best powder for 30-06 with 150 grain hornady bullets

[Michael R.]

hello everyone,
i was just wondering what the best powder would be to use for the 30-06 with 150 grain interlock bullets. the lyman reloading manual i own said to use imr 4064 and we tried it in my dads weatherby 30-06 and we got pretty bad consistency and grouping. so what powder would be best to use in our next batch of 30-06 rounds?

 

[janobles14]

my goto powder is H4350 (around 56 grains i think). i have also had excellent results with varget. both are very accurate it my a-bolt and kimber.

 

[shaggy430]

^^^^ What he said.

 

[41 Mag]

If you have some IMR-4350 that would be what I tried next. If not that then H-4350.

Wither one has given me excellent accuracy in over a dozen different 30-06's. I usually use Winchester cases, Win WLR primers, and an OAL of 3.250". Cannot say what is so magical about it but it has worked over and over through the years.

Good Luck

 

[Michael R.]

thanks a lot. now if only i could get my dad to pick up the powder when hes at work

 

[gamestalker]

My go to powder for that cartridge is RL19. A nice slow burning powder that will produce maximum potential velocity. It is a very consistent propellant, even though it operates in the upper end of working pressures for the 30-06, it isn't at all spikey or unpredictable. I use it for the .270 win and other bottle neck cartridges, also with excellent results.

 

[Galil5.56]

the lyman reloading manual i own said to use imr 4064 and we tried it in my dads weatherby 30-06 and we got pretty bad consistency and grouping.

IMR 4064, and Hornady 150 grain spire points in 30/06... Exactly what I have loaded for many years, and represents a nice balance of charge weight, load density, and high velocity. My 700 Remington likes 52.5 grains. I have used a lot of H4350 in 06 too, but reserve it primarily for 180 grain bullets.

 

[MEHavey]

For 150's and max performance (~3,000fps), 56,000psi, Full case, ~99% burn....

Ramshot Hunter
Accurate 4350
N550
IMR4831

... all within ~50fps of each other.
Pick the most accurate for the individual rifle.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I like Varget and H380 for lighter bullets.
IMR4350 for 165 grain and heavier.

That's just me.

 

[Doug b]

Mike if you get a chance try a different bullet,like maybe a Sierra or a Nozler.That Weatherby just might not like Hornadys.IMR 4064 has always worked for me in several 06s with bullets up to 165gr.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I don't usually use 4350 with bullets lighter than 165gr. I rarely load a 150gr bullet in the 30-06 other than for my Garand. If you aren't getting good results with 4064 in the 30-06 (which is strange) I would suggest trying H4895, IMR4895, Varget, W760 or H414. I'm sure one of those powders will produce accurate ammo in your rifle. I would try 4895 first and then Varget.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

4895 is the original powder for military 30/06 cartridges.

 

[osprey176]

The 30-06 can use a large number of different powders with good results.I use several,but I prefer ball powders.WW760 (H 414) and H380, are two of my favorites,they meter well and give good accuracy in my rifle.I also use H 4350,IMR 4831,H4895,and others.The trick is to find your rifle's favorite.

 

[wankerjake]

I've had great luck with both powders I've tried; IMR4064 and IMR4895.

 

[Cmeboston]

I shoot 50 grains is IMR 4895 with my 30-06 bolt JC Higgins and group quite well.


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[06]

Your powder should do well--try altering you load slightly. Sometimes just a few grains of powder up or down will change your group size drastically. What twist do you have? Go to your manuals for recomendations and comments also. Devour that knowledge/experience printed there.

 

[MEHavey]

For upper-end performance these days, IMR4895's time is long past. It quickly hits the pressure stops w/ the case less than 90% filled. While it's still one of several choices for lower velocity/target loads (even though increasingly position-dependent at those lower case fills), try some of the newer powders mentioned above and see if they don't expand your horizons.

 

[Michael R.]

hey 06, do you think if i loaded it up to 53 grains(max load), it would be more accurate? i tried loading 35.5 grains of 4064 for 22-250 and it displayed good grouping. we also had some factory ammunition on hand and my dad could tell the load was hotter on the factory and it was more accurate than the handloads.

 

[GooseGestapo]

In the posting you didn't say what charge level you were using. I'd suggest that you try loading 3rds starting at 48.0gr and advancing to 52gr in 1.0gr increments. If one or more show better accuracy, split the difference in 1/2 gr increment and see which is better.

FWIW; Most of my .30/06 loads with IMR4064 date to the '70's. I recently retried the load you are using trying to find a good load for a Savage M110LH. I found that maximum for this rifle with CURRENTLY PRODUCED COMPONENTS was at 50.0gr. Above that, I got stringing and wild flyers with a hard bolt lift and sticky extraction. I was using Winchester brass and Fed210 primers....... Another rifle I have in '06 will take the 52.0gr load suggested as maximum now, and it is MAXIMUM for that rifle. In the '70's I could go as high as 53.5gr with an Interarms MkX Mauser. That rifle has/had a much longer throat than most other recent mfg. '30/06 rifles I've tinkered with.

Other powders I suggest you try are Varget and Reloader15. My current powder of choice for the '06 and 150gr bullets is RL15. At similar charge weights it's faster and more accurate, in my rifles.
For 165gr and Heavier in the '06 I use either IMR4350 (for accuracy) or RL22 (for velocity with 180gr and heavier- IMR4350 is more accurate in every instance, IME).

I'd too, try another lot# of bullet, and also try some 150gr Sierra ProHunter flat-base. I've had some occasional lot#s of Hornady bullets give me problems. A quality control issue... Mostly related to the fact that Hornady insists on putting cannulures on their bullets. Also, try different seating depths... I've got a Remington M700 in .22-250 that insists on a Sierra bullet have .035" jump to lands (sub 1/2MOA !) and two Remington M7's (.260Rem, 7mm08Rem.) that insist on bullets seated to touch the lands for decent accuracy (the .260 will do sub-moa with bullets it "likes". Hornadys are NOT what it "likes", but rather Noslers, and Speers.......).

 

[center shot]

I use 4895 for the Garands but for a bolt gun I use a compressed load of I4831 with a 150 gr. pill.

 

[Michael R.]

i loaded those 50 rounds with 48.0 grains of 4064. i also made 50 rounds with 50.00 to 52.00 grains of imr 4064. when me and my dad get time to go to the range i hope those will do better.

 

[hdbiker]

I've used IMR 4350 and 150 grain spitzers for consistant 1 1/2 inch groupes at 100 yds for years in my Rem 7600.Goof luck biker

 

[mrbro]

My Garand load is the Hornady 150 FMJBT on 48g of 4064 stuffed into fully sized and trimmed military brass and set to an OAL of 3.25". Shoots well in the Garand and in my Mauser sporter.

 

[Dustin0104]

My rem 700 loves 49 grains of 4064 over 150 grain hornady flat base. Definitely not max but the deer don't notice!