30-06 load work up and trajectory?

[sven556]

I've been working up a load for deer season. This is out of a, new to me, rem 700 adl manufactured in 1975.

Started with 150gr rem core lock over varget (47, 48, 49, and 50gr) The first three charge weights shot around 2.5-3" at 100yds. the 50gr load shot about 5". I'm about out of the core locks so I found some hornady 165gr btsp locally and tried them. Loading them over varget (48-49.5gr) all groups were between 1.5-2" at 100yds. The 48gr load appeared the most consistent so I plan to work with that load some more.

Is there a way to guesstimate the velocity of a 165 gr bullet over 48gr varget out of a standard remington barrel (22" I think)? And also can a trajectory be calculated? I can shoot at 100 and 200 yds at the local range but I would like a rough estimate of the drop at 300 or 400 yds. I should have access to a range that is at least 300 yds soon and I hope I don't have to waste too many rounds getting on target!

Don't worry I won't be trying to shoot any deer at 300 or 400 yds. Just want to try my hand at some longer ranges.

What's your SOP for working up a new load? So far, I've been selecting a bullet and appropriate powder and trying different charges until I found the best group.

 

[JabaliHunter]

Yes - the BC of the Hornady BTSP 165gr (#3045) is listed as 0.435 so all you need to do is shoot with 100 yard zero at 100 and 200 yards, measure the drop and then look up the ballistic tables for 0.435 BC in the back of a loading manual. Then find the speed which matches the drop that you measured between 100 and 200 yards.

It is only an estimate of velocity because it depends on how consistent the shots were, but you can get an idea of the drop at 300 and 400 yards with different zero ranges. But if you can it is worth checking with a few rounds at 300 when you get the chance.

Hope that helps

 

[jr600yd]

Varget is a good powder to be sure. Try some 4350, I think things will improve.

 

[M700]

Sven - I'm a huge fan of the .30-06! Here's a link to the best article I've seen on loading the .30-06 for hunting:

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/newsletters/May_2009.html

John Barsness is quite a writer and a very experienced hunter. His recommendations ring true.

For quite a few years now I've been using H4350 in the .30-06, with a 165 grain bullet. Am getting good accuracy, good velocity, and excellent results in the hunting field. The past two years, my youngest son has decided the old rifle is his, and has taken bear and deer with it:

In each case, we had loaded the 165 gr Nosler "Solid Base" which is no longer available - it was a lead-tipped predecessor to the Nosler Ballistic Tip. It's a good all around bullet, so is the Hornady you've chosen.

If you sight in at 200 yards with a 165 grain bullet at 2700 - 2800 fps, you'll have no trajectory problems at any range out to 300 yards. A tad high at 100, a few inches low at 300. No big problem to cope with in the field. I keep that old (M1917) .30-06 of mine sighted in at 200 yards, with a modest muzzle velocity of 2750 fps.

JabaliHunter has given some good advice - most of us didn't have access to chronographs in years gone by, and I'd often do exactly as he said - make an estimate of the muzzle velocity based on what I'd see at the range compared to what I'd read in the loading manual trajectory tables. Kind of oddball reverse engineering, but it worked well enough.

BTW - if your mid 70's .30-06 Rem 700 has been treated kindly over the years, it should be an excellent hunting rifle. Remington made very good, very accurate hunting rifles in those years. I still have one I got brand new in 1974, and it still shoots very well.

Regards, Guy

 

[bheadboy]

also if you have any 4895, it is great in the 06

good advice on using the 165.
Bob

 

[MrMajestic]

German would be proud! '06 is the real deal. You can use the JBM website to guesstimate your MV like the manuals. I must concur with H4350 as the "go to" powder for the middleweights. On a side, try floating the barrel and adjust your trigger to 2 1/2-3 lbs. and see if those groups don't tighten up. Good progress so far with the bullet change.

 

[sven556]

I'll try using h4350 and see how that does.

Is the remington trigger adjustable? And, if so, how do I go about it? The trigger pull is fairly heavy (6-7lbs would be my guess) but is short and smooth.

What barrel twist did remington use in their 30-06's?

on a side note: is 48gr varget under a 165gr bullet safe in an M1 garand? and is h4350 a safe powder to use in the garand?

