Ramshot Hunter for 165gr SP 30-06

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Spring1898

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Greetings all, started to put together a load with Ramshot Hunter in 30-06. Just have a question for those who use Hunter.

Noticed that under 165's max load is 61.9(7)gr and that it is compressed (the Western powder manual actually doesn't show this only the PDF reloading guide does)

I want to say I started to get compressed loads somewhere around 60gr. I double checked everything, is that pretty typical?
It is a ball powder so there is a lot of unused space in the case anyway.
 
They did stay, and it wasn't like I was hearing powder crunch or anything. Just wasn't expecting them to go compressed that soon.
That said I will be working through the loads from the bottom up anyway, so any pressure signs should be obvious. That and I stopped at 61.5, so I am still between 0.2-0.4 under the max load anyway
 
I'll tell you a well known secret about the 30-06. You can play around with two or three dozen powders looking for a good load but you can save yourself a lot of time by picking a load that is widely used. For example, perhaps the best known load for a 30-06 with a 165 grain bullet is 57 grains of IMR 4350. I have never used Ramshot but based on what you are saying it takes too many grains to get any kind of velocity. Many 30-06 hunting rifles shoot their best at near maximum velocity and in this case it would be around 2850 fps.
 
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I've used Ramshot Hunter some in the past with acceptable accuracy. Normally a slightly compressed load will yield the best accuracy. If the case isn't completely filled the powder will not always be in the same position for every shot and you get different velocities.

But I wouldn't go out and buy Hunter for a 30-06 unless it was all I could find. It can work well, but with 150-180 gr bullets it is hard to go wrong with either H4350 or IMR4350. Velocity is virtually the same with either 4350 or Hunter. Best loads should be over 2900 fps with a max load of any of them, but the accuracy is generally better with either of the 4350's. I've used both with equal results, but H4350 is much more temperature resistant. Hunter, or IMR4350 will see 1-3 fps velocity change for each 1 degree of temperature change. A difference of 50 degrees, from 70 to 20 degrees could see 50-150 fps less velocity. Or 50-150 fps faster going from 40 degrees to 90 degrees. H4350 will still be affected by temps, but only about 1/2 fps for each one degree of temp change. So instead of as much as 150 fps swing, you're only talking about 25 fps.

That and I stopped at 61.5, so I am still between 0.2-0.4 under the max load anyway

Being .2 gr under max isn't enough to matter. I load in .5 gr increments and even then don't see much difference. If you're at 61.5 I'd call it good or go straight to 62 gr.

This is where a chronograph comes in handy. Traditional pressure signs don't show up until you're 10,000 PSI over loaded. With a load of 61.5 gr you should be running somewhere around 2950 from a 24" barrel, about 2900-2920 from a 22" barrel. Sometimes you are over pressure while still 2-3 gr below max. I start with a mid to lower end powder charge and shoot over a chronograph. Then increase powder charges .5 gr at a time until I get close to the max speed listed. In this case I'd stop as soon as I hit about 2950 fps and was still getting good accuracy. You should be able to get to 2900 fps with good accuracy. Max is 2990. It wouldn't be unusual for you to hit 3000+ fps at 60 gr with some rifles and still not have any visible pressure signs. But you'd be overloaded and still almost 2 gr under the listed max.
 
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