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Light Loads for a 30-06

Evan

Hi all. I've got a handful of boxes of 155 SMKs from a while back and was thinking about loading them up in my Grandpa's 30-06 (Mauser 98, 20" sporter barrel) to target shoot with and wanted to load them way down; something really nice and pleasant to shoot from a bench in a light hunting rifle. I've done some research and identified the following loads to try:

30gns of 4227
23gns of 4198
35gns of 3031

Do you guys have any thoughts about what will work the best (cleanest burning, most accurate, least muzzle blast)?
 
23gr of 4198 load will hang fire. Try 30gr with that powder and use a magnum primer for all of the loads. The 3031 will be the dirtiest and the 4227 the cleanest (simple result of pressure and burn).

I shoot piles of 30gr/4198 under a hard cast gaschecked bullet and a magnum primer and it runs ~2200fps, group near 1moa in my ‘06s and is easy to shoot. This mimics the old HiVel midrange loads that Whelen etc shot. Dave Scoville suggested the 4198 load in a Wolfe Cast Bullet Annual from the 90’s and the mag primer was a requirement. He was right.

Keep the brass you use as a separate lot and watch for shortening of headspace. The primer pushing the case forward at firing is the main cause but you should get at least five shots before it becomes an issue. Seating the bullets to a slight jam will help.
 
What daleboy said !

I've done the h4895 sixty% rule reduced loads and they're perfect.

It works on any cartridge that has data with h4895. I doubt there is a better option unless you're going for subsonic.
 
17-20 grains of unique will give you around 1800-2000 fps with 155 grain bullets. These loadings can be really accurate in sporter weight barrels! Trail boss can get you down to the 1300-1700 fps range safely. Reduced loads are huge fun in center fire rifles. The barrels heat up lots slower, especially with Trail Boss. Trail Boss really needs weighing the charges because it meters pretty poorly.
 
Evan said:
Hi all. I've got a handful of boxes of 155 SMKs from a while back and was thinking about loading them up in my Grandpa's 30-06 (Mauser 98, 20" sporter barrel) to target shoot with and wanted to load them way down; something really nice and pleasant to shoot from a bench in a light hunting rifle. I've done some research and identified the following loads to try:

30gns of 4227
23gns of 4198
35gns of 3031

Do you guys have any thoughts about what will work the best (cleanest burning, most accurate, least muzzle blast)?
Click to expand...

I have used 16 grains of Trailboss with a 150 grain bullet
 
ebb said:
Mine is a 20 inch Mauser in 30-06 also. I like the 125 BT in mine.
Click to expand...
It likes 125 Nosler ballistic tips a lot, but I'm just trying to get something worked up to practice offhand and odd position shooting with the 400 155s I have sitting around. Full strength loads beat me up pretty quickly, and I'd like to shoot 50+ each time I go out.
 
If you have a Hornady manual that has the garand loads section, look at it. I have shot a lot of 44 grs of Varget in my M1 for garand matches or 43 grs of H4895. Or as said above, H4895 60% rule, Hornady specifically tested loads for the Garand with these lighter loads.

I have shot a lot of 125s also but having a senior moment on the load at the moment.
Dave
 
I just shot some 225gr Hornady ELD-Ms over 30grIMR4198/Fed215s in my 23" sporter M70. Velocity right at 1850fps, 30fps extreme spread, two-five shot groups at a hundred right at 3/4".

(had 12 extra cases primed since I ran out of cast bullets...)
 
Last edited:
Either (IMR or H) 4198 is also good for lighter loads; I usually use this with a heavier bullet than the 110 gr. in .30-06. 4198 is a very handy powder to have around; you can use it for reduced loads in bottleneck cartridges, full charges in straight-walled cartridges such as the .45-70, or the .22 centerfires.
 
I have used 2400 powder, it gave excellent accuracy with a 220 grain G.C. lead bullet. It is insensitive to its position within the case as regards ignition but might not be the best for a jacketed bullet. Might be worth checking into.
 
Steve Ladino said:
I have used 2400 powder, it gave excellent accuracy with a 220 grain G.C. lead bullet. It is insensitive to its position within the case as regards ignition but might not be the best for a jacketed bullet. Might be worth checking into.
Click to expand...
I also use the Hodgdon 4895 reduced loads and Nosler BTs. Scary accurate with 1/2" groups and light recoil.
 
Evan said:
Hi all. I've got a handful of boxes of 155 SMKs from a while back and was thinking about loading them up in my Grandpa's 30-06 (Mauser 98, 20" sporter barrel) to target shoot with and wanted to load them way down; something really nice and pleasant to shoot from a bench in a light hunting rifle. I've done some research and identified the following loads to try:

30gns of 4227
23gns of 4198
35gns of 3031

Do you guys have any thoughts about what will work the best (cleanest burning, most accurate, least muzzle blast)?
Click to expand...
Muzzle brakes are cheap on e bay and enable you to take the guess work out of powder charges along with the recoil pain. Clamp on brakes are available too.
 
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