30-06 load questions

[NC1426]

Hey guys, new to reloading. I have a question on where to start when developing a load. I have a Christensen Arms Ridgeline in 30-06 w/24” barrel. I want to develop a good hunting load in. I got the Nosler 180gr ballistic tip bullets to try.

My question is that when I loaded to the minimum load on Nosler website my FPS was a lot higher than expected. I next wanted to use the OCW method at 3 or 4 grain jumps, but definitely do not want to push anything pressure wise since I’m new to it. I also checked Hodgens website for load data and their minimum load with a 180gr Nosler Etip was 49gr to max of 53.5. Noslers was 52.5 to max of 56.5. Should I start lower or stick with Noslers data?

I just want a good direction to go without pushing anything and the high FPS threw me off.

Load I used:
.02 off lands measured using hornady OAL
Nosler ballistic tip 180gr
Lapua brass
CCI 200 primers
52.5gr of H4350
2699 FPS using magneto speed over 6 shots with 44es
COAL 3.317

 

[boatbum101]

1) Your OAL is shorter than Noslers published data by .013 .
2) You also used Lapua cases & they used their own . If Lapua case has smaller internal volume this could be a factor .
3) You used a different primer CCI 200 vs WLR
I'm sure your chamber is also on the tighter side too . If you're going to subsitute components be prepared for different results . As you were prudent enough to go with a starting charge you were able to stay safe .
You got some room to max but if you stay with same oal / components expect to hit that 2774 mv & possibly show pressure before you get to max charge 56.5grs . IMHO H4350 is a little too fast & you'd do better with something around 4831 burn rate . Slowly work up .5gr at a time . Pay attention to primer flatening , case head impressions from bolt face / ejector & bolt lift . First sign of pressure stop .

 

[NC1426]

Thanks that’s helpful!

Also, if I stick with the H4350 powder is it safe to do load development starting a grain below Noslers starting point?

 

[FredHammer]

Thanks that’s helpful!

Also, if I stick with the H4350 powder is it safe to do load development starting a grain below Noslers starting point?

Boatbum101 did a great job comparing/contrasting your data vs Noslers. Can't disagree on any particular point.
To add to the pile of advice, do make sure you aren't sticking the bullets in the lands. Quick check is to remove the bolt, take a loaded round and insert into the chamber muzzle up. Hold and push with your pinky finger on the case head and release. The round should fall out as you release pressure with your finger. If it stays in the chamber, your bullet is stuck in the lands.

Nosler lists the H20 capacity of the brass in their data. The only bullet manufacturer I know to do this and it's great. Take a few of your virgin fired cases, insert a fired primer and weigh the cases. Then fill them with water level with the case mouth and weigh them. Subtract the difference. This is the virgin brass capacity. Do the same with the once fired brass and you will likely see a slight increase of this capacity. (Take the averages of both for future reference)

Reading pressure - pop the fired primers and inspect them outside the case. Look at the sides of the primers. If they are hourglassed from the middle to top, or there is burnt powder residue going up the sides, or if the anvils crumble out of the primer, you are over pressured. Then measure the diameter of the primer pocket with your calipers. When the primer pockets hit .210" they gotta go in the trash. Ideally, this should happen on the 6-7th loading of the brass. If you hit .210 on first or second firing, you are over pressured. If you load till you get a stiff bolt, you have already been in an over pressured state long before then. (That was an older and cruder way going about max pressure, you might still hear that today though)

 

[armorpl8chikn]

H4350 isn't too fast for a 180 in 30-06. Don't listen to people who spew such drivel.
H4350 is what you should be using.
Do you have pressure signs beyond a velocity you think is too high?
MAYBE you have a fast barrel, this is why reloading data is a suggestion.
It is good to be careful, its silly to be paranoid.
The biggest piece of advice I could give you, is dont listen to much you get off an internet forum.
The advice you've been given in this thread so far is mostly garbage.

Load for my 06 is 55.5gr H4350 over a 190SMK.
2880fps dope confirmed velocity. I have a fast barrel.
Sometimes, when you buy a premium rifle, you get a premium product.
I know its surprising to most today, but this is supposed to be common.

Work up slow, be careful, watch for signs of pressure. Enjoy your new rifle, and calm down.

