.30-06 hunting load development

Nature Boy · Oct 24, 2016

I've decided to deer hunt this year with a sporterized 1903A3 and to that end I've been working up some loads for it. I figured I would share where I'm at in the process with you guys.

The most accurate so far was 125g Nosler BTs and IMR 4064 but I decided not to use anything lighter that 150g. I'm sure the 125's would get the job done but I'd rather go heavier and have a bit more margin for error.

Loads I've tested include the following bullet/powder combinations:
125 Nosler BT / IMR4064
150 Hornady SST / RL19
150 Nosler BT / RL19
150 Nosler Partition / RL19
168 Berger VLD Hunting / IMR4350
180 Nosler BT / RL22

The most consistently accurate (behind the 125g BTs) turned out to be the Berger 186 VLD Hunting so I decided to put my effort behind those. After finding 57g of IMR4350 worked best I did a distance-to-the-lands exercise following Berger's manual starting at 0.010 off. I found that the starting COAL was best with another node at 0.090 almost as good.

So the load looks like this:
168g Berger VLD Hunting
57g IMR4350
Hornady case trimmed to their recommended length
Fed 210M primer
OAL 3.445

Chrono results were surprisingly consistent with the average being ~2,670 FPS and SD between 7 and 14

Here's a 5 shot group at 100 yards

And here's a 10 shot group at 200 yards.

I believe the horizontal stringing is due to a couple of factors, not the least of which is my shooting position (not the most stable, see pic above). Also, Boyd's stock is not bedded. I plan to tackle that after hunting season.

Certainly good enough for deer hunting.....but I can't help but try to wring some more accuracy out of it.....mainly because its fun!

ericuda · Oct 24, 2016

Nice job, my only bullet in common is the 125 nosler bt. I am seatng it at 3.225 behind 53.0 of imr4895. What depth are you seating, I am using a tikka 06.

Nature Boy · Oct 24, 2016

3.445, 0.010 off the lands

Muddydogs · Oct 24, 2016

Not to be a wet blanket but why all the different bullet weights and powder choices for a group like that? My buddy wanted me to work up a hunting load for his 30-06 but then he got busy and we needed something done so I picked a middle of the road Re22 load for the 165 grain Accubond through it together and shot a 3 shot touching group at 100 yards. I know you said your shooting position wasn't stable so how can you compare loads if you are not in a position to shoot good groups.

Nature Boy · Oct 24, 2016

I shot all those different bullets because I had them, wanted to see which one worked best and perhaps learn something from the process of doing it (and, as I said above, it's fun)

Not to toss the wet blanket back to you, but what does a three shot group really tell you? That 200 yard target is 10 shots under 2 MOA. I'm not unhappy with that considering it's a 70 year old military surplus rifle. Should I be?

Orcon · Oct 24, 2016

Nature Boy said:
That 200 yard target is 10 shots under 2 MOA. I'm not unhappy with that considering it's a 70 year old military surplus rifle. Should I be?

You already know this but many milsurps can only dream of 2MOA. I have to be honest though, I'm kinda sad to see a milsurp sporterized but the sadness is offset by the fact that you use it and enjoy using it.

oldreloader · Oct 25, 2016

57 grains of IMR 4350 is a great place to start with any 165 grain range bullet and 30-06. I've never had one that wouldn't perform well with that load.

redbullitt · Oct 25, 2016

I like that rifle. Shoot the heck out of it. 2 MOA will put you on practical targets a long way out there lol. I mean, ideally that could be an 8 inch group at 400 yards. Not going to excite the gun magazines, but for all intents and purposes that will do the job. 5 and 10 shot groups for the win!

Personally I would like to see what it can do with some cast bullets. I have gotten under 2 moa consistently with a Mosin that would not do 4 MOA with jacketed. Similar experiences with an old 303 enfield too.

I would not be afraid to use those 125s on white tails fwiw, especially if they shoot notably well. The 150 class should do well too; I doubt you really need the heavier class bullets unless you are after their wind fighting characteristics. I tend to favor velocity on the smallish deer we have here, but ymmv.

Any idea on your barrel twist? That might help with bullet choice.

Have you shot a ladder test out past 200 or 300 yards?

