"Best" 30-06 powder for hunting

[farmerjim]

+1 IMR 4350. I have gotten sub moa groups in my 30 06 for 50 years with IMR 4350, no need to try anything else.

[Gus Youmans]

Every rifle is going to have its own preferences and there are always going to be compromises between accuracy and velocity. Having said that, for the 165 grain bullet range I would start with IMR4064, IMR4350 or H4350 would be my second choice, and Varget being the third. IMR4895 is a great old standby with the 30-06 but may not produce the velocities you want. H4895 is very similar in burn rate to IMR4895 but meters better out of a powder measure.

Accurate Arms makes powders with the same numbers as the above and I have used them in .308 Winchester but have no experience with them in the 30-06, but they might be worth a try if you cannot get the IMR or Hodgdon versions. Accurate 2495 is very similar to IMR4895 and I have used many 8 pounders loading .308 match ammo. There are other powders that are suitable for the 30-06 that meet your criteria but I have not used them in many years and cannot comment on them.

Gus Youmans

[osteodoc08]

I've got several pounds of same lot Varget, IMR 4350 and 4895 to play with. I guess I'll give those a go. With it being a bit rainy and having some nice nickle brass in need of loading, I'll probably load up a few ladder tests for next time i'm out.

[littlejack]

Another + for the IMR 4350. I load the Hornaday 165 grain spire point. 58 grains clocks at just over 2800 fps in my Ruger 77. My brother uses the same load and bullet in his pre-64 model 70. Both rifles shoot less than moa.
Jack

[oldblinddog]

RL17 works too. Similar to 4350.

[Budzilla 19]

Max load of H414 (from the Sierra manual)and a 150 grain Sierra BTSP, magnum primer, tack driver accuracy in a new Remington model 700!! works for me! Did not chronograph this load, just worked it up and it shot so good, I just left it alone.i think any medium-burning-speed powder will be sufficient if loads are worked up correctly. Just my .02 cents.

[Desertbuck]

Imr 4350 gets my vote. You can use it to shoot bullets as light as 150gr all the way on up to the 220gr. And you can get very close to maximum velocities with the lowest pressure. It does work very well with Castboolits as well. My M1917 loves the 220gr Lyman boolit backed by 44.2 grains of IMR 4350, that is the most accurate load that I have ever been able to develop. If I can see it and Betsy-Eddy happens to be in my hands I can hit it with that load.

[PULSARNC]

Another vote for 4350 imr 57 to 58 grains and any quality 150 to 165 grain bullet been working well for me for 20 years

[Motor]

I've got several pounds of same lot Varget, IMR 4350 and 4895 to play with. I guess I'll give those a go. With it being a bit rainy and having some nice nickle brass in need of loading, I'll probably load up a few ladder tests for next time i'm out.

It sounds like you got what it takes to get to where you want to go.

For others interested in 30-06' and 165s don't look past W-760 or H-414. These "ball" type powders meter nearly perfectly from dispencers like the Uniflow and their performance in the 06' class cartridges is 2nd to none. Yes their tolerance for drastic temperature change may not be as good as some others but they perform very well.

Motor

[EdS]

Varget should work fine with the 165 grain j-words. I loaded 165s for years in the '06 with IMR 4320, and sometimes with IMR 4350. They shot great and were very effective on deer. These days, I reserve my '06 rifles for game larger than whitetail deer and use .308 or 7-08 lightweight bolt guns for the "little" deer. In the '06, I've settled on the Hornady Interlock Spire Point 180 grain, fueled by H-4350. I get accuracy and sufficient penetration for anything in the contiguous 48 states. -Ed

[dougader]

I've never loaded 165s, but loaded 150 Nosler BTs with 52 grains IMR 4064 and it was super accurate in both a Ruger 77 and a Remington 700 BDL.

For 180s, I had great performance with IMR 4350 55-56 grains max in my rifles.

[Moonie]

I like H4895 in mine, 35gr with 245gr and up to 49gr or so with the j-words my sons want to hunt with. Accurate for us and cycles the sons 742 even as low as 35gr with a 170gr lee.

[osteodoc08]

Picked up some superformance powder too. Figured I'd give it a go in the 22-250 as well. I sure am gonna be busy

[jrmartin1964]

an old timer told me 20+ years ago, " imr 4320 with 150gr bullets, don't matter which one. that'll drop him."

What he said. IMR-4320 is my "go to" for .30-06, for bullets from 150 to 220 grains.

I've got several pounds of same lot Varget, IMR 4350 and 4895 to play with.

However, I would not feel handicapped with any of those either.

[TXGunNut]

Picked up some superformance powder too. Figured I'd give it a go in the 22-250 as well. I sure am gonna be busy

That Superformance is some very interesting powder but I've passed on it so far, just doesn't fit into any of my current projects. I think it will be awesome in 22-250.

[tdoyka]

i bought two cans of superformance(1 lb each) for my 6.5 creedmoor and 22-250ai. stuff shoots great!!!

i just got done lookin at the hornady 8th ed. and it gave superformance on the '06 from 165gr - 220gr bullets. might be worth a try.

[Newtire]

Stealing a load from a friend of mine. Everyone's chrono must be different a little but in .30-06, we got 2850 fps using 56 gr. IMR 4350, Federal Magnum primer and 165 gr.bullets of various flavors. I also have had great luck with 760 H414 @ 56 grains using 150 grainers.

[shaman]

Count me in as a +1 for H4895. I load about a dozen different rifles for deer season between my sons' arsenals and mine. Everything works with 1 powder, H4895:

30-30 WIN
308 WIN
30-06
762X54 R
35 Whelen
25-06
223 REM

[fcvan]

03-A3, sporterized, NOE 309-150 SP, ESPCd, 28 grains of IMR4227, approx. 1950 fps, hits what I aim for. Devastating on tin cans and rocks, and likely any deer I should face at a reasonable range. Good fun!

[USMC87]

I load for several different 06's, I have 4 different powders that perform equally well in all 3 rifles. I have to stick with IMR 4350, 4831,4895 and Ramshot hunter. These 4 are my favorites but I'm sure there are many more suitable powders out there.