The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Reloading Good powders for 30-06Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
| Good powders for 30-06 | Login/Join |
| One of Us |
What is a good powder for a 30-06 using 150-165gr. bullets? I currently have Varget, H4895, and R15 powder. Also, I am not getting the velocities that I should be getting out of my varget, or H4895 loads in my 30-06 or my .280. I am using CCI LR primers. Could the primers be the problem? Buck, | ||
|
| One of Us |
I started reloading a 30-06 in 1966. I mostly used IMR type powders from 4895 to 4831, also W-760 and H-414. The last batch of 150 grs. I made were with H-4350 and I like it a lot. I only use it in a bolt action rifle for hunting and weight each charge. I get 2910 fps with no pressure signs (even when it is 90 degees) and under 1" groups which suits me very well. If you are a target shooter or use a semi-auto, you would want to use something else. | |||
|
| One of Us |
My best results with 150 and 165 bullets in the 30-06, both accuracy and velocity, used W760. Approach maximum carefully, though, my max loads were less than book max. | |||
|
| one of us |
For the 150 grs bullets, RL15 shines. For the 165 grs, one of the 4350s - I personally use IMR4350. - mike ********************* The rifle is a noble weapon... It entices its bearer into primeval forests, into mountains and deserts untenanted by man. - Horace Kephart | |||
|
| One of Us |
The maximum velocity you are going to get with these bullet weights are going to be achieved with propellants like H4350, IMR4350, RL19 and RL22. If you tend towards the 165gr bullets try RL22. Max load? whatever you can fit into the case! RL22 into the 30-06 case is volume limited not pressure limited. unless you have a "slow" barrel you should see either top out at or slightly above 3000fps. You can get 3000fps with several propellants and the 150gr bullets, but after I discovered that my top loads for the 165 cronographed within a tick of what could be achieved with a 150 I stopped loading 150's. If you want to stick to 150's H/IMR4350 or RL19. Again with 165gr bullets RL22 all the way. RL22 and 165's makes the 150gr bullets kinda pointless. when you can launch both at identical speeds there is little point in the lighter bullets. AD If I provoke you into thinking then I've done my good deed for the day! Those who manage to provoke themselves into other activities have only themselves to blame. *We Band of 45-70er's* 35 year Life Member of the NRA NRA Life Member since 1984 | |||
|
One of Us |
I've had good luck with H4831 in the 30-06 and others also seem to like RL-22. In most situations these two are slow burning enough that the most limiting factor is case capacity rather than pressure. | |||
|
One of Us |
30'06 work nice with a lot of powder. For 150g bullets I have very good results with IMR 4064 and Vihtavuori N540 (my favorite powder). For 165g bullets: IMR 4350 and Vihta N540. Velocity tested with Oehler chonograpf for 150g: with 4064 = 2910 fps With N540 = 2960 fps Accuracy with both powder: 0.6 MOA I even use Federal 210 primer for non-magnum loads Faina I prefer to die standing that to live in knee | |||
|
| One of Us |
H414 is a velocity champ with 150s in the 30-06. Load it to 270 pressure levels and you'll get 270 velocities. For heavier bullets IMR4350 is probably the best choice. There is a reason it's called the "miracle" powder. | |||
|
| One of Us |
What's it being put through ?. I've never had problems with either 4895 or 4350 ,414 , BlC-2 , 4064 is about Top's for FPS not as accurate in my 06's as the other powders though . Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...  | |||
|
| one of us |
Someone is always trying to rewrite the laws of physics to match a limited set of circumstances. It is simply not true that, with optimum powders and at similar pressures, a heavier bullet can be launched from a given rifle at the same velocity as a lighter bullet. That said, the 150/.30-06 combination is one for which optimal powders are somewhat scarce. The most appropriate buring speed in the IMR line up falls between 4320 on the faster side and 4350 on the slower side. I haven't tried it, but the new IMR-4007 is supposed to fill this void. However, with 150 grain bullets in a 24-inch barrel, I've had little trouble reaching 3000 fps with either the slightly too fast 4895-4064-4320, or the slightly too slow 4350, with which you must compress the powder charge to reach this velocity. For 165-180 grain bullets, 4350 is hard to beat. RL-19 is dense enough that it can be made to work well with all weights. RL-22 should be reserved for 180 or heavier. Be aware that the RL line of powders are infamous for variation between lots, so if you use one of these powders, purchase enough of one lot to last you for a while, else you'll be reworking your load when you buy another cannister of powder in a year or two. WW-760, which is the same spec powder as H-414, is a viable alternative. The ball powders can be a little less linear in pressure/velocity than the stick powders, but they flow oh-so-nice through your meter! | |||
|
| one of us |
Started and stopped with H4350 in three '06's from 150 gr MRX to 180 gr E-Tips, PT, and TTSX in 168 gr. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Mr Faina knows! But N-550 = more speed (150gr over 3000 fps with N-550). | |||
|
| One of Us |
Thanks for all the advice. I am really more concern with accuracy than the speed, but I can’t figure out why I’m only getting about 2680 with Hornady’s max loads in both my 30-06 and .280. Both guns are 24†barrels. My chronograph seems to check very close to the loads in the book with other guns such as my .223, and 22-250, so I wouldn’t think it was the chronograph. Buck, | |||
|
| one of us |
i have been loading the 30-06 for many many years. i personal like IMR 4064 with 150s. my best load is 52.0 grs. with WLR primers i load for 3 different ones, shot over croney the best is 2940 with 22" barrel the worst is 2850 22" barrel. all shoot about .750 to 1.0 with factory rifles at 100 meters. i also like RL-15 at 53.0 grs. i also load the .280 rem. 140s with 57 grs of rl-19 or 55.5 of imr-4831 | |||
