Accurate Target Loads .30-06?

[kcwolf200]

I have been reloading for a couple of months now. I recently bought a Savage 116 bolt action and am wanting to reload accurate rounds for target shooting.

After extensive research online and in manuals, I have 3 test loads with different powders that I am going to try. I am trying Varget, IMR 4895, and IMR 4350 using starting loads out of the Lee and Lyman manuals. I am using once fired Remington brass, CCI #200 LR primers and Sierra 168gr Matchking bullets.

Just curious what any of you guys have found that works for you. Also, when testing out loads, how do you all do it? I'm planning on firing 5 of each load at 100 yards from a bench using a sandbag.

Any comments or suggestions are appreciated since I'm kinda new to this. Thanks.

 

[Brownie]

Sounds like you have the start to finding an accurate load. As far as testing loads goes you can do it the way your thinking and have good results. However with the price of components you should look up the ladder method of testing loads. If you google it you should find several links.

 

[sloughfoot]

Every load has a "sweet spot". It is an area where a variance of several tenths of grains of powder still lands the bullet within a group size that is acceptable to you.

Most manuals have a "most accurate" load for each of the powders you plan to use. BTW, all three powders are excellent choices for the cartridge.

I would start with the recommended "most accurate" load. Why reinvent the wheel?

To see if you can get an improvement, load 5 cartridges at a time with .2 grains less powder than the recommended best accuracy load. If there is room before reaching maximum, you can go up also with the powder charge in .2 grain increments.

For me, 45 grains of any of the medium burning powders behind the 168 works just fine. I don't spend a lot of time on it and I don't weigh each charge.

Have fun.

 

[1$Chuck]

If you haven't already checked it out, take a look at the Hodgdon Reloading Data Center.

Cartridge Loads - Hodgdon Reloading Data Center - data.hodgdon.com

Great reference for Hodgdon and IMR powders.

 

[red_zr24x4]

Also you'll want to try adjusting your OAL after you find the powder charge you want to use. I usually load up a dummy round to get my total length from rifling to bolt head. and start seating it down from there(starting out about 20 thou.off the lands). I pick the one that will still let me use the mag length because that's your max length unless you want a single shot

 

[teddy12b]

I have a savage 110fp in 30-06 that I special ordered years ago. I used the sierra book and imr 4350 power and worked up in .5gr increments using 168gr matchkings. In my rifle the sweet spot was right at 2600 fps. It's not the fastest load by far, but it'll shoot less than a 1/2" and make it out to the 1000 yard steel up at Young's so I'm not going to complain one bit.

 

[kcwolf200]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I'm glad to hear I'm on the right track. Should I get the Sierra manual? I looked through one and I don't really understand loading for velocity. The manuals I have list accurate tested loads or starting loads.

Any other manuals that are recommended? I read somewhere that the Hornady manual has loads for an M1 Garand, which I might start loading for in the future.

 

[rimfire_crazed]

Every reloader should have the current Hornady, Lee, Sierra, and Lyman books in their library. Supplement with data from powder manufacturer's like Alliant, Hodgdon, and Accurate.

You're on a good path to an accurate load, but there's a lot more to it than just picking a load out of a book and loading it up.

 

[teddy12b]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I'm glad to hear I'm on the right track. Should I get the Sierra manual? I looked through one and I don't really understand loading for velocity. The manuals I have list accurate tested loads or starting loads.

Any other manuals that are recommended? I read somewhere that the Hornady manual has loads for an M1 Garand, which I might start loading for in the future.

I might have confused you with what I was getting at. When I worked up my load, I wasn't really worried about what velocity I would ultimately end up with. I work up a load for the tightest groups I can get, where ever the velocity ends up just is what it is. After working up a load I ran the new favorite ammo through a chronograph at the range and it averaged at 2600fps (actually 2595, but 2600 is easier to remember).

If you don't already have it, I would look at the sierra software. It's an incredible tool and it has all the sierra load data in it. You can also create drop charts once you've found your new favorite load. Personally, I've used several different ballistic calculators, and the sierra charts have consistantly been the best.

 

[kcwolf200]

So I have recently acquired the Hornady and Sierra manuals, since I use their bullets.

The Lyman and Lee manuals list starting loads (the Lyman actually even lists a most accurate load), while the Hornady and Sierra list velocities with their loads. How do you guys use this data? I am guessing just start at the lowest and work up from there and see what is most accurate as mentioned above?

 

[sloughfoot]

I would load up 10 rounds of your 168 bullets with an between load ( hint, hint 45 grains) of IMR 4895 or Varget or IMR4350. (Did anybody suggest 45 grains?) I think I heard somebody recommend 45 grains.........

This should be less than maximum in all your manuals and should be just fine for a sandbagged rifle at 100 yards.

Time to shoot and see if you can shoot up to this loads ability to group.

I doubt you will see much improvement in your groups by painstakingly going up or down by tenths of a grain.

Don't overthink it, just load up some rounds with 45 grains of powder and SHOOT. This is not uncharted territory here.

This has been common knowledge for 50 years or more

Regards

 

[kcwolf200]

Thanks for the advice. I'm sensing 45 grains for some reason......

What's driving me crazy is I've got some loads already and going to make up a few more, but the weather won't let me go out and shoot. Next week doesn't look any better....