Favorite 30-06 powder

[Ra66it]

Hello, I'm about to start loading for my 06 and was wondering what your favorite powder is if you reload this round. Thanks, Ra66it.

 

[BlackBart]

IMR4350, good for lots of cartridges and loads. Been round for years. Too slow burning for Garands.... keep that in mind. From what I understand I was bought out by H and the two 4350's are interchangeable. I always used the old recipe it was great for many uses..

 

[rico903]

IMR4350, good for lots of cartridges and loads. Been round for years. Too slow burning for Garands.... keep that in mind. From what I understand I was bought out by H and the two 4350's are interchangeable. I always used the old recipe it was great for many uses..

So what do you use for Garands?

 

[j8064]

IMR4064 works very well in my Garand.

 

[Pinecone]

Yeah, 06 is firearm dependent.

I also have had good luck with 4350 in non-gas guns.

I picked up some 4064 for my Garands, but haven't loaded it yet. IIRC 46.5 grains under a 168 Sierra Match King is the "standard" Garand loading.

 

[Ra66it]

I should have been more specific in my original request. I'll be loading rounds for my bolt action for hunting.
Thanks for the info so far.

 

[E.Shell]

IMR4350...... From what I understand I was bought out by H and the two 4350's are interchangeable....

True that Hodgdon has the IMR line too these days, but these two powders have significantly different burn rates and while similar, they are not interchangeable.

 

[Augie]

30-06 can be loaded with a variety of powders with good results. IMR 4895, Hodgden 4895, Imr 4064. Alliant RL19. I really like RL19 in a bolt gun.

 

[Uncle Duke]

IMR 4350, IMR 4064 and W760 all work well in my bolt action. In my pump, IMR 4350 is far and away my favorite. Don't own a Garand, but as mentioned, IMR 4064 is the powder most commonly associated with it.

Perhaps worth mention depending on your application is that, with the hunting bullets, my pump rifle much prefers 165 grain over the more common 150 for some reason.
I'll mention that because it took me a long time and a lot of frustration with that pump rifle of mine to figure out that some finicky rifles can have more than just a powder preference sometimes.

 

[Augie]

True that Hodgdon has the IMR line too these days, but these two powders have significantly different burn rates and while similar, they are not interchangeable.

Exactly right, also the data is different for the 2 4895's, always go by published data and look for pressure signs when working with a new powder.

 

[Trigger Time]

All of the above if you can find them, H414 is also a good powder for 30-06, though I have heard some people say it has a wide temperature spread.

 

[falconguy]

I use H4895 for all of my rifle loads. My Garand seems to like it. Here's what I use it in.

M1 Garand
98K
Arisaka Type 38
Arisaka Type 99
Swiss K31
Mosin Nagant M91/30
Mosin Nagant M44
Enfield No.1 MK III
Enfield No.4 MK I

 

[stu929]

IMR4895...why? Not because its the best or most accurate its what I was able to find a bunch of.

Varget and 4064 also are great choices if shooting from an M1.

also like 4895 because it transfers over to 223 if need be.

 

[Topher]

I used IMR4895 because it was close to the original Garand loads.
I would shoot well in cold weather but could not hit crap in the summer.
I changed to H4895 and thing became consistent.

Anyone else find IMR4895 to be temperature sensitive?

 

[falconguy]

I used IMR4895 because it was close to the original Garand loads.
I would shoot well in cold weather but could not hit crap in the summer.
I changed to H4895 and thing became consistent.

Anyone else find IMR4895 to be temperature sensitive?

I haven't used IMR4895 because I've never been able to find it. I had thought it was no longer manufactured. If I eventually find some I may use it to load Schmidt Rubin M1889 rounds.

 

[byf43]

Powders I've used in .30-'06:

IMR-4895
IMR-4064 (Actually too slow to use in M1 Garand. Could POSSIBLY bend op-rod!)
H-4895
W-748 (One of the most accurate loads in my M1 Garand uses WW748 and Sierra 168 MK!)

 

[stu929]

I havent shot any in crazy hot weather days but....

Im able to shoot groups like this all day long at 100 yards

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And occasionally a few like this....

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All 5 shots on a 2 inch dot. 4 shots into just over a half inch plus a damn flyer. Even still not a bad group.

These are through a savage hog hunter, lake city brass, 4895, and cosmetic blem nosler 155 custom comps.

 

[byf43]

^^^^^^^Niiiiiiiiiice shooting, Stu!!!




4895 is some good powder!

 

[BlackBart]

True that Hodgdon has the IMR line too these days, but these two powders have significantly different burn rates and while similar, they are not interchangeable.

I think I read they were about 1% and were interchangeable BUT I opt to your expertise. I have always used the IMR line with great results.

 

[BlackBart]

So what do you use for Garands?

This is old data from the NRA but still good results.