[Lee F]

I need to load a couple dozen "gallery" type loads for a 30-06 to be used at a indoor pistol range.  Any ideas for loads with the 170 grain LMN or 173 grain LFM bullets? I have on hand powders like bullseye, green dot, red dot, sr-4759, and imr 3031. Any velocity that gets the bullet out of the barrel and to the target 25 yards away is fine with me. Thanks for the help.

 

[James Gates]

Lee...I pulled out one of my antique lyman loading books and found the following low velocity loads:
18 grs 4759 @ 1600'\"
15 grs 4227 @ 1400'\"
19.7 grs 2400 @ 1620'\"
15 grs Unique @ 1600'\"
These are without any filler...raise the muzzzle before you shoot. I like the bullet, as all the lube grooves are in the neck. For best results you need a .309" expander ball for .310" bullets like the Lyman "M" die, however I get good results with the expander ball out of my 7.62x39mm Russian dies.
Marshall has some great high velocity loads worked up and may have some great low-boys!
best regards, James

 

[RugerNo3]

Somewhere on the web is a site with a lot of Red Dot Loads. I didn't book mark. In my Lymans #47 they have a range of Red Dot loads that run from 10-13grains in 150 and 170 bullets and add a grain to the figures if you use Green Dot.

 

[Charlie Z]

Col. Whelan's well-tested small game and practice load is the 18grs SR4759 plugged by a Lyman/Ideal (#311466)150gr @1600fps mentioned above.  Handloader's Digest '96 has an article on it, if you've got it.

-Charlie

 

[Lee F]

Thanks for the help. This weekend I tried a few different loads. First were the Red Dot loads with a 170 grain bullet from the Lyman 47th manual. They had good accuracy and burned fairly clean with all loads from 10.5 to 13.5 grains of powder. Then I did a search and found the article by C.E. Harris "America's Greatest, All-Around .30-06". He recommends using 5 to 6 grains of Red Dot for gallery loads and says 4 grains is the minimum charge. So I loaded up a few at 5 grains and they worked fine. Then I kept working my way down toward 4 grains. The final 5 rounds loaded with 4 grains of Red Dot shot into a hole just about the size of a quarter at 25 yards, but when I looked at the fired brass I found the primers had backed out at least .005". Is this just something that happens with non-rimmed cases and gallery loads or am I getting into dangerous territory here?
One person told me I should set aside a batch of brass and drill out the primers holes for gallery loads just like I've done for wax bullet loads in 45 Colt, but another says I'm walking on real thin ice. Anyway I've decided to hold off awhile until I find out more about this. What do ya'll think?

 

[RugerNo3]

This typically happens with gallery loads. Keep this brass separated from brass you use for top loads. The shoulder gets set back from the firing pin hits. You would have to fire form these cases to use them for hot loads again. You shouldn't have any problems as long as the primer pockets aren't loose from previous hot loads. You wouldn't have this problem with a rimmed case. Have fun.

 

[Marshall Stanton]

For a gallery load using the 170g LMNGC bullet you mention, try this:

.310"-170g LMNGC/7.0g Blue Dot/WLRP/Any Brass/1250 fps 22" bbl.

This load is position sensitive to powder orientation, so tip the muzzle up prior to firing.   This load came about first when searching for .30-30 loads for my son then for .30-06 when he got his lyman sighted 03-A3 at age ten.   I needed a cheap load for him to get accustomed to his rifle, and I had a 8 lb jug of Blue Dot sitting on a shelf.   I concluded that 7.0g of powder would yield 1000 rounds per pound, and that that 8lb jug of powder would be about a lifetime of shooting!  Turned out to be a great load... but was I ever wrong about that jug of powder lasting!

Enjoy!

God Bless,

Marshall

 

[Lee F]

Thanks gent's. I tried most of the loads you posted in the last couple of days and had more fun than I thought was possible. Using military surplus or full power loads I rarely shoot more than 20 rounds in a afternoon of practice. Using these loads I go through 100 rounds before I realize it. Its like shooting a 22LR only much more fun. Everybody wants to get in on it too. My son and  8 year old nephew can't shoot the 30-06 enough. I would have to set up two Dillon presses to keep up with their ammo requirements. I can't wait for squirrel and rabbit season to come back in to give these a try.

 

[Marshall Stanton]

That's Great!

Shooting should be fun!   That's what it's all about.   You're absolutely right, those kind of loads are great fun to shoot, and talk about giving young shooters (young at heart too) great confidence!  Get them shooting loads like that with a full size centerfire, and when hunting season comes, they'll have all the experience and confidence necessary to bag that first deer!

Thanks for the report!

God Bless,

Marshall

 

[The Happy Kaboomer]

In my winchester 95 (30/06) I use 20 grs. of #2400 behind a casr 150 gc spitzer(Lee mold). Load is not position sensitive and shoots great with no leading.

 

[Lee F]

Just for curiosities sake, has anyone had any luck with the light bullets in 30 caliber? Like the 100 or 110 grains types. I have decent luck with the jacketed bullets of these weights loaded to 3000 fps, but when I try the light cast bullets loaded to velocities under 2000 fps the groups look like buckshot patterns. I don't really have a need for these loads I'm just curious.

 

[Marshall Stanton]

Lee,

I've shot the 310"-115g FNPb bullets in several .30-06's with much success and satisfaction.  12-14 grains of Unique has proven much fun with this bullet and very accurate after tuning charge weight for your individual rifle.  This load/bullet has made a great grouse load to fifty yards with 3/4" groups normal.

Here's a target from a group fired this evening just before dark with my .30-06 Ackley Improved... I did everything wrong with this load and although far from my best groups, it was gratifying for a quick throw together load!

God Bless,

Marshall

click to see .30-06 Target/load

 

[BamaBigBore]

When I was a little boy, my father built a .458 win. He shot all manner of loads in it, but he used to shoot 500 grain bullets he molded at very low velocity. You could hear the bullet sizzle down range. You don't have to shovel in 100grains of powder to have fun!

 

[Clark1]

"Lyman's 41st" 1957 lists pet loads for 30-06:
110 gr bullet, 9.5 gr Unique, for squirrel

The bullet they list is "311316", which is a mold number for a flat pointed bullet with 2 lube bands and a relief for a gas check. The bullet was meant for the 32-20.

 

[John Kort]

To go along with this informative topic, here's a box
of historic ammunition I found on  www.rtgammo.com  web site:


Box of :   30-'06 Guard Ctdgs

Frankford Arsenal dtd Jan 10 1911, &  mkd: "Muzzle Velocity 1200 f.s. / For Model 1903 Rifle / These ctdgs are for use up to 300 yards and require at that range a sight elevation of 850 yds."  Box remains unopened, however, while still sealed front, the back seal is torn. Lbl is EXC on front & top, box cln & very solid.

John