 

[FredHammer]

H4350 isn't too fast for a 180 in 30-06. Don't listen to people who spew such drivel.
H4350 is what you should be using.
Do you have pressure signs beyond a velocity you think is too high?
MAYBE you have a fast barrel, this is why reloading data is a suggestion.
It is good to be careful, its silly to be paranoid.
The biggest piece of advice I could give you, is dont listen to much you get off an internet forum.
The advice you've been given in this thread so far is mostly garbage.

Load for my 06 is 55.5gr H4350 over a 190SMK.
2880fps dope confirmed velocity. I have a fast barrel.
Sometimes, when you buy a premium rifle, you get a premium product.
I know its surprising to most today, but this is supposed to be common.

Work up slow, be careful, watch for signs of pressure. Enjoy your new rifle, and calm down.

@NC1426 - and the best advice is to put this poster and those like him on your ignore list. Like I am right now. Let him go scream into an echo chamber.

 

[boatbum101]

If you plan to stick with H4350 & a 180 Nos BT stick with Nosler's data . IMHO you've probably got a tad more room before you hit pressure wall . You've got a snug chamber & a shorter than avg throat which is good for accuracy . To stay .020 off you will have the shorter oal + the Lapua cases smaller capacity + different primer so your pressure / velocity will be higher than Noslers for a given charge . You did absolutely right in picking a starting load . You've only got another 75 fps before you're maxed out with H4350 .
A slower powder will give same or better fps with less pressure & more room to run , better spreads . If you've acceptible accuracy with that H4350 load , a 180 @ 2700 will work just fine .

 

[armorpl8chikn]

@NC1426 - and the best advice is to put this poster and those like him on your ignore list. Like I am right now. Let him go scream into an echo chamber.

So troll. What is the load for your 06?

 

[mtrmn]

MY 30-06 load is 57 gr of IMR 4350 behind a 150 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip. Shooting in a US Model of 1917, barrel stamped 1918. Eddystone. Shoots a 7/8" group at 100 yds. with the std peep sights.

 

[30338]

I think you have the perfect components for a very good hunting load. I'd be looking for accuracy between 2700 fps and somewhere around 2825 fps. Killed a lot of stuff with 180s doing 2800. Chopped barrel and still killing stuff with 155 scenars. Enjoy and good luck.

 

[xsn10s]

Hey guys, new to reloading. I have a question on where to start when developing a load. I have a Christensen Arms Ridgeline in 30-06 w/24” barrel. I want to develop a good hunting load in. I got the Nosler 180gr ballistic tip bullets to try.

My question is that when I loaded to the minimum load on Nosler website my FPS was a lot higher than expected. I next wanted to use the OCW method at 3 or 4 grain jumps, but definitely do not want to push anything pressure wise since I’m new to it. I also checked Hodgens website for load data and their minimum load with a 180gr Nosler Etip was 49gr to max of 53.5. Noslers was 52.5 to max of 56.5. Should I start lower or stick with Noslers data?

I just want a good direction to go without pushing anything and the high FPS threw me off.

Load I used:
.02 off lands measured using hornady OAL
Nosler ballistic tip 180gr
Lapua brass
CCI 200 primers
52.5gr of H4350
2699 FPS using magneto speed over 6 shots with 44es
COAL 3.317

Since you're new to reloading I'd say you're being prudent to ask about your load. IMO I'd agree that it sounds like you have a snug chamber and it seems the throat is pretty short. As previously mentioned your brass capacity could be smaller which could add to pressures. My questions are what is the intended range you want to hunt at? Did you see any signs of pressure? Do you have any Federal primers? H4350 is a classic powder for the 06 and it worked well in mine. I got the best accuracy using Fed 210M primers with H4350 with the 180 BT. If you don't see signs of pressure I wouldn't go to a lower charge weight. If you are going to hunt deer or elk out to 400 yards then your current load should be fine, as long as it's accurate.

 

[NC1426]

Range on this probably won't be past 300-350, but I want be confident to 500 yards if I had to. I did a test starting at 51.5 grains and went up to 56.5. I stopped at 54 because there was a mark which I thought was from the extractor and the velocity was also 2796 fps which was more than Nosler's max FPS. Here's a pic. The mark was right above and to the left of the 6. If it's nothing please let me know!

