30-06 Load Recommendations?

[Chuck97]

Looking to gain some advice from others experience. I’m new to hand loading and have spent the last several months trying out loads in my Bergara B-14 in .30-06. Currently my most accurate load has been:
150 grn. Speer Hot-Cor
54.5 grns. of IMR 4451
Wolf LRP
Winchester Brass

Groups averaged 3/4” at 100 yds if I do my part. Managed to bag an Alabama whitetail at around 150 yds last month with them.

I managed to secure some Lapua Brass and have tried some heavy for caliber 208 gr. Hornady ELD-M match with ram shot hunter. Results have been decent but still not as good as the classic Speers. My question is what are some of you guys using for fun range loads or whitetail loads in your .30/06’s? Thanks.

 

[FurTrapper]

Try 52gr of IMR 4350 under a 180gr Sierra Spitzer. That's what shoots best for us!

 

[mikeinct]

For under 150 yd/200 say shots. Those 150 grain jobs are like Hand grenades inside the vitals of smaller deer. I'd stick with those. mikeinct

 

[darkangel_r2]

Whats your twist rate? 208 is going to need a 1-10 twist to spin it.

I made up a load for a friends 30-06 for deer hunting. Staball 6.5 and a 178 eldx. It did very well, probably should have run it a little hotter to see if I could get to the next node up as I didn't see pressure during load development but it still shot quite well. 2760 fps in a 22" with no pressure signs and first 3 shots on a cold barrel went below 2/3" consistently and single digit SDs for 5 shots.

 

[Chuck97]

Whats your twist rate? 208 is going to need a 1-10 twist to spin it.

I made up a load for a friends 30-06 for deer hunting. Staball 6.5 and a 178 eldx. It did very well, probably should have run it a little hotter to see if I could get to the next node up as I didn't see pressure during load development but it still shot quite well. 2760 fps in a 22" with no pressure signs and first 3 shots on a cold barrel went below 2/3" consistently and single digit SDs for 5 shots.

Twist rate is 1-10” and I have been eyeing the 6.5 staball powder as I seem to be able to find it available in my area rather often. I’ll have to give that a try thanks.

 

[Bc'z]

55.4gr h4350 and a 185gr berger is safe in my rifle, I'm throated long.

 

[Beiruty]

Try RL17

 

[K22]

In my opinion, you are already there for white tail hunting - 3/4" groups are more than enough - the 150 grain bullet is an excellent choice for white tail.

If you want to go after something bigger, say black bear, try the 165 grain Sierra Spitzer with IMR 4350.

The 30 06 is a premier cartridge for North American hunting applications.

Personally, in this time of component shortages, I would spend my components on range practice becoming a better field shot than on load development since you already have a very good load.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

The Berger 168 classic hunter or the Hornady 165 sst will be easy tunes and great hunting bullets.

 

[Gary in MD]

A maximum charge of IMR 4350 and a 150 grain Nosler ballistic tip has worked well in a couple 30-06s.
Have been using H4350 and 168 Bergers with very good accuracy in a custom Cooper.
Also just tried Stabal6.5 (1/2 grain under max) in a new Sako with a 150 grain Sierra and it shot very well and accounted one of my deer this year.
Gary

 

[bobm]

My fun load? 190gr. Hornady SPBT with a near max charge of IMR 4064. Hunting load is IMR 4350 with a Sierra 180gr. Gameking on deer and elk

I think you already found the perfect load for your rifle.

 

[358WCF]

Looking to gain some advice from others experience. I’m new to hand loading and have spent the last several months trying out loads in my Bergara B-14 in .30-06. Currently my most accurate load has been:
150 grn. Speer Hot-Cor
54.5 grns. of IMR 4451
Wolf LRP
Winchester Brass

Groups averaged 3/4” at 100 yds if I do my part. Managed to bag an Alabama whitetail at around 150 yds last month with them.

I managed to secure some Lapua Brass and have tried some heavy for caliber 208 gr. Hornady ELD-M match with ram shot hunter. Results have been decent but still not as good as the classic Speers. My question is what are some of you guys using for fun range loads or whitetail loads in your .30/06’s? Thanks.

A 125 gr spitzer (Sierra #2120) & between 50 to 52 gr of IMR 3031 is one of those loads that have shot well in every 06 I've tried it in. Very light recoil. Also 52 to 54 gr of IMR 4064 with 150s is another one. In a rifle that doesn't live here anymore they shot to the same point of impact at 100 yds.

An FYI... it may be a good idea to reduce your proven loads from WW brass to use them in Lapua brass. Working back upwards if necessary. The lot of Lapua 06 that I have has much smaller internal capacity. Maybe I'm just lucky but an 8 to 10% reduction duplicated velocity from WW brass. As always, my stuff isn't the same as your stuff, so YMMV.

 

[338 dude]

Looking to gain some advice from others experience. I’m new to hand loading and have spent the last several months trying out loads in my Bergara B-14 in .30-06. Currently my most accurate load has been:
150 grn. Speer Hot-Cor
54.5 grns. of IMR 4451
Wolf LRP
Winchester Brass

Groups averaged 3/4” at 100 yds if I do my part. Managed to bag an Alabama whitetail at around 150 yds last month with them.

I managed to secure some Lapua Brass and have tried some heavy for caliber 208 gr. Hornady ELD-M match with ram shot hunter. Results have been decent but still not as good as the classic Speers. My question is what are some of you guys using for fun range loads or whitetail loads in your .30/06’s? Thanks.

 

[choprzrul]

I'm shooting the Speer 168gr Gold Dots in my XBolt 30-06 seated 0.020" off using the Sinclair tool measurement.

58.0gr RL16
Norma brass
BR2 primers
2842fps average from my 22" barrel
0.68" average 5 shot group size.

I used it the first time this fall on our Nebraska deer excursion. Pass through, so no bullet recovery; but this guy went all of about 20 yards and piled up.

 

[Mark W]

I have 3 rifles chambered in 30-06. One thing they have in common is that all three shoot good with IMR 4064.

 

[mmcu]

IMR 4064 and just about any 150 grain bullet.

RL-22 and a 180 grain Partition.

 

[philip brousseau]

4350, 150 or 165 gamekings,f210 primers. .010 for the lands and most accurate powder charge usually works.

 

[MUP]

I've used Nosler ballistic tips, 150 gr, to develop my load and then switch over to Nosler accubond 150 gr for hunting with a good bonded bullet. The BC is the same for each bullet but the NBTs are, or were, cheaper to develop loads with over the NABs. AA4350 powder at 57.4 gr was the propellant, R-P brass, CCI LR primers.

First kill with the 06 handloads.

 

[sep]

I'm using 168 grain Barnes TTSX's fueled by H4350 as my general purpose deer to moose load in my 30-06s.

 

[Big Mc]

Looking to gain some advice from others experience. I’m new to hand loading and have spent the last several months trying out loads in my Bergara B-14 in .30-06. Currently my most accurate load has been:
150 grn. Speer Hot-Cor
54.5 grns. of IMR 4451
Wolf LRP
Winchester Brass

Groups averaged 3/4” at 100 yds if I do my part. Managed to bag an Alabama whitetail at around 150 yds last month with them.

I managed to secure some Lapua Brass and have tried some heavy for caliber 208 gr. Hornady ELD-M match with ram shot hunter. Results have been decent but still not as good as the classic Speers. My question is what are some of you guys using for fun range loads or whitetail loads in your .30/06’s? Thanks.

Try some RL22 if you can find it. Tommy Mc 175 SMK or 180 grs.