Loading 30-06 bullets in .308

[FuzzyBunny]

I have some 30.06 pulled bullets and I'm wondering if they can be loaded into .308 cases?

If yes is there a powder and charge that will be ideal?
I am not the reloader with the machine but my buddy will show me how with his. I think a powder that will not allow me to be able to double throw a charge.

These will be used in a Belgium Browning Bolt Action and is a sweet rifle. I do not have a scale as mine broke but I'm looking for a digital one that will do grains and also troy ounces and grams and ounces.

 

[KansasSasquatch]

Yes. Both cartridges use a .308" diameter bullet. Your buddy SHOULD know how to pick out a safe powder and work up a safe load for your rifle.

 

[TheCracker]

Yes they will work. You just need to know the weight of the bullet (I would weigh them to be sure) and look up the load data. Your buddy should be able to do all this. There is a lot more to loading ammo than putting powder in and not getting a double charge. Hopefully your buddy is well versed.

 

[HKGuns]

Most rifle powders for .308 fill the case enough where a double charge will spill out. I4064 is a great .308 powder.

 

[FuzzyBunny]

Yes he reloads alot!
He has not done THIS though so ask me to ask around. He has not done this before so will not even attempt it until he has a tone of data and opinions.

I do know enough to clean and size cases and to seperate the cases by weight as well as seperating the bullets by weight.

He said ask around and I could not think of a more helpful forum than this one.

I wish I had some idea how the 30-06 in a .308 will perform. Anyone else done this?

Will the I4064 powder be compressed with the longer 30-06 round when forced down to .308 AOL?

 

[KansasSasquatch]

The .30-06 bullet isn't longer than a .308 bullet. Both cartridges use the exact same bullets. It's just a matter of figuring out what weight bullets you have and looking up load data in some manuals. Then you start with a minimum charge and work up until you find an accurate load that doesn't show signs of excess pressure. Stay within published load ranges.

 

[rcmodel]

I'm looking for a digital one that will do grains and also troy ounces and grams and ounces.

You don't need Troy ounces and grams unless you are a drug dealer.

All reloading is done in grains except shotgun shot.
And it's easier to convert grains to ounces then it is to blow up a gun using grams on a digital scale by mistake.

rc

 

[Ifishsum]

They use the same bullet - and honestly I'm a little surprised your buddy doesn't know that if he reloads a lot. When you buy bullets for loading, you usually buy the same bullets for .308 as you would for .30-06, and many other .30 caliber cartridges. When you load them up with .308 data, they will perform like any other .308 ammunition.

The weight of the bullet is what you need to know to find proper data, and some of the heavier bullets that the '06 uses might not be appropriate for .308win. I've tried loading pulled .30-06 AP bullets that were around 175 gr, and they were longer than usual because of the steel core being less dense than lead. In order to load them into .308 cases they had to be seated so deep that it limited the powder capacity (and velocity) significantly.

 

[plmitch]

Interesting topic here.

 

[Jim Watson]

I'll say.

Troy ounces are for precious metals, do they have an application in dope?

There was a report of a blown up gun from Junior helping out Dad with the loading, except that he got the scale on pennyweight instead of grains.

There seems to be a vast lack of information here, even by internet standards.

 

[FuzzyBunny]

The other scale functions like troy ounces are for gold and such. Sometimes I use milligrams for some gems. Plus pennyweights for gold and silver too.

BTW the 30-06 bullets will be used in my HK, I have other 30-06 carts for the browning bolt action.

And yes these are longer ones I want from the 30-06 pile to make into rounds for the HK in 7.62. Some might be AP I'm not sure but one ammo box of pulled bullets are longer.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Please stop saying "30-06 bullets" because the bullet is actually a .308" bullet that is used in the 30-06, .308, 300 win Mag and on and on.

Weigh the bullets and go to the Hodgdon load data site and find the appropriate load data for the .308 Win.
http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp
http://alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx
http://www.accuratepowder.com/load-data/

There are MANY good powders for loading the .308 Win, find the one you either have or can buy.

They include but not limited to:
IMR4895, H4895, IMR4064, BL-C(2), W748, Benchmark, Varget, IMR8208, RL-15, Power Pro 2000-MR, AA2460, AA2495, AA2520, AA4064, Ramshot Big Game and probably a handful of others I didn't think of right now.

It's never a good idea to come to a forum and ask for load data from people you don't know, why would you trust a stranger?

 

[sfed]

Yes he reloads alot!
He has not done THIS though so ask me to ask around. He has not done this before so will not even attempt it until he has a tone of data and opinions.

If he knows a lot about reloading and does not know this, and then has to ask you to find out how and if they can be used, I sure would not use anything this guy reloaded in anything I was shooting!!!

 

[FuzzyBunny]

Sfed: He is just jumpy from having an experience once with pulled mil bullets. I won't go into the details though.
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The deal is these are old pulled bullets from M1 ammo. I got it a very long time ago. Thats why I say 30.06.

From looking at them this morning most are very clean. Others have bad dents from being pulled and some are just a mess. All these need to be hand checked as 1 out of the 50 was not even round.

I hope the other cans are in better shape

 

[buck460XVR]

If your friend is jumpy and wants/needs more info on loading ammo for you, he needs to get the info himself. Getting it second hand form someone who obviously doesn't have a clue may mean something is going to get lost in communication....and this is dangerous. Your friend should have reloading manuals which will tell him proper charges of powder for appropriate bullets and OAL for different bullet weights/profiles. Those same manuals will give him any other info he needs. I suggest YOU read those same manuals.

 

[Mike1234567]

No offense intended to your buddy but you need to find another re-loader.

 

[Walkalong]

30 caliber (.308) bullets will work in .308 or .30-06, as well as other .30 calibers (Like 300 BLK or .300 Short Mag, etc.).

The .308 is not suited to some of the heavier bullets the larger capacity .30-06 case can handle.

I do not know of a suitable rifle powder for full power loads that could be double charged.

Beginner reloaders (IMHO) should buy scales that show grains and only grains, to eliminate to possibility of confusion. (I know, some of you experienced folks have more versatile scales, and they are not a problem for you.)

Reloading books such as Speer, Sierra, Lyman etc cover all these basic details. Your friend sounds like he needs one.