Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Campfire Handload Tests

Gee, point out the fact that I still need to get a chrony!! (Why does my Todo list get pushed behind the honeyDo list?!?! - Oh Well)

I worked up a great load accuracy wise using 58.5 grs of Hunter under a 180 gr Nosler PP with Win brass out of my Model 70. No pressure signs. Stopped because group sizes were consistently around .75 to 1 inch. It will be interesting to see what data gets posted for this load.

John(Dog)

257 Roberts, NULA, 24" barrel, WW brass and CCI 200 primers:

100 grain Ballistic Tip, 46gr. H4350, 3095 FPS, .848 (3 shot group)
115 Ballistic Tip, 43 gr. H4350, 2988 FPS, .564 ( 5 shot group)


308 Win., Remington Ti, 22 barrel, Lapua brass & CCI 200 primers

165 Nosler Partition, 44 RE15, 2670 FPS, .349 (3 shot group)
165 Hornady FB, 44 RE15, 2688, .325 (3 shot group)

Group sizes are an average of at least three groups, except the Hornady 165 which is only two groups.

After Rick heals up, perhaps he can put up a room for everyone to contribute their favorite loads by cartridge. CP.

MD:

I think someone recently asked if we could do this based on your "loads that work" articles, and I'm all up for that.

Two of your personal rifles that you've mentioned several times in your articles are chambered in 7x57 and .308, so if you'd like to edit-in those to the top post in this thread, I'd love that.

And, uh, well, I have rifles in those two calibers. Thanks!

- TJM

Basing it on the "Loads That Work" article might make it a little unwieldy. Let's stick to the original list for now, and see where we end up. I suspect we'll end up with plenty of results just from those!

If more combinations seem justified down the line, we can start another thread.

To somebody else who asked, these loads are "approximate," since powder varies some from lot to to, and different bullets create different pressures.

JB

Mule Deer,

From the sound of it, I'd say that your NULA 30-06 would be pretty much an anything rifle for non biting/stomping/etc. critters. I couldn't be a gun writer and have it because I'd never want to fool with anything else....well maybe.

John,

I do not have the chorny data for you. This is on my 'do list'. But here are the results for the 30-06 load, which you were kind enough to pass along to me last summer.

Rifle: Kimber 30-06
Norma brass, 210 Federal primer, 58.0 grains of H-4350:

165 Interlock: 1 each of 10 shot group - 1.050", average of 4 each of 5 shot groups - 3/4"
165 Interbond: 5 shot groups average about an inch but could never get rid of the occasional flyer.

The load was more accurate with IMR 4350 than with H-4350 but I decided against using it because of the wide swing in temperatures that I hunt in. Repeatability was more important to me than the small increase in accuracy.

Thanks,
Will

Win M70 30-06
Stainless classic 24" barrel

Win brass
CCI 200
59 gr H4350
165 Hornady Interbond
2925 FPS avg
5 shot groups avg 0.789
The same load will shoot 150 SSTs into around 0.525 avg

I took my chronograph to the range this morning, the 30-06 load listed on the first page, 58 grs of H4350, fed 210m primer, ww brass, 165 hornady spirepoint 2843, 2843, 2839, .80, 1.10, .76. All from my son's Sako 75 Hunter.

JB

Interesting you know part of the answer due to 30-06 and 308 being used at Camp Perry for so many years. There are some very reliable loads that are accurate in every gun of that caliber I've shot.

Same goes these days for 223- haven't seen a gun with proper twist that wno't dink 25.0 Varget and 69 sierras into a good group safely.

This will dig up some good info.

Unfortunately I've none of your requested calibers and bullet combos to play with. Sorry.

Good luck, Jeff

Well I can contribute to the .257 and .270. My 223 is on a steady diet of Benchmark and has about 9 lbs to go before I switch, if I do.
Ruger .257 22", 46-H4350-100 Hornady. 1.25-1.5" at just over 3000 fps. Rifle is legitemate 1" with 75 Sierras over H4895 and about 1.25" with 115 partitions and 44-H4350 for about 2800.

2nd Ruger .257 22", This one was about 1.5" with the 46-H4350 load at 3034 fps. Also very accurate with the 75 Sierras.


Same rifle with new Douglas barrel. Under 3/4" with the 46-H4350-100 Hornady load. Haven't gotten the chrono out yet for this one.
Interesting that neither factory barrel would shoot an inch with the 100 bullets, but the 1st would do it with 115-117 bullets. Both were under an inch with the 75's. To add to the database, 46 Hunter gave nearly identical velocities and accuracy with the 100's in both rifles.

Rem.700 BDL in B&C stock. Used the 60 H4831-130 Hornady load for over 30 years with 1" loads the norm. Never owned a chrono in those days.
Same rifle with 22" Pac-Nor barrel. These days I use 59-H4831SC-130 Hornady as I just don't feel the need for the extra bit of speed where I hunt. Load gives 3/4 or under groups at 2904 fps, 12 SD.

