Hey guys what powders do you like for the 30-06? I have a buddy who just got into shooting and Im going to load him up some 165g BT's and 180 accubombs.

Happy 2009!!

IMR-4350 (or H4350) is hard to beat. There may be slightly "better" powders for a particular weight of bullet but the 4350 powders do a good job with bullets from 150 to 220 grains. I've only used IMR-4350 in loading for the .30-06 (in two different rifles) so my experience is admittedly limited. Still, I've been very happy with IMR-4350 in the .30-06.

My two cents....
Cheers!
-Bob F.

For the 165's I'd work with one of the 4350's (take your pick it don't matter) and or R19 (if one really wants top speed).

For the 180's I'd go with one of ther 4350's and or R22 (if one really wants top speed).

Dober

Personally, I like:

150's.....H414 and Varget
165's.....H4350
180's.....H4831sc

My favorite powder was WW760 because it works really well with my RCBS UNI-FLOW powder dispencer. Every drop from the tube went to the scale and no problems. It worked well with the Hornady 180grSP.

Ken

What Mark said..

+2 on what Mark Said

I started loading the 30-06 twenty years ago with IMR 4350 for all bullet weights, then switched to H4350 about seven years ago when the "Extreme" line of temp-insensitive powders appeared. H4350, however, is a tad slower the IMR 4350 and usually requires .5 - 1.0 gr more powder per bullet weight.

For me, it's Varget.

imr 4064, works well with 150 and 165's,

Good advice here - my hands-down favorite load for the 30-06 is WW case, 57.5 gr/IMR 4350, Fed 210M, w/ 165 gr Nosler Partition bullet, about 2950 fps. Have used this load in many rifles, have killed lots of game w/ it, including elk. On the latter, have gotten pass throughs on broadside shots at 200 yards.

The most accurate load across the board for me - a load that in over 15 rifles shoots well if a rifle will shoot anything well - is 52 grains/IMR 4064/150 Sierra (don't recommend this for big animals - in fact, I've given up Sierras for all big game hunting after many bullets have disintegrated. Nosler Ballistic Tips are similarly accurate, better game bullets in my experience.

Another very accurate combination is 55 grains/IMR 4350/180 Sierra boattail. I've not shot any game w/ this bullet, but it really shoots.

RL15 for 125's
IMR 4064 for 150's,
IMR 4350 for 165's,
IMR4350, H4350, RL19, IMR4831, WW760 for 180's
RL19 for 200's

One powder for all......4350

you mean BESIDES 4350?

The powder that comes closest to filling the case and give the highest velocity is most often the ideal powder for any cartridge in my opinion.

I used H4350 until I tried Ramshot Hunter. Velocity was about the same but Hunter had less deviation and better groups.

Winchester Cases, Fed 210 Primers

165 TSX
55.5 Big Game 2832
60.0 Hunter 2843

165 Nosler AB
57.5 H4350 2848

165 Nosler PAR
58.0 H4350 2839

165gr Nosler Ballistic Tip: 58.5gr H4350
165gr Swift A-Frame: 57.5gr H4350
180gr Nosler Partition: 56.5gr H4350

I guess that means I like H4350. The two 165gr loads will group around 4 inches at 300 yards. The 180gr will stay MOA out to 300 yards and then open to about 5 inches at 400 yards. It is my go-to load. Doesn't shoot super flat compared to my 270, but its dependable.

I love easy and this is easy. H4350 about 57 or 58grs. of it and a 165gr. bullet and you've got something close to easy/perfect. I use Sierra's or Hornady's for practice or deer hunting,then switch to Nosler's for elk if I'm going to us my .06. Truth is I don't use the great one much anymore, but that's just me.

Thanks guys I think I know what to start with

Now all I have to do is find some H4350.......

Good luck finding it in the Valley, last time I needed some I finally found it in Miles City...

Dober

Wonder if Rob has any?

I called them awhile back and stocked up. They had H4831SC too.

The load consisting of 52 gr of IMR-4064 and a good 150 gr bullet has always been accurate and just about 3000 FPS in every .30-06 I've ever loaded for. Lately, I 've been using the 150 gr BT. For 165 and 180 gr bullets, I shift to IMR-4350.

Yea that seems to be the trend. I have a pound of 4831 on hand so if I cant find any thats what I will use.

Eric, I've got the better part of a pound of RL-19.

I'm setup for the next couple years with my two rifles so if you want the powder to screw around with it's yours.

