Max unique load for 3006

[LAKEMASTER]

As the universal cast bottle neck load, I know I can't go wrong here. But if I were shooting 155gr ranch dog/flat bullets where would one stop on the high end of things?

Is 2k fps out of question?

[Scharfschuetze]

I'd start getting pretty careful at about 20 grains which should give you about 2,000 fps with your choice of boolit. I'd start well below that and work up watching for leading and the usual signs of pressure.

The Lyman 4th Edition Cast Bullet Handbook shows a max load of 21.7 grains of Unique under the Lee C309-150-F bullet as a maximum load for 2,123 fps, but that's for their equipment.

[Wolfer]

I shoot a pretty soft alloy so are harder alloy may be different.
My experience with the fast powders is accuracy will fail drastically long before you get to max loads.

In the Lyman cast handbook #4 my accurate loads will be at or near the starting loads. By mid chart I can expect 2 ft groups.
YMMV!

[LAKEMASTER]

My local shop has practically no cast powder. The 3 types everyone on here encouraged me to get our said they had great luck aren't even stocked...

[Wally]

I used 16.5 of Unique with a 180 grain cast bullet...had signs of too high pressure... with a 150 grain and 21.7 of Unique I think that is way too much.

[bedbugbilly]

I don't know if this sill help you or not My 3rd edition Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook shows this for a 151 gr. lead boolit out of #2 alloy from a Lyman 311-440 mold - which is a flat nose GC boolit

"2.963 OAL

Unique

Sug. Starting Load - 12.5 gr. - 1626 FPS - 25,400 Pressure C.U.P.

Maximum Load - 17.0 gr. - 1964 FPS - 38,100 Pressure C.U.P."

[GabbyM]

When I have a bullet in between listed weight ranges in the load book. I like to at least look up at the next heavier. Lyman list for 30-06 there #311672 SP 160 grain bullet. Unique max load 24.0 grains at 56,700 psi nd 2,182 fps. That is a lot of pressure under a cast bullet and I'd about grantee would not shoot accurate. The listed accuracy load for that bullet. One in bold print. Is the start load of Unique. 18.0 grains of powder for 1,852 fps and 34,300 psi. I have that very bullet here. It's fairly slick. Body is just about .400" L. to fit a 308 Win neck. Your bullet may well create greater pressure even though it may be five grains lighter. Perfect example is on the same manual book page. Lee 150 FN with one grain less powder as a start load. Gives more pressure. 17.0 grains for 38,200 psi and 1,859 fps. Lee bullet having a longer body is harder to push down the bore perhaps. Or maybe something else. Your best accuracy will generally be in the 1850 to 1950 fps range. With a 10" twist 30 caliber. My load for the 160 grain bullet is 28.0 grains of RX7. 1,904 fps by the books. Did not chronograph the load.

With Unique it looks like 17 to 18 grains gets you up in the high 30's for pressure. I'd start and stop within that range. The Unique would save a lot of powder money over my load of RX7. Would be worth a try. I shoot Unique in my 270 Win under a 122gr boolit and my 243 under an 84gr. They shoot good. When you get the pressure up on Unique towards the mid 30,000 psi range it burns very clean. I may just try 18.0 grains Unique under my 160 grain #311672. Was planning on trying some 2400 under that bullet.

[Motor]

Just for comparison sake: I use a Lee 160gr in 7.62x54R. 16gr of Unique gets me 1850f/s. Above 16gr groups began to open up.

2400 may be a better choice of powder to reach 2000f/s but if you have to use Unique I think GabbyM covered it well.

Motor

[LAKEMASTER]

I'm thinking about just starting at 14.4gr and seeing how that will shoot. That's the largest cc for my disk measure. I will check it first

[LAKEMASTER]

When I have a bullet in between listed weight ranges in the load book. I like to at least look up at the next heavier. Lyman list for 30-06 there #311672 SP 160 grain bullet. Unique max load 24.0 grains at 56,700 psi nd 2,182 fps. That is a lot of pressure under a cast bullet and I'd about grantee would not shoot accurate. The listed accuracy load for that bullet. One in bold print. Is the start load of Unique. 18.0 grains of powder for 1,852 fps and 34,300 psi. I have that very bullet here. It's fairly slick. Body is just about .400" L. to fit a 308 Win neck. Your bullet may well create greater pressure even though it may be five grains lighter. Perfect example is on the same manual book page. Lee 150 FN with one grain less powder as a start load. Gives more pressure. 17.0 grains for 38,200 psi and 1,859 fps. Lee bullet having a longer body is harder to push down the bore perhaps. Or maybe something else. Your best accuracy will generally be in the 1850 to 1950 fps range. With a 10" twist 30 caliber. My load for the 160 grain bullet is 28.0 grains of RX7. 1,904 fps by the books. Did not chronograph the load.

With Unique it looks like 17 to 18 grains gets you up in the high 30's for pressure. I'd start and stop within that range. The Unique would save a lot of powder money over my load of RX7. Would be worth a try. I shoot Unique in my 270 Win under a 122gr boolit and my 243 under an 84gr. They shoot good. When you get the pressure up on Unique towards the mid 30,000 psi range it burns very clean. I may just try 18.0 grains Unique under my 160 grain #311672. Was planning on trying some 2400 under that bullet.

So you think I'd be fine loading a few cases with 17 gr of unique?

For a fast powder like this do you think I should do a crimp?

[GabbyM]

I would not crimp a 30-06.

If it was a 30-30 with a light charge plain base load I'd say crimp that thin neck. 06 neck should give plenty of bullet tension for powder ignition.

[LAKEMASTER]

That could have been bad.... I have the crimp in my die set.

Did you mean you'd start and stop in the 30k pressure range or start / stop in the 17/18 grain range?

[GabbyM]

That's the same thing. I suppose it's the pressure I'm looking at and how much powder that takes. Also your accuracy will be best at around 1900 fps or slower. 17.0 grains Unique is the start load in the Lyman manual for a 150gr Lee. So Id go with it. You won't get to much past that. You may even end up backing off a grain. If you are driving to a range. Not shooting in the back yard. I'd load up a dozen 16.0gr and a dozen 17.0 grain then see if one shot any better than the other.

[LAKEMASTER]

Beautiful.

I had intentions of making some really light loads for plinking. And then jumping to 15gr-up till I find a super accurate load

[Motor]

That sounds like a good plan.

PLEASE BE CAREFUL !!!!! You can fit a double charge in that case. 30gr of Unique would not be good. I always visually Inspect every case that can be double charged before seating the boolits.

Motor

[LAKEMASTER]

Right now my auto disk dumps 13.2 grains of unique without going double disk. I think I'll just make a few loads like this and go faster in the future. It's good knowing the max load for unique is 18gr. If I have success with that load I may just stay with it. Don't see me doing more then coyote hunting for a few years.

[rsrocket1]

I shoot .308 not 30-06, but once I start moving toward 2000 fps in with bullets above 110g, I move over from pistol to rifle powder. Reloader 7 is a fast rifle powder that is well suited to get the pressures up to where it likes to burn without driving the bullet too fast.