Also, These bullets just don't seem to group good. The groups seem to come in around 1.5" while on my 6.5 creedmoor I've also been reloading for I can't get it to group LARGER than .75" with different bullets. I've only experimented with two charges, so maybe once I really dig into they will get better...but not optimistic

.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Its nothing.
Your primer will look a lot worse if you have ejector flow on Lapua brass.
Noslers are great bullets.
They are hunting bullets, not match bullets. Though the ballistic tip should shoot better than 1.5"....Partition not so much.
Try them .030" off the lands.

I never had any luck using 180gr bullets.
I'd try a different bullet manufacturer, say Berger.

 

[BCP]

Those cases look fine. H4350 is perfect for that rifle.

My hunting load is 54gr of IMR4350 with a 180gr nosler partition. You can also use 150gr bullets and a faster powder like winchester 748, TAC, 4895, Varget, 4064 even H335. A classic load would be 48gr of IMR 4895 and a 150gr bullet.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Those cases look fine. H4350 is perfect for that rifle.

My hunting load is 54gr of IMR4350 with a 180gr nosler partition. You can also use 150gr bullets and a faster powder like winchester 748, TAC, 4895, Varget, 4064 even H335. A classic load would be 48gr of IMR 4895 and a 150gr bullet.

My go to 150 class load uses IMR4320.
Extremely accurate out to about 400yds....and very "speedy".

 

[JOE62]

Interested to see what you come up as I have some Lapua brass ordered and was wondering about the difference in capacity. Your primers look good and I didn’t see any ejector marks or bolt swipe. I think you are ok with that particular load. I also use H4350 in mine and it likes to be right at max for best accuracy in my rifle. I also use 150’s and get great accuracy with good speed.

 

[JOE62]

Hey guys, new to reloading. I have a question on where to start when developing a load. I have a Christensen Arms Ridgeline in 30-06 w/24” barrel. I want to develop a good hunting load in. I got the Nosler 180gr ballistic tip bullets to try.

My question is that when I loaded to the minimum load on Nosler website my FPS was a lot higher than expected. I next wanted to use the OCW method at 3 or 4 grain jumps, but definitely do not want to push anything pressure wise since I’m new to it. I also checked Hodgens website for load data and their minimum load with a 180gr Nosler Etip was 49gr to max of 53.5. Noslers was 52.5 to max of 56.5. Should I start lower or stick with Noslers data?

I just want a good direction to go without pushing anything and the high FPS threw me off.

Load I used:
.02 off lands measured using hornady OAL
Nosler ballistic tip 180gr
Lapua brass
CCI 200 primers
52.5gr of H4350
2699 FPS using magneto speed over 6 shots with 44es
COAL 3.317

After reviewing your first post again and comparing your measurements with mine, you definitely have a shorter distance to the lands than mine. About.060 shorter. With the shorter distance to the rifling you could capitalize on that by using lighter, shorter bullets and free up some space in the case. I’m running at 3.3200 @ .080 off the rifling with the BT. The difference in freebore length is what is causing the velocity increase.
And pressure.
And Merry Christmas

 

[JOE62]

Hey guys, new to reloading. I have a question on where to start when developing a load. I have a Christensen Arms Ridgeline in 30-06 w/24” barrel. I want to develop a good hunting load in. I got the Nosler 180gr ballistic tip bullets to try.

My question is that when I loaded to the minimum load on Nosler website my FPS was a lot higher than expected. I next wanted to use the OCW method at 3 or 4 grain jumps, but definitely do not want to push anything pressure wise since I’m new to it. I also checked Hodgens website for load data and their minimum load with a 180gr Nosler Etip was 49gr to max of 53.5. Noslers was 52.5 to max of 56.5. Should I start lower or stick with Noslers data?

I just want a good direction to go without pushing anything and the high FPS threw me off.

Load I used:
.02 off lands measured using hornady OAL
Nosler ballistic tip 180gr
Lapua brass
CCI 200 primers
52.5gr of H4350
2699 FPS using magneto speed over 6 shots with 44es
COAL 3.317

Lapua brass holds 2 grains less H2O than Winchester or Hornady. 1 grain less than Remington. I’ve got to redo my load switching to Lapua brass.

 

[HoneyBadger777]

If I'm reading this right you are in the lands. I say this because your hornady ogive tool has a certain amount of error as well as your calipers. This is generally not a good idea in an hunting application.