30-06 Loading

[Longrange]

I have seen a few posts about 110 to 115gr bullets for the 30-06. Most say they are loading for reduced plinking loads, however I am wondering if anyone has done any varminting with bollits in this weight class. I will be loading at hunting pressures and expecting to take shots from 300 plus yards. Some of the posts I have seen say that the round drifts and is not accurate, I am wondering if that is because they are using reduced loads. I will be shooting these loads out of my M77 which has always been a tack driver with my other loads.

Thanks for your thoughts and input on this matter.

:coffee:

[Larry Gibson]

Given the nature of this forum, are planning on doing this with cast bullets?

Larry Gibson

[Longrange]

That is the plan. I do not have the mold yet, will be looking for one if I get the right feed back.

[GrizzLeeBear]

Ditto, what Larry said. For full power loads at varmints at those ranges I would use the .30 cal. V-max or similar jacketed bullet. Cast boolits can be shot at long ranges, but since they generally (unless you try paper patching maybe) can't be driven as fast, range and wind doping become critical.

I just did some more shooting with my Rem. 700 30-06 yesterday. 150 gr. Lyman 311466 on top of 24 gr. of 2400 and the 200 gr. Lee RN with 34 gr. of H4895 both go 1900 - 2000 fps. with 5 shot groups in 1 MOA. Try to go a little faster and the groups open up. I have shot the 115 gr. 311359 with 14 gr. of unique for the same 1900 - 2000 fps with the same excellent accuracy. All were lubed with Lars BAC, and no leading with any of them. May be the 1 in 10 twist, or other factors, but if I try to go any faster, the groups open up. I plan on trying these loads for rifle silhouettes (targets from 200 to 500 meters), but trying to hit a prarie dog (if thats what your shooting) with these cast loads would be challenging (might just be a lot of fun, too).

[NickSS]

I have used a lot of Lyman 31108 115 gr FN PB bullets in various 30 caliber rifles. I mostly kept velocities in the 1400 fps range and got good results on varmints out to 150 yards or so. I never pushed them faster due to no gas check. I also used a good number of lee 120 gr RN GC bullets in the same rifles. These I pushed to around 1800 fps and got good results but nothing that would hit a small critter past about 200 yards. The short bullets drift badly in a 30-06 and I am talking about jacketed bullets as I experimented with a 30-06 for hunting wood chucks years ago using 110 through 130 gr jacketed bullets. No mater how accurate I got the loads at 200 yards on the range hitting chucks at more than 250 to 300 yards was problematical in any sort of cross wind. I eventually went to a 243 for thess long shots as it performed better.

[tactikel]

Boolits that light may not serve you as well as some in the 150-190 gr range. For varmint shooting you are looking for accuracy first, economy second. The higher ballistic coefficient of those heavier boollits will give you better accuracy at 300 yards than a 110 gr slug. Cast boolits from a .30-06 are not ideal varmint loads, but will provide you with lots of fun for the $. :Fire:

[MT Gianni]

IME, the 152 gr 311466 drifted too much to keep on target reliably @ 400 yards. I got better accuracy with the 210 gr 311284. Load was a case full of surplus 860. I could keep the Lee 133 gr fp on target 4" @ 200 yards with a 308, it was dropping about 18". Please invest in a really good lube and a lot of patches if you intend to fire your bullets at max full velocity.

[pdawg_shooter]

IME, the 152 gr 311466 drifted too much to keep on target reliably @ 400 yards. I got better accuracy with the 210 gr 311284. Load was a case full of surplus 860. I could keep the Lee 133 gr fp on target 4" @ 200 yards with a 308, it was dropping about 18". Please invest in a really good lube and a lot of patches if you intend to fire your bullets at max full velocity.

Or paper patch them. Then you can load to full power with the right alloy.

[TAWILDCATT]

any one try lees 312-160 TL with 13.5 grs red dot.to 200. my 1903 will keep them in one inch at 100 yds.I dont dare shoot longer as I 95 is where I would be pointing.I use that and 311291.I have every intensune of shooting a deer next month with 311291 in my 30/30.:coffee:[smilie=1: