30-06 and 190-208 grain bullets powder selection?

[Marv_2101]

I have a 30-06 I put together with a Remington 700 action, has a 26” tube heavy barrel 1-10 twist.

I’ve got some 190 grain Berger VLD hunting bullets and 208 grain ELDMS I’ve got 99 rounds of fired formed Norma brass that has been annealed, cleaned, sized, ran threw expander mandrel for consistent neck tension etc chamfered and deburred.

I have staball 6.5, H4350 and H4831SC powders on hand and during fire forming the staball 6.5 was able to push the 190 grain Berger to 2820-2840 with no pressure sings but nothing was consistent. I would group in the .3s and have good SD and ES and load the exact same charge again to confirm and it would be all over the place. Not sure if that’s just from the new brass I was firing or the nature of ball powders. I know the h4350 is a great powder as I run it in 2 of my other rifles, I’ve never tried the h4831. Hoping to at least get 2700-2800 the goal is to just shoot paper right now and eventually go out to 1000 yards. Maybe shoot a deer with the vld hunting bullets.

Which powder would you start with to conserve components?

 

[spife7980]

I like 4831 in my 270 but I’ve never tried it in an -06, I would give it a go. I imagines it’s right in line with some heavier bullets.

 

[bpd459]

H4350 with a 190gr SMK was a proven long time 1000yd combo in NRA Highpower.

 

[RegionRat]

Just a suggestion, but by the time you are up to a 208 grain, I would add H1000 to the candidate list.