# 30-06 load question



## shwiggaman (Sep 20, 2010)

Hi I was wondering if anyone had some good advice on a 30-06 reload I'm looking to get about 3000 fps out of a hornady 150 grain sst bullet mostly looking g for advice on powder type and how many grains to start with


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

I recommend IMR4831 or IMR4350 but I ain't going to tell you how much. I will tell you this though...start loading loads about 200fps back of the max loads recommended by Hornady's loading manual and with a little luck and good loading practices you will get what you want.


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## Frisco Pete (Sep 22, 2007)

I would try something a bit on the newer powder side, and one that is not temperature sensitive like most older powders - Ramshot's BIG GAME ball powder. It has a good rep for a few extra fps in the '06.
Temperature sensitivity can be an issue, as cold temps make most powders lose velocity, affecting point-of-aim in some cases. Therefore, newer powders that are engineered to be temperature insensitive like Ramshot powders and Hodgdon's Extreme line, to name 2 examples, probably would be preferred by a person interested in maintaining that hypothetical 3000 fps in the cold dawn of a fall hunt.

Ramshot data for the specified 150-grain Hornady SST:
Start: 53.3 gr. @ 2,705 fps. 
MAX: 59.2 gr. @ 3,006 fps - PSI 58,411 - COL 3.230"

With Ramshot BIG GAME the very best results will be with using a Winchester WLR primer - which is the primer specified in Ramshot data. Better ignition of the ball powder is why.


A second choice would be H-4350sc. I prefer the H (Hodgdon) version to the IMR version because it is not temperature sensitive (IMR is) and the short-cut version meters better than old long-grain IMR.
Max loads I found on a quick check are:
Hodgdon - 62.0 grains
Hornady - 60.5 grains
Speer - 59.0 grains
Sierra - 55.5 grains

Unlike with Ramshot, most of these loads will be compressed loads.

Personally, I find that an actual chronographed 3000 fps with a 150-gr bullet is hard to come by in the usual 22" barrel .30-06. I also feel that the heavier and more streamlined 165-gr bullets, though started out slower, are a ballistically better-balanced choice.
However, each shooter must decide for himself...


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## shootemup (Nov 30, 2008)

look into RL-17. Best powder for a 30-06 hands down!


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## shwiggaman (Sep 20, 2010)

Thanks for the advice everyone its great to have a forum like this to get help when I can't find the right info anywhere


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

I like AA-4350 because you can order it in bulk cheap and it works very well in the 30 06. My favorite 30 06 load is AA 4350 behind a 168 that gets very close to the velocity that you want from a 150. Look into this powder if you want to load cheap and save. Otherwise, any of the powders mentioned above as well as 4064 should easily get you where you want to be.-------SS


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## shwiggaman (Sep 20, 2010)

Thanx again for the help guys.I finally found a reloading manual for Barnes bullets and I'm Probly gonna go with the Barnes ttsx 168 grain with about 57 grains of imr 4064. Looks like that will give me about the velocity I'm looking for but with more knockdown in the heavier slug thanx again for the info


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

shwiggaman said:


> Thanx again for the help guys.I finally found a reloading manual for Barnes bullets and I'm Probly gonna go with the Barnes ttsx 168 grain with about 57 grains of imr 4064. Looks like that will give me about the velocity I'm looking for but with more knockdown in the heavier slug thanx again for the info


shwigg, that Barnes 168 gr is a great bullet for your '06, but..just for fun you might want to experiment a little with your powder charge, maybe even your powder choice. Normally you don't just open the book and pick out a load that looks good based on velocity...what if that load don't shoot for crap? I think I still have the same can of IMR4064 I bought about 40 years ago, never could make it shoot in anything.


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## shwiggaman (Sep 20, 2010)

thanx for the advice BP. After reading thru a couple manuals i finally found im gonna play around with the 4064 and the ramshot big game powder a little and see what i can come up with


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