Anyone with QuickLoads that could help me out?

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KansasSasquatch

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I'm working on some reduced .30-06 loads using H4895 and Sierra 180gr BTSP Gamekings. I'm trying to work up these up so I can take my wife on her first deer hunt come this fall. Going by Hodgdon's 60% rule 28gr should be a safe charge but I don't want these to be completely wimpy, but my wife can't handle full house .30-06. So my question is, with the 180gr bullet and 32, 35, and 38gr of H4895 what kind of velocity will I likely see from a 22" barrel? My wife and I would greatly appreciate any help you could give me with this. I'll be getting QL someday but it's just not in my budget right now and neither is a chronograph.
 
41.0 grains H-4895 with a 180 will give you about the same performance & recoil as a 30-30.

In a heavier scoped bolt-gun?
If she can't handle the recoil of that right there, she better stick with knitting or something.

A 130 or 150 grain bullet using Hodgdon's 'Youth Load' data would be a better option then loading down a 180 anyway.

The 180 is probably more heavily constructed, and may or may not open up and expand at reduced velocity.

rc
 
As already pointed out the 180gr Sierra GK is designed for higher velocities than you will get with your reduced loads. Poor terminal performance is not a desired trait of a hunting load.

If you are going to load down this 30-06, select a bullet that will perform at these anemic velocities. Select something designed for 30-30 velocities like the Hornady 150gr 30-30 RN or the Sierra 125gr Hollow Point Flat Nose.
 
Assuming that the bullet is #2160 and that the seating depth is .442" (COL 3.34"):
32g H4895 will get you 1781 fps
35g gets 1925 fps
38g gets 2067 fps
28g gets 1590 fps

There is no guarantee that these calculations are going to be what you get.

For reference:
Hodgdon's site lists 3.30" COL and they may use a 24" test barrel which will get them about 50 fps higher MV's

Using 3.30" COL and a 24" barrel:
41g starting load Hodgdon:2427 fps QL:2269 fps
46g max load Hodgdon:2638 fps QL:2499 fps

I personally do not have a 30-06 but I do down load .308 with H335. Hodgdon recommends 40-43g and I typically load 38g which works well in my 788. I don't need the velocity and 38g just feels better.

As the others have said, you might want to switch to a lighter bullet and go faster in order to get the expansion performance you need and you obviously will need to shoot at closer ranges.
 
rcmodel said:
41.0 grains H-4895 with a 180 will give you about the same performance & recoil as a 30-30. That's about what I'm going for, just a hair lighter.

In a heavier scoped bolt-gun?
If she can't handle the recoil of that right there, she better stick with knitting or something. I could possibly borrow a Marlin 336 .30-30 but no guarantee. The Marling is actually heavier than the Savage Axis .30-06 so if I can get .30-30 ballistics out of the .30-06 I'm thinking the Axis would be the better option. And she's not the knitting type.

A 130 or 150 grain bullet using Hodgdon's 'Youth Load' data would be a better option then loading down a 180 anyway. I realize you're most likely right on that, but I haven't been able to find any "hunting" bullets locally in those weights. This rifle seems to like 150-180gr.

The 180 is probably more heavily constructed, and may or may not open up and expand at reduced velocity. At 300 yards with a muzzle velocity of 2500fps (roughly 2000fps at the target), a 180gr BTSP out of the .30-06 would generally be an acceptable white tail load. Seeing as where I hunt 100 yards is about the longest shot possible, a muzzle velocity of 2200fps would still produce roughly 2000fps at the target, wouldn't that still be acceptable? I've used a couple different ballistics calculators to find those numbers.

rc
Click to expand...

I know what you're saying RC, I'm just trying to figure out what charge I need to use to reach a 2200fps muzzle velocity. Hopefully I can find a more suitable bullet and afford a chronograph before hunting season. But for now I'm trying to do the best I can with what I have. It's either this or stick her with a crummy Bushmaster and 65gr Gamekings, which I personally see as a worse option.
 
rsrocket1 said:
Assuming that the bullet is #2160 and that the seating depth is .442" (COL 3.34"):
32g H4895 will get you 1781 fps
35g gets 1925 fps
38g gets 2067 fps
28g gets 1590 fps

There is no guarantee that these calculations are going to be what you get.

For reference:
Hodgdon's site lists 3.30" COL and they may use a 24" test barrel which will get them about 50 fps higher MV's

Using 3.30" COL and a 24" barrel:
41g starting load Hodgdon:2427 fps QL:2269 fps
46g max load Hodgdon:2638 fps QL:2499 fps

I personally do not have a 30-06 but I do down load .308 with H335. Hodgdon recommends 40-43g and I typically load 38g which works well in my 788. I don't need the velocity and 38g just feels better.

As the others have said, you might want to switch to a lighter bullet and go faster in order to get the expansion performance you need and you obviously will need to shoot at closer ranges.
Click to expand...
That's much appreciated. Looking at those numbers I think I'll load up 36-41gr in 1gr increments and see if I can get acceptable accuracy.
 
Very Mild Recoil...

I used to load a 150gr flat point bullet meant for the 30-30 in a 30-06, for hunting thick woods. Very effective on deer to about 150 yds, and the recoil was nothing. I think I used 3031 and H4895 for different loads. Something you might want to consider

Kerf
 
My 12 year old son shoots a 30-06 with 150gr hornady sst with 37gr of h4895 and rem 9.5 primers... Try that one and keep loading up. My personel sweet spot for whitetail less than 175 yards is 43gr which isnt even a normal "start" charge.
 
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