30.06 reloading

[JB1]

I would like some help in improving the group size,

I will give as much information as possible.

 

Browning A/bolt with the Boss system

 

It will be used for Wild Boar and Deer

 

After cleaning the barrel i shot a clover @ 100yds using 168Gr seirra matchking fed215 prim and 54Gr N160

 

Next 3 group's using 180 Nos B/tip fed 215 prim N160 54Gr to 56Gr groups were 2-inch

 

I have also tried 165Gr Speer Hot-cor same size group as the Nosler's. N160 54-56 Gr fed 215 pri

 

all cases have been full length resized and trimmed to the correct spec bullet seating is the next line i will go for, but as you can imagine it does take some time, the barrel gets a bit warm if shooting too many. i have stuck to 3 shot groups and resting for 15-20 minutes. i am just trying to get as much info as poss of the more experienced on here

 

It was Baffling me as to why i get a clover leaf group size with the Matchking then nothing.

 

Thanks for any help

 

John

[JB1]

Know the twist rate might be of some help....

 

My .02.....

your problem is right here.....

 

168Gr seirra matchking fed215 prim and 54Gr N160

180 Nos B/tip fed 215 prim N160 54Gr to 56G

 

Most loaders back off the charge when bullet weight is increased.

 

Again...my .02

 

Dialing the Boss up or down didnt make a change?

 

308Panther

both the loads are under the maximum recomended according to reloading guide. max for 165Gr i have 58Gr N160 and max for 180 Gr is 57Gr N160, i didnt load near max due to using mag primers,

the Boss system was set for the correct bullet weight,and alltered, twist is 1-10. What i cant understsnd is why the excellent group with Match king then 2 inch + with others.

 

thanks 308 for the quick reply.

 

 

john

[Andrew]

If you haven't adjusted the seating depth you haven't got a "problem" with accuracy yet. You just haven't finished load development. Last winter I ran into a very intelligent young man at the local shooting range with a Savage 30-06. He was testing his handloads with respect to adjusting OAL, starting with "out to the lands" and working inward. As the OAL decreased, so did his groups size. His beginning groups were around 2MOA and is final groups were .7 MOA.

 

FWIW I'm guessing your twist rate for the A-Bolt is 1-10" which is pretty standard for the '06 so you should be fine there. Good plan sticking with the 3-shot groups.~Andrew

[casts_by_fly]

What bullet weight do you want to end up with? If you don't care among the choices you've tried thus far, then stick to the SMK's.

 

Our load for the -06 has always been a 165gr Nosler BT with a stiff load of IMR 4350. That load has killed a ton of PA whitetails over the past 15+ years and shoots MOA in all of the rifles we've tried it in.

 

Any reason your stuck to N160? I'm guessing it is what you had to try?

 

Thanks,

Rick

[JB1]

The N160 was sugested. i have the use of H380 and Varget. short of buying all powders that are in the reloading manuals

i dont really want to buy umpteen loads of powder until i exaust all other routes other wise i am going to end up with an empty wallet and loads of powder not being used.

I am loading at the moment and will try a change in seating depth.

 

bullet choice would need to be heavy and fairly accurate for driven Boar and for Deer Stalking i would prefer to be more accurate if it makes any sense.

 

I dont think the SMKs would be suitable for stopping the big pigs, or am i wrong ?

john

[Vermincinerator]

JB,

.30 cal. Sierra Matchkings are arquably the finest match grade projectiles available and are extremely accurate in all applicaitons.

You will struggle to duplicate the accuracy achieved using SMKs with any hunting bullet.

I watched my shooting buddy tear his hair out trying to duplicate the SMK groups he shot, with hunting bullets out of his 308.

The nearest to the SMK groups were Sierra Gamekings.

Another of my budies shoots 180 grn Gamekings out of his 30-06 Ackley, easily grouping into sub 1/2 moa @100yds every time.

Powder change may improve your accuracy slightly but a change of bullet will effect your accuracy to a much higher degree and on an economical factor, a box of bullets is still cheaper then a lb of powder.

