America's
Greatest, All-Around .30-'06
By Ed
Harris - Rev. 7-8-94
The 30-06 Cartridge
Winchester Model 54 with peep
sights…. ’30-06…
Part I of
III
The most
popular deer camp discussion for generations has been that of the proverbial
"All-Around Rifle". What would be your choice if you could have only one rifle? Forget
the apocalyptic, "Red Dawn" scenarios and consider only the present,
and the realistic future.
For me, the
answer is plainly obvious. A .30-'06
bolt-action, because there's not much a skilled rifleman and handloader can't
do with it.
Click on photos for a larger pic…
Winchester Model 54 30-06 Bolt Rifle…
Some years ago
I was invited with a group of gun writers to a "bring your own rifle"
hunt in Texas. One of the scribes was intent on doing a survey of what
the "experts who could pick anything their heart desired" did, in
fact, choose. The fellow doing the survey had built his own wildcat, just
for the occasion.
Of the dozen
or so "experts" in attendance besides our wildcatter, one was a
fancier of the .270 Winchester, and the rest of the rifles in camp were all
.30-'06 bolt guns. Now THAT would have made an interesting article, but
the wildcatter, who had embarked with other ideas, never wrote it, a shame to
be sure. My gun rack currently holds six
.30-'06 rifles, if you don't count the half-dozen or so extra barrels for my
switch-barrel silhouette, target and bench rifles.
My first
.30-'06 was a DCM M1903A3. My second was an M1 Garand.
Rifle, Model of 1903. Pictured is a World War 2
1903A3 Variant…
My third was
a custom Winchester Model 70 target rifle with Hart barrel and stock by Roy
Dunlap. I'm sure my early exposure to high-power rifle competition, ROTC,
hand loading, DCM ammo, a particularly fine lot of TW54 Ball, and some even
better LC63 National Match ammo had something to do with my love for the
.30-'06. But, thirty years later, as I inspect and care for the brass
I've hoarded, it still makes sense. The
variety of factory loads in .30-'06 is greater than for any other American
cartridge. When hand loading options are added, the possibilities are
simply staggering.
To keep it
simple, five classes of .30-'06 loads cover all possible uses for a rifle.
These are:
small game and gallery loads; light varmint and target loads; service rifle
loads; long range loads, and big game loads. There is, understandably, some
overlap, as a "service rifle" load with match-type bullet becomes a
fine "big game" load, with the substitution of a hunting-type
bullet. I recommend the .30-'06
handloader keep a limited selection of powder and bullet types which have
flexibility for multiple purposes.
One
"reduced load" powder, one "service rifle" powder and one
"long range or big game" powder will do it all. Similarly, for
bullets, one light cast bullet plinker, a 160-180-gr. gas-checked target
bullet, a "general purpose" 150-168-gr. jacketed hunting or match
bullet, and a heavier 180-200-gr. specialized hunting or long range target
bullet for the serious shooter round out the whole menu. Coordinate
your .30-'06 component requirements within other needs when possible.
This enables
you to produce economical, safe, and effective ammunition without accumulating
odd lots of components which cause problems for storage or disposal later.
With this goal in mind, I'll describe each load class, and make some
recommendations based upon my experience.
Winchester
54, Frandfort Arsenal 1937 .30 Ball M1, Iron Sights…
30-'06
Part II of III
Small
Game and Gallery loads are quiet and low-powered, intended for use at 25 yards
or less. I use them for indoor target shooting, and camp meat for the
pot. They are also fine for easing the transition of youngsters from a
.22 rimfire to a big game rifle. Cast bullets are best for this
purpose. Light, jacketed bullets may be used, but require caution, to ensure
that the bullet's bore-exit is totally reliable. Most rifles produce 3/4" groups or
less at 25 yards or in proportion to 100 yards.
