Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles My Higgins Model 50 1st shoot !

Nothing to great happend 1st time out,
But it will be good i think, Got it on paper 1st shot at 50, and my adjustments were correct when i got to 100,
The Rifle did not like the Hornady 150 grain Flat base over 59 grains of IMR 4350, it was grouping just over 2 inches. The hornady 165 grain Flat base over 58.5 grs of RL-17 was a little better at 1.60.
The best was the 165 grain Sierra BT over 58 grains of IMR.4350 I got 1.40, and 1.35. I just fired 2 X 3 shot groups with the loads listed here, and decided to bring the rifle home and see if i could come with a way to improve things.
The stock had pretty solid contact with the for tip , so i sanded that out, and now i can pass the folded dollar though the barrel channel, its dragging a little so i will sand some more.
I also notice the Scope , (a new VX3I 2.5 X 8 )was making contact with the front base, the Bell was touching the edge so i loosened the rings an scooted it off the base , I think these two things will help a lot.
I might have a decelerator put on it, it is only an 06 , but its pretty light and after 20 rounds it was not as much fun as it could be. I saved a few of those rounds , and firing those for group will tell me if i am on the right track.
I think i will try the Sierra bullet with RL 19 and H 414....

Looking forward to hearing if your tweaks make a difference. Got any photos to share?

Hate to sound like a broken record, but 46gr of H4895 under a 150gr NP has shot well in three .30/06s, including a M50. That one, which, my son has, put three into from just over a half-inch to just under an inch. Not super speedy, but according to the Hodgdon book, pretty much a good .308. That manual actually uses your Hornadys, but I improvised with the Partitions, F210s, and whatever brass I have since it's the starting load.

Pappy, Sounds like a good load,
But i have 2 .308s now, so i would like a bit of a velocity boost, There are a bazillion tried and true loads for the 06, but i would say the most used powder in the cartridge is IMR 4350, I might need to back off a little and end up in your velocity range cause my right shoulder is not the best,
But with the 22 inch 06 , i think 2850 is a good goal, and maybe a bit faster, I had best luck with the sierra BT i wonder if the rifle likes boat tails better than flat base bullets. My 7x57 shoots flat base bullets great but will not shoot boat tails. Tempted to find a box of 165 grain speer bts....tj3006

I would get the gun right first before any load development. In addition to all the items your working on I would bed the stock mounting points. After floating the barrel and setting the scope up right you will have a nice hunter.

Haven't clocked it, but that load is listed at over 2800, just so you know. One of the things I look for when choosing a powder is good velocity at the low end. Haven't had to take a poke at over 100 yards in years, so top speed is of little interest to me, for deer guns anyway. Keep it in mind in case 4350 doesn't work out.

Great guns. I kinda miss mine. If you ever decide to dump the stock for synthetic, let me know. My Husky's stock is pretty ragged!

EDIT: Whoopsie! The Hodgdon data is for a Ballistic Tip. Goes from 2806 with 46.0 to 2976 with 51.0 grains. Winchester brass and LR primers. I'm using Nosler bulk brass and F210, regular or Match as the spirit moves me, but used Remmy brass before.

I typically use John B's standard load to start in various 06s, flatbase hornady 165s with 4350. If the rifle doesn't shoot that, I start to get worried!

I load 59 grains of IMR 4350 and a Nosler Ballistic tip. Accurate in at least a dozen rifles I’ve had.

I load 165gr. bullets with Jack O'Conner's load of 48gr. IMR 4064 which produces 1-1.5" groups in my .30-06's.

I've got a new Model 50 as well. Hoping to shoot it this weekend if reloading dies show up in time.

Funny you should mention the flat base bullets? My custom Mauser 98 30-06 Flaig's project did the same thing. It didn't like the 168 FED boat tails. That gun was old school and liked the 150 core lock.

I took the rifle along today, when i went revolver shooting.
I think the sanding o the barrel channel was all it needed, I only fired 3 shots, with a 165 grain Sierra BT, over 58 grains of IMR 4350, .54 inch center to center of the hood of mt jeep. Range not known exactly but i would guess 115 to 125 yards.
I need to figure out why i can't get the safety to engage since I installed the Timney ! Might just drop it buy the local smith , probably just an adjustment...tj3006

I have'nt ever, ever, never ever, NOT found any ( mine or those I helped with theirs) 30-06 that didn't shoot 59gr of IMR 4350/ any 150gr cup n core, nor 58gr IMR 4350/165! Its been more than a dozen, I remember at least that many, ha. Now, I liked R22 with the 200NP. I had a Model 50 awhile in .270 that was a 1.5" consistent shooter. Not bad, but it didn't like the 150s, so down the road it went.

Jim, the 1st load i tried was 59grs of IMR 4350 over the Hornady Flat base, Did not do very well, but that was before i sanded the Barrel channel. I still have some loaded, I think i will go to the Range this weekend and Try all the loads i fired before, It does not seem to like RL 17, i shot 3 of those and got 2 inches. But i will try some more, I have hand loads or 06s i don't own anymore and its more fun to shoot it than pull the bullets...tj3006

I tried R26 in a .280, and a .270 and I got super fast speeds. Just poor accuracy at the top speeds....:(