Primer choice

[stovepipe699]

bolt action 30-06, Hornady 165 180 and 190 BTSP. Powders used are H4350, RL22 and H414. I've only used Rem 9 1/2 and 9 1/2M primers. I stopped using the 9 1/2M after getting better groups with 9 1/2 and H414(the powder I used until the last couple years). What primers are everyone else using with these powders? What other powders do you guys swear by? I'm doing alright with my loads, but this rifle is my favorite and I'm trying different combos.

 

[USSR]

stovepipe699,

I generally don't shoot the lightweight bullets in my .30-06. You don't state what brass you are using, but here's a load for your 190gr BTSP's:

Lapua or Lake City Match brass
190gr bullet (I shoot SMK's)
60.7gr of RL22
Fed 210M primer
2900fps

Don

 

[stovepipe699]

Thanks Don. I have been using R-P brass. I tried Federals for one load, but they seemed vary alot in the neck area, and the pockets were sloppy. Now I bought 500 W-W once fired cases, I intend to batch them by weight and uniform the primer pockets. I don't think I'm going to turn necks, since I'm not entering matches. Any other advice?

 

[Grumulkin]

My favorite 30/06 load uses Varget, Lake City military brass, Federal 210M primers and 165 to 168 gr. Barnes TSX or solids. These give me about 1 MOA out of my Encore. The rifle also does just as well with the same load using Nosler 168 gr. BTHP match bullets.

 

[stovepipe699]

Grumulkin, any idea what the load does on the chrony? Thanks.
Rob

 

[Smokey Joe]

.30-'06 load

Stovepipe 699--For my '06, I use mostly 165 grain bullets. With those I've gotten very satisfactory results with IMR 4350 powder--NOT exactly the same as your Hodgdon; don't just substitute!--and CCI Large Rifle Benchrest primers. Mebbe I don't need the Benchrests, but (a) they work just fine, and (b) greater uniformity is certainly not a bad thing.

Haven't used it in an '06, but have also gotten good results with H 380 powder in my .300 WSM, and in a load I worked up for a friend's .308 Win, both of those with 165 grain bullets also.

I'm a big fan of the 165 grain bullet in a .308" bore--it just seems "right." Most accurate results to date have been with Nosler Ballistic Tips. The .300 WSM has put 10 of those into one ragged hole, 1" across, at 100 yd.