A
few shoot ragged holes at 50 yards after load refinement. Light .32
revolver bullets can be used, but more satisfactory are heavier bullets from
130-170-grs. I cast these of soft backstop scrap, and shoot them tumbled in Lee
Liquid Alox, without sizing or gas check. I use the same NEI-52A, Saeco
322, or Lee .312-155-2R bullets I normally use, but without the gas check.
The Lyman #311291 and RCBS 30-150FN also work well for these light loads.
Typical charges for plain based loads are 5-6 grs. of Bullseye, SR-7625, W231,
Red Dot, Green Dot or 700-X.
You
can safely increase these charges up to 2 grains as needed to get best
accuracy, but they will lead above 1300 f.p.s. unless gas checked. Some
individual rifles with smooth barrels shoot quite well up to 7 or 7.5 grs. of
these powders, but best accuracy is usually obtained when velocities are kept
subsonic. I generally look for a
velocity of 1080 +/- 30 f.p.s. These loads will usually shoot 2-1/2"
to 3" groups at 100 yards using minor visual defect culls, which is OK for
practice. The minimum safe load which will always exit the barrel for
indoor gallery work is about 4 grs. of the above powders. More caution is required when assembling
subsonic loads with jacketed bullets, because there is some risk of the bullet
becoming lodged in the bore at near-subsonic velocities. You should not
attempt to use less than 6 grs. of the above pistol or shotgun powders when
loading jacketed bullets unless you check the bore after every shot and keep
your hammer and ramrod handy! There
are important safety considerations for all reduced loads.
I
don't recommend heavier charges with pistol powders (even though some manuals
list them) unless the particular powder is bulky enough (like Red Dot), that an
inadvertent double-charge fills or overflows the case so an error is
immediately obvious to visual inspection. Extreme caution must be used
with dense powders such as W-W231 in reduced loads, because even a double
charge is hard to see with all that airspace, so an error is not
apparent. If you use fast pistol or shotgun powders in reduced loads,
ensure the charge is light enough that a mistaken double-load will only blow
primers, rather than destroying the rifle!
Spitzer bullets generally give poor accuracy below about 1600 f.p.s. due to gyroscopic instability, blunt
round- or flat-nosed bullets are best.
The
100-110-gr. .32-20, .32 H&R Magnum and .30
M1 Carbine bullets are often suggested for small game loads, but in
my experience won't produce 1"
groups at 50 yards, my accuracy criteria.
Any
decent .22 rimfire will shoot 1" groups at 50 yards, and a center-fire
small game load should do as well, right?
The
most satisfactory jacketed bullet reduced loads are assembled using my standard
200-yard target charges used with gas checked cast bullets. Accurate bolt
gun practice loads which will shoot "on" at 200 yards close to your
normal 600-yd. sight dope with either 150-175 gr. pulled GI bullets or 150-200
gr. cast, gas checked bullets are: 12-13 grs. of Red Dot, Green Dot or
700X, 15-16 grs. of #2400, 18-20 grs. of
4227 or 21-23 grs. of 4198. My
favorite jacketed bullets for reduced .30-06 loads are the bulk Remington
150-gr. .30-30 soft points. This is because I keep them around to load
.30-30’s, but they are also highly
accurate at minimum velocities in the '06, and they are also suitable for mild '06 deer loads with 35 grs,
of 3031 or RL-7, which approximates
.30-30 ballistics.
The
123-gr. 7.62x39 spitzer FMJ bullets give good plinking accuracy above 1600
f.p.s., using the above listed "200-yd.
Target" charges. Grouping is improved by increasing the
charge, not to exceed 27 grs. of #2400 or 30 grs. of 4227 which approximates 7.62x39 ballistics. With
150-gr. .30-30 bullets, do not exceed 25
grs. of #2400, which gives 2100 f.p.s., a nice deer load for youngsters or
women who elderly hunters with pacemakers who can't take the recoil of a full
'06. "SERVICE RIFLE" loads
approximate the performance, and accuracy of military "ball" or
"match" ammunition for target shooting over the National Match
Course.
