Reminton 700 .30-06 COL question

[robdaniels]

I have been loading for my new to me Remington 700 .30-06 with Hornady SST 165gr, 57grs of IMR 4350 set to a COL of 3.250.

My shots at the range just aren’t good enough. They spread out more randomly than I would like; 3 to 4 inch groups at 100 yards.
So, I got one of Hornadys' COL gauges, set the dummy shell with the SST bullet and touched the lands 10 times. Averaged that and it came to 3.387.
Now minus .010 the OAL would be 3.377. I know the reloading manuals call for a Max COL of 3.340. But my understanding is to set the COL to YOUR rifle.

I made up a round (no charge or primer) and set the depth of the SST bullet to 3.377. It fits the magazine and cycles in and out of the chamber with no stress. The bullet is seating .420 into the throat of the shell and I understand that it should always go a least the depth of the dia. of the bullet. In this case .308.

With the round cycling ok I think I could increase the charge to around max. Somewhere in the neighborhood +/- 59 grs and still not experience over pressure.

Am I nuts or does this sound like it will be alright?
Thanks for any feedback.

 

[Fleet]

Sounds to me more like your rifle just doesn't like the Hornady bullet. Try a different brand 165 gr. and see what it does.

 

[NCsmitty]

Sounds to me more like your rifle just doesn't like the Hornady bullet.

That's my thoughts, but you need to exhaust the workup of powder and sample COAL to be sure that you didn't miss a sweet spot.

You have a bunch of different makes and styles of bullets to try if that style of Hornady doesn't pan out, and it can be an interesting journey.

I try to set my COAL at .020 off the lands, if possible. That way the variations in bullet ogive will prevent jamming the bullet into the lands.

Work up slowly, and good luck.



NCsmitty

 

[243winxb]

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Remington 700 .30-06 with Hornady SST 165gr, 57grs of IMR 4350. With the round cycling ok I think I could increase the charge to around max. Somewhere in the neighborhood +/- 59 grs and still not experience over pressure.

Am I nuts or does this sound like it will be alright?

Sounds very hot to me. Start at 57gr and work up by 1/2 gr increases. Watch for pressure signs. Stop before 59gr if you get good accuracy. Do you know what to look for pressure wise? See Photobucket link below. Don't become a "kaboom"

 

[ranger335v]

" I understand that it should always go a least the depth of the dia. of the bullet."

That's a common suggestion but it's untrue. As long as a bullet is secure in the neck it's deep enough. Some case necks aren't even a calber long.


"But my understanding is to set the COL to YOUR rifle."

That understanding is correct. Set the OAL where you want to start and develop your best shooting charge. Then refine your OAL in and out in steps of 5 or 10 thou until you find what shoots best.


"With the round cycling ok I think I could increase the charge to around max. Somewhere in the neighborhood +/- 59 grs and still not experience over pressure."

Thinking of how much you may be able to increase charges before you try something is working backwards.
For a given charge in rifles, seating out tends to raise pressures while seating deeper reduces them. Set your length and then work with the charges, the pressure signs you get are the only things that will determine when to stop.

 

[Offfhand]

Common sense; If your rifle is shooting "3 to 4 inch groups at 100 yards" you got more problems than loads and seating depth. Go back to basics, staring with scope, scope mounts, marksmanship and a dozen other things. Use factory ammo as your benchmark.

 

[robdaniels]

Thanks folks.
Yes, this is a new to me gun and I was shooting factory loads.

I went out today after laoding a feww rounds each at a select depth setting for each. Found a sweet spot and will now start working on a good powder load.

The sweet spot was 57 grs of IMR 430 seated at 3.375.
That producded a 3 shot group in an inch.

Thanks