 

[MrMajestic]

I'll try using h4350 and see how that does.

Is the remington trigger adjustable? And, if so, how do I go about it? The trigger pull is fairly heavy (6-7lbs would be my guess) but is short and smooth.

http://www.theoutdoorwriter.com/shooting/r700_trigger.htm

What barrel twist did remington use in their 30-06's?

1 in 10"

on a side note: is 48gr varget under a 165gr bullet safe in an M1 garand? and is h4350 a safe powder to use in the garand?

 

[jbpmidas]

48 grains of Varget sounds a little heavy to me for a Garand load, but I have never loaded Varget for my Garand. I have used H335 and IMR4895.

 

[sven556]

I'll plan on working up a different load for my garands. I've never looked it up but, I was also thinking that 48gr varget sounded a bit much.

After deer season I'll try adjusting the trigger and using h4350. Hopefully I can wring out some more accuracy.

Also, with this being a stock rifle so far; would free-floating the barrel and bedding the stock make much difference? Right now I'm contemplating pillar bedding and glass bedding it myself or seeing what a gunsmith would charge. I've bedded a couple rifles (10-22 and k31) and both worked out well. On the other hand, I almost hate to mess with an original remington rifle (I know there's no collector value or anything), but if I ever decide to sell it, unaltered condition will sell quicker and for more dollars than a modified rifle. Not sure what I want to do!

 

[MrMajestic]

Three "B's" of accuracy, Barrels, Bullets, and Bedding. When you have it shooting bug holes you won't sell it!

 

[M700]

Sven - unless you have a desire for some other rifle, I'd keep that old Remington and hunt with it forever. A guy could hunt the world with a good .30-06, and not come up short very often.

FWIW, Guy

 

[k80skeet]

My 30-06 really likes H4350 56.0-57.0 will shoot 165gr bullets wonderfully as the old saying goes if a 30-06 won't shoot good with 56grs to 57grs of H4350 with a 165gr bullet it probably won't shoot anything. I believe this is pretty much the truth.

 

[wboggs]

My buddies and I take 50-75 whitetail a year and have for the last 20 yds. Best bullet I have ever seen is the Barnes TSX or TTSX. The 30-06 is as good as you can get and your older 700 should shoot very well indeed. We use 165-180 Barnes. Seat them about .06 off the lands and you will be surprised at the accurate load you can work up. Don't be afraid to load up to the 60,000 psi range in your rifle. Don't let anyone make you feel inferior with the old 06. With modern loads, it will run with the best of them, 7mm Mags included.
Good hunting.
Bill

 

[sven556]

I finally shot at 100 and 200 meters using the 48gr Varget load. Impact was 4.5" lower at 200M. I tried looking up the ballistics table in the Sierra manual and couldn't find any mention of bullet drop compared to ballistic coefficients. I'll try looking up a table online.

 

[wboggs]

Ballistic tables from Hornady with the165gr Spire Point, BC .435. They are in yds and you used meters which are approximately 10% more yards.
Zeroed at 100yds the bullet drops -4.5" at 200 at mv 2600fps
This data is for standard atmospheric conditions and if your firings are in non-standard, you will have to correct your bullet BC.
Hope this helps, the velocity obtained under your conditions is an approximation but does give you a general idea.
Zeroed at 100yds MV fps Drop at 200yds in inches
2900 -3.3
2800 -3.7
Bill 2700 -4.1

 

[Larryh128]

This is just a rough guage BUT MOST high velocity rounds in the 06 range will drop about 6" per 50 yds AFTER you hit the 300 yd mark. This is not exact science because of your unknown velocity & scope height over bore but mearly something to give you a rough estimate.

 

[sven556]

Thanks for the assistance! That ballistics calculator on Hornady's website is pretty helpful. I'll use this load for deer season next week and then I'll get after the trigger, stock, and also try some H4350.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[280shooter]

IMR 4064 IS ALSO GOOD IN 30-06 I SHOOT 52 TO 52.5 WITH 150s AN 48 WITH 165 AN 168 IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY GO TO POWDER FOR THE 06

 

[sbhooper]

Some are saying great things about RL17 in the 06 also. I haven't tried it yet in my 760.