Muddydogs · Oct 25, 2016

Nature Boy said:
I shot all those different bullets because I had them, wanted to see which one worked best and perhaps learn something from the process of doing it (and, as I said above, it's fun)

Not to toss the wet blanket back to you, but what does a three shot group really tell you? That 200 yard target is 10 shots under 2 MOA. I'm not unhappy with that considering it's a 70 year old military surplus rifle. Should I be?

Well for throwing a load together last minute a 3 shot touching group at 100 yards tells me it will get the job done. For a hunting rifle a 3 shot group tells me about as much as a 5 shot group since all that really matters in a hunting rifle is that first cold bore shot, if the 2nd and 3rd round follow the 1st then they will get the job done.

Have you slugged the bore of your old rifle? I have found that a lot of these old rifles need to shoot a bigger bullet due to bore wear. I have a 7.7 Jap that really likes .314 bullets as its bore is about shot out and a 7.62x54r that likes .312 but will shoot .311 flat base bullets but throws boat tails all over the place.

ArchAngelCD · Oct 25, 2016

oldreloader said:
57 grains of IMR 4350 is a great place to start with any 165 grain range bullet and 30-06. I've never had one that wouldn't perform well with that load.

I completely agree. That charge under a 168gr Sierra or Hornady match bullet and a 165gr hunting bullet will produce sub MOA 5 shot groups out to 200 yards. (furthest I can shoot at local range) I get the same results with H4350.

Nature Boy · Oct 25, 2016

Redbullett,

Rifle twist is 1:10. I'm convinced that it's capable of better accuracy. I have not done a ladder test. My range has 100/200/500 yard lanes.

Muddydogs,

Any of those 6 bullet/powder combos I tried above is capable of producing small 3 shots group and some of them did. I picked the one I felt was most consistent by shooting several 5 shot groups, finishing with 10 shots at 200 yards. Of course your thrown together 3 shot load will get the job done, but honestly, I don't think that was the point you were originally trying to make, was it?

Re: the barrel. I have not slugged it and see no reason to. It's in good shape, looks brand new and I doubt it's seen many rounds through it. My dad bought it in it's milsup configuration back in the 50's and began to sporterize it. I recently finished the project he started over 60 years ago and it's been very satisfying for both him and me to see this old rifle in action.

Sunray · Oct 25, 2016

"...what does a three shot group really tell you..." Pretty much everything you need to know.
~2,670 FPS is kind of slow for a 168 and IMR4350. It's actually below minimum load velocity, but Bambi won't know that.
Anyway, The only part of all that data that's important is how big are those targets? And can you hit the black every time, off hand? Power factors and SD and velocity spreads really don't mean much.

Nature Boy · Oct 25, 2016

Where do you get that data Sunray?

200 yard target is 6". 100 yard target is 3"

I could go to Walmart, buy a box of Core Lokts, put 3 in a paper plate and call it good. What fun would that be?

murf · Oct 25, 2016

your horizontal stringing could be due to parallax. though, i'd leave that in my group analysis because you won't be able to allow for it when you're in the field.

that ten-shot 200 yard target means that your first shot, at that distance, will be within two inches of point-of-aim with greater than a 95 percent certainty (all other variables staying the same)! three-shot groups don't give you that level of certainty for the first shot.

nice shoot'in pardner.

murf

The_Next_Generation · Oct 26, 2016

Do you have something under the rear of the rifle? I use an old sock filled with rice. It helps a TON.

Nature Boy · Oct 26, 2016

Yes, there's a rear shooting bag under there. I'm making a trip back to the range on Friday and the only thing I'm changing is to put a shooting bag under the front in place of the portable tripod. I'm thinking that may be the reason for the horizontal shot distribution

I'll post the results

Nature Boy · Oct 28, 2016

Got out this morning and re-shot the 168g Berger load with the only change being a swap from the portable tripod to a shooting bag.

10 shots at 200 yards netted these results (1.25 MOA). 1st shot with cold clean bore was the one to the left of the bull.

Here's a side by side comparison with the earlier group. Still some horizontal dispersion but that's just my mechanics and trigger control.

I'm happy with this. It has been a very satisfying exercise to work up a load for this rife. Thanks to all for the advice.

