[KenG]

It seems like suppliers like Mway and Grafs are constantly out of stock on bullets i like the last few years and anybody but Grafs kills you on shipping anyway. Now Hdy 170 FPs backorder till Oct or something .... dang! they showed great promise in the 1st 336 30-30 I tested, and I got 2 more to get ready for fall (all family members can help gettin the meat).

I keep coming back to maybe I need to just bulk buy some Rem 170 RNCLs that are still available a few places and not have to worry for a few years. Factory ammo with this bullet available at wally $14/bx so i can try it in all 3 rifles before i bulk buy just to make sure they don't hate it. Hmmmm, if I can find a good load for this bullet in the '06 backup rifle at 30-30 speed it could possibly be my 'universal' .30 cal bullet.

With shots never over 100yds in the heavy timber of my mtnside my standard '06 load is the Hdy 180 gr RN at 2700 fps. Minimal meat loss and 2 holes always. Maybe I shouldnt think about changing it since it put 5 in the freezer last fall, but thinking about a bulk buy of the 170 Gr RNCL got me considering what all i could do with it, especially using that bulk imr4895 i have a lot of. I bet a slower pwdr like 4831 wouldnt be the best reduced, but that 4895 might be just the ticket. Garand loads for 170g like the black tip are usually 46-47g or so of 4895, and I estimate that 37-40g or so should put the 170RNCL in the 2100 fps region. In a 3030 case it only takes 31g, but the bigger vol of the '06 will require a little more. A good lee fact crimp should help with consistent ignition and i'm hoping the load won't be positions sensitive anyway.

My plan is to do a ladder test working up from 35 gr watching the chrony and looking for the sweet spot. I was just wondering if anybody does similar and if they are happy with it.

 

[Charlie98]

I think it will do fine as long as you don't overdrive it. And IMR4895 would be a fine choice in the -06 case, although your load density might be an issue with lower charge weights.

Yes, .30cal bullets are few and far between. I think I'm down to less than 100 .30-30 bullets myself... :-[

 

[DWB]

When my Son was twelve, he wasn't crazy about my 180 grain loads in the .30-06, so I loaded some Sierra 150 gr FN Pro-Hunters over a modest charge of IMR-4064. They shot pretty well into an 1-1/2" or 2" at 100 yards (depending on who was shooting), and I estimated the velocity at about 2,350 or 2,400 fps (didn't have a chrono back then).

The application we used them for was about the same as what you describe - - whitetail within 125 yards or so. Never had a deer go more than 10 yards from a clean hit, and all were pass-throughs.

Haven't tried the 170 grain bullets in a similar application yet, but I reckon they would do about the same job. Those 150's did a great job, and my Son continued to hunt with that same lot of reloads for three or four years before he "graduated" to heavier loadings. Haven't tried any reduced loads using my supply of H-4895 yet either, but with a powder in that same neighborhood of burning rate, you are on the right track.

 

[papajohn]

KenG, I like your idea of using 4831 for reduced loads, my thinking is that a caseful in the 30-06 would keep velocities in the proper range, give you close to 100% load density, and reduce concerns about position sensitivity. I love 4895 in the mid-bore cartridges, but I think you're going to reduce the charges too far for really consistent ignition..........but I could be wrong about that.

A good crimp will be a big help in getting consistent ballistics. Keep us posted on your findings, there are a lot of 30-06's in the hands of younger shooters out there that could benefit.

Oh, and I think you'll like those Core-Lokt bullets. I have yet to see a 30-30 that didn't shoot them pretty well. My 336RC prefers the 150's, but I haven't tried much with the heavier bullets.........there hasn't been a need, and I seriously doubt the accuracy can get much better! 8)

 

[Charlie98]

I love 4895 in the mid-bore cartridges, but I think you're going to reduce the charges too far for really consistent ignition..........but I could be wrong about that.

A good crimp will be a big help in getting consistent ballistics. Keep us posted on your findings, there are a lot of 30-06's in the hands of younger shooters out there that could benefit.

Oh, and I think you'll like those Core-Lokt bullets. I have yet to see a 30-30 that didn't shoot them pretty well. My 336RC prefers the 150's, but I haven't tried much with the heavier bullets.........there hasn't been a need, and I seriously doubt the accuracy can get much better! 8)

I think the 170'ish bullets in the .30-06 (et al) cartridge is probably the best overall bullet weight; you can go lighter or heavier if you have a special purpose in mind, but by and large, a 170grn will get it done (or maybe you shouldn't be doing it!)

I was a little worried about load density with IMR4895, I've never used it in reduced loads, it just really depends on the charge weight. I was also thinking IMR4064, it seems like it's more bulky than even IMR4895, but I don't think it would be a good mix with reduced loads.

My 336 has always preferred the 170grn bullets, and I tried the 150's but gave up.

 

[Sweetwater]

There's a bunch of stuff written about how great 4895 is for reduced loads in the bigger cases. I've got a paper packed away that Dad sent me that was published by Hodgdon several years ago. Dad was very successful with it in his '06 and I will see if I can dig up that paper.

Jeff
NRA Life