Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Where to find 180 gr failsafe data for 3006

Hi I have 100 180gr fail-safes and can't find load data for my 3006. I don't have any loading books with data .I have loading data for my Barnes ttsx but that's all.Is there an internet sight for data I can't seem to find any but I'm not too computer savvy. Thank for any info.Dan

I used a lot of Fail Safes during the 1990s, partly because they were more accurate than the early Barnes X-Bullets, and basically worked the same way when they hit game.

There were differences in the coatings of the Fail Safes. The early ones had the thin black coating that Winchester calls Lubalox, which does provide a little more slickness to the bullet, but doesn't build up in the bore.

The later Fail Safes were coated with molybdenum disulphide, more commonly called "moly"--which was very popular back then. Moly does build up in the bore, and can cause accuracy issues if not scrubbed out, or removed with special solvents. In fact, when the coating was switched moly I often removed most of it by soaking the bullets in a moly-solvent, and it didn't make any difference in accuracy, and resulted in far less trouble. All of that would depend on when your Fail Safes were made.

You can use standard 180-grain data for either version, but I would watch the chronograph to see if muzzle velocities are higher than listed for the charge.

Thank You for the reply.I don't know which coating is on them but if it is the bad stuff I will look up a solvent.Dan

Soak them in vinegar, if they are moly coated, and then use Nosler load data as a reference. Easy enough.

My load notes: 30-06 Win 670 w/ 22 inch barrel (Pretty sure this is the early coating)
11/20/95 180 failsafe 61 gr H4831 2660 fps
11/21/95 180 failsafe 64 gr IMR 4831 3066 fps (over pressure signs on primer) Reduce this load!

Velocity readings from 180 Failsafe and 180 original Barnes X (No grooves) were nearly identical with same powder charges.

My recommendation: start with about 58 gr of either H 4831 or IMR 4831. Work load up to 2800 fps.

Be prepared for low accuracy as you begin shooting moly. It will take 5 to 10 rounds to coat the bore and recover accuracy.

Lee lists just by weight other than a couple here and there. Just work up from start with any load manual and you'll be fine. Use discretion with case capacity though. It really is easy.