About to order 30-06 dies

[xBEEFEDGEx]

I just purchased a Weatherby Vanguard Series 2 in 30-06. I've done some searching on this and other forums, some say for bolt guns that no crimp is needed, and that they only crimp for auto loaders. Some say they prefer to crimp. What do you suggest?

The only other rifle in 30-06 I have is an M1 Garand. I do plan on loading for both, however I only plan on loading the Weatherby for hunting.

I should also add I'm still new to reloading, and besides a few 30-30's, I haven't reloaded necked rifle cartridges.

Any advice/experience would be greatly appreciated!

[Dutch Henry]

I've loaded 30-06 for 45 years and I've never crimped bullets for use in a bolt gun. Neck tension has always been sufficient to hold the bullets securely.

I don't have any experience with autoloaders, but some shooters crimp for them and some don't.

If you decide to crimp your bullets, be sure they have a cannelure since without them you can deform the bullets and ruin accuracy.

[ar15barrels]

No need to crimp for a bolt gun.

[xBEEFEDGEx]

I've loaded 30-06 for 45 years and I've never crimped bullets for use in a bolt gun. Neck tension has always been sufficient to hold the bullets securely.

I don't have any experience with autoloaders, but some shooters crimp for them and some don't.

If you decide to crimp your bullets, be sure they have a cannelure since without them you can deform the bullets and ruin accuracy.

Thanks for your fast response! What dies do you use for 30-06?

[ar15barrels]

What dies do you use for 30-06?

For general purpose plinking or hunting ammo, standard RCBS dies will work great.
For competition/match use, I use Wilson hand dies in an arbor press or Redding comp seaters and redding type-s bushing full length sizing dies.

[cruddymutt]

I use Lee dies for my Garand. They work very well except the decapper will sometime pull out of the collet if I dont lube good enough or often enough. Minor inconvenience in my mind. My set came with the Lee Factory Crimp Die and I put a mild crimp on my 30-06 reloads for the Garand.

[mjmagee67]

My suggestion is to try your own tests!

There seems to be a lot of opinions on crimping.

I've run my own test for my 30-96 a Winchester Mod. 70 from 1954. I've worked up loads using 165gr bullets with a crimp and without a crimp on bullets with a cannelure and without! What I found out is with the right load I can shoot groups just under .75 inch at 100 yards and it doesn't matter. I've crimped bullets without a cannelure and shot under .75 inch I've shot the same bullet without the crimp same .75 inch. So to that I crimp all my 30-06 rounds with or without a cannelures. The way I see it it's just added protection from set back. While I was Elk hunting a few weeks ago I was chambering and unchambering rounds every day. But that's a hunting rifle.

One more thing on my Savage 223 Varmint gun shooting 40gr Hornady Z-Max's & Nosler Ballistic Tips, it seems to shoot smaller groups with a light crimp. .6 inch groups to .4 inch groups with the crimp. The bullets have no cannelure.

But in my tests crimping a bullet without a cannelure will not kill your accuracy.

I use Lee Dies for my 30-06, 223, and 204.

YMMV

[wtkaiser]

If this is your first 30-06, be advised that the difference in recoil (from the .30-30) may surprise you. It can be enough to discourage a person. If this is you, hang in there, it's worth it. But don't give up on that .30-30, either!

[froman118]

I load .30-06 for my M1. IMO no crimping needed, neck tension is plenty. Full length sizing is a must for the M1 so lube is really important. I've been using Kiwi Mink Oil (for conditioning leather boots) which as far as I can tell is the same as Hornady's Unique and probably Imperial sizing wax. Just a bit on your fingers as you handle the case between the bench and press and a little bit across the neck mouth every few rounds for the expander ball.

[Divernhunter]

I load for bolt/pump/M1Garand in 30-06 and have never used a crimp. I have had no troubles. I use RCBS dies. I have another set of RCBS dies that I have the seater adjusted for Barnes bullets just because I can be lazy and I got them real cheap off e-bay. I have used RCBS and Hornady dies for most of my reloading and like both. I have one set of Redding and one set of Lyman dies and they are fine. I have a couple sets of Lee dies but replaced the so called lee locking rings with real locking rings I bought. By the time you do that they are not much cheaper than other brands that have better warr and service.
I have tried other brass lubes but always come back to RCBS Pump Spray. Imperial wax is also good but RCBS is quicker. Just lay out a bunch of the brass in an old cake pan and spray. Shake and spray again then start sizing.