30/06 165gr Which powder

[Bwana Bob]

I'm helping a friend load his 06 with 165 gr bullets. He has IMR 4350 and 4064. Any suggestions on another powder to try that will give top velocities?

[headshot5]

I-4350, for 165's works great in the 55-57.5 grain area.   

I-4064 is great for 150's.

[bobcat]

For the highest velocities, try Reloder 16 if you can find any. It's hard to find but the store in Cle Elum probably has some. Reloder 17 would be good too but I've heard it's temperature sensitive, so I've never used it. Another good powder would be Ramshot Hunter, and it's probably much easier to find.

[Stein]

I have used H4350 on the 168 TSX with good results.  I don't know if it is a Barnes bullet he is using, but they list IMR 4064 as the preferred powder with Big Game having the absolute highest velocity.  The velocity spread from top to bottom of what they list is only 161 fps, so I wouldn't pick powder on velocity.

[Karl Blanchard]

IMR4350

[zwickeyman]

Another vote for RL16 orRL19

[Bwana Bob]

Thanks guys for the info. I think I'll have him pick up a pound of RL 19 but we had great results accuracy wise using IMR 4064 and 4350 with 150 gr bullets in his rifle.

[Stein]

IMR4350

Why this over H4350?  Slight hijack, but I've been looking at changing powder if for no other reason than to do more loading and shooting this summer.

[Karl Blanchard]

IMR4350

Why this over H4350?  Slight hijack, but I've been looking at changing powder if for no other reason than to do more loading and shooting this summer.

both are fantastic powders but the IMR is just easier to come by.

[wheels]

4350  IMR or hogdens  54.5

[Matth]

I have had good results with RL19, and 165's, and it is fairly easy for me to come by.

[Bwana Bob]

My friends is a novice reloader and I don't want him to build loads with powder he can't find around here. Hard to find components around the Bothell area and Cabelals  sucks for such a big store. We had a combined order in for primers and powder at Powder valley but like a fool I waited for another friend to join in the buy and they ran out of IMR 4350,4064 and RL19 in 1lb cans.

[bobcat]

I would just use the IMR 4350. The RL19 probably won't get any better velocity.

[Stein]

If you get over to Wenatchee, Hooked on Toys seems to have the best selection of powder anywhere I have been.  I told the guy behind the counter I needed to buy some powder and he handed me H4350.  I laughed and he said he just does that and is right most of the time.

[Bwana Bob]

Thanks guys for all the input. It looks like IMR 4350 will get a good workout with those 165gr bullets. 4350 gave the best accuracy with the 150 bullets I loaded for him. I'm not trying to reach the absolute highest vel for his loads, I just want to use powders that have the potetial to do so with good accuracy

My friend doesn't have the skills to shoot much past 150 yd. I need him to develop an accurate load with those 165 gr bullets and then get his butt down to the range and shoot off his shooting sticks and some field positions so he will be confident to make shots out to 250 yd.

I helped him get his first elk, a cow in the Clockum. We stalked to 225 yd of some cows and he didn't have the confidence to shoot one of them even though he was sitting and shooting off his sticks. I told him I was going to shoot one of them and fill my tag. I killed one and he helped me pack it out. I told him he go his chance and in WA, THIS IS ALL YOU CAN HOPE FOR. Well BY THE GRACE OF THE HUNTING God's he got a chance at them again in the same draw I killed mine the day before, this time in his comfort zone of  < 100 yd. He killed his first elk with the hand loads I helped him build,150gr SGK. Ya I know a sierra game king. I told him a 165 gr bullet may be a better choice for both a deer and elk bullet, KISS.
Latter he told me he felt bad not shooting the day before  after all the work I did to get him on elk and then he realized all the stuff I was telling him about to practice / practice / practice. I think it sunk in

[Jonathan_S]

If I were setting this up, I'd buy an 8lb of IMR4350 and not worry about it

[BigGoonTuna]

i've got excellent velocity and accuracy with ramshot hunter in about every cartridge i've tried it in.  IMR4451 has also worked pretty well in the 30-06 for me, but it's become popular with the creedmoor bros (like RL26) and has gotten harder to find.

[andersonjk4]

If I were setting this up, I'd buy an 8lb of IMR4350 and not worry about it

 

I’ve been reloading 165’s in the .30-06 for 20+ years for 3 different rifles. Between 56 and 56.5 grains of IMR4350 has been money in all three. Shooting Sierra 165 BTSP and Nosler 165 Ballistic tips. Rifles are a 40+ year old Sako, Browning A-bolt and a Weatherby Vanguard. All easily shoot sub-moa. For full disclosure I have not tried any other powders in an 06, but I’ve also never needed to with the results I’ve had.

