IMR 4895 Accuracy Loads with 147 gr bullets in .308 and .30-06?

[jaundice]

Cruising the forum, I see many threads about accuracy loads with IMR 4895 and various SMK bullets (168, 175, etc).

I'm looking for accuracy loads with IMR 4895 and 147 gr M80 ball pulled bullets in once-fired LC brass. I know this is an oxymoron, but the longest range in my county is 100 yards, and I need some practice ammo. I'm saving my SMK 168 gr bullets for when I get more room to shoot.

Anyone have some idea on loads? I'm shooting these in a .308 Remington 40x and a .30-06 Savage 110.

Thanks

 

[mtrmn]

In 308, somewhere around 42 gr IMR 4895 IN A 20" AR, 1/10 TWIST. Seated to max magazine length listed in the Lyman manual. I don't have any bolt 308's. In 30-06 I use IMR 4350. Sorry I can't come closer to your requirements, but accuracy with 42 gr should be reasonable nonetheless.
Using pulled bullets, check diameters with a caliper or micrometer and make sure they are still round. I had to trash a few hundred pulled bullets several years ago due to being too FUBAR to use.
On all this, start low and work up. YMMV

 

[Clark]

Bart Bobbitt, long time national level competitor and on line gun forum contributor, wrote a letter to Krieger in 1997 telling them how happy he was with their barrels. He shot a 3.325" 20 shot group at 800 yards with a 308 155 gr Sierall Palma bullets 43.5 gr IMR4895.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/rec.guns/iL7zv-cktJc/Uow_LL-o2dwJ

Krieger used it in a 1997 ad, but they misspelled Bart's name.
I think he uses 42 gr for 168 gr Match Kings.

He is still going, I just got some messages from him yesterday. [The internet is a great equalizer. Unlike his great shooting, I have never got good enough to take a shot at a deer over 500 yards away and know for sure I would get him.]

 

[jaundice]

Thank you, gentlemen. I'll try those.

Clark, I appreciated your comment on another thread that is you had to choose one load to make a .308 shoot, it would be a 110 Hornady V-max over 45 grains of 4895 at 2.815 inches OAL. Which flavor of 4895 are you using? I want to try this load. Do you have any idea about what makes it special?

Thanks,

-John

 

[Southwind]

For years I have used 43gr of IMR 4895 with 150gr Nosler BT or 155gr Hornady A Max. It is a very mild load, but they have shot very nice in 4-5 different Savage bolt .308's.

Have used this with Remington and Winchester brass w/ Win LR primers.

 

[Clark]

...110 Hornady V-max over 45 grains of 4895 at 2.815 inches OAL. Which flavor of 4895 are you using? I want to try this load. Do you have any idea about what makes it special?
-John

I have IMR4895, H4895, and pull down bulk surplus 4895.
It does not make any difference at 100 yards.
A light charge of a fast burning powder with a light quality bullet will get the best groups at 100 yards. It makes the recoil small so the barrel moves less before the bullet exits.
The same thing happens with 13 gr Blue Dot in 223 with 33 gr Vmax and 40 gr 4895 in 243 with 65 gr Vmax.

 

[jaundice]

For years I have used 43gr of IMR 4895 with 150gr Nosler BT or 155gr Hornady A Max. It is a very mild load, but they have shot very nice in 4-5 different Savage bolt .308's.

Have used this with Remington and Winchester brass w/ Win LR primers.

Interesting, Southwind. From what I've read, folks using 42 gr are typically using LC brass, which ties in exactly with your 43 gr using Winchester and Remington brass.

 

[jaundice]

I have IMR4895, H4895, and pull down bulk surplus 4895.
It does not make any difference at 100 yards.
A light charge of a fast burning powder with a light quality bullet will get the best groups at 100 yards. It makes the recoil small so the barrel moves less before the bullet exits.
The same thing happens with 13 gr Blue Dot in 223 with 33 gr Vmax and 40 gr 4895 in 243 with 65 gr Vmax.

Clark, I'm very interested in this concept. Do you have any pet loads like this for the .30-06?

 

[former naval person]

Government used 45-46 grains (depending on the lot) of 4895 for decades with that 147/150 grain military bullet in the '06.

 

[Southwind]

I think Clark is spot on. While I have not shot this load at distance, it is the most accurate 100 yard load I have shot out of any of my .308's. There are far superior bullet/powder combinations that will hold up at further distance, but for shooting 100yd groups this one is tough to beat. For me, at 100yds it rivals 44gr of Varget and the 186SMK. The first group even included my cold bore shot as 1 of the 5.

And as far as the .243 goes, Clark and I are on the same page as well. One of my favorite loads is 39.5gr of IMR 4895 with a 70gr Nosler BT in Win brass.

 

[Alaska]