RL-7 and the 30-06

[HEAD0001]

I realize RL-7 is not the best powder for a 30-06. But I have three 8#'s sitting on the bench. And I plan on doing alot of high volume shooting with this new 30-06 I am putting together. It is a 22" barreled TC Encore. My bullet of choice is going to be the RCBS 180 GC bullet. My target velocity is 2,000 fps. I have been asking alot of questions lately about shooting cast in non-big bores. So here goes another one.

I am wondering what powder charge of RL-7 it would take to push that 180 at 2,000 fps?? Anyone have any RL-7 experience in the 30-06??

I realize I could do alot of investigating and figure it out. But I would like to talk to someone who has actually done it. And if it is reasonably feasible. Thanks, Tom.

[Bass Ackward]

It's a very good bench powder for the 06, just a tad fast for the heavies if you want to hunt with it.

RCBS lists 25-27 grains as their accuracy point. Wife's load was 28. Fairly level and below 40 degrees and it was a solid 1 1/2" performer. Up or down more than 20 degrees or at 50 degrees and above, it might hold 3" but POI might move more than that.

Pressure will climb very rapidly beyond lube / hardness combo. So when accuracy goes, for whatever the reason, it tends to go quick.

Better load for hunting was 45-47 grains of 4831 with a tuft of TP. Took temp and angles out of the equation.

Noticed the water was kinda low when I went through today. Doin any fishing?

[HEAD0001]

I see you are just a few miles north of me. I do hunt a good bit in Greene County just below you. Lots of nice deer in that area since they went to antler restrictions. I have heard alot of guys in PA do not like the restrictions, but the bucks sure have improved in the areas I hunt in PA.

It sounds like RL-7 has been pretty temp. sensitive to you. I shoot alot of it in my 45-70's and I haven't noticed a big problem in that cartridge?? Oh well I may just have to use a different powder to get that 2,000 fps.

Haven't been to fish camp this year. This is my second year to miss because of a leg problem. I am sure hoping I can make it to our camp on Sutton Lake next year. My leg is doing a bit better. So hopefully I can give a good fishing report next year. Tom.

[excess650]

Since you already have the RX7, just work up a load and see where the accuracy is and let the velocity be secondary. I'm guessing that its going to be around 26gr.

My friend's pet loads in his 30-06 run 28-29gr H322 with 180gr+ bullets. I'm using 24-26gr AA5744 with 175-200gr, and 29-31gr AA2015 with 200gr.

RX7 is slower than AA5744 and faster than H322, so you'll likely find a load between my 5744 loads and his H322 loads.

[NHlever]

Quick load says that 30.0 grains of RL7 will give you 2014 fps in a 22" barrel at about 27000
psi.

[Buckshot]

.............I use the heck out of H4198 with cast in the -'06 and RL7 is just a tad faster. Gopher Slayer doesn't use anything BUT RL7 in his Springfield. Well I take that back as he was given a caddy of Hercules Lightening (made in 1935) he uses in it sometimes :-).

................Buckshot

[Bass Ackward]

It sounds like RL-7 has been pretty temp. sensitive to you. I shoot alot of it in my 45-70's and I haven't noticed a big problem in that cartridge?? Oh well I may just have to use a different powder to get that 2,000 fps.


Temp sensitive, only because of the burn rate. The faster something burns in a small bore the more simple changes make a pressure difference. Especially once you pass a certain bullet weight and want velocity. I use it in the 458X2 and it is OK up to 500 grains and then it will rear it's head if you are trying to push. Larger bore, better case fill though.

My family is from Greene County where we own a farm in the western part.

Antler restrictions basically dictate how you hunt. That's why they are not favored here. A lot of PA's hunters are aged population and heavy. That is a key point. Not good for climbing trees.

Don't know how it is where you hunt, but if it is thick you only have so much time to decide to shoot. If you are actually "hunting" on the ground and not watching, then how do you get the time to count points? What if you don't use a scope?

