"Best" 30-06 powder for hunting

[osteodoc08]

Gonna start working up a hunting load for my 30-06 this summer. I bought a used Remington CDL and the wifey bought my a nice Leupold scope. I want to choose a powder that will yield highest velocity combined with accuracy and temperature insensitivity. I'll be launching a 165gr Nosler BT or Hornady equivalent. My first thought was Varget, but wanted everyone else's opinion especially with some of the newer powders out there.

[Blanket]

IMR 4064 or 4350 oldies but a good starting pointg

[Motor]

Temperature insensitivity in a 30-06 hunting round would not be a very high priority for me unless I was hunting very small varmints which I don't think you are with 165gr bullets.

I've always got good results with the old stand by's like Winchester 760 or IMR- 4350

Motor

[Mauser48]

4350 is a great powder for stuff like that. I use 4064 because I use it for all my other rifle rounds.

[trails4u]

I've done well with 48.5 of Varget under 150g. jwerds. It's pretty mild, but has been effective out to 150-170 yds. YMMV.

[seaboltm]

IMR 4350. A wonderful powder that works in a whole lot of cartridges from 243 Winchester to 375 H&H. So versatile I buy it in 8 pound kegs.

[cwheel]

With Sierra 165 gr. Game Kings, 56gr. of 4350. Do not use this load in a M1. Through the chrony 2725 fps in a Remington BDL with a 20".
Chris

[MT Gianni]

4350 or 4831 has worked for me with fall hunts ranging from 70F to -15F. I never chrono'd either at sub zero temps but killed game with both powders.

[TXGunNut]

H4350 slightly edges out IMR4350 in my Winchester M70's. Varget was my standard load for years but a few years ago a new SG arrived and a new load was necessary. Hornady's 165 SP (3040) is what I load for my j-word rifles, my brother won't buy hunting ammo as long as I'll load for him. The 180 SP (3070) is actually a bit better on paper in my SG M70.

[atr]

IMR4350 or 4831

[tdoyka]

an old timer told me 20+ years ago, " imr 4320 with 150gr bullets, don't matter which one. that'll drop him."
i used it on three of my '06, my brothers, three of my friends, and my dad's.

[Bulletpusher]

Varget, the best most useful cartridge powder ever. It is usable in most of the rifle cartridges in the world.

[Uncle Jimbo]

Gonna start working up a hunting load for my 30-06 this summer. I bought a used Remington CDL and the wifey bought my a nice Leupold scope. I want to choose a powder that will yield highest velocity combined with accuracy and temperature insensitivity. I'll be launching a 165gr Nosler BT or Hornady equivalent. My first thought was Varget, but wanted everyone else's opinion especially with some of the newer powders out there.

Back when I hunted with a 30-06, and that was a lot of years. I used 46 grains of IMR 4895. Never cronied it but would guess some where around 2700 FPS. But I didn't care because it was dead accurate and always got the job done.

[Vann]

IMR 4064 gets my vote, but I like to use my LEE powder measure over my RCBS when throwing charges due to it's grain size. A big plus is I can use it in everything from my .223 Rem all the way up to my .338 Win and 45/70. and data is easy to find.

[Yodogsandman]

IMR4831 for 165gr

[Lead Fred]

Funny thing about odd six. The 168gr falls right between 4895 & 4350.
I dont shoot that light of a round though my bolt gun, so its 4350.
I shoot 147-155gr pills with 4895, it does the trick.

[NC_JEFF]

4831 or 4350
I shoot 165s & 180gr j-words in '06 and I load them all with H4350.
Two really good friends of mine swear by 4831 with 150gr bullets. I've shot with them and have seen them get great results.
4895- besides the two powders above, 4895 seems to be a great '06 powder among handloaders around here.

[RickinTN]

The '06 is such a versatile round that a very broad range of powders will give good results. There have been many excellent recommendations given. If I had a new '06 and wanted to shoot a 165 grain jacketed bullet I would be hard pressed not to start with 57.0 grains of IMR-4350. I've always had good results with this load in several rifles and sometimes stellar results.
Enjoy your new rifle,
Rick

[nagantguy]

For the last 20 years my my 06 has been the primary deer rifle, 168 grain win ballistic slivertip over H4350, a near max load and in my rifle tuned up by the folks at hill country rifle its death ray accurate.

[w5pv]

168 grain sp over 47 grain of 4895 never had anything to run away with this load
For cast I used 42 grains of 4831 under a 200 grain gas checked boolit,tack driver at 75 yards.Never hunted or killed with this load but would think it would kill anything that I hunt under 200 yards.