30-06 Bullet Choice & Powder

[Jax]

I've just been granted a 30-06 and have a Sako 85 being rebarreled with a 1:10 twist 26" barrel. The rifle will mainly be used for the larger deer species and boar in the UK and abroad, but will no doubt be used on Roe/Muntjac on rare occasions.

I'm new to 30 cal and home load. I'm leaning towards using the 180gr Nosler BT. Is this a good choice of bullet?

I'm also undecided on what powder to try as most load data is for 24" or shorter barrels. Could anyone recommend a powder to start out with that is more suited to a 26" barrel?

On that note, Nosler list a charge weight with 105% case fill using RL-22 with a 180r bullet. I've never reloaded compressed loads. Presumably this amount of powder actually fit's in the case and just comes up the neck without spilling over and then seating the bullet crushes the powder down? If not, how do I go about getting a 105% case fill? Obviously I will work up any load I decide to try.

Thanks in advance.

 

[devon deer stalker]

Any 30-06 that won't shoot a 180 grain Nosler Partition with 56 grains of IMR 4350 just won't shoot anyway.
But.... best work out your own load!
Cheers
Richard

 

[hammer 1]

I prefer H4350, but any of the other 4350s are excellent for the 3006. My sako finnbear has had a steady diet of 56.5 grs h4350 and the 180 gr sierra gameking for the last 16 years ive owned it. Its been used on caribou, elk, a mule deer, and alot of deer, with no complaints. I use H4350 in my 243 also

 

[Muir]

Fifty Six of IMR 4350 and a 165 grain Hornady Interlock. Fl resized case, trimmed and crimped before loading the bullet to Hornady's suggested OAL: Never saw a 30-06 that didn't like this load.~Muir

 

[tusker]

165 grn Nosler partition, 55.5 grns H4350, works well for me Roe deer to Kudu never a problem. But you will find what works well for one rifle may need a bit of treeking for yours I have found that the C.O.L. is more importand than load. My rifle likes 84 mil.
Tusker

 

[mchughcb]

I only use 220gr woodleighs and 52gr of 2209.

Got rid of the gamekings, the accubonds and t-mantels

Why?

Well check this testing out.

http://www.blaserbuds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=10961

 

[Southern]

Inside 100 yards, a 200-gr RN from a .30-06 or 8mm will kill everything from an angry grizzly bear on down, in its tracks.

These larger bullets don't have to rely on mushrooming. They don't lose weight, so they penetrate deeply while delivering most of their kinetic energy. The wound channel is several times the bullet diameter, up to 10X at some points.

 

[mchughcb]

Recommended impact velocity 1900 to 2400fps for mushrooming. Should be okay for 200 yards.

 

[A Guy Out West]

I read an article several years ago in which the author made a case for why some animals go right down and why some others take " a while" even when hit in the same spot. His observation was that the ones that went down as if pole axed, were shot when the heart began to beat. The bullet impact combined with the raised blood pressure caused by the beating heart would blow the blood vessels in the animals brain and cause an instant death. Mchughcb, next time you get an instant death might be interesting to take a look at the brain and see if it's bloody. That is, if it's not too much trouble. I would be interested to read what you find. Good shooting to you.

 

[mchughcb]

I've seen an CT scan on a Sambar head and they can be over an inch thick on the forehead. It takes some mighty sawing to open up a brain, I've have to get a good bone saw to do that but it can be done.

 

[Jax]

Thanks for the feedback. IMR or H 4350 seems to be the go to powder. Now to see if I can get my hands on either one. I will also try RL-22.

Does anyone have experience of reloading with a drop tube? This seems necessary for the RL-22. Just wondering who makes a good one and what length is best?

 

[A Guy Out West]

Nothing wrong with RL-19 either.

 

[Southern]

Nothing wrong with RL-19 either.

Yes, go for RL-19 before RL-22 in the .30-06, for 180 and 200 gr bullets
Don't forget AA-4350 and RL-17, if you cannot find Hodgdon or IMR 4350.
With 150 and 165 grain bullets, IMR-4064 is a great powder. VV N-150 is good there, too.

Alliant data shows MR 4000 good with 180, 190 and 200 gr bullets, but I have never tried it. Don't know if you can get that powder.

 

[mchughcb]

RL 19 is the go if you can't find 4350.

 

[YoungGun]

I have recently switched from H4350 to Ramshot hunter because of the availability of the former. It is not an exact substitute, but I am getting very similar results and its 10 quid cheaper a tube.

 

[Jax]

Seeing as the barrel is 26", would I still be better off trying RL-19 first over the RL-22 with a 180r bullet? I presumed RL-22 would be better with the longer barrel and Nosler show it as giving the best results.

 

[243varmint]

I'm using 56 gr of Ramshot Big Game under 165gr hornady interlock.

Jon

 

[Konnari]

I use Sierra 165gr. Gameking HP and VV N-160 for all my hunting.......works great !