30-06 deep curl loads?

[tahunua001]

hello all,
my little brother drew his first controlled elk hunt tag this year but he only has a 243 and a heavy one at that so I'm lending him my M77 MKII 30-06 as it's the only thing I can spare that can do him much good since I drew the same hunt and I need my 300 WBY. we generally have to make long range shots between 300 and 600 yards for elk out here so something that's flat shooting and accurate is necessary.

my weatherby does pretty good with 180gr deep curls and I can even load down to win mag velocity and still get the same ballistics as factory weatherby ammo(easier on my shoulder). does anyone have some accurate 30-06 data for the deep curl that can graze the lower end of the magnum velocity spectrum?

main powders at my disposal are IMR 4064, 3031 and varget though we have some different misc stuff laying around, mostly IMR, hodgon or alliant.

 

[gamestalker]

If your desiring a flatter trajectory for shots out to 600 yds. I would recommend going with a bullet between 155 grs. and 165 grs., but personally I feel a 155 gr. is sufficient. Use a slow burning powder worked up to visible pressure limitations, and then back off until pressure signs have decreased or until your comfortable.

Regarding powders, I have had very good results with RL22, and also IMR-4350. IMR-4831 & SC version are also decent slow burners for the 06. I've tried H1000 and RL19, didn't like H1000, but RL19 did fairly well, but it was a bit less manageable than RL22, 4350, and IMR-4831 were. My experience with RL22 has been by far the best for me though. It was nearly impossible to get too much in the case, and velocities and accuracy stayed well within acceptable limits.

As for Deep Curl, it's a fantastic bullet for the game your hunting. I think it might be a revised version of the Hot Core, of which I've taken elk with more than once using the .270 win. and 130 gr. pills.

GS

 

[tahunua001]

man... of all the powders you listed I don't have any... I have H4831 but not the SC so I can't get enough in the cases to amount to anything.

I was asking about 180gr because that's what I have on hand.

I kind of had to wrangle with the dilemma of either flattest shooting or more energy. I decided to go with the heavier bullet that I already have that'll pack the most punch rather than mess with trying to find a different weight and have less energy transfer.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I favor a 165gr bullet in the 30-06 so that's what i use for hunting. for Deer I use a 165gr Sierra GameKing and for tougher game I was using a 165gr Nosler Partition but I'm thinking of trying a 165gr AccuBond next. I practice with a 168gr Sierra MatchKing or Hornady Match bullet.

Nothing wrong with the DeepCurl bullet either. Everything I've read tells me it's a good performer. With a 165gr/168gr bullet I charge between 57.0gr and 58.0gr H4350. That powder produces extremely accurate loads for me in my rifles. It also produces higher velocities with less pressures than the faster burning powders like 4064 and especially 3031.

My H4350 loads clock an average of 2880 fps with an SD of only 11 fps. I'm using CCI-200 primers but I have also used Win WLR primers and achieved the same results.

GOOD LUCK on your hunt. Don't forget pictures when you get back!!!

 

[tahunua001]

last year I loaned him the 300 weatherby with the 180gr deep curls since we both hunted elk during different seasons, he blew a 3 inch hole out the other side of his elk so I know for a fact that they can do a real number on elk, I just need to find a good accurate load to make up for him in the 30-06 but apparently 180GR is not a popular weight in 30-06.

 

[gamestalker]

I would think you should be able to get a full charge of IMR-4831 in the case with no problem. If the data indicates a compressed charge, then there is no worry, provided you have done a proper work up. A well worked up charge of IMR-4831 should get you close to 2800 fps, that's not bad, especially with a 180 gr.. And those heavier 180's are going to hold onto a bit more of the velocity at extended distances, vs a lighter bullet too. Just make sure you know POI out to the distances you expect to be shooting / hunting out to. And if the glass has some type of BDC capabilities, this should be a fairly simple process to nail down.

Good luck, and I hope you guys knock down some big boy's! Sure would be nice to put some elk in the freezer, and maybe put a 350 bull on the wall while your at it. Ya buddy, get er done, get er done, get er done, done, done!