It
is important that the powder charge, bullet type, and ballistic parameters not
vary significantly from arsenal ammunition, in order to ensure they function as
intended in semi-automatic, quasi-military arms. The ballistics of Ball M2
service ammunition, (2740 +/- 30 f.p.s.)
with a 150-gr. spitzer, flatbased bullet are approximated in GI cases with a
charge of 47.5 grs. of current Hodgdon or IMR
4895, or 50 grs. of IMR-4064 or Olin's W-W748.
Accurate
Arms 2015BR and 2495BR are also suitable using the charges recommended by
them. In commercial brass these powder charges intended for GI cases may
be increased 1 grain. These are fine match loads for offhand and 200
rapid in the M1 using the 150-gr. Sierra MatchKing or the new 155-gr.
"Palma" bullets. Prior to
the introduction of the 168-gr. Sierra MatchKing, the 125-gr. spitzer was
favored for 200-yd. offhand and sitting rapid-fire stages of the National Match
Course. These are highly accurate, and ideal for the reduced scale
courses for use by junior shooters, to reduce costs and minimize recoil.
The charges for 150-gr. bullets, listed above, function the M1 rifle and are
accurate.
They
also make dandy woodchuck loads. WITH
168-SIERRA OR PULLED GI MATCH BULLETS a charge of 46 grs. of 4895; or 48 grs.
of 4064 or 748 approximates .30-'06 M72 match ammunition (2640 +/- 30
f.p.s). With 168-gr. match bullets, these charges may be increased 1
grain, but if the 180-gr. Sierra MatchKing is used (a GREAT 600-yd. bullet for
the M1) they should be REDUCED the same amount. I do not recommend slower
powders or heavier bullets for the M1, because heavier charges of slower
powders operate the mechanism with more force than service ammunition, and may
damage the operating rod or other parts. You are free to use the
"long-range" loads below in your Springfield or M1917, and they also
work well for hunting loads in bolt-action rifles, using soft point bullets of
the same weight.
.30-'06 Part
III of III
"LONG
RANGE" loads are heavy target loads for bolt-action match rifles, intended
for use at the 600-yard stage of the National Match Course, and for longer
ranges, such as 1000 yard events. The loads which follow are for use in
bolt-action rifles only. (Semi-auto and slide-action rifles should be used with
the "service rifle" charges listed above).
I consider
it routine for all long-range target loads in bolt guns to uniform the flash
hole diameters with a No. 2 long center drill, and the primer pockets, using
the Whitetail Match-Prep tool. In addition, I neck turn all cases to
0.011-0.012" neck wall thickness, and check-weigh all cases to +/-3 grains
to ensure uniform powder capacity. I used to check cases to +/- 1 grain,
but while this is appropriate for a small case like a .223, in the '06 it is
"measuring with micrometers while cutting with axes! Uniforming
flash-holes, primer pockets and neck wall concentricity gets you the most
improvement. Weighing cases is only used to isolate the extremely
"heavy" or "light" ones. These can still be used for load
development, or for slow-fire standing stages. Don't pitch them. In
bolt guns cases should be are fire-formed in the particular rifle they will be
used in, and
then
neck-sized only, using a Jones sizer with .330" ring or Lee collet and
dead-length seater.
It is
entirely unnecessary to weigh every powder charge if you use a good powder
measure and consistent technique, but you should always verify the measure
setting with a scale when you set up. My favorite powders for long range
loads in the .30-'06 are either IMR or Hodgdon 4350. Accurate Arms has
their own brand of 4350, which works well using the loads they recommend. With
Hodgdon or IMR 4350 powder, using commercial cases with an average weight of
185 grs., and either Winchester WLR or Federal 210M primers, I use 56 grs. with
the 180-gr. Sierra MatchKing, 54 grs. with the 185 Lapua, or 53 grs. with the
190's at 600 yards. For windy days at 600 and for 1000 yards I use 52 grs. with
a 200-gr. Sierra MatchKing.
