Dear Jim Stewart,
Please pardon me for a tardy reply; I have been away for a time.
My Model 1895 in .30-06 is one of the new (1990's) Winchesters. In it, I use factory 220-grain ammunition that I found at a local gunshop. To them, 220-grain was a pebble in the sales shoe, so they were ridding themselves of it at a very attractive price. My grandchildren (who are not born yet) are now set for life with 220-grainers. I get two inch groups at 100 yards with iron sights; that is very acceptable to me. I like the Winchester Silvertips; the Remington is also fine.
I do not have any wisdom to offer from personal experience on 220-grain loads with 3031 or 4895. I see that the Lyman 47th lists IMR-3031 starting load 38.0 grains for 2087 fps at 35,000 CUP with a 220-grain jacketed round nose. Their IMR-4895 starting load has a higher pressure.
Your 1916 original Model 1895 in .30-06 is a valuable rifle. I would check - or have checked - the head space very carefully before firing it with any hand load or any factory ammo. Some of them had set back problems because their owners continued to fire factory ammo in them, even after factory ballistics (and pressures) were stepped up. To be very conservative, I would like to be in the 40,000-42,000 PSI (not CUP) range for anything that I put through an original .30-06 1895.
Perhaps there are some experienced .30-06 handloaders out there who will share a good low-pressure load for the 220-grainers???
Check that headspace first, Jim, and good shooting to you!
Redcoat