GS

 

[ArchAngelCD]

last year I loaned him the 300 weatherby with the 180gr deep curls since we both hunted elk during different seasons, he blew a 3 inch hole out the other side of his elk so I know for a fact that they can do a real number on elk, I just need to find a good accurate load to make up for him in the 30-06 but apparently 180GR is not a popular weight in 30-06.

No one is saying the 180gr bullet isn't popular in the 30-06, it's probably the most popular bullet weight. You were not asking about popularity, you were asking about longer distances and a bullet that will still have enough energy to stop large game when it gets there. IMO the 165gr bullet will do that better. If you were asking about more than 600 yards my choices would have been completely different but you asked about 300 yards up to 600 yards. If you have 180gr bullets and want to use them in the 30-06 go ahead and use them. I was only answering the question as asked.

Now a cautionary note, if your little brother only owns a 243 and does not shoot your 30-06 rifle regularly I highly suggest he not take shots out to 600 yards on live game. It takes A LOT of practice in not only shooting but in reading the wind and angles of fire to make good, accurate and ethical shots on game @600 yards. There are very few hunters who should be shooting at game @600 yards, especially with a borrowed rifle. A lot of things can happen between the time you fire and the time the bullet reaches out to 600 yards when the target isn't stationary like paper is.

Most 180gr 30-06 bullets will drop somewhere around 118" @600 yards. That's almost 10 feet of drop. We won't mention the possibility of almost 3 feet of drift with only a 10 mph crosswind. The bullet will have only ~1100 ft/lbs of energy left @600 yards too.

 

[tahunua001]

I would think you should be able to get a full charge of IMR-4831 in the case with no problem. If the data indicates a compressed charge, then there is no worry, provided you have done a proper work up. A well worked up charge of IMR-4831 should get you close to 2800 fps, that's not bad, especially with a 180 gr.. And those heavier 180's are going to hold onto a bit more of the velocity at extended distances, vs a lighter bullet too. Just make sure you know POI out to the distances you expect to be shooting / hunting out to. And if the glass has some type of BDC capabilities, this should be a fairly simple process to nail down.

Good luck, and I hope you guys knock down some big boy's! Sure would be nice to put some elk in the freezer, and maybe put a 350 bull on the wall while your at it. Ya buddy, get er done, get er done, get er done, done, done!

I don't have any IMR4831 on hand, therein lies the problem. also, we all got drawn for the late cow hunt... not bulls for the wall I'm afraid.

archangel, I was just saying that so far all of the responding comments have been for lighter weights when I am specifically looking for 180gr load data. I could care less about popularity. I am after some good, high velocity load data that doesn't spit minute of tour bus groups.

also, lil brother regularly shoots a featherweight 303 brit and kicks my rear when he wants to show off, I have no doubts that he can handle my 30-06 MKII target. his 303 isn't scoped so it is not something that I would recommend for long range hunting application.

 

[gamestalker]

How much time between now and the hunt? If you've got at least a few weeks, as I imagine, you should be able to easily come up with one of the better powder choices mentioned.

The only comment I'll make about long shots is I won't take them without someone spotting. There are so many things that can go wrong that you'll be unable to see from behind a recoiling rifle at those distances, unless someone is spotting for you.

GS

 

[Crosbyman]

Deep Curl loading data

Take a look at the Speer web site; they have recommended propellants and charges.

 

[bfoosh006]

Just an FYI...

Important Reloading Data
DeepCurl's unique construction process joins the jacket to the core at the molecular level for excellent performance and consistency. For this reason, conventional reloading data developed for standard jacketed bullets should not be used to load DeepCurl® rifle bullets. Only DeepCurl specific reloading data should be used. It can be found here at reloading data pages in the reloading data pages or by contacting Speer Technical Services at 866-286-7436. DeepCurl handgun bullets can use data from the Speer Reloading Manual #14.


