Building the perfect load ?

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Bushhog57

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I'm kinda new at reloading but just wanted to ask you guys who have done it for a long time..how do you determine the right powder and projectile to make the "right" load for 1 rifle?Is it all trial and error? I have a Ruger No 1 standard in 30-06 I want to develop a good load for... and thanks for the help. :confused:
 
Assuming that you have the reloading gear you need and a couple of reloading books (I use Nosler and Lyman 49th), read them and see what powders they suggest. I don't load for 30-06, but I'll guess that IMR4064 is a good option and is a long time favorite of mine. Now the bullet. I'd go for a 150 or 165 grain bullet, and there are many good choices. I'm a fan of Nosler Ballistic Tips, and the Nosler book recommendations on powder and amount of powder are usually pretty darn good. I use CCI bench rest primers.

Once you've chosen the bullet and powder and primed your cases (trimming is optional on the first loading), start near the minimum charge for that powder and load (to book recommended overall length) and shoot 3 to 5 rounds for accuracy. Then ramp up the charge by 1%. If the first powder charge was 50 grains, raise it by 0.5 grains. Take notes and describe the group (awful, vertical stringing, horizontal group, loose group but round, and so on). When you find a group that's roughly round and about an inch, load it and try again.

That approach will get you in the game. You can refine your technique over time, in the never ending search for tiny little groups.
 
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4064 and 4350 are pretty standard powders for 06. My fav is also 4064, 47 gr 168smk. No need to reinvent the wheel, well performing in many rifles.
 
Yes, it is, literally decades of trial and error. The 06 has been around for a century now, and experimentation has been going on all that time.

Let the other guys do most of that trial and error, and get advice about where to start, just like you did. There are a certain group of powders that do well. Some aren't optimal. You've had 4064 recommended, and that's a great place to start. Pick any bullet by the major makers, even Winchester and Remington put out highly accurate bullets now. Tipped bullets are an improvement over typical soft points. 150 grain is the standard. The rifle can fire from 110 up to 200, but most barrels are rifled for the 150. Nosler are perfect for it. Sierra makes one that is probably identical that can probably be found more cheaply. But, you may just have to take what you can find...
 
My 3006 likes 165's over 150's , or so it seems. And with those bullets it likes IMR4350 best.
With 190 grn ABLR'S it does best with IMR 7828, and I use CCI 200 primers exclusively.
 
Bushog57, it's all trial and error, but that's also what makes reloading fun. Check out the Hodgdon Reloading Data site. For the Nosler 150gr Bal Tip you'll find 21 loads, using 21 different powders. I generally look for the powder that gives the highest velocity at maximum load, but the lowest pressure. Some pressures are listed as PSI, others as CUP - you cannot equate these, so just stick with those that have the same pressure indicators to start.

For example, I chose Superformance because maximum load gives 3072 fps with 53,000 PSI. Compare that to IMR4451 (2969 fps/59,700 psi) or IMR4350 (2942 fps/57,200psi).

The max load listed for Superformance is 65.0gr. I have repeatedly read that one should start 10% under max, but I think that is a lot of powder wasted as you climb to the max. After 40 years I found I can start with my max 1 grain less than that listed (e.g., 64.0 gr), but I'll make 3 loads of 3 cartridges each: 64.0gr, 63.0gr and 62.0gr.

I'll shoot the lowest first and watch for pressure signs as I get to the highest load. Only once did I lock up a bolt doing this in my 7mm Rem Mag with a 110gr TNT bullet. (I've loaded .22-250, .223, .222, 6mm PPC, .243, .25-06, .257 Roberts, .270 Win, .270 win Mag, 7mm Rem Mag, 7mmSTW, 30-06, .308 Win, 300 Win Mag and .338 Win).

If I don't get a good group that way, I'll change bullets and start over again.
You will find, quite often, the best accuracy is not necessarily at the highest velocity. If you get one group that stands out but is not quite 1-MOA, then play with increments: e.g., if 63.0gr is better than the other 2, try 62.5gr or 63.5gr. But there are other variables as well: do you seat your bullets as listed in the manuals (Overall Length) or do you seat them some distance from the rifling ("leade")? It can get complicated, but just keep your plans clear and avoid frustration. Good luck!
 
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When you choose all of your components and start loading you only want to change one thing at a time. Meaning if I am working up a load I increment the powder charge up slowly and do not change anything else like bullet, bullet seating depth, primers or anything else.

