30-06 Cast Loads Test

Reloader762

Reloader762

Active Member
Recently picked up a Rem. 770 bolt gun in 30-06 and loaded up some test loads for it last week. I was using mixed brass by Win. Rem. and Fed. along with CCI LR primers and I use three different powders Alliant 2400, H-4198 and Unique. The two bullets I used were the Lee 170 gr. FP and the Lee 160 gr. TL RN both powder coated, gas checked and sized to .311". Targets were shot at 50 yds. as that is as far as I can shoot around here in the back yard range without making a day trip to the public range. All load data came from the Lyman Cast Bullet manual #4, below are the group but none were much larger than 1.5" and some under 1". We had some issues with the Chrono not reading probably due to overcast skies on some loads but I will be retesting those loads for data at some point as will as some additional powders I have and maybe even a primer change on a couple loads to see if that improves things. I haven't been behind the trigger since last Nov. after having surgery and weather not cooperating on my days off so I'm a bit rusty.

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Target #1
Low: 1698
High: 1715
Average: 1709
Spread: 16.8
SD: 6.78

Target #2
Low: 1731
High: 1761
Average: 1747
Spread: 29.99
SD: 11.61

Target #3
Low: 1950
High: 1981
Average: 1966
Spread: 31.30
SD 11.22

Target #4
Low: 1971
High: 2015
Average: 1989
Spread: 44.64
SD: 16.50

Target #5
No Data but shoots great, will load and shoot again.

Target #6
No Data

Target #7
No Data

Target #8
Low: 2277
High: 2309
Average: 2292
Spread: 31.71
SD: 15.39

Target #9
Low: 1635
High: 1701
Average: 1650
Spread 65.70
SD: 26.57

Target #10
Low: 1665
High: 1709
Average: 1686
Spread: 44.46
SD: 17.49
 
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Reloader762

Reloader762

Active Member
Intheshop said:
Nice shooting,thanks for posting.

I've been burning up right much H4198 lately. Looks like you're having pretty good results with it as well.
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I've had a lb. of H4198 sitting around for a couple years as a backup powder and was planning to work up some cast loads with it in my SKS rifles but I already have a couple of those worked out already, so I said lets try it in the 06. I want to get some data on the 27.0 gr. load that shot so well and shoot some more groups with a few different primers as well.
 
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I

Intheshop

Banned
Reloader,tripping on back over 40 years ago I got a 722 Remington in 222 with some CH dies,a can full of 50g JB's and some IMR4198 with load data..... bugholes.

Fast fwd to a cpl years or so ago I was digging and digging for cast dope on a 223. Ended up back with the 4198,IMR at first and then changed to H flavor looking for a bit better seasonal weather stability. Anyway,I'm well up into JB book loads with a well fitted Lee 225-55rf..... it's bragging groups around 2800fps.

Then,there's the medium velocity 7-08 130g load.... and a very sweet '06,175g load.

Have gotten used to "throwing" it in an RCBS uniflow to the point of it being within a single kernel or two from making weight. It is one of my favorite powders.
 
Reloader762

Reloader762

Active Member
I forgot to mention that none of the charge used in the test were individually weighted, all charges were either thrown with my RCBS Little Dandy or RCBS Duo Measure. The scales were only used to verify what the measure were throwing.
 
Snakeoil

Snakeoil

Well-Known Member
Ditto on the nice shooting. 2400 is becoming a favorite at our club. Shot sub-MOA 9 shot group at 150 yds at Sunday's shoot with my '03. Sighters and 10th shot, 14 total, were just a tad over 1 MOA. 2400 meters well in my RCBS Uniflow. Bullet was 170 gr. 315 Saeco sized 0.311.
 
waco

waco

Springfield, Oregon
Can't complain about those results! I'm getting ready to load up some cast .30-06 as well. I'll be using the NOE 30 XCB bullet that will be shot from my Bergara B-14 Hunter.
 
Reloader762

Reloader762

Active Member
I missed the recent group buy on that mould, I hope Al over at NOE has a few overruns to put up on the site for sale so I can pick one up.
 