|
| One of Us |
and there is always some other person who is willing to claim special knowledge about physics to deny reality as demonstrated by empiracle data. And willing to be rude and condescending to others to make themselves seem smarter than they are. You are wrong, physics is involved but in you aren't taking ALL the factors into account. RL22 doesn't fit in the normal heirarchy of rifle powders because it uses different chemestry than other stick propellants and other ball propellants. Is it variable? yes. RL22 is NOT an extruded nitrocellulose propellent but is instead dual-based and has a significant proportion of nitroglycerine, so it doesn't fit "neatly" in the conventional stick propellant heirarchy. There simply is a REPEATABLE "happy spot" in the burn characteristics of RL22 that allow higher velocities with 165's than can be achieved with 150's. 150's don't provide enough resistance to get the into the right part of the pressure/time curve to take best advantage of RL22's progressive nature. You can try it yourself with your own cases, rifle and chronograph. RL22 doesn't work well behind 150's (smokey necks) and RL19 is pressure limited with 150's and if you dislike muzzle fhashes you might not like RL22 in a short barreled 30-06. Mabey if you load to 270win pressures in the 30-06 you can drive 150's faster than 165's but remember that the same "hotrodding" can be applied to the 165's as well. AllanD If I provoke you into thinking then I've done my good deed for the day! Those who manage to provoke themselves into other activities have only themselves to blame. *We Band of 45-70er's* 35 year Life Member of the NRA NRA Life Member since 1984 | |||
|
| one of us |
Allan, I'm not disputing that you, with a certain gun and with a limited variety of powders and other components, have experienced similar top velocities with both weights of bullets. Such experience is not uncommon. I do, however, submit that you have no way of measuring pressures accurately, thus cannot be assured that pressures for the two weights of bullets are substantially similar. Despite your limited empirical evidence (actually, uncontrolled data), it is catgegorically untrue that with optimum powders and at similar pressures, a heavier bullet can be launched from a given rifle at the same velocity as a lighter bullet I beg the pardon of all on this forum if I appeared condecending in my response to your post. Your perception of my response may have been colored by your position as the person who had made an inaccurate and unsupportable statement. I doubt that a third party reader would have perceived it the same way as you. However, I will stipulate that it is difficult to be gracious in disputing a categorically untrue statement, and to the extent that my response might have seemed discourteous, I apologize. | |||
|
one of us |
I have found that the 30.06 is one of if not THE least finicky rifle calibers I've ever loaded. The .06 with even one or two bullet weights can and usually does very very well with a large menu of powders. In my experience, I can pick a bullet weight and find at least 4-6 different powders that will shoot it very well. Glad to read that you are more concerned with accuracy than velocity. That makes things even easier since many shooters will find a good load then try and step up the speed to the max. I have easily found excellent loads with all of the following powders: IMR4064, 4350, 4831 H414, 4350, 4831 AA3100 Re19, 22-(180 bullets) Years ago I had a friend show me what his .06 would do with 180 Speer spitzers and IMR4064. This was in Tucson. I was so impressed, I had to try it for myself, and it was as if I was shooting his rifle. The same load, worked up from minimum, cloverleafed 3 shots at 100 yards. It was my very first group that shot less than 1.5". Give anyone who's got a few years of experience any of the powders I mentioned and a bullet weight suited for the powder, and I guarantee they'll find a great load. It's just not hard to do with the .06 IMO. Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my guns | |||
|
| one of us |
IMR4350 | |||
|
One of Us |
My best accuracy in my 30-06 was achieved with H380 powder with 150 grain bullets.  | |||
|
| One of Us |
RL22 and RL19 are funny stuff.... But trying to get 165's going with RL19 does run into classic pressure signs, typically right around where the loading manuals suggest... And the most cautious of loading manuals doesn't suggest that it's possible to pile too much RL22 behind a 165. I can also make the blanket statement that 150's and RL22 are an unhappy combination EPIC flash, incomplete combustion smokey case necks etc.... It doesn't take a rocket scientist to recognize a "failure to launch" or a KATO One thing I am sure of is that it is impossible to fit too much RL22 in a 30-06 case I don't need a pressure lab for that. AD If I provoke you into thinking then I've done my good deed for the day! Those who manage to provoke themselves into other activities have only themselves to blame. *We Band of 45-70er's* 35 year Life Member of the NRA NRA Life Member since 1984 | |||
|
| One of Us |
57.0 grains of 4350 behind a 165 grain bullet...thats all you need...extremely accurate and fast. | |||
|
| One of Us |
What Hank H. said +1. I think 4350 is the gold standard for 30-06's. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Hank, Which 4350, Imr 4350, or H4350? Again, Thanks for all the good suggestions. Buck, | |||
|
| One of Us |
I always keep in my mind, that guns are individuals. There is no exact loading truth. | |||
|
one of us |
For the 30-06 I have had best results with H4350 and 165gr Nosler AB @ 57.5 using Fed 210M primers in FC Cases. Jeff North Pole, Alaska Red Team 98 | |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
Visit our on-line store for AR Memorabilia