Getting ready for my 30-06 project…. I have ?

[richhodg66]

I like that rifle, bet it's accurate too.

 

[Cadillac Jeff]

Yes it shoots better than I do!

 

[Cadillac Jeff]

Now to get back on track...for the OP

I think

With good bullet making skills you should get any of the bullets you mentioned to work well .when I learned to cast better bullets I got better groups.
I don't shoot fast bullets or ugly bullets...
Maybe
Some day I will try PC just to try fast.

 

[richhodg66]

OK, this has me curious, can you tell us a bit more about that rifle? Did you build it? WHo made the barrel, anything special about its twist, throat, etc.? It sure looks like a fun one.

 

[fiver]

Some day I will try PC just to try fast.

you don't need P/C to go fast.
you just need to put out a little effort and use a good design.

i know you guy's seen Waco's first video of him shooting 500yds, and doing some group work at 100.
that was with some unsorted bullets he got in the mail and a load he copied off the slip of paper inside.
there was really nothing special going on there.

 

[STIHL]

That is a very nice rifle Jeff.

I have went through several of my expanders and nothing will do any better than .300 I’d even tried a 7.62x54R die and same thing. Guess it’s time to get creative, or just load some and send them. I have rules out seating a jacketed bullet and then pulling it.

Thinking load and send with a starting charge of a mid range powder and see what it will do, worst case it doesn’t shoot, but I may learn something.

I try not to use any projectiles that are not properly filled out and sharp, but I have sent some questionable ones down a 45-70 and they have worked ok, but for my accuracy testing I’ll only be using my best, good in = good out, or at least cuts the variables down anyway.

 

[L Ross]

you don't need P/C to go fast.
you just need to put out a little effort and use a good design.

i know you guy's seen Waco's first video of him shooting 500yds, and doing some group work at 100.
that was with some unsorted bullets he got in the mail and a load he copied off the slip of paper inside.
there was really nothing special going on there.

Being inspired by Waco's 500 yard video I upped my game and afterward I was picking 6" discs off a 440 yard rail using the Lee SKS bullet and the XCB bullet in a .308 and an 03 Springfield with a roached throat. Attention to detail on the ammo, decent glass, a plus 20 MOA Pic rail and I was stunned. I need to take out a few trees this year to get a true 500 yards.
My original intention was to shoot buffalo silhouettes that are about 12" tall by 18" long. I shot at a 22" diameter gong to get sighted and it shot so well I dragged out the 6" discs. I knocked down the 5 discs in 7 shots. You get all the fun of doping wind and drop without needing 1,000 yards.

 

[waco]

I have a .30-06 project in the works myself. My Bergara B-14 Hunter. I have some rounds loaded up with the Accurate 31-165-A and IMR4064
Just need to get out and test them.

 

[STIHL]

I have a .30-06 project in the works myself. My Bergara B-14 Hunter. I have some rounds loaded up with the Accurate 31-165-A and IMR4064
Just need to get out and test them.

You are further ahead than I am. I have to get some loaded.


So after digging around and looking I finally find a batch of 50 Winchester brass that have been fired out of this rifle. It appears to be between.310-.311 ID, my .311 sized boolits will wiggle in, so I am half way home. Just so happens I have a competition Redding bushing neck die for 300WM and I have several bushings. Seems .333 bushing will give me an ID of .305 I have a .334 and a .335 bushing. Now I just need to order myself a Redding bushing die for 30-06. I am making progress slowly but surely. I may as well go with Redding as I already have the bushings on hand and will only have to order maybe 1-2 more sizes. “Sigh”, Redding makes good stuff but man are they proud of it. The price you pay to play.

Going to try some .309 sized in a new case and send it in similar fashion you would a jacketed bullet, that will give me some data and get me going, I can go down the rabbit hole of testing neck tension after that.

 

[L Ross]

I size my brass to have a neck tension of no more than .002", I prefer .001", for my target ammo in bolt guns.

 

[STIHL]

Well, I have a die and a bushing on the way to set my neck tension to about .003 with a .311 bullet, I am making headway, now I have several hundred bullets to PC and Check. Guess I'm going to start on that tonight if it's not too cold to PC outside and clean my rifle while I am working on the PC. Maybe ill have a picture of some loaded rounds this weekend. The bad part is it will probably be 3-4 weeks before I can shoot any of them, my range will have to dry up and we have 2 more weekends of deer season left and I really need 1 more deer for the freezer.

 

[fiver]

you know the 0-6 is pretty good at putting deer in the freezer.

 

[STIHL]

@fiver hopefully next year I can try one out with it. Currently have 160 in the oven baking, going to attempt to do one more batch before time to quit tonight. I have lost track of time with the weather and work this week and Friday has crept up on me.

 

[STIHL]

I managed to get one batch done and had to get on another project a little while. Ended up with 160 pieces, did some 315, 311-467, 311-413, and some 311-332 All the Lyman molds have proper gas check shanks, and the sage checks snap right on. Even after PC unless I got a little much and had some fins at the base, but still mange to get them on there without too much fuss. The 315 is just a hair big like .0005 and will require all to be expanded. Anyway. Did a few blue then a few clear, then dumped my clear in with the blue because I was about out. Good night to tinker though.

 

[STIHL]

I appreciate everyone’s input on this. I am a couple steps closer tonight. Rifle is cleaned, and I have 20 test rounds loaded up. Bore slugged at .3085 groove and .300-.301 bore. Checked it just for kicks. My overall lengths were set off the rifle they are just a couple thou off the lands, but well into the throat. We shall see what she is made of. I went with a heavier charge of a slower powder due to my brass being primed with rifle primers. Figured just start at the bottom and see what happens. I have a good bit of Varget on hand, so I can always move up. Planning on doing some low node tests with unique and bullseye when I get my bushing die that is currently lost in the USPS system in my hands. My range is soaked from all the rain so it may be a couple weeks to test these out, but I’m ready to go when the weather permits. I may actually have some of the low nodes loaded up to try by the time I’m able to test these so stay tuned.

312-332 weighing in at 192gr. Charged with Varget. 3.175 COAL. 5 at 33gr and 5 at 33.5 grains. Sized .311

#315 weighing 182gr. Charged with varget as well, same specs 33 and 33.5. 3.105 is the COAL and sized .311.