30-06 and SPEER 168gr GoldDot

[boltman13]

I do not think a Gold Dot bullet would have internal ballistics different than their Hot Core brand cup and core standby. My Speer Manual # 12 dated 1994 lists the Hot Core 168 grain bullet in 30-06 with the following useful loads:
POWDER START MAXIMUM
Win 760 53.0 57.0
IMR 4350 54.0 58.0
H 4350 54.0 58.0C
These three were the top velocity loads. Other powders with slower velocity but normally good performers in the 30-06 were IMR 4831, H 4831, IMR 4064, H 4895, and Re 19. If you load with OAL that fits in the magazine of your rifle you can't go wrong. Fine tuning OAL so long as your rounds fit in the magazine may help. The C stands for compressed load. Good luck.

 

[Brians356]

I do not think a Gold Dot bullet would have internal ballistics different than their Hot Core brand cup and core standby. My Speer Manual # 12 dated 1994 lists the Hot Core 168 grain bullet in 30-06 with the following useful loads:
POWDER START MAXIMUM
Win 760 53.0 57.0
IMR 4350 54.0 58.0
H 4350 54.0 58.0C
These three were the top velocity loads. Other powders with slower velocity but normally good performers in the 30-06 were IMR 4831, H 4831, IMR 4064, H 4895, and Re 19. If you load with OAL that fits in the magazine of your rifle you can't go wrong. Fine tuning OAL so long as your rounds fit in the magazine may help. The C stands for compressed load. Good luck.

That's counter to what Speer are saying about their own product. The UniCor construction is radically different from the venerable HotCor. In the latter, molten lead is poured into the jacket. The UniCor process is described in the Shooting Times article thusly:

Gold Dot rifle bullets are not conventional cup-and-core jacketed bullets. Instead, they are made using Speer’s proven production process of electrodepositing a thick copper sheath on a swaged lead-alloy core before final forming and sizing.

Significantly different, enough so that Speer advise using their specific load data. I myself would not hesitate to work up my own 30-06 loads, but I'd use the extrapolation approach I describe earlier.
-

 

[Steve Ladino]

Thanks for the add to the group! I'm an humble novice reloader for 6 years now and as Johnny says, "I haven't blown my face off...yet!" With supplies hard to find in my area because of COVID19, I found some Speer GoldDot 168grain .308" at Walmart while getting some groceries. I looked and can't find any load data for that bullet in 30-06 Springfield. I emailed Speer, but no reply yet.

Trying to get knowledge, I read an article from ShootingTimes by Lane Pearce 2019 in which the author states: So two caveats to remember when loading Gold Dot rifle bullets: Use only Speer’s load data specifically developed for them and pay extra attention to holding onto them while seating them.

There are tons of loads in the manuals and online(including SPEER) for other 168gr bullets in 30-06, so I know I should be able to load them. I always stick to published loads working up to max checking for over pressure signs. Any ideas??? In my limited wisdom I have not tried to load any of my own homemade loads; so C.O.L. and safe beginning charge is a concern. Powder would be IMR 4350 or Reloader 19. I mainly load for .223 and 300BLK in rifle but only recently started loading for my Winchester Model 70 30-06. If anyone has tried these bullets, I would appreciate your thoughts. Ultimate purpose would be a hunting load for deer. I'm just tinkering while I have time at home. May God bless y'all and our nation! KF : )

 

[Steve Ladino]

They are a good bullet that do well at 100 yds. anyway, maybe longer likely. I have my accurate load in the 06 with H-Varget, seems to work in almost everything. Per my recorded data the 168 Speer GD's and 49.7 grains of Varget was most accurate. 59.5 grains of IMR 4350 with the 168's were fast and very accurate, both of these loads were seated .010" off the lands, base to ogive measurement being my overall length, not base to bullet tip.

 

[boltman13]

Brians356, I stand corrected. Thanks.

 

[mac86951]

Hmm, either the bullets are copper plated "electrodeposited" and don't take the same pressure; or may be over size and could have higher pressure? I'm sure they need a different load to shoot well for those guys who take a load right out of a book and shoot it. For those of us who work up; I can't help the feeling that we're being sold a bridge...

