Reloading .308 and 30.06 hunting rounds

[Deadhead77]

Hello all. I have recently set up my own reloading area at home. I have reloaded many times with friends but want my son and i to start our own at home.
He shoots a Savave mod 10 .308 and I shoot a Winchester model 70 30.06.
We have both use Speer 30cal 165gr btsp Speer 2034 with IMR 4064 ( for .308)
And hodgdons 4831( for 30.06)
I have load data for our respective rifles with speer bullets mentioned above, but it has been very difficult to get my mits on Speer 2034 bullets. Been looking at Sierra tgk 165gr rounds or Berger vgk 168gr bullets. I am looking for load data for our rifles with IMR4064 and
Accurate 4350. These are the powders I currently have, and I will most likely never run out of Accurate 4350. Does anyone also know where I can find Speer 2034 other than the tired websites that are either bogus or seems like they are out of stock forever.
Thanks for any help,
Ryan

 

[bluejay75]

The Sierra 168 TMK is a shooter. Buy the 500 count box if you see it. You will thank me later. It is a softer bullet on the same lines as the 165 Speer (I shoot that bullet too). If youre just shooting deer primarily that will serve your purposes well.

Black Hills Ammo has done ballistics gel tests with this bullet and it is more a hunting bullet than a target bullet IMO. Black Hills also has some others on there to compare to it and it will be tough to find a bullet to shoot as accurately, expand, fragment some and hold together.

It has been available moreso than the Speers.

 

[DMW1116]

I worked up a hunting load for my 308 with 180 grain Hornady SST bullets. They were accurate, but might be a bit heavy for your purposes. The bullet design is good and I was getting 0.8” groups at 100 yards with a moderate charge of IMR 4064. They’re heavy enough they’d probably work in 30-06 too. They’re a little easier to find than the Speer bullets and a little cheaper than the Sierras. I keep buying them off the shelf at Cabelas, but I’ve seen them on line too.

 

[Deadhead77]

Thanks Bluejay75. We hunt deer,elk, and bear. Within a range of 400yrds. Will these hold up with the larger game also?
Do you happen to have any load data sheets for our caliber and powders from Sierra?
Thanks again

 

[TEXASJD]

Might look at the beger 155vld hunter had really good luck with it out of 308s

 

[bluejay75]

44.9 Varget 2.820 OAL was a ragged hole 1/3 inch group @100 yards. The whole ladder shot less than an inch. Shot well in both Savage and Remington factory guns. Only had headspaced. Stock otherwise.

 

[bluejay75]

On the left photo is the 178 ELDM. Actually shot better. I have to judge groups by the standard “are all of them touching” That’s what I would run in both those rifles. You should get 2600 in 308 and 2700 in 30-06. They also make a 178TMK.

Black hills tests. Will save you some work. 2400 powder does great for reduced loads to simulate down range performance. 22 grains should yield 1800-1900 FPS for a 10 yard impact.

https://blackhillsammo.wordpress.co...for-2015-308-winchester-168-grain-sierra-tmk/

 

[CZguy75]

My preferred 308 load is a 165 spbt gameking over 4064. My Ruger shoots them better than most match bullets that I have tried and they are devastating on deer. The spbt 165 doesn't explode quite like the 165 hp. If you can find the Gamekings, I doubt you would be disappointed in them. Even with a fairly lazy loading they still beat up on the 350 yard gong!

 

[JFrank]

Hello all. I have recently set up my own reloading area at home. I have reloaded many times with friends but want my son and i to start our own at home.
He shoots a Savave mod 10 .308 and I shoot a Winchester model 70 30.06.
We have both use Speer 30cal 165gr btsp Speer 2034 with IMR 4064 ( for .308)
And hodgdons 4831( for 30.06)
I have load data for our respective rifles with speer bullets mentioned above, but it has been very difficult to get my mits on Speer 2034 bullets. Been looking at Sierra tgk 165gr rounds or Berger vgk 168gr bullets. I am looking for load data for our rifles with IMR4064 and
Accurate 4350. These are the powders I currently have, and I will most likely never run out of Accurate 4350. Does anyone also know where I can find Speer 2034 other than the tired websites that are either bogus or seems like they are out of stock forever.
Thanks for any help,
Ryan

308 and imr 4064 and 168 class bthp go together like peanut butter and jelly
There have been some powder recalls so google your brand and lot numbers just to be sure.

 

[JFrank]

Might look at the beger 155vld hunter had really good luck with it out of 308s

interesting you mentioned 155 vld, a buddy sent me a batch of scenars awhile back, I ended up with 44.2 gr of H4895... OMG.. that little Tikka tried to jump off the bi pod !!
Sure was accurate too.

 

[n2omike]

Does anyone also know where I can find Speer 2034 other than the tired websites that are either bogus or seems like they are out of stock forever.

I read somewhere that all Speer bullets were getting used in factory loaded ammo... and that's why they are pretty much unobtainable to reloaders. Hornady and Sierra are hard to beat... and would actually be my first choices in hunting bullets. Good Luck!

 

[AJC1]

If your only hunting no blamo the barnes solids are available in my area. The 150 ttsx comes in a box of 50, but you will get the deep penetration and weight retention for dangerous game like bear.

 

[brewer12345]

I think at this point you buy what bullets you can find that might be appropriate for the game you are hunting. Since you are after elk, make sure you don't end up with a bullet that will expand too rapidly or risk core separation. I like Nosler Partitions in my 30-06, but they are kind of scarce right now. I would suggest you try hunting down 165 grain Hornady Interlocks or (better yet) interbonds. Hornady doesn't produce their own primers so they seem to periodically sell just bullets on the open market more so than some of the other manufacturers. Personally I think their stuff is great.

 

[lordpaxman]

Welcome to THR! It’s good to hear you’re taking steps to setting up things at home, especially with family members.
I can’t help with the lack of availability of Speer bullets, but would only offer I use Midway and MidSouthShootersSupply a lot in the past to get them. They’re reliable sites, but a lot of sites are out of stock right now.
Speer bullets are what I started with, but you may want to look at others as well. I’ve been shooting a lot of Nosler BT or Accubond. The BT are for lighter skinned game while the accubond are for heavier animals. My plan was to develop loads for both bullets in similar weights to try to see if I could preserve the velocity and then use one for deer types and one for elk types and then the ballistics would be the same. Good luck with the new hobby!

 

[bigpower491]

I wouldn't even bother using anything but that 4064 in that 308 if that's what you have on hand. Always a good one for 308, in that weight of bullet.
I'd stick with the 4350 for 30-06, although my all time favorite is the IMR version in 30-06. I'm sure they're fairly close on the burn charts.
I'm a fan of Speer bullets, all I used at 1 time, but I branched out and tried all the major brands eventually. As mentioned above, Hornadys SST, Interlock, and Interbonds are great bullets, and seem to come up more often than the other brands in this day and age.
SST for deer
One of the other 2 for Elk and Bear