The new guy again with another question...

This one will probably be an easy one...
My .270 win. (the one I mentioned in a previous post about the lengthy chamber / throat) seems to absolutely, positively love 130 gr. Nosler Bt's with 52gr. of H4831. I can do no wrong with it. It also likes 140 Nosler BT's with a grain lower (51gr.) however, my 30.06 is like an ex-wife. There is very little I can do to make it happy. Short of going thru a ladder test can anyone enlighten me on which bullet weights the '06 is happy with? I've gotten close with 150gr. & 168gr. Nosler BT's (4 to 5 rounds in a 1.25" to 1.50" circle at 100 yds.) but I believe it can do better. Yes, i've already bedded it, torqued screws, fouled the barrel, prayed to the Lord, etc, etc... My shooting technique is pretty good as I typically use 200 yds for zero in and I'm reasonably proficient at it. When I test bullet / powder combos, I bring along the vice & lock her up tight to eliminate the "me" factor.
I found out on Saturday it seems to like 180's also. I've heard people say certain weight bullets shoot better in certain caliber rifles. Would this be an accurate assesment? If yes, what does the '06 like?
Lay it on me....
Thanks in advance.
Frank

P.S. - I keep my Savage rifles in plain Jane stock condition. I like to see how much I can squeeze out of them without any hi dollar parts and a few home brew mods.

There is no one magic load. What my rifle likes, yours may not favor.

Some rifles shoot better when you allow them to naturally recoil a bit. "Locking her up tight" may be tough on the stock, since it is designed to move with the shooter from the recoil forces. I have heard stories (admittedly, hearsay) of stocks cracking when they were really not allowed to move at all.

Although certain weight bullets shoot may better in certain caliber rifles,
certain weight bullets also may shoot better in certain caliber rifles.

Have you tried different powders?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fgw_in_fla

This one will probably be an easy one...
My .270 win. (the one I mentioned in a previous post about the lengthy chamber / throat) seems to absolutely, positively love 130 gr. Nosler Bt's with 52gr. of H4831. I can do no wrong with it. It also likes 140 Nosler BT's with a grain lower (51gr.) however, my 30.06 is like an ex-wife. There is very little I can do to make it happy. Short of going thru a ladder test can anyone enlighten me on which bullet weights the '06 is happy with? I've gotten close with 150gr. & 168gr. Nosler BT's (4 to 5 rounds in a 1.25" to 1.50" circle at 100 yds.) but I believe it can do better. Yes, i've already bedded it, torqued screws, fouled the barrel, prayed to the Lord, etc, etc... My shooting technique is pretty good as I typically use 200 yds for zero in and I'm reasonably proficient at it. When I test bullet / powder combos, I bring along the vice & lock her up tight to eliminate the "me" factor.
I found out on Saturday it seems to like 180's also. I've heard people say certain weight bullets shoot better in certain caliber rifles. Would this be an accurate assesment? If yes, what does the '06 like?
Lay it on me....
Thanks in advance.
Frank

P.S. - I keep my Savage rifles in plain Jane stock condition. I like to see how much I can squeeze out of them without any hi dollar parts and a few home brew mods.

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Glad your .270 is doing good with a light load. My savage does a milli inch better with 165,s. ;D ;D

Yep.... I have a plethora of powders here. What I'm saying / asking is, I've heard some barrel lengths & twists can be friendly with certain weight bullets & absolutely hate others. Just looking for a tid bit of info on what is most compatable with the 30.06.
In the past I've had no luck with 165's but 168's seem to give me something I can work with (Ihope). I haven't heard anybody say they like 125's. The Nosler BT's seem to work best however, I still think there's room for improvement.
And, when I say "locked up tight, it's figuretively. I'm not welding it to the bench, just setting it up in my vice so there's no human factor involved.
Lastly, I've tried Hornady & Speer with less favorable results than the Noslers....

Maybe I'll try packing a rock in the brass & give that a try.

I suppose I'll stumble upon the right bullet / powder combo eventually... Hopefully in my lifetime, anyway.

have you tried a flat base bullet? They tend to shoot when boattails wont.

If your 06 has a 1/10 twist ya might get excellent results with a 200 grain spitzer/flatbase bullet at 2500 to 2600 velocity. The 165 is probably the most popular weight for hunting but may not be your most accurate choice. According to my speer reloading manual number 6 a 1/10 twist is best suited for a 200 flat base spitzer. The book also says other shapes like boat tails, round nose and flat nose shapes can change the whole thing. It,s kind of funny in a way since I have prefered 165,s for hunting but my rifle does shoot 200 nosler partitions better than 165,s or 180,s.. regards;hub

1 1/2 inch groups at 200 yds is sub MOA and not really all that bad. After yrs of lurking on this forum I have gathered that most 06 shooters have the best luck with 165/168 gr. bullets with various powders. My best loads are with IMR 4064. I am refering to Savage rifle barrels. What powders, brass, primers, how far off the lands etc are you with your handloads? Do you weigh your powder charges? That information may give someone on here a better clue as to what would give you the best accuracy. Is your barrel free floateded as well as the tang? Are your mounting bolts tightened to proper torque? Have you tried a different scope? Scope mounts tight? Barrel coppered up?
Those are questions that need answering before a proper analysis can be given to all the experts on here, one of which I am not.

El Lobo

Three versus five shot groups are usually the norm for light weight hunting barrels. I have to stick to 3 shot groups because the light factory barrel heats up fast even waiting a minute between shots. The 30-06 seems to like the 165 grain bullet though I recently had good groups with the 155 grain A-Max and IMR 4350 powder. Each rifle is an enigma. My 06 hates the Nosler in any weight, go figure

All of the info I've read is most appreciated. I happen to review my old targets & notes and found a test I did with IMR3031 & 150gr Nosler BT's. I think I'll work up a few rounds & breakdown the weight increment by .3 of a gr. The test I found from July had 2 groups of 5 shots each that were about 1.75 inches square. I guess it's a good a place to start as any.
Also, I've heard heavier weights carry better in long shots for instance, 200 to 400 yds. Anyone agree? I'm happy if I can get them in a 4 inch circle when it comes to 180gr Hornady bullets. In short, as I said, this 30'06 has been like an ex-wife.... I just can't make it happy. Anyone that throws their 2 cents in the hat, know it's appreciated.
My 30.06 Will appreciate it, too....

If only it was as forgiving as my .270.....

Frank

By the way....
I saw an ad for Barnes. The ad recommended setting the bullet .050 off the lands & work from there for best results. I believe they were TTSX if I remember correctly. I'm getting ready to feed my addiction & call Midway or Natchez for a bullet order. I probably should go to Savage Anonymous first so I don't spend too much. If you see the 6 o'clock news with a woman with her hands around a guys throat & the guy is holding a Savage or box from Midway, that would be me.

Anyone using these? If yes, how's your results?