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OP
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Does anyone have any accurate loads using IMR 4350 in their .30-06? I bought a pound of it to try out and so far I haven't been able to get anything resembling a group. I've tried it with 150 grain Corelokts, 150 grain Hornady SP, 165 grain SST, and 180 grain Hornady BTSP. So far it looks like with this powder that I may as well throw rocks because it is just throwing the bullets all over the place. I have tried several loads for each bullet and it is horrible. After shooting those horrible groups, I fired several groups using my best handload so far (H414 and 150 grain Sierra ProHunters) and I still got the tiny groups that I had before so its not the gun or scope.
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Campfire Ranger
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All rifles are different, but my Sako '06 throws 168 TSX's into little bitty groups with 58 grs. of IMR 4350.
Kills chit dead too, for the "hitter, not grouper" crowd..
I replace valve cover gaskets every 50K, if they don't need them sooner...
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A 4350 powder and a 165 spitzer in 30-06 is like PB&J. When I'm having trouble, first place I check is overall length for that particular bullet and load accordingly (assuming it is under the max length for that caliber, fits in the magazine, etc).
Murphy was a grunt.
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
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I use 58.4 of 4350 in my 30-06 with 150 gr. Sierra Spitzer bullet. I also use 56.5 gr. with 165 gr. Nosler partition. It does a heck of a job.
Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what the hell happened
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Campfire Ranger
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I had the same results my first couple of times out w/ this powder/cartridge combination. What I found (and experience since has confirmed) is that it burns much better with higher load densities.
If you use the "start" loads and work your way up but don't have good accuracy early on stick it out; it gets good the less open space there is in the case.
My rifle really likes 58 gr IMR-4350 under a 165 gr Sierra Game King HP, although it doesn't yeild as much velocity as RL-19 for me. Accuracy is definately good though.
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My standard 30/06 load is 58.5-58.8grs of IMR-4350, 165gr bullet and a WLR or 210M. I have used a variety of bullets and it always produces excellent accuracy.Rick.
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i load imr4350 with bullets heavier then 150 and 165 with that weight of bullet i have good luck with i4064 with 180 and up i use i4350 and seems to works better the heavier you get
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If an .06 will not shoot 57-58grs of IMR4350 and the 165gr Sierra/hornady or Nosler BT, then it's sick or just plain stupid.
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Never heard of such a malady. Speer 150 gr mag tips with 59 grains and CCI 200's Max or very close. And, 58 grains with 165 gr Speer SPBT's with CCI 200's, ditto on the max load. These loads work very well in two different rifles, My Ruger #1 RSI and my buddy's 700 ADL that was mine.
Keep your powder dry and stay frosty my friends.
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For me, 57.0gr of IMR 4350 and the 165gr Hornady or Speer, and probably any other 165 grain bullet, works very well. To steal the line from O'Connor - if an '06 won't shoot 57 grains of 4350 with a 165, you need an excorsist (sp), not a gunsmith.
If it won't work with a 150gr bullet, perhaps you're not using enough powder. It's been my experience (however limited) that 150's need a max load of that powder before groups start to shrink - 59 grains or so.
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If an '06 wont shoot good with 57gr IMR4350 and a Hornady 165BT then it wont shoot with anything and you might as well melt it down i would guess.. but just noticed that has already been stated. anyway, IMR4895 is very good also and the '06 was originally designed with it. The load in my garand is 50gr IMR4895 with original M2 ball which is the original load. this same load is equally good with 150gr hornadys
If the world didnt suck we would all fall off!
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When I buy a new 30-06, I load up some ammo with 57grs of I4350 and 165gr bullets. Whatever brass; whatever primer. If the rifle doesn't shoot that combo well, I sell it.  You may find a powder that gives a bit more velocity or by switching from bullet to bullet, find one that's a bit more accurate but I have never owned a 30-06 that wouldn't deliver hunting accuracy (1-2"/100yds)with that formula. I just noticed that has been said about a dozen different ways. Sorry.
Last edited by stillbeeman; 05/16/10. Reason: too much info
Aim for the exit hole.
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Try using the seating depths in the Hornady manual, they actually work and it's a good starting point, you can probably seat them out further than that but I've always gotten decent accuracy right off the bat starting a new load with those depths.
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Every rifle has its own personalities so to speak. I used 56g under a 180g Partition and was well under AN INCH
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Ahhh. It just needs a 270 win barrel screwed on it.
Hart or PacNor can fix it fur ya.....
