I want to develop a varmint load for my 30-06 using the Speer 130 HP. I've heard of its accuracy and frangibility, so I got some cheap from my local shop.
What kind of velocity can you get from a 24" barrel? I'm looking for an accurate wood chuck load. I use Lapua brass and Federal match primers.

try some powders in the burning speed of imr 4064,if your 06 is a bolt you didn't say, you should easily brake 2900-almost 3,000 fps. ive not worked with laupua brass, but i know its very good as are federal match primers,speer bullets are Very good!!! regards jjmp

I was hoping for 3200. I can get 3000 with 150s and H4350 or RL-19. I have a bolt action.
Anybody use RL-15?

If you want to get 3200 fps, you may need to go to the Sierra 110 gr HP. I loaded it up with 56.5 gr of IMR-4064 and got over 3200 fps with very good accuracy from a 20" barrel Model 70 carbine. (Near max load, start at 53 or so and work up slowly) You might check a few loading manuals, although Speer didn't show any loads that approached 3200 with that particular bullet. If the 110 gr Sierra is too blunt for long range shooting (it provided spectacular results out to 200 yards or so), you might try the Nosler 125 gr Balllistic Tip. Nosler even lists a few loads that approach your velocity goal with Vihtavuori powders and one with H-4895. Good Luck.

I can get 3200 fps with Nosler 125 BT's in my Savage 110 and 55 gr Varget! Tried those Speer 130 gr in it when I first got the gun couldn't get better than 2" at 100yds with them. Went the BT's and I get 1/2" or less at 100 yds!

like puma says - try the nosler bt's - if the speers work, fine, but over the years of loading i found that speer bullets are the fussiest things to load of any. most of my guns don't like them at all, and then again the next one loves them. don't know why, but thats been my experience. 3200 might be possible, but why? the groundhog won't know the difference between 3200 and 3100 and 3000 and in general you'll get much better accuracy staying below the maximum, plus the barrel last longer

I've loaded some of the 130 Speer HPs with H335 and Federal Magnum primers. Not the highest velocity in the book, but maybe the accuracy will be there.

Also assembling 30-06 loads with the 130 grain speer fmj and the 130 grain barnes triple shock for some winter coyote / wolf hunting - looking at various powder combinations and will fire this weekend for accuracy from 22" remington 700.
Hope to actually slow them a bit from listed book loads to not ugly the hides too much.

KMule

Im abit behind the eight ball on this one but, Those Speer Hp do shoot well, with what Ive seen, up until recently I have used 7mm 115grs in my 7-08,mine a going +/- 3200 fps a friend uses them in his and a funny thing another mate uses them in his 300WSM we all have had good results,with the WSM they leaving the tube doing around +/- 3300 and they group amazingly well, I was there when he shot a .5 group @ 220 yrds off a bipod!!

The reason I changed is that sure the go real quick, bloody accurate but they slow down real quick too, Im still getting assholes about a day at the range a few weeks ago, reckoned I would have done better with a muzzleloader with that type of flight path!!!

If your shooting up to 250 yrds and they shoot well use them, theyre cool, over that they just plain drop too quick cause that big hole in the front!!!HEHE

Hope this helps, but they sure do make a mess of things!! Ive shot Hares with them, ITS NASTY!!!

Regards Runas

slancey-I've done a fair amount of working over chuck and pd fields using an 06 and either a 125 TNt and or the 130 Speer hp.

R15 is my number one choice for the job.

You'll get to 3100 with no issues, much over that isn't need IMO. You could run it to 3200 but that is really top end and I see no reason to go there.

Good luck to ya

Dober

I did some range testing with the Speer 130 HP and H335. I used Federal 215 magnum primers, per the Speer manual suggestion. I couldn't get groups much better than 1". I'll try RL 15 next. Any other powders work for you?

I get excellent accuracy (3/4 - 1 moa 5 shots) in sporter 24" barrel with the 130 HP over 53 gr H4895.

Larry Gibson