KK-to my way of thinking H4831 is a very good 06 powder as well. R19 for the 165 and R22 for the 180's would work as well.

Dober

Thanks guys!

Sam- I will take ya up on that. Just let me know aht you want. I still need to buy a few pounds of 22 of Carl too

Hands down my favorite powder for the .30-06 is H4350. You don't really need anything else for 150-220 grain bullets in that cartridge.

Good shooting!

Ditto on the 4831SC for the 30-06. Sixty gr. gives me a chronoed 2720 fps at 20'. Usually gives 1 1/2 5 shots groups out of an old 1903 A-1.

Accurate 3100 with 180 Sierra Spitzers @ 54.5gr is a accuracy load. Shoots bug holes out of my 06.

+1

My favorites are RL-15 for 150s and RL-19 for 165s. They give tip-top performance in both velocity and accuracy. I'm told that RL-22 is the cat's meow for 180s, but haven't tried.

Thing of it is, IMR-4350 will move all three weights at speeds similar to those three (the game won't know the difference) and I've had good results accuracy-wise with it as well.

Heck, the 06's I've used have been so eager to please that I think I could feed them some of my beloved Captain Crunch with Crunchberries and it'd rock just fine...

Dober

No brainer in my book... IMr 4064, followed Closely by IMR 4895...for 190 grainers and down....

SR 4759 for light loads, and H4831SC for heavy bullets, fast velocity 190 grainers and up...

10-4.


I'll send you a pm tomorrow.

I only load 165gr bullets for my 30-06 rifles and will probably use H-4350 for the rest of my life as long as the results stay consistant.

150gr sierra pro hunter with 50.7gr of imr 4064
in my dads 06 58gr of imr 4831 with the same 150gr sph

Any one use hunter? Found a few pounds of it and big game.

I hve had my best luck with



imr 4064 for 150's
H4350 for 165's
and Reloader 22 for 180's
If I had to choose 1 powder for all loads it would be H4350.

RL-15 or Ramshot Big Game for 150's

RL-19 or H4350 for 165's; RL-22 is also very good and very accurate, but usually cannot get enough in the case to get absolute top velocity, even with a drop tube(I've used as much as 63 grains in some guns).

RL-22, H4831SC & Norma MRP for 180's

RL-22 or RL-25 for heavier than 180

MM

I wish my 30-06's were as eager to please as Marks. Since I load for two, both rifles gotta like the same load. They both get fed 180's (if I feel like shooting a lighter bullet than that, I grab a 308) and they both like H4350 pretty well. I wish they'd like RL19, as I've always got at least a whole 5 Lb jug on hand for the 260. But of course that ain't going to happen

Velocities between RL19 and H4350 weren't enough for any critter walking to know the difference. At 57 grains of H4350 under a 180 Hornady in RP cases with Federal 210's I get 2800 and change out of my ancient Ruger, which shocked the hell outa me. The Remmy 700 Mountain rifle is a bit slower (2740's.) IMR 4350 always ran quite a bit slower for me. I think the 4831's and RL22 might work pretty good if a guy had a long enough pipe, but in a 22" gun I don't see a difference.

I do well with H4350, but my pet load is 165NP, Fed 210, 61grs RL22. So far it has dropped the smaller stuff like a lightning bolt and holds TIGHT groups.

My CDL '06 would not shoot 180 NP's worth a damn. I tried MuleDeer's Ramshot Hunter recipe and get 1" groups @ 100 yrds. at an ave. vel. of 2804 fps. Primer pockets are fine. No signs of to much pressure to my limited knowledge.

BP...

The 30/06 can swallow almost anything and work well.I am so lazy that I only use one powder and two bullets anymore;H4350 with 165 Sierra's and 165 Partitions.Once in awhile I'll mix in a 150 AB ,165 Bitterroot,or something.But the powder never changes.

Is there an online manual anywhere? None of my manuals show using IMR 4831 for the 30-06. But I do use it in my 25-06. But then it doesn't show all of the bullets available in the manuals. I've been looking for 3 days for an online manual. I've found a few charts. But it still doesn't show all of the bullets and powder combinations. Just need somewhere I can go and look up Min/Max grains of powder for a particular powder and for each bullet. I have IMR 4831 that I've been using for the 25-06. Just now reading through this forum I've seen people using it for the 30-06. I would like to try it before going and buying the 4350 which I plan to do later. How many grains of IMR 4831 for Sierra Pro-Hunter 150 GR. Round nose? Thanks

The newest nosler manual has 4831 listed

It doesn't show 4831 for the '06, but here is a good online manual:

http://www.nosler.com/index.php?p=15&b=30cal&s=137

I've gotta see what RL-22 will do under a 165... they list 3000 fps!!

