Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 30-06: Getting Better...

Agreed, moved it out to 100 and try between 56, 56.5, 57, 57.5 since at 50 yards 57.0 was your best group. If you are still maintaining sub inch groups, then you need to ask yourself what will you use this for? Competition? Hunting? If all of the groups are pretty close, push out to a farther shot. The distance will enhance the smaller differences between the loads (and your skill). You can play with the charge in between the two close loads to find the tightest but in reality, you have to ask is a 1/8 of an inch group size really going to matter at 100, 200, 300 yards? Again your skill set comes into play. You can knock a 1/2" group at 200 (yes you can) and when that 4x4 walks out in the clear at 150 you totally miss the shot (yes you can).

I've worked up to the best load I could with a 270 I own and I still couldn't get below an inch @ 100. I was using the load information from Hornady since I was shooting their Interlocks. I then compared the COAL to that in the Nosler manual and made the adjustment. My groups at 200 now are just under an inch. Start to look at your overall length after you've found your absolute best load and you still seek a smaller group.

Remember components and loading. From lot to lot brass, bullets, powder, and primers may not match. If you are competition shooting you'll want to weight your brass and bullets and sort them into groups. I weight each charge twice with two different scales (yes I do). With powder. buy a couple of pounds of the powder you found a load for; load a small batch take it to the range and test it. You may have to adjust the charge based on that lot of powder. Once you get it tuned in, load up the rest exactly the same. A barrel used for "hunter" accuracy will last longer than one for competition shooting.

Finally, whether competition shooting or prepping for a hunt, shoot as much as you can, your brain has memory muscle and my best sets have always come after several session with the 22lr. (cheaper ammo same skill set required). Practice with your real rifle and ammo under the conditions (distance and weather) you expect to be successful at either hunting or competition.

HaYen

Zerk,
Just the one 30-06.

3 shots followed by 10 minutes of cooldown until the next group. Is that long enough?

Just a hunting rifle. But am planning an elk hunt and want a solid 400 yard shooter. ;

Shooting at 50 yards was/is an effort to eliminate my poor skills and focus on just the load. Once I have my best at 50 yds, I'll be shooting it at 200 yards to verify the load AND my lack of skilss.

Gun_Geezer,you talk of poor shooting skills,just how are you setting up?At the range,it's very important to be able to be rock solid so you know just how well your gun is shooting.I use a front rest and a rear bag.I think the rear bag will really improve how well you shoot,if you don't have one,get one.When your hunting,you don't have all those tools,but if your rifle shoots well,your chances of hitting what your aiming at improves.You know it's you and not the gun.Another thing that can cause poor shooting is a hard trigger.All mine break around 2 1/2 - 2 3/4lbs.A lot of factory rifles break around 5 - 8lbs,that's just way too hard for me to get tight groups at that weight.Here is a picture of my rest and rear bag setup.