Loading a cartridge like the 30-06 gives you a wide range of powder and bullets to work with. Planning on hunting or shooting paper? Hunting bullets do not make the best accurate target bullets and the best target bullets are often lousy for hunting. :) I only shoot target anymore so I focus on target bullets. While I like Sierra I have also had good results with Speer and Nosler match bullets. With 150 grain and 168 grain match bullets my go to powder is IMR 4064 for the most part and depending which rifle I am loading for. Just a matter of seeing what works for you and your rifle.

Ron
 
My brother in law chose powders by which one was the most cost effective, in simpler terms, if one needed fifty and the other forty, forty got it.

If a person expects to get fully effective rounds, cost cutting isn't going to be the way you will do it.
 
I ask myself -- What are you going to do with it ?
Hunting - hunting what, deer, hogs,elk, moose
Target -- at what range 100, 200,300, 600, 1000 yards

For myself - hunting deer and hogs
range east of Mississippi River will be 100 to max of
200 yards ( most hunters will not take a shot past that )
3006 a 150gr bullet will do it, flat base will do
so 150gr bullet, do not need a tipped bullet for distance
but try them
Try Sierra, Hornady and a couple of others

when you have found what you and your rifle like keep in mind other things
cold weather, ball powder- may need a magnum primer

Do the same for target ammo

I am in Florida so all of my hunting will be a max of 200 yards
I use 150gr Hornady SST ( smallest pattern at 200 )
I use stick powder ( IMR 4895 ) so I do not need a magnum primer

Target ammo is shot at 600 yards so I need a bullet that is a bit heavier
and has a boat tail
I use 175gr Sierra MK, with stick powder ( IMR 4064 )( standard primer )

I have burned a lot of powder and came to the conclusion that for a 3006
150 to 155gr bullets work best with a faster powder about the burn rate
of IMR 4895
168gr bullets worked best with a burn rate of Varget
175gr bullets worked best with a burn rate of IMR 4064
Heavier bullets - slower powders

(Some like ball powders because it meters better in their machine
but I have always gotten a smaller pattern with stick powders)

One other limitation for me is that I want to be able to use this ammo
in an M1 Garand, so that limits the amount of powder I can use
without damaging the Operating Rod and to be able to use it in any of my
3006s ( 1- Rem 700, 5-1903 Springfield, 6- M1 Garands, 2- Mausers )
 
When I was loading for my savage in 30-06, I started with a load 10% above minimum and loaded 3 rds, and increase .3 grains at a time every 3 rds until I got close to max. Than I would shoot 3 shot groups and picked the load that shot the tightest. Did the same for my tikka as it did not like the load my savage liked. A faster way would be to perform a ladder test, but I like shooting a lot so I do the 3 shot group method.
 
I struggle with when to stop tweaking. For example, I have a 223 load with IMR 4064 and 69gr BTHP bullets that is pretty accurate (nickel sized groups at 50 yds). The charge is the most accurate I've shot in this gun. I'm using sand bags under the free float rail, so there is a human factor in the accuracy as I'm holding the gun.

Do I tweak bullet seating depth? What if there's a more accurate load at a different depth but also different charge? Do all variables act independently?

There are infinite combinations of load, depth, primers, case trim length, barrel fouling, barrel temp, atmospheric conditions, etc.

Where do you stop changing things and accept that it's accurate enough for your setup (not bench rest rifle, not bench rest shooter, etc.)?
 
Thank you all for your kindness..your suggestions will help me learn a bit easier and put me more at ease with these issues. Thank you very much. Danny
 
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One good way if not familiar with the cartridge is to google 30-06 hand loads

30-06 168 grain loads, 30-06 168 Grain Sierra etc.

The 06 is a 1-10 twist so it tends to do best up in the 150 gr plus and more so 168 and above.

That said they also often shoot down well below 150 grains just fine (violates all the twist rules)

the goal is to give yourself the best chance to get going right and then go from there.

Bullet choice varies, some are picky, most are pretty tolerant but they tend to really like one combo.

What you will see is there are powders that are go to, 4350, 4831 and the others listed.

Those are a good start. Others work just as well, sometimes better but the goo starters come up repeatedly.

I would suggest a Hornaday and or Sierra Reloading books

They have a wide range of powders listed that work, that also allows you to pick a powder that may be available in your area if others are not.
 
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