Overall
cartridge length is 3.40", or adjusted to clear the lands upon chambering
by 0.010" to 0.030". You should avoid "jamming"
bullets into the rifling, but "jump" should not exceed 1/10 of the
bullet diameter. These cartridge exceed magazine length and are intended
for single-loading only. If using these charges for hunting loads with
soft point bullets, to be magazine fed, reduce the charges 1-1/2 grains.
Powder charges should also be reduced 1/2 grain for each 5 grain difference in
average case weight to compensate for heavier military brass.
Some people
like slower powders such as 4831 for long-range loads in the .30-'06.
While I have found that 58 grs. of H4831 works well with a 200-gr. bullet, it
doesn't group as well for me as 4350 with the lighter 180-190-gr.
bullets. Always pick the best grouper over whatever the chronograph
says. If grouping is equal, for matches pick the bullet which is the
better wind bucker. The 200-gr. Sierra Matchking is the best choice in
.30-'06 bolt guns for 1000 yards or for windy days at 600.
"GAME
LOADS" loads for deer and larger game can be based on the target charges
above, with seating depth and powder charge adjustments for magazine feeding of
hunting-type bullets. While heavy bullets are preferred for elk, moose or
bear, the average hunter after deer will be best served with one load, which he
knows well. I want my hunting loads to approximate factory ammunition, so
if I run out and must buy a box somewhere, I'll not have to check my zero, and
scare all the game away.
With a
150-gr. spitzer soft-point, 52 grs. of IMR-4064 or W-W 748 in commercial cases
approximates the factory 2800 f.p.s. velocity. With a 165-gr. boat-tail,
56 grs. of 4350 is a dead ringer for Federal's Premium load. With the
180-gr. Nosler Partition, 55 grs. at 3.30" overall cartridge length, in
commercial brass, approximates the 180-gr. Federal Premium load. With either
load reduce charges a grain if using GI cases. For
larger game
such as moose, elk, or bear, the "long range" loads above work well
with premium big game bullets of the same weight.
In semi-auto
or slide-action .30-'06 hunting rifles the "service rifle" charges
listed above should be used. These are somewhat less than maximum, and
provide very satisfactory game loads with a hunting bullet of the same weight.
Summing up,
the .30-'06 is the most versatile American center- fire cartridge, and has not
been improved upon. If you have leftover pistol or shotshell powders
around, you can load .30-'06 practice loads with it and have a lot of fun, for
not much money. If you keep Red Dot or 700-X around for loading skeet and trap
loads for your 12-ga., or if you have #2400 or 4227 around for loading .410
skeet loads or a magnum caliber handgun, you don't need to buy another powder
for reduced loads. The same is true if you keep 4198 around for your .222
Rem.
Of all the
rifle powders, 4198 is the best reduced load powder for the .30-'06, from
1300-2000 f.p.s. because it bulks up well, and is not position sensitive.
If you don't load need to make minimum subsonic small game or gallery loads (4198
doesn't work for these) and you don't already have other suitable powders
available, and want to buy the best rifle powder for moderately reduced rifle
loads, 4198 is my recommendation.
The
"Real .30-'06 powders" for full loads are 4895, 4064 and 4350.
IMR-4895 replaced IMR 4676 for military ball ammunition about 1944 and was the
standard propellant for military .30-'06 Ball and Match ammunition. It is
adaptable to a variety of cartridges. If you want just one rifle powder
to use for everything 4895 is "it". Some target shooters feel
that "long grain" powders like 4064 and 4350 give better grouping
than "short cut" powders like 4895, which are preferred for machine
loading. Even though coarser powders don't measure as well, they are
highly accurate. If this is your choice, substitute 4064 for the 4895 and
you won't be disappointed. For maximum loads in .30-'06 bolt guns it's
hard to beat 4350. I've tried other powders, but I keep coming back to
4350, because its consistent and always predicable, just like my .30-'06.
That's why I
like the .30-'06. It's like an experienced old horse that always knows
its way back to camp, so you can just do the job and relax. What else do
you want in a rifle?
Copyright,
C. E. Harris, 1994, All Rights Reserved