ole farmerbuck
Member
I havent loaded 30-06 for many years but a friend wants me to load some for him. I have 150gr BTSP Interlock bullets. His gun is a Rem 742. Anybody load these much? Your powder choice is.........?
30-06 loads
- Thread starter ole farmerbuck
- Start date
- Status
Arkansas Paul
Member
I like Varget for 150 grain .30-06 loads, but I've always loaded for bolt actions or single shots, never an autoloader.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
Varget, 4895, IMR4064, AA2495, AA2520 and a few other powders in that burn rate ranger will all do a good job with a 150gr bullet in the 30-06. You won't go wrong with any of them so whatever is in stock at the store will work well in most rifles.
With a 150gr bullet I really like 4064 because it's very accurate for me. With a bullet any heavier I always use H4350.
With a 150gr bullet I really like 4064 because it's very accurate for me. With a bullet any heavier I always use H4350.
ole farmerbuck
Member
Thanks guys. The Hornady manual shows a lot of different powder choices. I have Varget,4064,4895 and one or two more you suggested. Hopefully I'll get achance to try some today.
Mule
Member
AA4350 and IMR-4895 shoot well in my 30-06 742. But...I only load 165gr Sierra Game Kings.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
Not all powders listed in the manuals for a caliber are a good choice to use. The manual tells you they "can" be used, not should be used. The writers want to give you all the options they can because some reloaders want to limit their powders to only 1 or 2.
One thing that's important, if you can't find data for a powder in a caliber you want to use it in USUALLY that powder should not be used. There's usually a very good reason for that powder to be omitted.
gamestalker
member
I've done a good deal of reloading for the 30-06, that was some years back however. But I don't honestly recall if I've ever loaded for an auto loading action for that cartridge. I don't think it's necessary to use small base dies unless standard dies are presenting cycling problems though.
As far as powder are concerned, I've used IMR-4350 with excellent performance and a couple other slow burning powders with similar performance.
I've always been partial to the 150 gr. - 165 gr. BT bullets.
Primers have been mostly CCI-200's, CCI LR BR and Win LR. All worked just fine with no noticable difference between them.
Just make sure you find a good OAL that cycles well, fits the magazine, and doesn't get into the lands and you should be A-OK. And I would personally go with a slow burning powder, but that's just me and my slow burner mind set.
GS
As far as powder are concerned, I've used IMR-4350 with excellent performance and a couple other slow burning powders with similar performance.
I've always been partial to the 150 gr. - 165 gr. BT bullets.
Primers have been mostly CCI-200's, CCI LR BR and Win LR. All worked just fine with no noticable difference between them.
Just make sure you find a good OAL that cycles well, fits the magazine, and doesn't get into the lands and you should be A-OK. And I would personally go with a slow burning powder, but that's just me and my slow burner mind set.
GS
ArchAngelCD
Member.
I agree with GS above, CCI LR and Win LR are both good choices for use in the 30-06 and most other calibers that use a LR primer.
ole farmerbuck
Member
I should be good to go. I have plenty of powder and CCI,Winchester and Federal Match primers.
I didnt get to do anything with it today. Got a call. It was a P-dog inviting me over.
Sure was hot, but fun.
I didnt get to do anything with it today. Got a call. It was a P-dog inviting me over.
Sure was hot, but fun.ole farmerbuck
Member
I'll be ok. I'll show him how to do it and he can handle it. Thanks though.
Someone mentioned slow powders. Considering the location of where the gasses are ported out of a 742, wouldn't a faster powder such as 3031, 4064 or 4895 be better choices? With the slower powders wouldn't the gun extract the case before all the powder was burned? I never loaded for a semi- auto and am curious.
Swampman
Old Fart
First off, I'm not familiar with loading for a Remington 742.
That said, in general, I would think a powder with a burn rate not much slower than IMR 4064 would be my personal choice for any 30-06 autoloader. I may be completely off base here, but I figure what's good for a Garand probably won't hurt a 742. In any case, IMR 4064 has given good accuracy in every '06 I've used it in. 4350 may give you an extra 100 feet a second or so, but it'll generally give a lot higher port pressures and cause more wear on a semi-auto, assuming that it doesn't break anything.
Unless you have a barrel more than 22" long, 4350 won't give much more velocity than 4064. Any game animal hit with a well placed shot is unlikely to notice much difference.
Swampman
FYI, I use IMR 4350 quite a bit in 30-06, especially with heavier bullets. I've just loaded a lot for semi autos and my early indoctrination on the Garand has undoubtedly affected my outlook here.
That said, in general, I would think a powder with a burn rate not much slower than IMR 4064 would be my personal choice for any 30-06 autoloader. I may be completely off base here, but I figure what's good for a Garand probably won't hurt a 742. In any case, IMR 4064 has given good accuracy in every '06 I've used it in. 4350 may give you an extra 100 feet a second or so, but it'll generally give a lot higher port pressures and cause more wear on a semi-auto, assuming that it doesn't break anything.
Unless you have a barrel more than 22" long, 4350 won't give much more velocity than 4064. Any game animal hit with a well placed shot is unlikely to notice much difference.
Swampman
FYI, I use IMR 4350 quite a bit in 30-06, especially with heavier bullets. I've just loaded a lot for semi autos and my early indoctrination on the Garand has undoubtedly affected my outlook here.
farmer buck, start out with 58.grns of RL19 and or 56. grains of IMR 4350 and the 150 grain bullets and work those loads up. My old 740 woodsmaster likes 60 grns of RL19 and a 150 grain sierra gameking. Foot note also: some brass may require you to use a small base die. If you start having alot of FTF's and FTE's I would switch to a SB die.
Zeke/PA
Member
I like IMR 4064 in my .30-'06 reloads and have been using it for years.
Carefully full length size at every reload and be sure of your seating depth.
It wouldn't hurt to put a round or two in the magazine and check for feeding and chambering with the 742
Best to find problems at home and not the Deer Woods.
Carefully full length size at every reload and be sure of your seating depth.
It wouldn't hurt to put a round or two in the magazine and check for feeding and chambering with the 742
Best to find problems at home and not the Deer Woods.
Last edited:
- Status