I know what I would do, but to each their own and I am curious how the GD construction performs both for all of interior, exterior, and terminal ballistically.

-Mac

 

[ROLL TIDE 76]

1st find your jam length with that given bullet.
I personally use a method outlined in the nosler manual.
Paint bearing surface of bullet with a sharpie,
Take a fired un sized case with no primer and flatten 1 side of neck just enough to grip bullet. Feed it into chamber take measurements. I'll do this numerous times looking for a repeatable measurement. Flat spot will remove sharpie, you may need to push bullet up to where sharpie is removed.
Once measurement is known I'll seat a bullet in a sized case and chamber it if I feel resistance I'll gradually seat bullet lower .002" at a time until I can close bolt with no resistance. This is your overall length for that particular bullet, and you've created a dummy round.
Now I'm sure someone will come along and say use the Wheeler method.
If you use search you'll find a video for Wheeler method.

4.20.20 Update....
Well my job started back and this online e-learning they've got us all doing is a giant hot mess! Luckily things are calming down this week. I feel bad for the kiddos and their parents trying to manage working and being new homeschool teachers!

I tried the Nosler method you recommended and found my average rifle seating depth to be 3.325" and taking their directions they recommend going back 0.015" to 0.03" for a range of 3.295" to 3.310" as C.O.L.

Alliant lists a Min O.L. for 168gr BTHP as 3.295" with 61gr Max charge of RL19.

I'm going to reduce by 10% and start with 55.0gr and work up. My question is do I go with the 3.310" since it should have less pressure and be closer to the lands?

Appreciate y'alls taking the time to help educate me. God bless!!! KF

 

[Bc'z]

4.20.20 Update....
Well my job started back and this online e-learning they've got us all doing is a giant hot mess! Luckily things are calming down this week. I feel bad for the kiddos and their parents trying to manage working and being new homeschool teachers!

I tried the Nosler method you recommended and found my average rifle seating depth to be 3.325" and taking their directions they recommend going back 0.015" to 0.03" for a range of 3.295" to 3.310" as C.O.L.

Alliant lists a Min O.L. for 168gr BTHP as 3.295" with 61gr Max charge of RL19.

I'm going to reduce by 10% and start with 55.0gr and work up. My question is do I go with the 3.310" since it should have less pressure and be closer to the lands?

Appreciate y'alls taking the time to help educate me. God bless!!! KF

Yes I would most definitely start at 3.310 after coarse charge weight is determined weather OCW or ladder move to seating depth test.
In seating depth test I push bullets deeper into the case in .003 increments looking for the sweet spot.

 

[ROLL TIDE 76]

Good deal. I'll start there and begin my load development. I'll try to post my range results as I go. Hope yall have a good week. KF

 

[ROLL TIDE 76]

Alright got off work at 1 today and hit the bench. I'm done with my first 20 rounds Speer 168gr Golddots in 30-06.
I'm using RL-19 with CCI 200 LR primer and a C.O.L. @ 3.310" to begin.
I've loaded four 5 shot groups to check for pressure signs and grouping. If all goes well I may go up from there or stop if I see pressure but Alliant lists a 61gr max charge and a min length of 3.295".
Loads as follows-hope to group size and chrono data soon!
55.0gr
56.0gr
57.0gr
58.0gr
I'd post a photo but ain't that tech smart, Ha!

Again I am appreciate of all the advice and I've enjoyed reading a lot of manuals and articles on the web. Love learning about reloading...its addictive! God bless and have a great weekend! KF

 

[glocker17]

I acquired some of the 168 GD bullets at Wal-Mart as well. I settled on a load of Varget 49.0 in the 06'. Great accuracy. Have taken 3 feral pigs, all were DRT with complete penetration. I'm buying more.

 

[nmkid]

I just got a 30-06 Friday and I will be using Hammer bullets as the rifle will be a present for a nephew in California.

 

[Ned Ludd]

A little late, but this may be of interest to the OP for comparative purposes - Speer's Manual loadings for their 168 BTHP: