A close friend has asked me to help him reload for his two semi-auto rifles.
He has a 30-06 in a Rem 742 and a 300 Win Mag in a Browning Safari.
He wants to load some Hornady 130 gr bullets in the 30-06 for varmit hunting and will use Nosler 180 gr Partions for the 300 WM.

Neither he nor I have ever loaded for a semi-auto before and I was hoping someone might have some good, functional loads for the above combinations.

I understand that the Rem 742 works well with IMR 4064 but most of the discussions I have seen on that are with 165gr or 180gr bullets. Will 4064 work well in the Rem with 130gr bullets?

I don't know where to start on the Browning 300 WM. However, I suspect IMR 4350 would probably work well in it.

Suggestions??

Barstooler

You are definately on the right track. I try to keep I4350 as the slowest powder for auto loaders. Stay about 2 grains under max just for a bit of extra protection.
NOW THAT I'VE SAID THAT I HAVE TO SCRATCH MY HEAD. The reason is how the heck can browning be chambering the BAR for these super hot, almost overloaded, factory rounds for the wsm's. You KNOW that to get the velocity that's being reported that they are using max loads of slow burning powder....yet here is the BAR being chambered for all versions. Kind of makes you wonder doesn't it. BUT, for the autoloades I've worked with 4350 has been a great and accurate powder.

It's always been said to go with the faster of the powders suited for each bullet weight when loading for autos.

In my 300WM BAR, 4831, 4350, 4895 etc all worked like a champ.

4895 would work well in the 06 as well.

I load for one guy that has a 270 BAR and Ole' Jacks H4831 works like a champ in it as well.

If I were to take in the two rifles you've mentioned for custom loads, my first choices would be 4350(either brand) for the 300 and H4895 for the 06.

Good Luck

Relaoder

one note on the brownings - most of the ones i've heard of want small base dies

I wouldn't be too worried about small base dies. I have 3 browning BARS and have never had a jam with any of them with normal dies. And, I've loaded for 2 remington auto's and another friends BAR......no problem....no small base dies.
Not saying that small base dies might not cure a gun that has some sort of problem but I'm gonna say I'd give about 10:1 odds you'll NOT need them.

Sooner or later you'll have problems with the 300 as immediately in front of the belt the case is difficult to resize. I think the gas system on the BAR is much more forgiving than that of the Remington and almost any powder suitable for the 300 will work.
As for the Remington, I like the 4895, 4064, 4320 idea as all will give suitable port pressures. In fact I'd guess that 4320 will give better velocities than the former two.

I reload a BAR 300 WM with 180 grain Hornady Interlocks. At first had trouble finding an accurate load, so I found some factory stuff that shot pretty well, around 1" three shots at 100 yds, not hard because these BARs usually really shoot well. Then I chrono'd the factory load (around 2950 fps in my gun), and ran a # of gradual ascending loads till I was at the factory velocity, and son-of-a-gun, got good groups (3/4") and about the same ejection force on fired shells as the factory ammo.

What I ended up with, in my gun, Win brass, RL22 @ 76 grains, and Viht N165 at 77 grains works great. I'm sure the 4830s would be in the same ball park. I would think a little faster powder, as mentioned above, like 4350, RL 19 or Viht N160 would be fine too, but I wouldn't go slower in 180s like a RL25. Basically you have to time the pressure curve to the gas cylinder. For example, the 4830 speed of powder with a 150 grain bullet might be ok in a bolt, but in my BAR it jammed every time. And trying to exceed run of the mill factory loads will also jam. Keeping it at factory pressures, it works great and I've found no resizing problems. I just full length resize, seat to magazine length and go hunting. Hope this helps.

A friend inherited a M742 in 30-06 and wondered about a load.I suggested my M1 load for it.It functioned perfectly and shot very well,mild recoil,and less than an inch @ 100yds shooting 3 quick shots.I had heard horror stories about the "JamMaster"but found I was quite fond of the rifle after shooting one.Overall a pleasant experience.

150gr Rem CoreLoct/crimped at cannelure
Win LR Primer
46.5gr IMR4895

I load for the M-1 and M-1A, (.30-06, .308, .243) and have found them to work best with 4895, H414, and 4064, in that order. Cases need to be cleaned, trimmed, and full length resized, and those primers must be fully seated to prevent slamfires. Thousands of rounds are loaded for semiautos every year.

Guys,

Thanks for the suggestions. Looks like I will try 4895 in the 06, and 4831 in the 300 WM.

Barstooler