Help- 30-06 Loads

[smokemjoe]

I got a Rem. 721 in 30-06 2 weeks ago, 1-10 TWIST, I pillow and glass it, Floated the barrel but glass under the chamber, Put on Leouplod bases and 24 X Redfield target scope, Started with 38 grs. 4831 and 40 grs. 4064 with NOE 311284 ,Eagans ARD and RCBS 200 gr. Sil. all bullets were bumped in my bump die to make the bullet seat at the base of the neck,After 6 shots to sight in and shooting 3 shot groups I had some nice groups fromm 3/4 in to 1 1/2 in. at 100yds. But the barrel heated up very fast and hot, And recoil was painfull with a rubber pad on it. I poured cold water on barrel to cool it down,
The next loads were 18 grs. 4759 with the same bullets, These were mild loads and got some groups under 1in., Back out today and it was all sour, nothing worked, Whats going on, No leading at all. Would bullets under 190 ghr. be better in a 1-10 teist, Whats yous shot foe good loads in a 30-06 and 1-10 twist, Thanks- JOe

[Smoke-um if you got-um]

I've tried many powder and bullet combinations over the years and keep coming back to 27 to 27 1/2 gr of 5744(no filler). I fire-form the cases to the rifle and then load them completely un-sized with an as cast .312/.311 bullet. The bullets are pushed thru a .312 sizer to seat the gas check and then finger lubed twice with Alox. The two most accurate bullets I've tried so far have been and old Lee 180 grain RN and my relatively new Ranch Dog 165 Flat Nose. After seating, a Lee Factory Crimp Die is used to firmly crimp the case mouth and keep the bullet in place. The bullet is also seated into the rifling. I've used Rem 9 1/2, Fed 210 and Win LR primers with pretty much the same results. This combo has performed well at both 100 and 200 yds. Depending on the rifle the velocity was chrono'd at 1950 to 2050 fps. The drop at 200 yds with a 100 zero is 8 to 9 inches. I have a Savage 116 that shoots this load under 1" at 100 yds very regularly. My other two 30-06's shoot it into 1 1/2 " or less. The 116 actually shoots it better than any jacketed bullet combo I've tried thus far. That being said, there are probably other combo's that work as well for others that I have not tried yet and perhaps they will chime in and help you out as well. Good Luck.


Mike

[zomby woof]

My current load for the 311284 is 33 Varget with filler.
I also use 18.5 2400.

[Ben]

There is actually more than 5 rounds in this group, but we'll call it 5 rounds.

[Char-Gar]

If you are getting 3/4 to 1 1/2 " 100 yard groups with a sporter rifle from the 50s or 60s, I don't understand you issue. It would seem you need tweaking to get those groups consistent. Scaling the bullets would also make the groups more consistent.

IMHO that is pretty good for a Remington 721, Remington barrels had some quality control issues back in those days. Some say, they still do.

If you are going out again and can't repeat what you did before, you have a shooter or rifle issue and not a load issue. This assumes you are using the same loads. However you didn't say that.

A 1-10 30-06 twist barrel has done well for me with bullets between 150 and 220 grains. Of course velocity has a big role to play. The difference in bullet length will determine the velocity at which is is most stable and most accurate.

[leadman]

In my '06s 13grs of Unique or 19grs of 4759 work well with 170 to 206gr boolits. The difference of 18grs to 19grs of 4759 is the group size is about half as large with 19grs.
Is there something else, like cleaning the bore or a different batch of boolits or different primers that could have caused the difference?

[Fugowii]

I took the 311284 to the range today in my rem700 w/16.0gr A2400 @ 3.115" and achieved slightly over 1400 fps.
Kind of disappointed. Accuracy is great but I need to increase the charge to get up to around 1800 for deer hunting.

There is actually more than 5 rounds in this group, but we'll call it 5 rounds.

[Maven]

Most, impressive, Fugowii!

[Larry Gibson]

Smokemjoe

You've got a very nice rifle with a 24" 10" twist barrel. All of your loads (except the 4759) are probably pushing 1900 - 2000+ fps. You don't mention the alloy or if the bullets were hardened? Your loads are probably over the RMP Threshold. You go out and shoot 3 shot good groups one day and not so good 3 shot groups the next. All that means is on the 1st day you got lucky as 3 shot groups really don't tell us anything.....as you've found. Even 5 shot groups tell us little in load development. The only time 3 or 5 shot groups are meaningful is if the load is already developed and proven accurate in the rifle used.

I suggest backing down to 35 gr with the 4831 and 30 gr with the 4064 and work up in 1/2 gr increments using 8 - 10 shot test groups. If the load density is less than 80% I also suggest a Dacron filler. Your best accuracy with either of those powders and those bullets is going to be in the 1700 - 1900 fps range.

Your 18 gr load of 3759 is too little, especially if a filler is not used. The powder is not burning efficiently unless you take pains to position the powder before shooting. I suggest upping the charge to 22 gr and work up in 1/2 gr increments. I fined with the heavier bullets you're using that 22 - 24 gr 4759 does not usually require a filler unless extreme angle shooting is done.

Larry Gibson

[frnkeore]

Joe was a very nice and humble guy. May he R.I.P.

Standard, match winning, CBA, Milsup ('03 rifles mostly) loads are between 18.5 and 21.0 gr of 4759. NO fillers!

Frank

[texaswoodworker]

I use a LEE 312-185-1R mold for my bullets. They usually come out between .312 and .315 depending on my alloy. After I pan lube them with my home made lube which is just a hard lube version of Glen E. Fryxell's favorite lube ( I use 1/1/2 beeswax/moly lithium grease/paraffin wax), I put a gas check on them and size them down to .309. At this point, they weigh right at 189gr. I prime the cases with Winchester Magnum LR primers (can't find normal LR primers lately), charge them with 12.5gr of Unique, and seat the bullet down to the crimp groove.

Out of my Remington Model 700, they are extremely accurate and very pleasant to shoot. It's not a long range round by any means, but is an amazing 100 yard target round.

(My scope was not adjusted for them, so they shot low. It was sighted in for 180gr ballistic tip bullets going 2400 FPS, so this kind of gives you an idea of the rounds trajectory. Target was at 75 yards. Ignore the flyer on the left, that was my fault. I pulled it.)