[Matth]

If I were setting this up, I'd buy an 8lb of IMR4350 and not worry about it

 

I’ve been reloading 165’s in the .30-06 for 20+ years for 3 different rifles. Between 56 and 56.5 grains of IMR4350 has been money in all three. Shooting Sierra 165 BTSP and Nosler 165 Ballistic tips. Rifles are a 40+ year old Sako, Browning A-bolt and a Weatherby Vanguard. All easily shoot sub-moa. For full disclosure I have not tried any other powders in an 06, but I’ve also never needed to with the results I’ve had.

Bamm find one that works, and stick with it. I like your style

[MeatMissile]

59gr of H4350 or IMR4350 gets me an easy 2900 with a 165gr cup and core.  Don’t do it with a monolithic.

[Bwana Bob]

Thanks again GUYS for all the info.
My friend came over last evening for hopefully his last reloading tutorial from me. He had to trim the 40 once fired case he had and it took way to long for him to get the overall max length from his Stony point Comparator. There a bit tricky to use if you never used one. We finally  got those measurements for the 165 gr Sierra GK and Hornady btsp he's going to shoot. I had him buy some more IMR 4350 and some RL 16. We will load these up tonight with both bullets 0.020 off the lands.  His 150 gr bullets shot well with this jump to the rifling.
His rifle shot the 150's under an inch so I think I can do the same with the 165'd but an 1 1/4 inch group will be acceptable for now.  I didn't want to numb his mind with trying  different seating depths and and adj his sizing die for less case stretch, KISS for now. To his credit, he did watch a bunch of U tube on reloading and read the beginning of his reloading book on how to reload.
We plan to shoot his reloads on Fri. I may borrow a lead sled to keep him a bit steadier. what do you guys feel about using this?

For all my vast knowledge on reloading, since 1966, he owes me. So I'm hoping I can piggy back on his WY antelope and deer points in the future. I gave him info on two areas I hunted WY antelope and he killed a buck both time, but for the life of me, I can't believe he couldn't fill his two antelope doe tags in an area that had tons of animals in it? 
At the very least he owes me some salmon  fishing trips in the sound 

[Bwana Bob]

The tip on using IMR 4350 was spot on. Both his bullets shot under an inch with 58 gr of IMR 4350 and they did the same with 57.5 of RL-16 and both shot to the same POI  He;ll probably stick with 4350, cheaper and easier to find.

Thank for the advice.

[Bill W]

Thanks guys for all the input. It looks like IMR 4350 will get a good workout with those 165gr bullets. 4350 gave the best accuracy with the 150 bullets I loaded for him. I'm not trying to reach the absolute highest vel for his loads, I just want to use powders that have the potetial to do so with good accuracy

My friend doesn't have the skills to shoot much past 150 yd. I need him to develop an accurate load with those 165 gr bullets and then get his butt down to the range and shoot off his shooting sticks and some field positions so he will be confident to make shots out to 250 yd.

I helped him get his first elk, a cow in the Clockum. We stalked to 225 yd of some cows and he didn't have the confidence to shoot one of them even though he was sitting and shooting off his sticks. I told him I was going to shoot one of them and fill my tag. I killed one and he helped me pack it out. I told him he go his chance and in WA, THIS IS ALL YOU CAN HOPE FOR. Well BY THE GRACE OF THE HUNTING God's he got a chance at them again in the same draw I killed mine the day before, this time in his comfort zone of  < 100 yd. He killed his first elk with the hand loads I helped him build,150gr SGK. Ya I know a sierra game king. I told him a 165 gr bullet may be a better choice for both a deer and elk bullet, KISS.
Latter he told me he felt bad not shooting the day before  after all the work I did to get him on elk and then he realized all the stuff I was telling him about to practice / practice / practice. I think it sunk in

Bob,  remember the days when any shots over 300 yards were long shots.   I still have that pic when we went 4 for 4 on the high hunt opener.

[Bwana Bob]

Bill I have all those photo's with you and your friends in it. I think I gave you copies of all of them. That was a great hunt and thank you again for inviting me on that hunt.
I'll probably try to get a WY deer and antelope tag this year but I have no deer points and just 2 antelope points so a long shot on drawing at best.

I've been lucky and shot almost all my big game animals under 300 yd with maybe 2 going over an honest 300 yd. If I had to take an average yardage it would be some where close to 225 yd for my average shot and that includes 14 antelope bucks I've killed.

Ya gone are the day of $12 shot and cheap out of state deer tags but getting older is sure harder to deal with.

I hope all is well with you.

Are the lakes thawing yet?

bob