Setting up a New Haven SS FW 30-06 rifle for do-all or most-all NA applications. Whats a good and on the heavy side FACTORY load that might want to shoot out of this rifle? I'm not sure what the twist is on these. Hoping there is a factory loaded 200 grain NP, A-frame, Scirocco, AB (maybe), TBBC is out there that will work in this one. Barnes 180 TTSX maybe? Anyone been down this road? Recommendations requested
I’ve spent a fair amount of time chronographing factory 30-06 ammo from several different rifles, and I think you may be disappointed.
I focused on common 180-grain factory loads like Remington CoreLokt, Winchester Power Point, and Federal Power-Shok, plus the Federal 180-grain Partition load. I have more recently started testing more 150-grain and 165-grain loads. Rifles include a 24” FN Mauser, a 24” NH Model 70, a 23.6” Tikka T3x, a 22” BACO Model 70 FWT, two 22” Husqvarna 1640s, and a 20.5” Husqvarna 1640. The 20.5" gun is an outlier--everything is slow in that barrel. All of these barrels have 1:10 twist except for the Husqvarnas which are 1:12.
Here’s what I learned:
1. Most 180-grain loads did about 2,650 in these rifles. A couple ran almost 2,750 fps. No two rifles hit their top speeds with the same load.
2. The Federal 180-grain Partition load (P3006F) fan fastest (2,634 fps) in the 24” NH Model 70. In 22” barrels, it rarely runs faster than 2,550 fps.
3. Once upon a time, Federal offered a High Energy 180-grain Partition load (P3006R). I clocked this load at 2,800 fps in the 24” NH Model 70. Groups were about 1.8 MOA, which is probably adequate for anything that demands a 200-grain .308” bullet at 2,800 fps. They also made a High Energy 165-grain load, but that stuff grouped into about 4” at 100 yards in my rifles.
4. Federal’s 308 180-grain Partition load does 2,550 fps in a 24” Remington 700 ADL.
5. Remington 220-grain CoreLokt is a classic old-school heavyweight in the 30-06. It clocks 2,400 fps reliably in a 24” barrel.
6. I haven’t tried the 180-grain Barnes in any of these rifles because I’m not sure that the 30-06 has enough speed to open it reliably at longer range. I’d be more inclined to look at a 150-grain Barnes in the 30-06.
Federal loads a 200-grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw for the 30-06 but I’ve never tried it or the Lapua 200-grain load. Even though they exist, they may be almost impossible to find.
With all of this in mind, remember that the 30-06/180 earned a glorious reputation despite probably never running a full 2,700 fps in 85% of the rifles for which it was chambered. If you’re not going to handload, then I’d zero the 180 of your choice at 200 yards, note where the 220-grain load hits (which is probably about POA at 100 yards), and call it a day.
Okie John
