What would be the optimum reloading recipe for long range shots using the Savage Axis 30-06 rifle. Thank you in advance.
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What would be the optimum reloading recipe for long range shots using the Savage Axis 30-06 rifle. Thank you in advance.
So far I've found barrel length and twist are I won't say most important but they are very important... the longer your barrel, the slower burn rate you need to insure the pressure curve is extended the whole travel in the barrel. You don't want it burning out to soon otherwise you loose velosity to friction of bullet in the barrel and you don't want it burning to long because you are just wasting powder and if the pressure being produced is high enough, it can act as a tail wind blowing your projectile off center or causing wobble... twist of course partially determines how light or heavy of a slug your pressure can efficiently move... example... 10 twist will do better with heavier projectiles than a 12 twist will... you can to some degree offset these factors varying charge weights, OAL etc but a good starting point is to figure your length and twist and find what grain of bullet is conducive to those factors then start tweaking the other variables to really tighten your formula...me Lee (newest version) reload manual... here are some starters for 180gr bulletshttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...10517b3a96.jpgQuote:
Originally Posted by SFC WEED
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I am not an expert on long range shooting. The thought that comes to mind is - what is your goal? Are you a hunter or target shooter. What does your rifle like?
I am very fortunate in that my rifle shoots just about any bullet accurately. I made my longest shot a couple of weeks ago - 640 yards and dropped a feral cow. I was shoot a 200 gr Nosler Accubond pushed with 57.5 gr. of Reloader 19. Not real fast, a little over 2700 fps.
Is the load good enough? I have no idea as where I live there is no 600 yard range that I can practice and test loads on.
My pet accuracy load for 30-06 wound up being a slight variation of published Nosler data. It is a max load of IMR4350 topped with a 165gr sierra game king HPBT and a CCI BR2 primer. My rifle likes the game kings better than the match kings as far as accuracy goes. Must be something about the ogive. I shoot this load because it's uber accurate in my rifle not because it's hot.
for hunting I use the same load but switch the HPBT game king out for a 165gr accubond. the game king will work but the terminal performance of the accubond is amazing.
Be sure and work up
This is right in the area with all the same components I have success with. Winchester brass. And the SGK's give great performance.Quote:
Originally Posted by big honkin jeep
That really depends on your rifle and what it likes.
There are a lot of known good go to powders for 30-06, off the top of my head Would be I4451, H/I 4831, H/I 4350, R17, R15
It sound like you are going to be hunting?
That puts your bullet choices into the hunting bullet types.
Deer a 150 grain is plenty.
Elk: That's better off in the 165 to 180 types.
Moose: 180-190. they are not tough animals just big.
When I was hunting as long as I had a 1.5 inch shooting gun I was fine out to 600 yards (moose). The one time I did not trust my ballistics and held too high I grazed him in the back. A up on the shoulder 2/3 would have nailed it. None of my guns cared what brass, primer or even powder as long as I was fine with 1.25 to 1.5 inches.
You are more limited by how steady you are. I was in very good condition. Latter all my shots were rest of some kind (one kneeling and braced)
Most importantly are knowing what your end velocity is in that region and picking a bullet that expands well.
If its an 18 inch barrel you will loose some velocity over the traditional 24 inch barrel at that range.
IMR 4350 and 165 SGK is awfully hard to beat in the 30-06 as has already been mentioned. Good powder and good bullets. Let us know what you decide on.
Scooter
Just another note.
Some guns shoot anything well and often very good with various.
Some guns are just plain picky and may shoot just one bullet and powder/primer comb well.
Other than going with know good 30-06 powders, bullet choice should center around what you are going to hunt.
It does not matter if its an Axis 30-06, Savage, Remington, Ruger etc. Nothing load and performance wise is specific to brand of rifle.
Each one is unique. There is a tendency in Powders that work well in a caliber, but not bullets.
Sub'd. I'm just getting into this lrs stuff and will be using 30-06 and plan on reloading.
Best advise I can think of is have at least 2 reputable reload manuals.. I have 3, old Speer #10, newest Lee Precision reload , and newest hornady... have fun with it and keep detailed records on your loads... mythodicly alter the variables of your round that you are reloading. 90% of your success in long range is case preperation.
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I am going to disagree on case prep being 90%
Good shooting is based on 3 things
Capable Equipment
Capable Shooter
Good Loads (factory or re-load)
Is the chain thing, bad in one area totally kills any chance of 100% 8in the other two being worth anything.
You can make an argument that sized, cleaning, primer pocket, neck tensions , expanding the neck all are case prep. Primer? Bullet insert?
But if you can't shoot or you have a bad bedding job then all that is wasted.
The inverse of that is also true... if you are a good shot and have inconsistent ammo, you won't look like a good shot... if using custom match grade and prepped ammo wasn't a must, competitive shooters everywhere would be using factory ammo... there are some that use factory prepped match ammo but you won't find them in the top 50 sharp shooters. Your welcome to disagree but match shooters everywhere don't spend all the time on case prep for nothing.
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Hmmm, I believe I did say it was a chain and any weak link breaks it?
So case prep or ammo build can't have more impact than a poor shooting rifle.
Get good equipment and a good shooter then yes, poor ammo build can then wreck good results.
To say Ammo build is 90% is a logical misconstruction taken out of context.
The 165 SGK HPBT is an outstanding bullet but for ranges beyond 500 there are better choices. Might also give IMR 4064 a go with the 165 Sierra. Not super fast at 2500-2600fps but it can be super accurate in a rifle that "likes" it.Quote:
IMR 4350 and 165 SGK is awfully hard to beat in the 30-06
To assume anyone but a good shooter can make long distance shots would not be logical. When speaking of good long range shooters, to include those that are not good long range shooters is again not logical and a definite swing and miss of the context. So again, among people that would be relative to the context, case and ammo prep are a large majority of your successQuote:
Originally Posted by RC20
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