Sendaro

Sendaro

Active Member
Most recently I made purchase of a Sedgley in 30-06. After an inspection of the rifle and a bore cleaning I wanted to fire a few test rounds to discover the rifles potential. Using R&P FL sized brass I assembled 25 rounds with the Lyman 311332GC bullet sized.310 and charged the case with 17.8 grains of 2400 powder (Fed 210 pri.). This is a load that has shot well in my Springfield 03-A3 and has been tested to 500 yards in several rifle matches at our club. Again my goal was just run this Sedgley through some test firing and establish a base zero as well as elevation setting in 100 yard intervals out to 500 yards.
This rifle is equipped with a Lyman 48 receiver sight and a hooded front sight with post and ball. The ball atop the front sight post is large and meant for hunting not target work so the rifle was sighted to use a 6 o,clock hold on the target. After getting used to that beach ball front sight I have to admit that it's not all that bad. Also I installed a merit aperture in the Lyman 48 for the test firing. This proved to be an asset to the aiming with these fine hunting sights.
The first shot at a range of 50 yards went high and the rifle was fired a few more times to season the freshly cleaned bore. Once the rifle settled down and started grouping the sight was adjusted to establish a 100 yard base zero. Hitting a bowling pin at 100 proved to be an easy feat. So it was on to 2, 3,4,and 500 yards establishing elevation and windage settings. The conditions that I was shooting through were not that bad. There was a light wind and an obvious mirage running but the rifle proved to exceed my expectations of accuracy at all ranges.
At that point it was back to the loading bench and load 75 rounds of the same load for the up coming Sunday match at our club. The match is shot at 4 distances100, 150 200 and 300 yards with the targets being steel gongs of about 10" I believe with the exception of the 300 yard target being a BPCR silhouette of a boar. The course of fire is 10 record shots at each range. Wanting to prove the rifles potential I shot the match over a sand bag. The results was a score of 38 out of 40. Missed one at 250 and one boar at 300 yards. The rifle preformed and although I have not experimented farther with bullet and powder at this point I'm very pleased with this rifle.
An interesting comparison between this Sedgley rifle with 4 groove barrel and the 2 groove barrel 03-A3 I have shot extensivley for the past 2 years is a very noticeable difference in the amount of spin drift that the two rifles exhibit. The Sedgley requires far less compinsation in windage with the same load that I shoot in the 03-A3. However both rifle I find are pleasingly accurate with cast bullets.

May all your shots find their intended mark, Sendaro
 
Snakeoil

Snakeoil

Well-Known Member
John, I recognized your kisser in your avatar and your new Sedgley confirmed it was you.

The gong sizes for the VT match are not all the same size. They are

6" - 100 yds
9" - 150 yds.
12" - 200 yds.

This makes 1 MOA have the same relationship to target size for all 3 yardages.

Damn fine shootin', too. You and your stinkin' iron sights beat me and my 15X Lyman SST by 2 points. Target must've moved.
;)
 
L Ross

L Ross

Well-Known Member
Snakeoil said:
John, I recognized your kisser in your avatar and your new Sedgley confirmed it was you.

The gong sizes for the VT match are not all the same size. They are

6" - 100 yds
9" - 150 yds.
12" - 200 yds.

This makes 1 MOA have the same relationship to target size for all 3 yardages.

Damn fine shootin', too. You and your stinkin' iron sights beat me and my 15X Lyman SST by 2 points. Target must've moved.
;)
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Does everyone shoot off sand bags? I'm setting up a Summer Solstice cast match and I have a variety of targets. There are 3 or 4 members that like to shoot off hand. The rest think of it as awful hand.
 
Snakeoil

Snakeoil

Well-Known Member
Sendaro said:
Scopes! We dont need any stinking scopes!!!!!
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Careful, Buckwheat... I'll post of picture of you with your 03A3 and that funny looking, long blue tube you have on top.
:p

L Ross said:
Does everyone shoot off sand bags?
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We have a thing at Wilton we call "Wilton Rules". Pretty much means we accommodate a lot of requests. Many of our shooters can no longer shoot prone. Others have found that the challenge of shooting offhand is more to their liking. For example, a member shooting a sporterized 03, rebarreled in .308 and with iron sights shot a 27 offhand on Sunday. Even others prefer to shoot off the bench with a rest or front bag. We some shooting iron sights and others shooting scopes. Most of this is driven by bad backs, indifference to winning, no Mercedes in the prize pool, the challenge of doing it or simply what floats your boat. Results are usually posted by the shooting position, or the type of sights (iron or scope). So theoretically we could have a bunch of classes on a given day depending on the sights and the position. Oh yeah, some shoot smokeless and some shoot BP. The only difference there is a regular chiding from the club ogre, Charlie, who considers smokeless a passing fad. Although he's been known to share a recipe or two for using Unique in .30 cal rounds.
 
L Ross

L Ross

Well-Known Member
Snakeoil said:
Careful, Buckwheat... I'll post of picture of you with your 03A3 and that funny looking, long blue tube you have on top.
:p



We have a thing at Wilton we call "Wilton Rules". Pretty much means we accommodate a lot of requests. Many of our shooters can no longer shoot prone. Others have found that the challenge of shooting offhand is more to their liking. For example, a member shooting a sporterized 03, rebarreled in .308 and with iron sights shot a 27 offhand on Sunday. Even others prefer to shoot off the bench with a rest or front bag. We some shooting iron sights and others shooting scopes. Most of this is driven by bad backs, indifference to winning, no Mercedes in the prize pool, the challenge of doing it or simply what floats your boat. Results are usually posted by the shooting position, or the type of sights (iron or scope). So theoretically we could have a bunch of classes on a given day depending on the sights and the position. Oh yeah, some shoot smokeless and some shoot BP. The only difference there is a regular chiding from the club ogre, Charlie, who considers smokeless a passing fad. Although he's been known to share a recipe or two for using Unique in .30 cal rounds.
Click to expand...
Perfect! I try to make these shoots fun for all of my shooters.
 
Snakeoil

Snakeoil

Well-Known Member
Not sure if you can PM on this site. If you can, PM me with an email address and I'll send you spotting sheets with MOA grid for each target/yardage. We also have a meerkat at 400 yds as a tie breaker for perfect scores. 2 shots offhand.
 
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