Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Tell me again about 30-06

One of the problems I'm encountering at 58 is that things that have been settled for 20 years or more are now becoming unsettled. These are not particularly big things. At least not so far. I have not begun questioning my political affiliation. I still harbor an irrational dislike for the 270 Winchester, and my equally irrational affection for the 35 Whelen has not waned.

That brings me to my attitudes towards 30-06. You have to understand that '06 has held sway in my firmament since my earliest days in the barbershop. When I picked my first rifle, it just had to be in 30-06. All my friends were egging me on as well. For the first 15 years of my hunting career, 180 grain 30-06 was all I considered fit for whitetail.

Then I started reloading. By then, I was online, and some y'all over at shooters.com encouraged me to try 165 grain Hornadys and my first results shot so well out of my deer rifles, I never gave it a second thought. The load I'll be flinging at the deer this year is pretty much the same load that I made up back in 2000.

When my sons came online, I substituted a 150 grain Rem PSPCL, and that did just fine for them. They're both still shooting it.

My problems are as follows:

1) I had been working off the same load data for over a decade. That was because I was using the same jug of H4895.
I received a new 8 lb jug of H4895 and verified everything was still cool. It wasn't. What was a safe no-brainer is now a few grains over the published MAX. I'm not going to go pulling any bullets, because I've never seen pressure signs, but when I go to the new jug, I'll definitely knock a few grains off.

2) That got me to thinking about the decision process that led me to this pet load. I remember some of what went into it, but not all. It's been over 15 years.


Let me give you the things I know that went into the recipe and we'll go from there:

1) I had saved every round of brass I'd ever fired. When it came time to cook up my first 30-06 handload, I had oodles of RP Brass. That's what I used. That's what I'm using now.

2) CCI Large Rifle Primers were all they had at the store in 2000.

3) I originally picked IMR 4895 for a powder, because I was going to load for my M1 Garand. I switched to H4895 about 5 years later. I did not substitute 1:1; I worked back up. I stuck with this powder, because I got good accuracy with moderate recoil. I was also cooking up Yute loads in those days for my 2 sons.


Bullet choice: As I stated earlier, my hunting buddies all steered me towards 180 grainers. I spent the first 15 years of my hunting career lobbing them at the deer without really thinking about it. When the time came to do my own reloading, I picked 165 grain Hornady Interlock SP's with the kind help of folks at shooters.com and never looked back. I have shot lots of deer with this bullet, and have never found them wanting.

My reason for posting is that I'd like to start back over and explore how I got where I am, and possibly take a new path. I've never had reason to question this load. Now that something must change, I figure now is a good time to look at it afresh.

I wouldn't bother shooting 180's at deer . The 150 is a much better deer bullet with the 165 being the best all around. I've had hunted with 125, 150,165,180, and 220 grains for deer and pass me the 150's!

Why "Must" something change??

Knock off a grain or 2 of new powder, work back up if you want and keep killing like you have been.

I started with IMR4895 in the 30-06, but now use H-4350. In my opinion/experience H-4350 is a better powder for the 30-06

I've had excellent results with H4895 and the 130 TTSX, if you want light and fast.

I have had an '06 for about 55 years and have shot just about every bullet weight made for it at something or other--mostly critters, but also targets. I am more of a .270 guy these days and I have muddled around with a variety of larger bores for elk and African game. However, I still keep the '06 sighted in and have several different loads with bullets ranging from 150 grains up to 200 on the shelf.

About the only major change I have made is switching to Hunter and Big Game for a couple of bullet weights. I get a little more velocity and more temperature stability, neither of which is probably noticeable under actual hunting conditions.

If you're not a tinkerer, I see no real need to abandon your old favorites. If you're bored, there are certainly a lot of options to explore these days.

In the big scheme of things, 2 grains is not a big change, but to me it was a signal that I should stand back and rethink. This was my very first reloading project for rifle. I've been humming along following my recipe for over 15 years. It probably makes sense to re-evaluate.