You can't simply go by a size cause a lot of the young deer may have fairly good spread (16-20 inches) and mass but no base tine making it illegal. And now you have a fine to pay. Bet you have seen some large racks that wouldn't pass too. This has forced guys to either bow hunt to get a good buck, change the way they can / do hunt, forced them to buy glass or more powerful glass, or shoot does which kinda goes against the grain of a lot of folks round here. Old guys have trouble keeping warm stand hunting in December too. They would rather be moving.

So what has happened is that 95% of Boone & Crockett class deer are shot in bow season now instead of gun season. Used to be the opposite. So the attitude of some older guys is if you are going to have to pay a fine, might as well pop one out of season. Making them criminals. So yea, they hate it.

[HEAD0001]

Maybe we are just lucky in the area that I hunt. I hunt just across the PA line from Hundred, WV. And I also hunt in HolBrook. I assume you know where that is at??

In both we hunt in areas that are large tracts of land. So there is not a ton of competition in our area.

I am an older handicapped guy myself. And I hunt on the ground. Mostly out of my Double Bull blinds.

I really do not have much trouble identifying deer. But we are only after the nicer bucks. I get my deer meat from my farm here in WV. So in PA we are strictly horn hunting. So that may be why I like the AR's.

In our area of Greene County you are allowed to spotlight deer at certain times. And all I know for sure is that there are definitely some bigger bucks since AR. And there are definitely alot more of them.

However I have heard alot of guys dislike them. I guess to each his own. Tom.

[beagle]

Start at 25.0 grains and work up. I had a case of 1 pound cans that I bought off a"benchie" way back when Reloader 7 was one of their "fair haired boy" powders. I used it up in the 30/06 and .30/30 with cast and wish I had a couple more cases./beagle

[Reverend Recoil]

Reloader No.7 is a very good powder for 30-30 and 30-06. I have gotten good performance with it for the past twenty years.

[Newtire]

Used RX-7 with 311290 210 grain for my best accuracy ever with cast bullets in .30-06 Springfield. 25.5 grains=that's what the Lee dipper threw.

[Larry Gibson]

I concur that RL7 is an excellent powder inthe '06 and many other cartridges. In the '06 starting at 25 gr as mentioned is a good place especially if a 1/2 - 3/4 gr dacron filler is used. I mostly use 4895 because with Hodgdon's it is an Exteme powder and you don't have the temp sensitivity issues. Also I use large amounts of milsurp 4895 because of the cost. 4895 works a little better as it is a little slower and bulkier but not enough to get excited about if you've got a supply of RL7. RL7 is my powder of choice for my full bore loads with 350 -500 gr cast and jacketed bullets in the 45-70 for use in my Siamese Mauser 450-400-70. RL7 has produced some excellent accuracy for me in my '06s with 170 -210 gr bullets in the 1800 -2000 fps range. I do recommend it's use if you've got it.

Larry Gibson

[Urny]

Back in the old days, before internet, an awful lot 311284's were sent down range by 25.0 RL7 in the off hand matches we used to shoot. The rifle was a low number 1903. I think RL7 makes a fine cast boolit powder for the ol' thirty-oh-six.

[Outpost75]

30 grs. of RL-7 gives about 2000 fps with 30-180FN RCBS in my .30-'06 Mauser Euro sporter, shoots "on" at 100 yards with the same sight setting I use for 200 yards with 180-grain RWS TUGs and kills deer too!

75907

[GabbyM]

Last winter I loaded up a few .310" boolits for my new 30-06.
28.0 grains RL7 under a Lyman 160 grain #311672, a custom 180gr FN similar to Lyman #311041. 200 gr 311299 and a 198 grain RCBS 30-180-FN. They all shot good to excellent. Extremely clean bore using Felix lube. The 160 grain didn't kick at all but the 200's could be felt. I shot prone on rocky AZ ground so if they kicked much I'd of felt it.