Arkansas Paul · Oct 28, 2016

Man, that is a fine looking sporterized 1903. Very well done.
Good groups too.

I know that some of the milsurps can flat out shoot.
My dad has an old small ring Mauser that was originally a 7x57 before it was converted by the Spanish to 7.62mm.
Because of the weakness of the action we only shoot the Hodgdon "youth" loads in it to keep the pressures down.
It produces some groups that will really surprise you.
Not MOA, but real close.

Khornet · Nov 11, 2016

Nature Boy said:
I've decided to deer hunt this year with a sporterized 1903A3 and to that end I've been working up some loads for it. I figured I would share where I'm at in the process with you guys.
Two things: is that a two-groove barrel? And as I've said elsewhere, the accuracy sweet spot for .30-'06 seems to be in the 2600s, as you found. Handsome job of sporterizing.

The most accurate so far was 125g Nosler BTs and IMR 4064 but I decided not to use anything lighter that 150g. I'm sure the 125's would get the job done but I'd rather go heavier and have a bit more margin for error.

Loads I've tested include the following bullet/powder combinations:
125 Nosler BT / IMR4064
150 Hornady SST / RL19
150 Nosler BT / RL19
150 Nosler Partition / RL19
168 Berger VLD Hunting / IMR4350
180 Nosler BT / RL22

The most consistently accurate (behind the 125g BTs) turned out to be the Berger 186 VLD Hunting so I decided to put my effort behind those. After finding 57g of IMR4350 worked best I did a distance-to-the-lands exercise following Berger's manual starting at 0.010 off. I found that the starting COAL was best with another node at 0.090 almost as good.

So the load looks like this:
168g Berger VLD Hunting
57g IMR4350
Hornady case trimmed to their recommended length
Fed 210M primer
OAL 3.445

Chrono results were surprisingly consistent with the average being ~2,670 FPS and SD between 7 and 14

Here's a 5 shot group at 100 yards

And here's a 10 shot group at 200 yards.

I believe the horizontal stringing is due to a couple of factors, not the least of which is my shooting position (not the most stable, see pic above). Also, Boyd's stock is not bedded. I plan to tackle that after hunting season.

Certainly good enough for deer hunting.....but I can't help but try to wring some more accuracy out of it.....mainly because its fun!

Bart B. · Nov 11, 2016

Those groups are good examples of what happens when shooting rifles held against ones shoulder as they rest atop something on a bench top. Us humans are not very repeatable in our horizontal support structure holding the rifle. The more recoil the rifle has while the bullets are in the barrel, the greater horizontal spread will be.

Try shooting slung up in prone in an F class position resting the rifle fore end in your front hand on a bag and another bag under the stock toe. Horizontal group sizes are typically cut in half doing that.

GooseGestapo · Nov 11, 2016

Just curious, You had 150gr bullets and IMR4064.

Why no 150gr with IMR4064?

It a noted combination. 50-52gr of IMR4064 is what I use to see how accurate an '06 is.
If an '06 won't shoot MOA with either a Sierra ProHunter (flat base) or GameKing (boat tail), over 4064, it won't with anything.
With a bolt action, secondary loads are a165 witch 57gr IMR4350, or 180gr with 55gr IMR4350.

Nature Boy · Nov 11, 2016

I will try both of those goose

ArchAngelCD · Nov 11, 2016

GooseGestapo said:
Just curious, You had 150gr bullets and IMR4064.

Why no 150gr with IMR4064?

It a noted combination. 50-52gr of IMR4064 is what I use to see how accurate an '06 is.
If an '06 won't shoot MOA with either a Sierra ProHunter (flat base) or GameKing (boat tail), over 4064, it won't with anything.
With a bolt action, secondary loads are a165 witch 57gr IMR4350, or 180gr with 55gr IMR4350.

I agree... My 30-06 deer hunting load is a 165gr GameKing over 57.0gr 4350 because it's accurate all the time. I'm sure there are many other combinations that work well but that combination works for me.

DoubleSawbuck · Nov 12, 2016

Yes, try some game kings. I'm using an old sporterized mauser in 30-06 with a 1903 barrel and getting nice groups with 165g Game Kings and IMR4064.

.30-06 hunting load development

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