Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Highest velocity 165gr 30/06

One thing it seems every reloader ignores,is brass capacity...There not all the same and the '06 is no different!!!!It does make a difference...




Jayco

That aint no lie. I can't remember the headstamp but I remember trying a load from a Speer manual using different brass than they used and the charge wouldn't even come close to fitting in the case.

I hit it today. RP brass, WLRM primers, 63 gr Hunter, and 168 gr NBT; 3074, 3003, and 3038 fps for 3 shots.

I won't be doing it again because the primers were pretty flattened. On the upside, however, was the accuracy at about an inch in a mountain-weight rifle!

Try 58 grains of RL-17, this will put you in the hunt.

I went up to 57 and was at 2900, but didn't go above that... yet...

Years past I have seen some H205 loads that broke 3000 with a 165...one rifle was a Savage 110.

In any event that powder always got us easily into the high 2900's from 22-23" barrels.

But I have shot those loads,and others that hovered in the high 2800's-low 2900's to 400-600 yards.Near as I could tell there was not a lot of difference;and I sort of concluded if you want to beat what a 30/06 gives, you better beat it by a lot to see any differences.....which to me, means a 300 magnum of some sort.

You're absolutely right; with primers as flat as those I had w/ my recent foray, I'm happy w/ 2900.

There is some magic to 3k that makes it an obsession but you're correct Bob, that is what a 300 WSM is for I suppose.

Mans gotta see all the zero's...

Dober

I'm a believer that most non-magic powders suitable for the 30-06 top out around 2,950 max for a 165 w/ a 24" barrel. Personally, I've never been able to go beyond around 2,880 comfortably with a 22" barrel, but I never used RL22 either

Nosler's "magical" load of 63 gr RL22 did only like 2700 fps in my 23.6" barrel w/ a 168 gr NBT.

Here are the caseheads after my Hunter excursion related above:



I'm definately happy w/ "only" 2900 though !

Dober/ew: 2900 knocks the snot outta anything I've seen killed.....