MD, do yu want us to post results on this thread ?? (Reading through this it looks like you ought to hire a CPA to tabulate the data)

I hope to have FOUR .270 rifles data-fied before the end of the week...

Might be easier to have a .270 thread,.30,etc. at least you wouldn't have to sift through as much.

In case you haven't figured it out yet: my personality type is ISTJ......

Hello All
Have just one load for this list and my neighbor will probably use it bear hunting in Aug. His 77MkII 22" 30-06 has put 3 165gr Grand Slam's into groups as small as .422@ 50yds and averages .440 @ 50 yds driven by 58.5gr H4350 in Rem. brass and CCI 200's giving 2810fps.
nelson

Utahlefty--

Hey, it's just cyberspace. It's not like it's REAL space.

JB

Model 700 CDL .30-06 with factory 24" barrel free floated by a gunsmith and trigger lightened to 42 ounces.

58 grains of H4350, CCI LR primer, 165 Sierra BTSP Gameking.
2820 fps. I don't recall the EXACT average group size, but it's right at an inch.

I went back thru my reloading logs and found the following loads for the .257 Roberts (circa 1996-1997).



Rifle Info: 700ADL long action with a 26 inch #3 Shilen CM barrel finished at 26 inches. The stock was a Ramline (glassbedded). It was topped with a 2.5-10x40 Bausch &Lomb Elite in Weaver mounts.


Load #1: 90 grain Barnes XBT 48.0 grains of RL 19 Winchester +P cases and Winchester LR primers.

Velocity: 3,240 fps.
Accuracy: .635 avg. 3 shots @ 100 yards


Notes: This bullet coppered the bore very heavily, a real PIA to get clean. I shot one small doe (100-110 lbs live weight) at 130 yards from a big box stand with this load. The bullet performance was TERRIBLE. The deer barely reacted to the shot and dove off into the swamp (I was hunting in Northhampton County, NC in the Eastern coastal plain). I found only two small drops of blood (roughy the size of nail on my pinky finger) where she was standing when I shot, then nothing.

The swamps and thickets in this area are so thick and overgrown you must see them to truly understand how rough they are. The fellow on whose property I was hunting had a big yellow Lab that had been especially trained to track deer so we put Dixie on the trail and she proceeded to track the doe. About 600 or 700 yards (mostly crawling on our bellies and hoping we didn�t run foul of a water moccasin or rattler) into the swamp she found the deer laying in an old blow down still very much alive. My buddy John finished her off with a 125 grain jacketed hollowpoint from his Ruger Blackhawk .357 behind her ear.


The post mortem revealed that the shot had been true, behind the shoulder and thru the lungs. It appeared the bullet did not expand at all. There was a .25caliber entry hole and 25 caliber exit hole. It looked for all the world like someone had run the deer thru with a drill bit.


Had I not had a tracking dog I would have lost this deer. I know it�s only an example of one but it was this experience that soured me on Barnes X- bullets for use on the deer I hunt. I haven�t used one since and have no plans to change any time soon.


Load #2: 115 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip 45.0 grains of RL 19 same case and primer as load #1.

Velocity: 2,925 fps

Accuracy: 1.25 inches avg. 3 shots @ 100 yards.


Notes: I only shot a couple of groundhogs with this load. It totally destroyed the pasture poodles


HBB

Here's the results of some experimenting I did with Reloader 25 in the .270 Winchester.

[Note: The following loads were safe in the rifles tested. If you use this data be sure to work up slowly and observe good reloading technique lest ye blast thyself to the big shooting range in the sky]


Test Rifle #1: SIG SHR 970 .270 Winchester (22 1/8 inch barrel) with 3x9x40 Bausch and Lomb Elite 3000 in Burris Mounts.


Test Rifle #2: Winchester Model 70 Featherweight (22 inch barrel) with 1.5-5 Weaver Grand Slam in Leupold Mounts.



Bullets Tested:

130 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip


140 grain Sierra BTSP

[Note: All loads used once fired Remington cases and Federal 215 Match primers.]

Velocities are from 3- three shot groups corrected from instrumental @ 14 feet from the muzzle. All groups were shot at 100 yards. Measurements are an average of three groups.

Range Conditions: 43 Degrees F. Partly Cloudy and Windy


Load #1: 57.0 grains of RL-25 with 130 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip


SIG SHR 970

Velocity Accuracy
2,702 feet per second 0.555 inches


Model 70 Featherweight:

Velocity Accuracy
2,685 feet per second 0.705 inches

Comments: Very accurate, mild load.


Load #2: 59.0 grains of RL-25 with 130 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip


SIG SHR 970

Velocity Accuracy
2,798 feet per second 0.555 inches

Model 70 Featherweight

Velocity Accuracy
2,774 feet per second 0.795 inches


Comments: Very Consistent/ accurate load.



Load #3: 61.0 grains of RL �25 with 130 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip


SIG SHR 970

Velocity Accuracy
2,871 feet per second 0.580 inches


Model 70 Featherweight

Velocity Accuracy
2,797 feet per second 1.127 inches


Comments: Another consistent and accurate load. Powder came to base of case neck, with mild compression. Any meaningful increase in the powder charge would require the use of a long drop tube.




