Working up 30-06 loads help

C

CowboyinIL

New member
I'm new to reloading, in fact this is my first run of reloads and I have a question regarding working up loads.

I purchased some 30.06 blemished 180gr spitzer plastic tipped .308 bt. 100 are red tipped, the other 100 are green tipped. I started working the loads at the bottom according to Lyman's manual which starting load for IMR4064 is 43.0gr and made 3 rounds (of the red tipped) and continued to make batches of 3 using 43.5, 44, 44.5, and 45gr of powder.

The question is, do you then restart the working up process for the green tipped 180gr bullets or is the work up data okay to use in all 180gr spitzer tipped 30.06 bullets?



Thanks in advance guys
 
The loads are probably ok, but if the projectiles are of different manufacture, the the Point of Impact will probably be different. Just a side note. I have always suspected that the difference between red tips and green tips was the color, even though the manfacture is suppose to be different. In my rifles (.223) they seem to shoot the same.
 
It will be close, but not the same.
The big issues are generally this:

1) Bearing surface, Not all bullets are the same in terms of bearing surface on the bore. So same weights can have much different pressures.

2) Jacket construction, Lots of different "copper" blends make-up a jacket. So some will be "stickier" than others, again leading to different pressures/harmonics.
 
Originally Posted By: ackleymanTry 56.0g of IMR 4350 and call it done.


NO, NO ,NO 55.5 Grains of IMR 4350
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56 or 55.5 doesn't really matter, But IMR 4350 has been a go to powder for the 06 for many a year.

Just start low and work up. Most likely you will find a load that works around .56 Grs.

DAB
 
The IMR4064 was good for my 06, as was the IMR4350. I then tried H414 and found an awsome load with it (all else being the same with all 3 except powder type and charge ammounts). According to burn rate charts, they are all pretty close to eachother.

Just experiment with loads until you find the performance and accuracy you want. A chronograph helps a lot in this.
 
As was mentioned an old standby is 56.0 - 57.0 grains of either IMR-4350 or H4350 under a quality 180 gr. bullet. That's been punching nice groups and dropping game for generations of hunters in the '06 for a long time.
 
The red tipped bullets are probably hornady and the green tipped are noslers. Point of impact will more than likely be different.

My favorite load when using a 180 grain bullet is 49.5 grains of IMR 4064.
 
The safest answer is yes. If I were you I would run one load work up and when you find the charge that works best just swap out bullets and try it. I could save powder time and bullets. One thing I always do is try to get the same results twice with a particular load.
 
Originally Posted By: GCAs was mentioned an old standby is 56.0 - 57.0 grains of either IMR-4350 or H4350 under a quality 180 gr. bullet. That's been punching nice groups and dropping game for generations of hunters in the '06 for a long time.

Careful now.

57gr IMR 4350 is the old standby with a 165gr bullet . With a 180gr bullet, I think you will find 57gr to be over the recommended max in just about every loading manual out there......
 
Originally Posted By: 2muchgunOriginally Posted By: GCAs was mentioned an old standby is 56.0 - 57.0 grains of either IMR-4350 or H4350 under a quality 180 gr. bullet. That's been punching nice groups and dropping game for generations of hunters in the '06 for a long time.

Careful now.

57gr IMR 4350 is the old standby with a 165gr bullet . With a 180gr bullet, I think you will find 57gr to be over the recommended max in just about every loading manual out there......

Good catch, thanks... speaking in general terms can be confusing and potentially dangerous at times. IMR might be a problem at that level. Since I tend to use H4350 and that would be in the ball park I guess that is what was on my mind.
 
It is a Tikka Hunter 30-06 Bolt Action.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts.

I've heard & read that if you change any component, you start from the bottom (starting loads again) and work your way up.

On the other hand, my Lymans 49th Edition doesn't break out each and every 180gr bullet by manufacturer. It breaks it down by bullet weight (and sometimes type..lead casting or jacketed) for the most part and so my thinking is that as long as it is a 180gr bullet, then it would be okay to start maybe just under the other 180gr worked up load for the green tips after working up the red tips from starting loads.
 
I knew it was a typo and that you know full well what you were talking about.