 

Ian.

[NICK]

JB

May i suggest you try the Hornady A-Max Bullet? This Bullet was designed as a Match Bullet but is apparently very good on Game too. So much so that Hornady now recommend this bullet on thin skinned Game. I used the 155 Grain out of my 30-06 AI on Fallow but would probably advise you to go 168 Grain as i had a littlr too much expansion.

Another alternative would be the Berger VLD. Another Match type Bullet that has been recommended by its manufacturer for Game shooting.

If however you wish to use a dedicated Game Bullet and not a dual purpose then the Sierra 165 HPBT Game King is, according to Sierra, based on the Matchking. I have always found it very accurate.

Hope this helps and gives you something to think about.

 

Nick.

[JB1]

Thanks for the advice gents,

I will certianly try as many variations as possible with the home loads ie; powder weight, seating depth and using the boss system. I have to be carefull how many rounds i accumalate by doing any testing using different bullets as i only have 200 to hold. Saying that i understand that Match bullets dont count as my allowance so "A"max wont count, or will they ?

 

cheers john

[Vermincinerator]

Match grade bullets dont count against your limit so you can have a many as you want.

 

Ian.

[swampy]

john,

have a look at this link. i talk about working up a load as appropriatte for my rifle. you will see the results at the bottom. the difference between the first group and the second is huge. there is only 1 grains powder difference. always work up.

 

http://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/foru...opic.php?t=3250

 

mods, i hope you don't mind some cross border linking

 

swampy

[JB1]

john,

have a look at this link. i talk about working up a load as appropriatte for my rifle. you will see the results at the bottom. the difference between the first group and the second is huge. there is only 1 grains powder difference. always work up.

 

http://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/foru...opic.php?t=3250

 

mods, i hope you don't mind some cross border linking

 

swampy

I understand that just one grain of powder will make some difference, however it may be another issue as i have varied the load's by 0.5 of a grain. i am now altering the seating depth by backing off from the lands by further 1000 increments.

At the moment i am not too fussy about the grouping 2 inch @100yds. good enough for driven boar, But IMO not good enough for stalking in the new year.

The only problem i really have is that the proccess is time consuming, i may sound impatiant but not really, it took me nearly 3 months to get to a load that my 22.250 will shoot -1/4" @100yds. But i go boar shooting in November !!

[Redfox]

I would make your loads to SAAMI dimensions first and use the Varget powder as it has a wide application range ( bullet weight) and start at least ten percent down from max. Although with the larger cals it is accepted that nearer the rifling can be better, for hunting loads, about .025" - .020" off the rifling will give best results in most rifles, but go with SAMMI length first it often works very well.

Shooting at animals with match bullets is not a good idea and Sierra in particular emphasise they do not recommend it. The gameking bullets normally give excellent results and are designed to expand reliably on penetration.

I do not like the "Boss" system it is just something else you have to adjust and has never really caught on, in fact in the original write up several of the writers on the Browning press trials, where they all used the same factory ammo, were unable to better 2 1/2" groups whatever they and Browning staff did ( even home loads).

However yours has shown it can group and the 165gr is a very nice bullet ( I use it in the 300WM) and in the ideal 30-06 weight range, you shouldnt really need 180+ for piggies the 165 will kill them easily and any deer you may come across, it also has the slightly flatter trajectory. I would go for the SBT version rather than the HP until you have a good load and feel the need for an hp ( although they tend to do more meat damage). The 06 has been around forever and is usually a first class hunting round.

Redfox

[JB1]

just thought i would put short post in regarding the problem re accuracy i had.

 

I decided to vary the seating depth on a few the last time i went onto the range, and found that by giving the bullet a bigger jump improved the group size greatly.

I am replacing the "boss" with a Can so i will need to re'zero but should not have the problems i encountered at the start.

 

The Boar shooting was brill i got my first and only one on the trip but hoping to go again later this year.

 

 

thanks for the advice given. very helpfull