I am about to work up a 30-06 load with 180 Partition bullets and RL-22 powder. Unfortunately, the new Nosler manual lists all 180 grain bullets together, as if the Failsafe and Partition and moly and non-moly bullets were the same. Not helpful. Any experience with the 180 Partition and RL-22 would be of interest.

RL-22 From 54.5 grains to 62.0 grains with Winchester WLR primer.

Now, that being said, if you start with the minimum load, it will make no difference whatsoever whose bullet or what bullet you use, as long as it is between 178 and 180 grains.

Re 22 will work well, sometimes it's the best, but depending upon how your rifle is chambered, you may or may not be able to get enough powder in the case to get max velocities with your rifle.

Powders in the RE 19/4350/4831/N160 range usually give you top velocities with 180 grain bullets, and generally pretty much fill the case up at max load. If you have one of those powders, I'd suggest you try it too.

Each rifle is different. Looking at my notes, I've worked up loads for seven different '06s with 180 grain Partitions or Spire Points, and in five of the seven rifles, Re 19 or N160 gave higher velocities than the Re 22. I simply couldn't get enough Re 22 into the case to get her up to snuff.

In the two cases where the higher velocities came with Re 22, that is what I used with those rifles. They had longer throats, and the bullets could be seated a little further out.

Good luck, be safe.

I've never failed to get an '06 to shoot with that combination and it's not only been the most accurate, but usually the highest velocity. In about a dozen for which I've developed loads, maximum has been between 58 and 62g, the latter highly compressed.

Right on Steve! Took the words right out of my mouth!

I load 61gr under a 180grNP w/ fed. LR primer in WW brass. Vel. is 2750fps from the 22" bbl. w/ groups right @ 1 MOA. Good luck, start 5% below & work up.

Depending upon the brand of case, and how far out you can seat the bullet, you may or may not be able to properly seat a 180 grain bullet on top of 62 grains of stick powder.

If you can, you've got the best load in all probability. If you can't, you'll probably get a higher velocity with 56-60 grains of a slightly faster powder.

Rem case, Fed match primer, 62/RL22 (which needed a bit of tapping to get halfway down the case neck), clocks 2875 with 180 Partition. Plenty accurate from field positions (did not bench test for groups). Good load.

Thanks, gents.