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For me, 57.0gr of IMR 4350 and the 165gr Hornady or Speer, and probably any other 165 grain bullet, works very well. To steal the line from O'Connor - if an '06 won't shoot 57 grains of 4350 with a 165, you need an excorsist (sp), not a gunsmith.
Let's get a +1 on that. Does this rifle shoot any other loads well?
Selmer "Daddy, can you sometime maybe please go shoot a water buffalo so we can have that for supper? Please? And can I come along? Does it taste like deer?" - my 3-year old daughter
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Does anyone have any accurate loads using IMR 4350 in their .30-06? I bought a pound of it to try out and so far I haven't been able to get anything resembling a group. I've tried it with 150 grain Corelokts, 150 grain Hornady SP, 165 grain SST, and 180 grain Hornady BTSP. So far it looks like with this powder that I may as well throw rocks because it is just throwing the bullets all over the place. I have tried several loads for each bullet and it is horrible. After shooting those horrible groups, I fired several groups using my best handload so far (H414 and 150 grain Sierra ProHunters) and I still got the tiny groups that I had before so its not the gun or scope. Try starting at 54 grains, that's a good upper mid range load, try seating the 165gr SST at 3.230, I've had good accuracy with this load.
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While all rifles are different, IMR 4350 is my go to powder for all the 30-06s foe which I reload.
T
That which does not kill us makes us stronger
Friedrich Nietzsche
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I like to troubleshoot and post ideas and try to be the hero as well as anyone here, but this time I must admit I am completely clueless. I have never shot or heard of a 30-06 that is capable of shooting some loads well, but not with 4350 powder. That certainly must violate some major law of science, or something. Sorry, but I just can't help with this one. Good luck!
Our God reigns.
Harrumph!!!
I often use quick reply. My posts are not directed toward any specific person unless I mention them by name.
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All rifles are different, but my Sako '06 throws 168 TSX's into little bitty groups with 58 grs. of IMR 4350.
Kills chit dead too, for the "hitter, not grouper" crowd.. I'm getting a little nervous that you stole my reloading notes................ We seem to use alot of the same loads in several rifles. Got any good loads for 175 Partitions in the 7RM?  I've had 2, 30-06's that loved 59.0 H 4350 under a 168 TSX. The M700 shot them into nice little cloverleafs you could cover with a quarter. The M70 shoots them into an inch at 2900 ft/sec.
Adversity doesn't build character, it reveals it.
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OP
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I still haven't had any luck finding a load using IMR4350. So far my best grouping has been 3" at 100 which is way off for my gun. Just to make sure it wasn't my gun or scope, after trying several different load recipes and seating depths with the IMR4350 with no luck, I shot several sub 1" groups at 100 yards using 150 grain Sierra Gamekings, 57.5 grains of H414, and Winchester casings. I also shot some Federal 150 grain Power Shoks and got several groups of 3/4". So for some reason, I am supposing that this rifle just does not like this brand of powder for some reason.
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Campfire Ranger
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That is crazy!
Glad you found something that works well though...
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7-08, IMR 4350 is one of the best powders for the .30-06. I have found that the bullet weight and shape being matched to the particular rifle is more important than the powder choice, as long as the powder is a traditional or proven choice for the caliber. Since you have tried many different styles and weight of bullets, I agree with some of the other guys here, your rifle may need some tuning. It could be your scope or a variety of minor ills but you should have gotten some type of accuracy with all the loads you have tried.
"That God could and would, if He were sought."
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IMR 4350 is the powder for me in 30-06, in several rifles, over about 35 years. Agree w/ all above on the 57.5 gr w/ 165 gr Nosler Partitions. It's also superb w/ 180s and 55 to 55.5 gr.
The other powder I like w/ 150 grain bullets is 4064. If a 30-06 won't shoot 52/4064 w/ 150 grain Sierras or Nosler BTs, it won't shoot anything well, in my experience.
Neither of these meters well, but I old fashioned anyhow and want to weigh every one.
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I bought a pound of it to try out Whut? Man I'm still trying to find I4350. It was my go to powder for most 150gr bullets out of my 06. I've been a miser with what I have left. Since its so hard to find, I've found a load using RL17 that is as good as my I4350. Also, I could never get as tight a group with H4350.
Remember, not everyone has a happy ending, so be happy when you can
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What type of primers are you using? did you try any other primers? as you know h414 is a ball powder nearly identical to ww760 and they are both good but imr4350 is an extruded powder so a primer change could help with the groups
If the world didnt suck we would all fall off!