Load #4: Load # 4 57.0 grains of RL-25 with 140 grain Sierra BTSP


SIG SHR 970

Velocity Accuracy
2,377 feet per second 2.011 inches


Model 70 Featherweight

Velocity Accuracy
2,400 feet per second 2.268 inches


Comments: Surprisingly low velocity with erratic swings of up to 325 fps in the SIG SHR 970 and 225 fps in the Model 70 Ftw. Poor accuracy.


Load #5: 57.0 grains of RL-25 with 140 grain Sierra BTSP


SIG SHR 970

Velocity Accuracy
2,631 feet per second 1.146 inches


Model 70 Featherweight


Velocity Accuracy
2,637 feet per second 0.725 inches


Comments: More accurate than the previous load. However, the load was still very erratic. Velocity swings of 125fps in the SIG 970 and 115 fps in the Model 70.

Load #6 59.0 grains Rl-25 with 140 grain Sierra BTSP


SIG SHR 970

Velocity Accuracy
2,747 feet per second 1.843 inches


Model 70 Featherweight

Velocity Accuracy
2,746 feet per second 1.283 inches


Comments: Powder came to the base of the case neck, almost a compressed load. Still displayed the erratic velocity spreads. 225 fps in the SIG 970 and 130 fps in the Model 70.

HBB

Load Data for the original calibers as Promised: from my dad & I

[color:#3333FF].257 Roberts Ruger M77MKII 22" bbl WW case, CCI 200, 46gr H4350[/color]
100 gr Hornady SP 2990 fps, group .8"
100 NP 3020 fps, group .75"

.270 Winchester Win M70 22" bbl 60 gr H4831
WW case, CCI 200 130 TSX 2970 fps 3"group
Fed case, WLR, 130 NP 2930fps, 1.4" group
FEd case, WLR, Hornady SP 2900 fps 1.0" group
Fed case, WLR, 130 Sierra 2920 fps, 1.4" group
Fed case, F210, 130 NP 2940 fps, 1.4" group
Fed case, F210 130 Hornady 2890 fps, 1.0" group

.270 Win Rem M700 22" bbl 60 H4831

130 Hornady WW case CCI 200, 2950fps , 1.4"group
130 NP WW case, CCI 200 2920 fps, 1.0" group
130 X, WW case, F210 2955 fps .75" group

.270 Win Rem M700 22" douglas barrel 60 H4831

130 NP WW case F210 2898 fps 1.75" group
130 X WW case F210 2940 pfs .7" group

.270 Browning Abolt II 20" bbl 60 H4831

130 TSX Fed case F210, 2945 fps .5" group
130 X , Fed case, F210 2920 fps 1.25" group
130 TBBC factory load 2945 fps 0.7" group

30-06 FN Mauser 22" bbl 58 gr H4350
186 gr Sierra HPBT RP case, CCI 200 2860 fps, .70" group
180 Sierra SPBT Win case, WLR, 2730 fps, .9" group

Let me know when you get to the bigger bores and I'll reall clog up the system

Shot the .30-06 180 Partition 58.0 Hunter load today. (Model 70 Stainless Classic 24" barrel)
First Group (New, Unplated WLR Primers)
2695
2747
2660
Average = 2720
Group Size = 1 1/4 Inches
Second Group (CCI 200 Primers)
2752
2736
2717
Average = 2735
Group Size = 1 9/16 Inches
Third Group (Federal 210 Primers)
2734
2726
2749
Average = 2736
Group Size = 1 Inch
That makes for an average speed of 2724 and an average group size of 1 1/4 inches (with 1/16 of an inch wandering around somewhere.) That is pretty much normal for my rifle and me to shoot. (I did shoot the 180 Partitions into 1/2 inch the last time out with 58.5 grains RL19 and Federal 210 primers.)
The kicker to all of this is that I shot a fourth group after I had shot the first three with the 58.0 Hunter load. The difference this time was Remington 9 1/2 primers. The three shots registered 2810, 2760, and 2622 (average 2731) and spanned 4 inches with no two close together. I did not feel that I pulled any shots, the group was fired right after the Federal group (shot the WLRs and CCIs, then let the rifle cool and shot the last two groups). That and the wide swings in speed of the last three shots leads me to believe that something funky went on with those rounds. Always something to keep a person wondering. Enjoying this and look forward to seeing things tabulated at some point. Best, John

If you ever go elk hunting you're set.

Time this thread runs its course and John gets it all buttoned up it will eliminate one of the most frequently asked questions: "What do you recommend for a good hunting load for my rifle?"

The thing that is surprising to me is that the 06 seems to have no trouble getting to book load velocities. Even in 22 inch barrels it comes closer than you'd guess. I am going to work up a load for the 7mm SAUM and I've been told that a lot of times this is not always the case with the short mags.

Will