Cast Loads in the 30-06

[reloader762]

Recently picked up a Rem. 770 bolt gun in 30-06 and loaded up some test loads for it using a couple different cast bullets I had at the time. I was using mixed brass by Win. Rem. and Fed. along with CCI LR primers and I use three different powders Alliant 2400, H-4198 and Unique. The two bullets I used were the Lee .309" 170 gr. FP and the Lee .312" 160 gr. TL RN both powder coated, gas checked and sized to .311".



Targets were shot at 50 yds. as that is as far as I can shoot around here in the back yard range without making a day trip to the public range. All load data came from the Lyman Cast Bullet manual #4 except for the H-4198 loads which I substituted for the IMR version in the manual, started low and worked up. Below are the groups but none were much larger than 1.5" and some under 1". I had some issues with my chrono reading when the sky was overcast so I missed a couple reading but I found some useful loads and some others to work with a bit further.

Target #1
Low: 1698
High: 1715
Average: 1709
Spread: 16.8
SD: 6.78

Target #2
Low: 1731
High: 1761
Average: 1747
Spread: 29.99
SD: 11.61

Target #5
1727 fps. average 3 of 5 shots recorded.

Target #8
Low: 2277
High: 2309
Average: 2292
Spread: 31.71
SD: 15.39

Enter a new mold, I recently picked up the NOE 165 gr. 30 XCB and cast up a batch to try out in the 30-06. I really like this bullet for target shooting and hopefully if things go as planned I will soon have access to a 500 yd. range locally.




Cast up about 150 of the NOE 165 gr. 30 XCB bullets from the new mold I had purchased. I only had a limited time to work with them so I just coated about ten each using Super Durable Clear and Popping Silver Vein gas checked and sized them to see how they would turn out. I cast a random set of samples during the casting process and after they cooled I measure and weighed each set. The bullets across the sampling weighed between 167.0 and 167.3 grs. Two bullets from the 3 cavity mold using my micrometer measured .311" while the third bullet measured .311.5" The powder coating added around .002" to the diameter before sizing. Bullets were cast from 50 /50 alloy quenched right out of the toaster oven, gas checked and allow to age for three weeks before loading and shooting.



I ended up sizing these bullets to .309" due to some clambering issues .311" was a bit tight with the fatter ogive of the NOE bullet vs. the two Lee bore riders. I coated these with Smokes Clear and Eastwood Silver Vein.



I've found the load I plan on using 35.0 grs. of H-4198 and have loaded up enough to last me awhile. Average MV for 5 shots was 2279 fps. I have another 2.0 grs. to play with load wise but I'm happy where I'm at, for now. After I had fired about 50 rds. the bore was still nice and shiny.

[Wm.Traynor]

That's terrific accuracy mate

[reloader762]

That's terrific accuracy mate

Thanks, I could tell from my test loads that if I tweaked a few things I could get better accuracy. I know it's only 50 yds. but I can only shoot at 100 yds. on rare occasions and groups usually don't open up much. Hopefully if a couple brothers I know get there land cleared I can try some long range shooting and just see how good the load shoot.

[marksman]

pretty interesting stuff, l'm a big fan of the -06 and l'd like to see how these new bullets perform at longer distances
thanks for sharing

[reloader762]

I've powder coated a new batch with a few of my favorite colors I've even coated one pictured on the Left with the gas check installed and the PC stick to the copper check with no problems which also bonds the check even better to the bullet.