too, but the 500 series? High Energy powders???

Maybe burnblindanddeafen Loads for LR ompetition?

Hermann

IMO, I wouldn't try anything smaller than a 150. And the milder the load, the greater the arc to reach the target ergo, the more difficult it is to make precise shots.
With the 30-06, there has to be a certain amount of acclimation to the recoil. Using the above load, I have shot 100 rounds of 30-06 ammo in a day whilst wearing a tee shirt. That wasn't on the first day, of course.
Have you thought about buying one of the Pact pads that you wear on your shoulder? They work.

Hermann
What distances will your matchs be fired at?
There were a lot of records set using IMR/H 4895 and IMR 4064 using 173 grain match bullets.

Jim

Don't forget 125gr bullets for 200 and under!
Low recoil, great accuracy, high fun!

Use a charge of 4895 or 4064 that is the same as your 150gr bullet load.

In the back of Cartridges of the World, they list the US AMU Match Load as 50 gr. of 4895 over a 165gr Match bullet. I have used this load for years in my sporterized 03A3 with excelent results. It is not a mild load but It puts them in one ragged hole at 100 yards.

I use 49 gr of Varget under the 175 gr Sierra MK in LC Match cases with WLR primers. Velocity is 2725 fps out of my 24" M1903A1 Type II National Match rifle. Accuracy with the Lyman 48 receiver sight is moa or less and it does that all the way to 1000+ yards. Actually hold sonic and shoots well to 1300+ yards.

Larry Gibson

Way back in the day, my service rifle match load for my M-1 Garand was 47.5 grs of Win 748 with a 168 Sierra matchking bullet in Lake City brass and Federal primers.

This was the load my shooting coach told me to go with, and I never wavered from it. I seated them to just rub the front of the internal magazine.

I used the 180's at 1K, but I can't recall the powder charge now with absolute certainty. It was still Win 748 powder.

I doubt I'll ever forget that 168 gr load though. I sure loaded a crapload of those.

Hello - thanks for the answers, I will certainly give 4895 a try!

Hermann

The standard target load for decades was 46.5 of IMR 4895 or 48 grains of IMR 4064 in M1's and Winchester Model 70's, using the 168 Sierra bullet.

Both loads are mild, M1 safe and as accurate as any.

Mark

Mark, that´s EXACRLY what I was looking for!

Thanks, Hermann

Arminius: The tried and true loads for the 30-06, and ammo used for across the course matches, has always been IMR4895 as the standard. Obviously Redial and I have similar experiences with the 30-06.

The loads I now use, are 48/IMR4895/150 Sierra Bullet, this loads shoots for me, in the 460'sX500, and one inch groups from the bench @100yds from my 1903-A3 Remington, and about as good in my Garands. Also I like 46/IMR4895/173-190 grain target bullet, very effective 500yd load. You may want to adjust the load for your rifle a grain or 2, but you'll find, in a good 06 it will like something very close to these loads.

Also a couple guys mentioned the bolt gun shoots. At Rio Salado Gun Club, in Mesa Arizona, of which I am a member, we have what they call The "C&R" shoot, stands for curio and relic, I hope they are not refering to me as a relic. All shooters are welcome, but it is designed for the older stuff, and the guys with AR'S and match guns can shoot the reduce centers, as everything is shot at 200yds, nice shoot.

Jerry