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Campfire Ranger
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IMR4350 will push bullets accurately to their destination from weights of 150 through 190 grains. All that I have tried worked well. I used 60.5 gr I4350 with a 150 gr Nosler solid base. 57-58.5 gr of I4350 with a Hornady BTSP 165 gr, and 55 gr of I4350 and a 180 gr Hornady BTSP. The 190 will use the same powder charge as the 180. It's a great powder for the '06 -- almost as ood as H4831, H414, RL19. Hope you get the glitches worked out. All my '06's shoot real well and load development has been easy.
"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." (Prov 4:23)
Brother Keith
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I4350 is tough to find?!?!? It always seems to be on the shelf up here in the Midwest. I have a few single pounders and one 8 lb. jug. 
Selmer "Daddy, can you sometime maybe please go shoot a water buffalo so we can have that for supper? Please? And can I come along? Does it taste like deer?" - my 3-year old daughter
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I have been using 59 grains of IMR 4350, with Nosler ballistic tips or partitions for 35 years. I'm sure the Accubond would be great also. I use them for deer and pigs. I never had good luck getting Hornady bullets to group well. I use Winchester brass and federal match large rifle primers. 59 grains is a max load.
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maybe your rifle doesnt like hornady bullets....i would use imr 4350 and stick with the sierra bullet you had great accuracy with...
I find that bullet makes define the accuracy of a rifle not the powder
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Campfire Savant
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I have tried Hornady's in a dozen different rifles. They didnt group as well as the nosler's or the GameKings. A lot of guys swear by the Hornady's.
Last edited by hanco; 07/23/16.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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You didn't use logic or reason to get into this opinion, I cannot use logic or reason to get you out of it.
You cannot over estimate the unimportance of nearly everything. John Maxwell
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The young guys on my deer lease say IMR 4350 is an old mans powder.
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The young guys on my deer lease say IMR 4350 is an old mans powder. I'm 33 and use IMR4350...it didn't earn it's reputation because it sucked. To the OP, maybe check the runout of your finished cartridges. I have never seen or heard of a .30-06 that will not shoot that many different types of bullets with that powder. Makes me think something is wrong with the dies since you mention that you have one good load. Maybe your dies just fit that bullet well and seat it straighter than anything else? Worth looking into at least. You shouldn't be having these problems with IMR 4350.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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A 30-06 that won't shoot IMR4350 is like a 308 that won't shoot IMR4895. They may exist, but they live in a set of measure zero to use a little math lingo.
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57 gr of IMR 4350 and many different 165 bullets have been very accurate in several different rifles for me. It is my most reliable pet powder/cal combo of any cartridge I load for. The problem probably isn't the powder.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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The young guys on my deer lease say IMR 4350 is an old mans powder. I'm 33 and use IMR4350...it didn't earn it's reputation because it sucked. To the OP, maybe check the runout of your finished cartridges. I have never seen or heard of a .30-06 that will not shoot that many different types of bullets with that powder. Makes me think something is wrong with the dies since you mention that you have one good load. Maybe your dies just fit that bullet well and seat it straighter than anything else? Worth looking into at least. You shouldn't be having these problems with IMR 4350. Bingo!!!
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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IMR 4350 and the 30-06 are made for each other. If you cannot get accuracy and performance out of this combo then you have rifle problems.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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IMR 4350 and the 30-06 are made for each other. If you cannot get accuracy and performance out of this combo then you have rifle problems. I think this is probably right! I burned a truckload of the stuff in the 30/06 with 150-165 gr bullets and was care free for years. It always worked great. But I later discovered that IMR 4350 is one of the Kings of temperature variation;fully as bad as RL22 in some cartridges,which gets a lot of flack for temp swings. Has it gotten better recently? I don't know.... But I still use RL22.....and IMR 4350 in some applications. Mostly though I have switched to H4350 in the 30/06.
The 280 Remington is overbore.
The 7 Rem Mag is over bore.
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Actually convenient. I just picked a M70 lightweight in 30-06.
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Campfire Savant
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4350 is the way to go
Last edited by hanco; 07/28/16.
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As far as Hornady bullets go? For me the 55gr VMAX is my go to bullet for my 22-250 hunts in southern AZ. I've tried other bullets and they all work, but for the price and accuracy, the VMAX and AMAX are loaded for Javelina. Head shots are really interesting.
For my 270, I purchased a couple of boxes of 130gr SST's. Using Hornady's data, I couldn't group smaller than 1 inch and the first shot was always a mystery. Until one day I used Noslers COAL length data and the groups shrank. Does Hornady make crap bullets? I don't think so, but they do take a little more than the others to figure out (save for Berger VLD's)
Remember, not everyone has a happy ending, so be happy when you can
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