Reloading 30-06. Would like some advise please.

[nedro]

I just bought an old Mauser K98, originally built in the 30's. (Waffen proof marks)
It was turned into a sporterized 30-06.

The barrel is 22" with a 1:10 twist.
It came with a BEC 3-9x50 illuminated scope attached at a 90 degrees to allow for extracting shells without beating up the turret.

It will be used on a 100 yard range as that all I have access to.

I'm looking for a projectile that will get stable just before 100 yards so that if I get a chance to go to a 200 yard range, the projectiles will remain stable at 200 yards. Or even farther if possible.

Are there common rules of thumb for a 30-06 as far as projectiles, and powder are concerned?

I have loaded for 6.8 SPC, 308 Win. and 223, just for reference. I did some pretty specific work on the 6.8, reloading different OAL, measuring the chamber jump on different ogives and even buying special mags with the front ground off for longer rounds.

I only mentioned this so you know I'm not afraid of getting in deep if need be.

So because of today's prices and scarcity of components, I'm hoping to get some advice on powders that work with what projectiles and what weights should I look at.

Thanks.

[choprzrul]

As I understand projectile stability, it is a function of rate of twist, bullet length, and velocity.

Put your numbers into this online calculator for a quick answer: https://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmstab-5.1.cgi

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[Calif Hunter]

A good accurate load in every .30-06 I have tried it in, is 52.0 gr of IMR4064 under a 150 gr Sierra SP or Nosler Ballistic Tip. Go to 55 gr with a 125 gr Sierra SP. For heavier bullets, I have used IMR4350.

I tried 110 gr bullets with little luck - mediocre accuracy, wind affects them and they shed velocity quickly. I have not loaded bullets over 180 gr in .30-06. I have not had any stability issues in standard twist barrels with 125 to 180 bullets from Sierra, Speer, Nosler, Hornady, Remington or Barnes.

[alpha_romeo_XV]

Its a bolt action so you don't need to worry about semi-auto cycling or fouling. You could make some low recoil loads that will be accurate.
I'd slug the barrel to get its exact bore dia. Then see what powder and projectiles are even obtainable at this time.

[bigbossman]

No over-thinking needed. Pretty much any good bullet from Speer, Hornady, Sierra, etc., with a standard published load will do the trick.

[MongooseV8]

A 1:10 twist in a 22 inch 30-06 will stabilize pretty much anything.

[Elgatodeacero]

Anything 147/150 or heavier will work fine long past 200 yards.

Your limiting factors at longer range are the short 22” barrel length and the scope (and maybe the way it is mounted?)

A nice bullet to try if you can find some would be

https://shop.nosler.com/nosler-bullets/custom-competition/custom-competition-30-168-gr-hpbt-bullet-100ct-11504.html

Or

https://shop.nosler.com/nosler-bullets/custom-competition/custom-competition-30-190-grain-hpbt-bullet-100ct.html

Nosler also has great load data for free here

https://load-data.nosler.com/load-data/30-06-springfield/

[JagerDog]

A 1:10 twist in a 22 inch 30-06 will stabilize pretty much anything.

^^^^^this.

Maybe stay away from the longest bullets (finicky on twist) and shortest bullets (seat too far from lands) and you should be good. Any powder in the 4350/4895 range would be logical.

[RNE228]

This. Hard to go wrong in 30-06 with 4064; a pretty classic loading for the cartridge (or 308Win for that matter)

Have shot Wyoming Muley's and Antelope with the 150 gr Speer SP out to ~450 yards.

Speer shows 52gr 4064 as Max load; I would start at the 48gr Low limit and work up from there.

https://reloadingdata.speer.com/downloads/speer/reloading-pdfs/rifle/30-06_Springfield_150.pdf

A good accurate load in every .30-06 I have tried it in, is 52.0 gr of IMR4064 under a 150 gr Sierra SP or Nosler Ballistic Tip.

[Cowboy T]

That's the beauty of the .30-06. Pretty much any bullet made in .30-cal will shoot well, given a decent load. That's largely true for the .308 Win as well, BTW.

For the kind of shooting you're talking about, 150gr will easily get you out to 700 yards. The 168-grain and 175-180 grain bullets will get you out to 1,000. The 200-grain bullets will do what the 175-180 grain bullets will do and hit even harder, but you'll feel a bit more recoil due to the heavier bullet.

So, I'd pick the 150-gr or the 168-grain weights for the shooting you're talking about. They worked very well for decades for the US military forces...just ask any living German, Italian, or Japanese WWII veteran. :-)

[slamfire1]

Back in the day, when the 30-06 was a top match rifle at NRA across the course, there were three basic powders that were staples for target loads: IMR 4895, IMR 4064 and IMR 4350.

Prior to 2000, the match bullet was a 168 SMK, and somewhere around 2000 the 175 SMK was introduced. The 168 SMK is an outstanding bullet out to 600 yards, I do think the 175 is better at that distance and all the way out to 1000 yards. The 168 will tumble somewhere around 700 yards, not that is all that important.

A very common load was a 168 SMK 47.0 grains IMR 4895. This shoots well in every 30-06 I own.



same load with a 175 SMK



A common load in a bolt gun was a 168 SMK with 55.0 grains IMR 4350. My lot of H4350 is about a grain slower than IMR 4350, so I used 56.0 grains, and with a 175 gr bullet. And it shot very well the day I shot it at 300 yards.



I mostly shot IMR 4895 and IMR 4350, but there is nothing wrong with IMR 4064, out side of the fact that it, like IMR 4350, is a long stick powder. Which means it does not throw worth a hoot in progressive press powder dispensers. IMR 4064 shoots well



and I was surprised on the low horizontal dispersion at 600 yards I got with the round. Unlike some, I don't shoot in a vacuum, so there is left to right movement.



I have been shooting 150's in my Ruger #1, and a 150 grain Federal Fusion bullet with 57.0 grs H4350 gives me acceptable velocity without leaking primers.

[nedro]

Thanks everyone, this is the info I was looking for.

How many reloadings should I expect out or an average brass case?
I mostly have once fired Lake City brass.

How many of you guys actually anneal?

[Cowboy T]

Neck-sizing with sane loads? You should get about 8-10 uses. That's good enough for me not to feel the need for case annealing. Since you're using Lake City brass--as I do (well, that and Winchester)--you should get about that many, as LC brass is pretty good stuff. If you full-length size your brass, like M1 Garand shooters typically do (semi-automatic action), this will work-harden it a bit more and reduce case life somewhat.

Note that Starline now makes .30-06 brass! Starline has been known for quality, and durable, handgun brass for a long time. I haven't *yet* tried their rifle brass, but I've used plenty of their handgun brass with fine results, so that's where I'll be going when that time comes.

[slamfire1]

Thanks everyone, this is the info I was looking for.

How many reloadings should I expect out or an average brass case?
I mostly have once fired Lake City brass.

How many of you guys actually anneal?

Copy the loads I use, you can reload the cases till the case necks crack, and the primer pockets open. Easily about 20 reloads, though there will always be a few body splits and case neck cracks along the way.

Use magnum level loads, and you might be tossing the cases after one reload, due to primer pocket expansion.

[nedro]

I was planning to just shoulder bump the fire-formed cartridges since I only have 1 rifle to shoot them out of.
On to hunt for powder. I only have 1/2# of H335 and 9# of Accurate 2200.
The 2200 is probably way too hot for 30-06.