Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Need Help With Load Data For 30-06

Surgeries last year have left me very recoil sensitive. I need to change my hunting load. I want to develop something mild - at about 2750 fps.

I sold my Hornady reloading manual. If any of you guys have one, would you mind sharing the min. and max. charge for the following combination?

30-06 - 150 Hornady Spire Point - Varget Powder

Thanks in advance,

GB

I started fooling with recoil reduction in the ol' '06 after shoulder surgery. Outstanding results with 150 gr bullets and 4198 and especially Reloader 7.
I know you wanted to use Varget, but in my rifles, when you started to back off the charge, got some pretty smokey cases and some pretty wide velocity swings.
40 gr of RL-7 and the 150 gr Hornady gave me moa groups, velocity around 2700 fps in 22" bbl, with near single digit velocity variations.

If you can find some H4895 load 45 gr w/150 and smile works w/ 180s as well.

Thanks for the reply guys.

Finding powder and/or primers is not an option...especially after the so called "election."

I buy Varget and H4350 anytime I see a pound on the shelf. That's what I have and are my only two options.

Anyone with a Hornady manual lying around?

I have a hunt coming up this weekend.

Thanks flintlocke and dusty. I think I remember seeing some RL-7 in a store about 40 miles from me. Those are the numbers I'm looking for.

GB

Try 48 grains and tweak if necessary. That shoots very well for me under 150 grain Sierras in Federal cases.

Thanks mathman.

My very old Hornady data shows the following for 150-155gr bullets in the 30/06 with Varget - all with a 23 3/4" barrel:

41.0gr - 2,500 fps
43.6gr - 2,600 fps
46.3gr - 2,700 fps
49.0gr - 2,800 fps
51.6gr - 2,900 fps

I've hunted enough with loads that start around 2,650 fps at the muzzle to know that out to 250 or even 300 yards, I would be happy starting with about 45 grains of Varget and working up from there.

Thanks Southpaw,

And I agree.

GB

GB, In these times of supply chain disruption, we gotta use what we got. But the whole point of using faster burn powders and lighter bullets is recoil reduction. Using your 150 gr bullet and a 7.7# rifle on 'shooters. com' recoil calculator as an example...a 46 gr powder charge, at 2750 fps will yield 16.6 ft lbs of recoil. Drop to 40 gr at 2700fps, you will get 15.05# recoil...doesn't sound like much, but it's a hair over 10% reduction. Develop a load with 130 gr Hornady, with small charges of fast powder and we are talking serious recoil reduction, below .30-30 levels.
In the recoil formula the powder charge weight is significant (called ejecta). Play with the formula, you will quickly see the benefit of reducing the total ejecta weight.

Hodgdon, Nosler, and others have their data online at no charge. At the charge levels you specify, a little substituting shouldn’t cause any trouble.

For the future, be on the lookout for H4895, which is excellent and safe for reduced loads. Unless you’re reaching out there, you can go pretty low and still get good results on game.

Speer shows a starting load of 49.0 gr of Vargay for 2,587 fps.

https://reloading-data.speer-ammo.c...aliber_308_dia/30-06_Springfield_150.pdf

Hodgdon online data show a starting load of 47.0 for 2,808 fps.

Quite a difference in loads and speeds there.

I use 44 grains of H 4895 for my Garand load. Easy on the shoulder in a bolt gun.

Thanks for the heads-up on the recoil calculator.

I loaded up 10 rounds at 48 grs. of Varget. Accuracy was excellent. Recoil was still more than I wanted. I ran the shots over the chrony but the sun came out bright and clear and I missed the data.

I'm taking southpaw's advice and dropping back to 44 grs. If accuracy holds and recoil reduction is significant - I'll be happy at 2600 - 2700 fps.

Thanks for all the replies guys.

GB

H4895 and RL-7 are on my watch list.

Thanks,
GB

I'm sorry the 48 grain load was still too much. I wish the chrono had reported correctly. John Barsness got just under 2700 with that load if I remember correctly. (I got it out of his loading for a Garand article.) So you may be looking for something closer to 2500 to get the recoil down enough.

44 grains under a 150 gives just under 2700 from my 300 Savage. I believe it will give less than that in the larger 30-06 case.

I think you are correct in your thinking.

I've loaded the following:
5-Rounds @ 44.0
5-Rounds @ 45.0
5-Rounds @ 46.0

Going to the range this tuesday with the chronograph. Plan is to get there before noon. I seem to get better results in the morning or in the afternoon when the sun is not directly overhead.

If I get some data, I'll post it. I'd be happy with easy recoil and anywhere between 2600 and 2700 fps. My rifle has already proven it likes the bullet/powder combo.

GB

He got about the same velocity I do with that load in a Garand. I also shoot the same load in an 03A3. Recoil is more noticeable in the bolt rifle.

If you can get in the 2600 to 2700 fps area and stand the recoil, you'll be good to go, nobody complains about how a .300 Savage or .308 Winchester kills deer.

Hoping you find a load that don't hurt and lets you get back out there.

Min. 44.7 grains=2500 fps

Max. 53.6 grains=2900 fps

Hornady case and WLR primer and from a Winchester M 70 with a 23-3/4" barrel.

Here's what I got on 11-24 guys.

Federal Cases - WLR Primers - Varget - Hornady 150 SP - 24" Barrel - 67 Degrees.

5-Shots each charge. Just for the data.

44.0 grs. - AU 2437 fps
45.0 grs. - AU 2466 fps
46.0 grs. - AU 2518 fps
47.0 grs. - Skipped the charge

R-P Cases
48.0 grs. - AU 2621

I am disappointed with the Hornady/Varget combo - surprised really!

I would have been happy with the recoil of the 46.0 gr. load IF I were hitting 2600 fps. BUT taking 48 grs. of powder to hit 2600 fps---that was a shock!

Thanks for all the help guys.

I have a line on some H4895 and a friend is bringing me over some 150 gr. Nosler BT. I have high hopes that I will find what I am looking for with that combination.

GB

Varget is a good choice but you might find H4895 a little better with 150 grain bullets.