30-'06 powders

bob,

For 165 Sierras I found Accurate 4350 to be superior. I have also turned in some good groups with RE-15.

Pardon my ignorance on the Garrand. I was of the impression that IMR-4895 was the required powder to prevent damaging the operating rod.
Has 4350 caused any problems?

Mule, thanks old age has struck again!  I believe the 4350 will work but it was not what I meant.

So now it is your wife's '06! 

Ok so I have 2 test batches loaded one with Big Game 50-52.8gr with 165 Sie GK's and H414 51-53.8 in .3 steps up with 5 rounds per charge weight.

Haven't shot any of them yet Bob. I wont get the chance to shoot till tomorrow afternoon. I have to break these up into smaller batches so I don't wind up with a huge fouling issue.

I'm really happy with the H414/W760 in my M 70 '06 very good accuracy and I don't fall asleep waiting for the 165 gr. bullet to go down the 24" barrel. With out checking my records I think it's somewhere around 2,900 fps+/-.

You're right Snapshot however my "modern" M70 was made in '36 or '37 first year of production. The rifle is even older than me but it sure likes the newer powders.

Over the last few days I have ran a cycle with IMR4350 using Hodgdon data and must say I was pleasantly surprised. Started at 56.0gr and ran up to 59.3gr and all the groups with one exception were between .95 and 1.095 5 shot groups. The lone exception was 59.0 which held at .75 so I will reshoot that group to confirm that number. I still have a W760 cycle to run and I managed to trade up a couple LBS od Suprformance to try also. However I think I might have found my load.

IMR 4064 and 4350 work decent in the 06. I've been working on testing Rl15 as well

Not terribly surprised.  Over 40 years ago I was load testing 760 against IMR version of 4350....not with 30-06 but with .243win!  Found my load with the stick powder.  That said, 760 is great powder for use with a progressive.....and not bad at all with some rifles using the best single station loading practices.

I remember my first foray with 760 was almost unbelievable.  I was using a Lee Target Loader, including the little dipper that came with it, and made 20 rounds for my then brand new .243 Remington Mohawk 600.  The first 5 rounds went in the same hole at 100 yards!  I didn't measure group size....as I was a beginner shooter, hunter, reloader, etc........but I think that experience was the reason I continued with the hobby!  40 years later that memory is still vivid.....my brother was looking through a spotting scope at my target.....and accusing me of missing all but the first round.  Walking out to the target proved different. (Beginners luck, pretty sure).

Ok so I finally had a day and a half with out any rain so I got to run my W760 cycle I did cheat a little I started at 52gr (Hodgdon Data) instead of 51gr. I found one fairly good charge weight at 56.2 that held sub moa .905. I am still going to run a Superformance cycle but I think the IMR 4350 load I have will be what I go with unless something wows me.

Ok so I tried another powder last week end Hodgdon Superformance form 55.0-58.5gr and well I put it back on the shelf for a rainy day. I am sticking with IMR4350 and 165 Sie GK's. Up next a new load for my 25-06 and completing a couple other things I started earlier this year.