Speer Load Data.

http://www.speer-bullets.com/products/reloading_manual/default.aspx

 

[GooseGestapo]

I use RL17 @ 57.0gr under a Sierra 165gr BtSpt for 2,960fps.
Sighted in at 300yds, it drops no where near the mentioned 118".
It drops more like 48"

I was elk hunting in Wyoming in the Bridger/Teton National forrest in '09 with a friend who was guiding me. He had a mule deer tag but hadn't brought his rifle. He typically hunts with a Steyr in .270, but left it home.
I was sighted with Nosler 180gr Ballistic Tips in my Colt Light Rifle (24"bbl) at 2,800fps (60.0gr of RL22), and sighted at 300yds.
We located a nice 4pt Mule deer buck bedded down in a deep draw about 410yds and 30deg down angle. I told my buddy/guide to aim at the spine of the buck. He said no, "the '06 dosen't shoot that flat", I said, "this one does....".
He fired, the bullet struck 10-12" over the bucks back and he departed the draw headed for Montana....
I said "I told you so"!!!!!
Don't confuse total bullet drop with drop below zero....
Aint the same thing........
Consult a good ballistic program and use specifications for YOUR BULLET AND RIFLE...
Garbage in, Garbage OUT....

For your purposes, the Hornday 178gr A-max is unexcelled. The 185gr Berger VLD-Hunting is superbe. I've also had good success with the Sierra 165gr GameKing and 180gr GameKing.
But do take the rifle out and shoot, shoot, shoot.... Nothing like the "real thing"...

 

[NORA]

If you don't have some 4831 or 4350 then you don't have what is needed for loading the 06. If your talking about a person borrowing a rifle and shooting at living creatures out to 600 yards I strongly suggest you recheck your priorities and ethics. Over a 50 year period I've taken over 100 heads of big game and none were taken past 300 yards with the vast majority of them taken at less than 100 yards.

 

[kevinakaq]

If you don't have some 4831 or 4350 then you don't have what is needed for loading the 06.

Wow on that first sentence...absolutes are a precarious slope.

 

[tahunua001]

ethics are arbitrary and unique to each individual so please do not lecture me on ethics.

600 is extreme cases only. 300 is the normal and well within the capabilities of both the rifle and the shooter. he will be zeroing the rifle before season so it will be set up for his eyesight, not mine.

I am not laying out the entire planning process because none of it has to do with reloading data. that is what I am here to discuss. if I want to discuss my ethics and priorities I will open up a thread in the general discussion forum.

 

[Maj Dad]

In the ideal situation, one would use the Ideal Powders and Components. In the real world, you use what you have that is at least safe, optimized for your purposes. So, look at loads using the bullet you have with the powders you have, and try to get the best performance with those.

Having said that, the one rifle powder I keep on hand to use in several different calibers is IMR 4350 - it may not be the absolute best for every one, but it is absolutely very good in all of them. And I agree that the 180 is probably the best all around bullet for the 06, if you want to standardize & keep inventory simple. I use both in my 30-40 Krag and it will cut a ragged hole at 50 yds off the bench - that sold me on the combo.

 

[tahunua001]

for me that powder is varget. it seems to work in just about everything but is difficult to find a good velocity/accuracy balance(in my experience anyways).

I just got the green light to develop a load using some superformance so I will try a midrange load using superformance and see if I can get decent groups with it. if not then I may try IMR4064 as I generally get good groups in other calibers with it.

 

[USSR]

For years, my 1,000 yard load in .30-06 consisted of a 190gr Sierra MatchKing at 2900fps. See no reason why the 180gr deep curls couldn't reach the same velocity. Oh, and forget about IMR 4064, 3031 and varget - too fast of powders to give you the velocity you want.

Don

 

[tahunua001]

I just found out I have lots of winchester 480 at my disposal and a little 760, would either of these be more suited than superformance?

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I just found out I have lots of winchester 480 at my disposal and a little 760, would either of these be more suited than superformance?

Never heard of Win 480 and no, W760 will not perform better than Superformance with a 180gr bullet in the 30-06. If you're talking about W780 no, that won't outperform Superform either.

 

[tahunua001]

I don't know why I typed 480, probably because my brother was talking about his black hawk in 480 ruger at the time I typed this. winchester 748 is the correct powder.