Long Range Loads for 26" barreled .30-06

[Jud96]

I have really been interested in Remington's new Model 700 Long Range rifle ever since I first heard about it at the beginning of this year. My original plans were to buy the .30-06 model then open up the boltface and rechamber it to .308 Norma to be a backup to my custom .308 Norma that we are currently building. Now I have decided that I may just buy the .30-06 and leave it alone. The '06 is easy to load for and we have a ton of brass, dies, and components for it. I would like to shoot the 208gr A-MAXs in it so want a good load that can push them at 2600+ fps. I see a lot of guys are using RL-22 for these big heavy slugs in the longer barreled .30-06s, but there is never any of it around here. I looked on the burn chart and H-4831 is close to RL-22 so hopefully someone will have a load using it. I can find most any Hodgdon and IMR powders around here so would like loads using them, thanks.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Open it up to .30-06 AI and I will be able to give you some decent starting points for 7828 SSC and Berger 185 VLD's in a 26" 1:12 twist barrel. I'm guessing it will be 2,900-3,000 fps. They're moving when they leave the tube. Very managable recoil, and very little pressure signs (primer just slightly flattened).

I'm gonna buy a couple of those 700 LR rifles. One in .25-06 to build another .25-06 AI for range shooting and forming brass...Then later on into a .280 AI. Then the other in 7mm RemMag or .300 WinMag.

 

[kcebcj]

This is a little off course to your question but you need to give RE17 a try with the heavy bullets. I shoot a 30-06 Pre 64 Mdl 70 with a 25.75 inch barrel. The current load is 53gr RL17 190gr Berger Hunting VLD and Fed 210 primers. The proven velocity is 2706fps and very accurate. Falls below the 1800fps Berger recommends for expansion at 700 yards. The longest shot on game with this load was a bull at 489 yards...never took a step...well maybe one.

QuickLoad says it is safe to run up to 55gr which would be around 2800fps but that is rifle dependant and QuickLoad is just a guide. I have used most all the powders in the 06 and really like how RL17 performs. Also QuickLoad says that the 210gr and the 215gr Bergers will outperform (carry energy and velocity farther)then the 190gr. So the 208gr A-Max ought to work well and with RL17 you can probably get it up around 2650fps but then you have to find the sweet spot. Good luck with your search!

 

[Jud96]

Open it up to .30-06 AI and I will be able to give you some decent starting points for 7828 SSC and Berger 185 VLD's in a 26" 1:12 twist barrel. I'm guessing it will be 2,900-3,000 fps. They're moving when they leave the tube. Very managable recoil, and very little pressure signs (primer just slightly flattened).

I'm gonna buy a couple of those 700 LR rifles. One in .25-06 to build another .25-06 AI for range shooting and forming brass...Then later on into a .280 AI. Then the other in 7mm RemMag or .300 WinMag.

I looked into the .30-06 AI but I kind of just like the plain old .30-06 as is. It is so overlooked as an effective long range shell that I think it would be neat to have one of them as a long range killer haha. I already have dies for the .30-06 and probably close to 500 casings including one hundred pieces of Norma brass so I'm ready to go in the reloading department. I may also try some 190gr SMKs in it since I have 400 of them, worry about using them on deer though. We also have a lot of lighter bullets such as 165s, 168s, and 180s but want this rifle to take full advantage of the high BC slugs out of it. Really liking these new rifles though!

This is a little off course to your question but you need to give RE17 a try with the heavy bullets. I shoot a 30-06 Pre 64 Mdl 70 with a 25.75 inch barrel. The current load is 53gr RL17 190gr Berger Hunting VLD and Fed 210 primers. The proven velocity is 2706fps and very accurate. Falls below the 1800fps Berger recommends for expansion at 700 yards. The longest shot on game with this load was a bull at 489 yards...never took a step...well maybe one.

QuickLoad says it is safe to run up to 55gr which would be around 2800fps but that is rifle dependant and QuickLoad is just a guide. I have used most all the powders in the 06 and really like how RL17 performs. Also QuickLoad says that the 210gr and the 215gr Bergers will outperform (carry energy and velocity farther)then the 190gr. So the 208gr A-Max ought to work well and with RL17 you can probably get it up around 2650fps but then you have to find the sweet spot. Good luck with your search!

