Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 30 06 accuracy load not so accurate..now what

A 150 Sierra Gameking over 52grs of IMR4064 works real good in all my 06s and that would be 4 of them. That load would serve as a good baseline to establish accuracy potential IMO. Don't know what you plan on shooting, but a 150 Sierra is bad medicine on whitetails.

I had one savage rifle, a model 12 varmint. It shot good but was ugly and I couldn't warm up to it. Traded it towards a model 70 fwt 06.

New Athlon Argos 2-10x40 is the scope, and yes, mounted solidly

generally testing ONE load combo and for accuracy is not typical.

First off start with a quality know accuracy bullet of common wt.

for example 168gr sierra

then load a few up and see..

Count me in with the "dump it and start over" bunch. If you want a cheap shooter, pick up a RAR, Howa, Venture, etc. In the current "market", dumping it may take some time, but one of the aforementioned rifles can probably be had for less than all that lipstick you're contemplating..

The advise on using the 150gn Sierra is sound and I would add to that the 130gn Speer HP over a healthy dose of Varget. I have used that in a lot of .30/06's and had a single one (Remington 700 test rifle) that would not group 5 just under the inch which is why I used it as a start load to "audition" .30/06's.

Have you “tested” the parallax of your scope? Put it in a solid rest pointed at your target ( I’m assuming your shooting groups at 100 yards) and without touching your rifle move your head around while looking through the scope. If the reticle moves around much at all on the target, shooting tiny groups will be very difficult.

Ben

Get a can of WipeOut and clean the barrel till it ain’t blue.
Try a box of Rem corelokts and see what it does. Something about those rounds always showed good accuracy. It will give you hunting MOA...
Tweak from there with the suggested loads above.

Sierra Blue Box 150 factory loads are also a good one.

You're trying to make a silk purse out of sows ear. I load for all sorts of 30-06s. Remington pumps and semis and bolts, Winchester bolts, Ruger bolts and Tikka bolts of different vintages.

I start most of the guys off with a 165 grain PSP with a load of 57 grains of IMR4350. If that won't group, I teach them how to squeeze the trigger. If it won't shoot after that and all the screws a sufficiently snug, I try a 3 shot group with their rifle. it is rare that it won't shoot an inch and a half or less. Hunting bullets can shoot sub moa, but if they don't, either cough some cash for better components or buy something in the rifle department that isn't bargain basement.

This ^ and try the Sierra or Nosler 165gr bullets with 57gr of IMR4350.

Thanks, Dinny

I love rifles like this. Gives me plenty of opportunity to try different load combinations to find an accurate load, correct bedding, and buttplate, lots of fun. Fun ends when you find the load that shoots well since there is no more to do. Then what, put it in the rack and wait of the once a year rifle season which ends all too quickly.
Phils

I agree with this advice, the rifles mentioned are all great-shooters, and you'll be way ahead of the curve you are heading to.