Good powder for the 30-06

It is hard to beat H4350 in the 30-06. Good velocity and accuracy with 165 & 180 grain bullets.

If you are loading for a Garand, H4350 is not a good powder choice. Bolt gun, great choice.

Yeah, use IMR4895 for Garands. Sounds like you're using a different rifle though. Get yourself a couple of good, current reloading books and see what they list.

Wecome to THR. I like IMR4064 for light bullets and IMR4350 for the heavies.

I've always had good luck with any of the -4350s and Re-19 with 165-180gr bullets. For 150gr bullets I use one of the -4064s. A word of caution: Don't use the same data for all the -4350s and -4064s. H-4350, IMR-4350 and AA-4350 all have similar burn rates but use different reloading data. Same with IMR-4064 and AA-4064. Use the data for the powder you are using. THEY ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE. You probably already knew this but I'm becoming a safety nut. Good luck.

H4895 is best for the Garand, imo.

For decades I’ve been using IMR-4350. One load that has been particularly accurate is half-grain to full-grain over what is recommended in current manuals. When I developed that load it was the maximum charge weight for manuals of that day. What’s recommended now maybe just as accurate. The problem with me is that I’m reluctant to change which has its muddy side. I shoot (5) round groups where as most people shoot (3) round groups. Most likely (3) round groups are satisfactory but then I admit to having my ways. But today’s standards a 1-3/8 inch group at 100yds may not sound like much but that’s a (5) round group with a 1.75-6X 32mm ( most up to date scope I have) with a heavy duplex set towards the lower end.

Get three powders with slightly different burn rates. That will give you the most flexibility in load development. Look for a slow powder, a medium, and a fast powder.

Call 4350, N150, or RL-17 your slow powder. 4895, N135, 3031, or 748 your fast powder. Varget, N540, RL-15, or 4064 your medium speed powder.

Get one from each group and you're set. Just be careful you don’t go too slow (H870) or two fast (4227). Your sweet spot is going to be in that fairly narrow range of powders.

I use IMR 4895. Loaded it for M1s and Bolt actions.

WB

Another recommendation for IMR 4895.

This was an unplanned situation. Had finished sighting in my hunting rifle, and had 3 rounds left and figured I'd put them through a M70 that I had sighted in with factory loads. I figured it would have a different point of impact, so I just put 1 down range, went and marked it, and then sent 2 more to the target. It was a windy day, so I tried to match the wind for each shot. I was really surprised by the results.

IMO there are a lot of good powders for loading the 30-06 and all will work well.

In order of my favorites:
H4350
IMR4350
H4895
IMR4895
IMR4064
Varget
H414/W760
there are more...

I use H4895 and IMR 4895 alot esp since most go thru my Garand. But there are prob better powders out there but they are versatile to so many other things i use. Lately been using RG 4895 a british powder that widners had bought 16 pounds. Other then the smell works great.

I know the data below is with 175 SMK’s, but I don’t have chronograph values with 168’s. I have shot hundreds maybe thousands of rounds of 165’s/168’s, and 175’s with 55.0 grains IMR 4350/AA4350 in bolt rifles. These powders are virtual duplicates.

This load has been accurate across a number of bolt rifles. My lot of H4350 took one grain more to get the same velocities as AA4350. This may be due to lot to lot variance. When H 4350 came out in 1982, it was advertized as identical to IMR 4350.

I believe IMR 4895 and IMR 4350 will cover 95% of the cartridges and loads out there.


M98 26" 1-10 Wilson Barrel

175 gr Sierra 55.0grs AA4350 wtd. FED 210M W/W cases OAL 3.30"
5 Oct 2000 T=70°F


Ave Vel = 2710
Std Dev = 18
ES = 43
Low = 2679
High = 2722
N = 5


175gr Sierra 56.0 grs H4350 wtd. WLR Commercial cases OAL 3.290"
5 Oct 2000 T=70°F


Ave Vel = 2733
Std Dev = 24
ES = 80
Low = 2686
High = 2766
N = 14

I like H4350 and IMR4350, RL19 and RL17 for my 165-168gr bullets. I like H4895 and Varget for my 150gr bullets. I haven't used IMR4895, but am sure it would be pretty good also. I also believe, like previous poster, that a 4350 and a 4895 would cover almost all of your .30-06 needs.

I have always liked IMR-4895 and IMR-3031 in 30-06.

I've used h4350, imr 4350, rl-17, rl-22 for the heavier 175's and up with good results. Most accurate being imr 4350 w/175 smk's. RL-22 w/208 amax's.
Pleasent suprise was Varget w/155 amax's! Just tried those this weekend.
Looked high and low for bolt gun pet loads with this combo, but couldn't find much. So I took max data, reduced by 10%, and worked up. Great initial results near max. Need to tweak the load a bit more, but looks very promising.

For the 165 grain bullets, I like IMR4350. For the lighter stuff, Varget.
I have also had good results with H414 and H380.

I use IMR 3031 for 150 grain and lighter bullets, IMR 4064 for 165 and 168 grain bullets and IMR 4831 for my 180 grain loads. Have not loaded the 165 grain and 168 grain bullets in several years.

4350/4320/4895/varget These are some fo the best powders there is for the good ole 06'

My guns tend to be shorter barrel models because despite being 60 I'd rather stalk the bush than sit & vegetate in blinds & stands.
My dad & uncles developed "ticker" problems & died in later years when they started losing "the battle of the belly bulge" & I'm determined not to repeat that pattern.
Back on topic: IMR-4064 & faster powders can get their rocks off in shorter barrels (22" or less) without generating a lot of muzzle flash from powder overburn (outside the barrel).
The favorite load for my Savage stainless model 116 in .30-06 Sprng. is the Barnes 168 grain TTSX over 49.7 grains of IMR-4064 (Remington cases & CCI-200 primers).This is a slightly less than max load that provides all the knockdown power necessary for the < 50 yard ranges I'm likely to encounter in the thick stuff & is easy on gun barrels & the shoulder. It also prints one ragged hole on the target paper @ 100 yards.

Everyone seems to forget about the excellent properties of H4831 for bullets 165 grain and heavier.