Here is the info for IMR4831. Its the newest nosler manual. Page 378.

165's IMR4831 Min 54.0g 2600 Max 58.0g 2820
180's IMR4831 Min 53.0g 2535 Max 57.0g 2763
200's IMR4831 Min 51.0g 2368 Max 55.0g 2558

For a good all round powder, I have burned many pounds of IMR4350. In the day when every round had to make your ears bleed, I loaded 60.5 of IMR4350 with a Nosler 150 solid base. Good accuracy around an inch and good velocity = 3050. With 165's, I used 58.5 gr of the same powder and was getting 2900. With the 180's, I used a max charge of 56 grs, but 55 worked much better, so I stuck with that.

More recently, I have loaded for 3 Remmy 760's and a couple 742's and the 165 Hornady IL BTSP really shoots well ahead of 57 gr of IMR4350. Velocity is right at 2800.

I am now loading 150 TSX with a light charge of H4895 for my wife's 30-06. She shoots it very well, and it kills pretty good.

I am using 57 gr of H414 with the 168 TSX and it is shooting sub inch easily. Velocity is very close to 2900. Shot some 180 Nosler Partitions with H4831SC the other day and impressed the snot out of me. 60 gr was grouping bug-hole tight, and whistling right along just under 2800.

My take on the 30-06 is that it ain't a real hard cartridge to load for, IME, anyway. My rifles like a near max charge of some intermediate burn rate powder with almost any bullet weight or configuration, and they shoot + or - an inch. The only one have had NO success with is the one most everyone likes and that's IMR4064.

Figure me to be different, I guess. I plan on trying some RL22 with the Partition 180, though I can't remember why, after the success with the 4831.

Do what Dober said and start with 4350 of some sort. Sooner or later you'll find that each rifle likes its own diet of one thing or another. All of mine like a little different load, but starting with 4350 is the best advice I've seen here.

Wayne

+1 on IMR-4350 & 150Gr bullets

I have used the 4350s and 4831s and RL-22 in my 30-06 they all work great. I have tried another powder, I would consider it better than the previous tried. That powder would be--Ramshot Hunter. This powder works real good for me in my two 06's. I use Winchester large rifle primers.
I have gained FPS, groups have become tighter. User friendly.

I need to work up some loads in my 270 Win.

IMR 4350 pretty hard to beat for the 180 in my opinion.

'15.

VA, what load are you suing with the 15? I found a pretty good stash of it here.

Haven't read the thread but has anybody mentioned the 4350's yet?

Hodgdons 09 manual list IMR 4831 for the '06 using heavier 180gr bullets since its on the slower side.



HaYen

PS I favorite one-hole-wonder load is 150gr Sierra GK or Nosler Partitions on top of 57grs of IMR 4350

BL-C(2) with 168's for plinking (meters easily), H4350 (hand weighed) for hunting.

I have to agree on the H4350, as just about every one else has. But, I have come to LOVE VV N550 and the 150 TSX/TTSX. 58-60 gr. will get over the 3000 fps threshold with incredible accuracy in my 2 '06's.

What about Reloader 17? I plan on using this powder with 168gr bullets in my 30-06. Anyone tried this powder?

Imr 4350. Usually around 57 grains does the trick for 165's.

If you don't use some kind of 4350 your bullets will bounce off.

If I didn't have IMR 4350 I wouldn't shoot my 30-06, 300 win mag or 338 win mag either.

So, I guess this list gives the favorite powder for the .30-06 in a nut shell?

My Mauser 1996 loves RL-19 w/ 165s and my SC 03-A3 loves RL-22 w/ 200s. I'm sure either of those powders would do nicely w/ 165s, 180s, and 200s.

I'm planning to play w/ Ramshot Hunter this coming "loading season" (the interim between deer and turkey season).

I use heavy charges of RL 19 or the ol' H205...seems to work ok in my rifle...pre 64 M70......bullets do not seem to bounce off of elk, moose, black bear or deer.....

IMR 4350 and IMR 4064 have been my "go to" powders.

ou76, perhaps not but they'd be a lot deader if you used 4350.

IMR4350