In the bigger picture, this is one area of reloading I stopped thinking about for over a decade. I stopped really considering 30-06 deer loads, just because I had something that worked well. It's been so long, I can't remember all the details that went into the original decision.

insecurity can be a bitch.

I think that the "best all-around" part is what hooked me on 165's. As I remember, I was planning a trip to the Texas Hill Country when I was originally cooking up the load. That plan fell through, and instead I closed on my farm that next summer. I shot the 165's that first year at deer camp, because there was not time to think about anything else.

Now, let's explore that idea a little more:

Why would you consider 165's a better all-around bullet and why would you chose 150's instead?

I'm thinking that it was this line of thinking, back in 2000 on Shooters.com that got me hooked on 165's.

After going thru a restless phase, I came to the conclusion H4350 was my mew go to powder for the 30-06. My Rem 700 Mtn Rifle miraculously puts most 150, 165, 180 grain projectiles in damm near same point of impact. Next phase will be the lighter projectiles.

There is a "good 30-06 loads" sticky in the reloading for big game rifles section. That's a great place to start.

Nothing wrong with sticking with what works but I'm a chronic experimenter. The 165 seems "just right" in 06. I really love 168 NBTs & Ramshot Hunter sparked by a Win large rifle magnum primer a lot; that's my "one load to kill it all". It'd be tough to go wrong w/ a 165 Gr Interlock tho.

The vast majority of folks here seem have settled upon H- or IMR-4350 or IMR's new 4451 (temp resistant 4350).

I've had great accuracy results from the 130 TSX & RL15 and would be surprised if you couldn't get that w/ your H-4895. My rifle gives identical POI w/ the TSX & Horn Spire of the same weight so I can practice and whack vermin on the cheap. Might be worth consideration?

The 06 is a great cartridge for which to load IME.

Good luck w/ the experimentation!

I'm not a gun writer but I like the 165 grain Hornadys too. I've had good luck with Hornady Interlocks in general. In fact I've had good luck with all 165/168 grain bullets in a 30-06. I've had my best results accuracy wise with a load of 57.5 grains of IMR4350, 165 grain Hornady Interlock SP (flat base), RP brass and a Federal 210 primer in my 30-06 Browning X-Bolt. Your results may vary. I wouldn't think you would have to worry too much about a temperature insensitive powder for your climate in Kentucky during deer season. But then, I may be wrong as I've never hunted deer outside upstate NY. Sometimes, having options is both a blessing and a curse ain't it?

Get a copy of the 2016 Hodgdon manual.

The load data for .30/06 shows that the sweet spot for powder suitability is at 150 grains, with lots of medium and slow powders giving good velocity. At 165 grains, the slower powders start pulling ahead.

In the same issue, Mule Deer has a great article that expands on what he's been preaching here and there for years; that 165gr bullets over one of the 4350s is a fine all-around load for the '06.

I used 165gr Sierra HPs over 56.5gr of I4350 for a while and it worked fine for deer and left a little room for more powder if I needed it, which I never did. The last deer I '06ed, however, was taken with a mild load of 46gr of H4895 corked with 150gr CT Partition Gold non-moly. Haven't tried that one yet in my current '06, but I still have 150 of the bullets I bought on closeout years ago, so I'll get to it eventually.

What are the charges of H4895 in the loads you've been using 150 and 165 grain bullets?

As Pappy mentioned, the 30-06 is at home with H4350. I also can't find any reason for a 180 on deer. I've used 150's, 165's and 180's on antelope to elk, and prefer a 165 of some sort. My loads usually top out around 59.0 grains of H4350 and a 165.

If you really want to change, retire your 30-06 for a 308!

The poor old man's conflicted enough as it is; don't make matters worse!😛

Both of them have been 47 grains of H4895.

Well, life is simpler at 55

I want to know what Pooh thinks...

Shaman, what's your velocity with the new H4895?

I'm looking at Hodgdon's online data and that isn't an overload with either of the cup and core bullets they're using. It' a half grain under listed max with the 165 Sierra and four grains under with the 150 Ballistic Tip.