I quit loading 180s in the 30-06 a loooong time ago. 165-168s seem to be the optimum blullet weight in the 30-06 IMO. Little flatter trajectory, little less recoil, and I can't tell a dang bit of difference between it and a 180 in terms of killing critters effectively. If I were hunting really big critters, I may step up in weight. Although even an elk would seem no match for a 165gr premium hunting bullet. JMO, as I am not an elk hunter. Bullets have come a very long way in the last 20 yrs and what your father may have needed a 180 for, you can now do just as good or better with a 165, IMO.......
 
Originally Posted By: 2muchgunI knew it was a typo and that you know full well what you were talking about.

I quit loading 180s in the 30-06 a loooong time ago. 165-168s seem to be the optimum blullet weight in the 30-06 IMO. Little flatter trajectory, little less recoil, and I can't tell a dang bit of difference between it and a 180 in terms of killing critters effectively. If I were hunting really big critters, I may step up in weight. Although even an elk would seem no match for a 165gr premium hunting bullet. JMO, as I am not an elk hunter. Bullets have come a very long way in the last 20 yrs and what your father may have needed a 180 for, you can now do just as good or better with a 165, IMO.......

Good to see up ya posting again, Ken.


I agree. The 165s are awesome in the -06. I'd would highly recommend the 165 Sierra HPBT. It performs very well on game. I've read of folks having great luck with them on elk and moose, though I've never experienced a kill on that big of a critter. On White Tail, they're lights out.


They're a good choice in the 300 WM too...

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I agree about the 165 grain weight. It is a great all 'rounder bullet IMHO. That has been a mainstay for me in both the .30-06 and the .308 for many years. I've killed a lot of deer with plain jane .30 caliber 165 gr. Hornady and Sierra bullets, with a few Core-Lokt and Nosler Partition thrown in just for something different here and there. Right now I have two '06's in the safe and one shoots about anything well with a little load development. It is sighted in with a 165 gr. Sierra HPBT running just at 2,800 fps over my chrono. However, the other rifle absolutely throws a fit and is picky as heck with any bullet under 180 grs. Seat a 180 gr. Sierra or Hornady over a charge of H4350 that chrono's 2,735 fps and it settles down sweetly. So while I may like the 165's, that bore really seems to prefer the 180's so that is what it gets fed. Woods range whitetails don't notice the difference.
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Thanks Shane. I guess I was kinda dormant for a while.

I agree with you guys on the Sierras. I've taken a bunch of deer with them. And with the other plain Jane bullets also. The last 2 were with 165gr Hot-Cors, I believe, and the 2 before that with 165 Sierras. All 4 with a 1953 Winny Model 70 sporting a Leupold Vari-XIII 2.5-8x36. After that, you have to go back some years as I quit using my 06s for quite some time.

Plain old Powerpoints and Interlocks worked well for me also. The "plain jane" bullets, as we say, are all you need for deer and they work well.

The first deer I ever took was with a custom Mauser 98 30-06 and Speer 165s..........

 
Originally Posted By: 2muchgunOriginally Posted By: GCAs was mentioned an old standby is 56.0 - 57.0 grains of either IMR-4350 or H4350 under a quality 180 gr. bullet. That's been punching nice groups and dropping game for generations of hunters in the '06 for a long time.

Careful now.

57gr IMR 4350 is the old standby with a 165gr bullet . With a 180gr bullet, I think you will find 57gr to be over the recommended max in just about every loading manual out there......

I concur with what 2muchgun says. Besides, a 165gr. bullet in 06 is hard to beat.
 
Originally Posted By: 2muchgunI knew it was a typo and that you know full well what you were talking about.

I quit loading 180s in the 30-06 a loooong time ago. 165-168s seem to be the optimum blullet weight in the 30-06 IMO. Little flatter trajectory, little less recoil, and I can't tell a dang bit of difference between it and a 180 in terms of killing critters effectively. If I were hunting really big critters, I may step up in weight. Although even an elk would seem no match for a 165gr premium hunting bullet. JMO, as I am not an elk hunter. Bullets have come a very long way in the last 20 yrs and what your father may have needed a 180 for, you can now do just as good or better with a 165, IMO.......

i agree 100%,the only rifle i load 180s in anymore is my old 30-40.and it just rocks
 
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