Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Big Game Powder/Barnes Bullets for .30-06- What Weight/Off Lands works for you?

What has been the most accurate loads (Bullet weight and how far off lands,etc) using Big Game Powder and Barnes Bullets for .30-06 you have loaded? I'm loading this for a Win Model 70 Classic.

M70 stainless classic, New Haven-made .30-06- 168 gr TTSX, W-W case, Fed 210 match primer, 55.5 gr of Big Game, cartridge length of 3.335". (did not check land distance) Puts 3 shots in about 3/4" at 100 yd. Have not chronoed it yet.

So I decided to chrono the '06 today with the 168 TTSX over 55.5 gr of Big Game. From the 24" tube on my M70, I averaged 2903 fps.

From doing a Goggle search seems many favor starting at the top of the top groove and working back.

Throat diameter/length, and leade configuration of your rifle may/may not match that of another's (and probably not), and as such any advice concerning seating depth/OAL would hold academic interest only and not be directly applicable to you.

With the polymer tip of TTSX you may well run out of length in the mag before you get close to the lands. Also, My experience with TSX and TTSX is that they are much less finicky about bullet jump than the old X bullets so I generally end up just putting the forward most groove even with the case mouth which is usually close to book OAL. You can crimp from there or not.

I will try case mouth to the top of the fist groove tomorrow.

You can see what this HVA project gun did with Big Game and 130 Council bullets at 100 meters (I wrote yds, but it was more like 110 yds, or around 100 meters). I'd check the Big Game load for Barnes bullets.

For WT's and such, 130's work great. They shoot faster than the heavier bullets and in my expenience, will blow thru a WT without problem.

I haven't tried Barnes in the '06, but would go light and fast with them.

DF

I just checked Barnes load data for the '06. They have as their max. 130 gr. accuracy load, 62 gr. Big Game at 3,232 fps.

I'd load those bullets with .05" jump and go from there. IMO, Barnes like to jump. They often work well jumped more than one would expect.

Unless one is shooting some really big critters, the 130 Barnes is my pick. And if those critters are that big, I'd probably be shooting 250's or 270's out of my .375 H&H.

DF

Well I put the bullet top groove up to the case mouth. The Tikka .243 shot tight 3 shot group inside of an inch. Very pleased. The Model 70 loads did better, but needs a little more work. I would get two about an inch apart then one about two inches. Maybe let the barrel cool longer is the solution? All and all better.

Just tried my first TTSX/Big Game '06 loadings this afternoon and was very pleased with the final results. 56 grs and a CCI 250 primer under a 150 gr TTSX yielded an avg of 3,013 fps and cloverleaf 3-shot groups. COAL was 3.250".

Rifle was a Rem 700 w/24" barrel.

Thats close to what my old Tikka got with 55.5 Big Game and a 168 TSX.

BUT now I can not find any Ramshot Big Game any where!

I don't use Big Game, mainly 'cause I simply can't any of it, but I do use H4350 which is very similar, & the 168 TSX in my Model 70 Classic.

I always start with TSX's at the lands & have NEVER gone more than .020 off, usually end up at .010" off as I don't like hunting loads to be seated into the lands.

I have never ever, seen the need to seat TSX's .050" off as some claim they need to.

I did re-stock this rifle & spent a fair amount of time getting the barrel pressure right to get that gun to shoot though.......now it's a <MOA rifle.

MM

Don't reckon there's a "one size fits all" jump value for bullets, gotta go with what works in yo gun...

Jumping Barnes bullets has worked well for me and I've read similar opinions from others.

DF

Ramshot said it should be back in stock around the early-mid Summer.