Thanks for this info. I actually have never seen any RL-17 on the shelves so unfortunately can't give it a try. As much as I would like to I just can't find any of the Reloader powders even at the big places like Cabelas. My main powder choices that are probably going to work the best are either IMR 4831 or H-4831, I feel like 7828 is way to slow and the 4350s are too fast so pretty much stuck with either IMR 4831 or H-4831. I will definitely be searching at the gun shops and gun shows looking for either RL-17 or RL-22. I just remembered I have a pound of RL-19 that my Dad bought forever ago but hate to work up a load with a propellant I can't find haha.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I use regular '06 brass for my .30-06 AI. So you won't have to change anything, other than your dies. I just don't like the long bottleneck look. The Ackley Improved versions of calibers really adds that cool look, but more importantly it adds function and velocity.

I think alot of folks underestimate the '06 based calibers, since the huge magnum craze has taken over.

If my '06 AI 185 load is close to 3K fps, it will be a sub-1200 yard beast.

 

[kcebcj]

I have found that with most any bullet I can find a very accurate load using H4831 or IMR4831 in the 30-06. The down side is it falls a little short on the velocity side but depending on the rifle it may work out pretty good. Will end up around 2600fps using a compressed load of either and the 208gr A-Max. The IMR gets a full burn in with a 26" barrel the H is at about 97% burn when the bullet leaves the barrel.

 

[Kennibear]

If you go with a 30/06 you should consider the 180/185 grain bullets. They have a high BC and can be driven to significantly higher velocities from the 30/06 in 26" than the heavier 200/210 class bullets. The real plus is IMR 4350 drives these bullets very well and has produced accurate loads in every 30/06 I've tried them in. 56,5 grains with a Remington 91/2 Magnum primer or 57 grains with a Federal #210 Match. Both of these loads generate 2930fps from my 27" bull barrel M98. It shoots a little fast.

30/06 is the best cartridge to come out of the 20th Century. But now I would get a 300 WinMag as brass is the same price as 30/06 and you can get 2950 fps from 210's in 26". The 300 WinMag closes the gap when shooting 180/185 vs. 200/210 in 308 caliber.

Enjoy the 30/06! I love mine!

KB

 

[Kennibear]

One more thing.....

+1 on kcebj's RL17. 30/06=RL17. Downside: hardest of the RL's to find. Bummer!

KB

 

[Jud96]

Thanks for all the information guys. I mentioned seeing a lot of '06 shooters loading RL-22 with the 208s, and they are getting upwards of 2700+ fps with 26" barrels! Well I looked over the burn chart again today and realized that RL-22 is just under IMR 7828, that is fairly slow powder! I thought 7828 was way to slow for the '06 but maybe it will work with those big 208s. My local shops always have a couple cans of 7828 sitting on the shelves and we have about five pounds of both IMR 7828 and the 7828 SSC. If this seems to be to slow then I will try the little bit faster H-4831. I looked everywhere for .30-06 loads using RL-22 and IMR 7828 and have found that their charges for the heavy slugs are within .5gr of each other so they are pretty much equals according to the burn chart and powder charges. Hopefully this proves to be true and the 2600fps mark I'm looking for can easily be achieved with safe loads of 7828.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I'm running 7828 SSC with the 185 VLD's in my '06 AI... Works great all the way up to 62gr for me. No severe pressure signs @ 103% compression. Remember the AI holds a bit more powder than the standard '06.

7828 is a great powder, it's 3 spots below 22, but it's a spot about 25, and only 4 spots above H1000.

But with the velocoties it produces, it seems to be alot slower than 22, based on my experiences with 22.

 

[Jud96]

I'm running 7828 SSC with the 185 VLD's in my '06 AI... Works great all the way up to 62gr for me. No severe pressure signs @ 103% compression. Remember the AI holds a bit more powder than the standard '06.

7828 is a great powder, it's 3 spots below 22, but it's a spot about 25, and only 4 spots above H1000.

But with the velocoties it produces, it seems to be alot slower than 22, based on my experiences with 22.

What velocities are you achieving with 7828 behind the 185s? I was hoping this powder would work in the standard '06 but it seems a little to slow. I would also like to try the 190s so my max load will probably end up being around 57grs with IMR 7828. With the 208 A-MAX the max charge should be around 54grs or so. I'm going to have to wait until I buy the rifle this summer, once I start working at my summer job again, until I can really get to testing. Thanks

 

[MudRunner2005]

Not sure yet, as i don't chrono until I get my loads perfected. I am estimating 2,900+, based on another guy who uses a similar rifle, and the same loads.

 

[270 MKV]

Apples to cranberries comparo here but with my 27" 270 shooting 165s, I ended up with H1000 and then Retumbo. Heavy bullets and the long barrel wanted a much slower than normal powder.

 

[gohring3006]

I'm getting good velocity with 53.5 grns. Of imr 4350 200 gr. Smks 24in barrel 2650fps .5moa out to 700ish yrds