Does anyone shoot a 30-6 with a 26"-27" barrel? I'm intrested, using sane reloading practices, how fast I might push a 165gn bullet? Please no 'whacko' "I know its 5gn over max but in my rifle it's shows no pressure signs." capt david

Just look in any reloading manuel that gives test rifle barrel length. Most are 24" for the .30-06 and add 20FPS per inch to velocities shown.

Terry

I have a 30-06 with a 26 3/4" barrell and shoot the TXS 168 grain with federal 210 primer,winchester case's and 59 grains of H-4350 for 3026 fps.

quote:

Originally posted by captdavid:
Does anyone shoot a 30-6 with a 26"-27" barrel? I'm intrested, using sane reloading practices, how fast I might push a 165gn bullet? Please no 'whacko' "I know its 5gn over max but in my rifle it's shows no pressure signs." capt david

Why would a possible 5.0 gr. over max mecessarily be a "whacko" load in the 30-06? Why would carefully working up to modern pressures in a modern action necessarily be an "insane" loading practice?
Now this is not intended to a flame or trolling action, but questions of an inquiring nature.
Assuming you have a modern action like a Winchester Model 70, Remington 700 or Ruger 77, to name a few, all of which come chambered in cartridges loaded to maximum pressures in the 60,000 to 65,000 P.S.I. level wouldn't a 30-06 loaded to the same levl be perfectly safe?
Most of the loads shown in the Lyman 48th edition loading manual show data in C.U.P. so it's hard hard to determine just where on the P.S.I. scale loads should fall.
What I do find interesting in the few P.S.I. loads that are in that manual for the 30-06 is the 168 gr. bullet shows one load at 54,900 P.S.I. and another at 58,800 P.S.I.. However, go to the 180 gr. bullet and there is a varience of 50,300 to 55,100 P.S.I. Quite a bit, wouldn't you say? No wonder there's confusion.
Yet, the same type/actioned rifles chambered to magnum rounds are in the 60,000 to 65,000 PSI range. Do they make rifles for the 30-06 of lesser material? I think not.
The point is, certain cartridges, including the 30-06 are not loaded to their full potential due to originially being chambered in weak guns. I haven't done a heck of a lot of experimenting with the 30-06 lately, but I have done a bit of work with the 7x57, another round not loaded to it's full potential I'll just say that I have reached the velocity levels found in Hornady's Light magnum loads for the cartridge. These loads were worked up during an Arizona summer with temperatures running 100 to 110 degrees. The end result was a 140 gr. Nosler ballistic tip at 2850 FPS, and no visible pressure signs. So, was this a "whacko" load or just taking a round to it's fullest developement?
FWIW, I ran a few 30-06 Winchester 180 gr. Silvertips through three rifles with 22", 24", and 26" barrels. Even the 26" barreled Ruger #1 didn't even come close to the 2700 FPS they advertise. Velocities ran from 2610 to 2650 FPS from the Ruger. So, even factory ammo isn't putting out what they claim. But the same Winchester ammo with 180 gr. Silvertips put out 2650 FPS from a 22" barreled rifle. HUH? This is actual chronographer data.
The latest Sierra manual used a rifle with a 26" barrel for their 30-06 data. I consider this not cheating fair as how many 26" barreled 30-06 rifles are in use?
I appreciate the fact that some people are more conservative in their reloading practices. If the loads work for them that's fine. What does get my goat though, is for those of us who would like proper pressure tested data to bring our 7x57s, 30-06s, and yes even the .35 Whelen up to modern standards pressure wise cannot get this data. We have to work up by the seat of our pants and secretly hope we haven't gone over the limit. I'd be willing to bet the people working up the loads for the manuals have that data for their own personal hunting use. After all, they do have the pressure testing equipment.
Paul B.

Paul,

I'm thinking of buying my own pressure tester, they're not all that expensive anymore and would give considerable advantage and peace of mind as you work up loads. It's $249 and can be used with most any rifle. All you need is to have or have access to a laptop to run the machine. You can even check your loads in various rifles to see how they compare in
individual rifles.

http://www.shootingsoftware.com/pressure.htm

My barrel on my 30/06 is 26" long. I shoot the 165 gr bullet at 3000 FPS. I would guess it could go to 3050 FPS Safely. I use IMR 4350. This is the powder my 30/06 likes. I don't need to shoot any other powder. It likes it alot!!

I have some load and chrono data from a Ruger #1 26" barrel.. in 30-06..and pre 64 24" barrel using 165gr. Hornady's BTSP.

63 gr. Rel. 22..Ruger 26"....2928fps

63 gr. Rel 22 in a 24" pre 64 rifle...2860fps..


59gr IMR 4831 Ruger 26"...2917fps..



2 shot averages..the 26" barrel was running average 68fps faster than the 24" barrel. Nothing exciting here I guess but I was going to try a grain or two more of IMR 4831 in the number 1.......

58gr IMR 4831 with 180gr Hornady's averaged 2760fps. In the 24" barrel.

Sendaro,Try some H-4350 in your 30-06 I tried the 4831's,but got better velocity with H-4350 Aside from the 168's at 3026 fps I also got 2900 fps with 57.5 grains of H-4350 and 180 grain Accu Bonds.My brother's 30-06 is a stock Winchester with boss and he gets 2909 with the 168 TXS and 2823 with the 180 Accu Bond his barrel is 24" including the boss

Mine is 25 1/2" long and I can push a 165 grain Hornady and Nosler at 2960fps with 56.5 grains of W760.

150 Nosler Partitions are doing 3060 with 59 grains of IMR-4350.

Haven't played with the 200's enough, but will be shortly.

I'll try that H 4350, and the 760...or I'll put that in my notes. I've since sold the Ruger 1B. It was an honest 1" shooter and a nice rifle for the 26" barrel...a bit heavy..
As a side note. It showed no pressure signs with either load the RL 22 or IMR 4831.

Those darn 30-06's. For some reason it is not my favorite cartridge, but I own 5, LOL. The 270 Win is and I only own 2, go Figure. I was at a friends gun shop on Thursday and he showed me a real nice european model made by Golden State Arms in the late 50's, I bought it for $275.00, I guess I just hate those 30-06's.

The loads I have been shooting in a 24" barrel have been 57 grains of IMR4350, with a 180 Nosler partition, at 2850 fps. Good load works real well on elk, killed 8 with that combination. Groups are less than 1.

Jerry

I shoot a 26" barrel in my 30-06 and most of my rifles have 26 inch tubes, but not for velocity, rather for balance and off hand shooting....

I don't believe a 26 inch tube has any killing advantage over a 22 inch barrel other than in the mind of the beholder...Nor do I believe there is any killing advantage to any 300 magnum over a 30-06, only a trajectory advantage exists...Sorry if this bursts any baloons....

I have played a little with this in the 165 and 150 grain bullet ranges....

A lot of guys talk up the use of 4350 a lot.... however, I suggest giving H 414/W760 a try....

Being a flaked powder, you can get a little more into the case, and even tho it is said it has the burn rate of 4350, I find it can better 4350 for velocity and accuracy.....

I am sure you are smart enough to work up....

I have hit 3000 fps easily in my 24 inch barreled Winchester Model 70s and I have bettered that in my 26 inch barrel Enfield.

Rock ON!

Cheers
seafire