accurate hunting loads

[Mickey Christian]

I suppose this might be a can of worms, but....

to get good accurate hunting loads with say 150 gr. 30-06 Nosler balistic tip bullets, Remington brass and Winchester LR primers....
would a suitable powder that fills the case give a generally better accurate load than a suitable powder that at max only partly fills the case?
In other words do the slower powders generally give better accuracy than fast powder?
Thanks,
Mickey

[Tuna]

No two rifles are alike in what they will or won't shoot accurately. I have found in general that a powder that fills at least 90% of the case has a better chance of being accurate then one that only fills say 75%. So a slower powder does seem to have the advantage BUT as I said no two rifles are alike. I have a Savage 110 in 30-06 that in general is very accurate. Almost anything will go into an inch and a half or less and does closer to an inch with IMR 4350. Now it turned out that it's very best load was one using IMR 3031 at 3/4 of an inch at 100 yards and it's consistent. Most rifles will shoot best with a load below the max by a couple of grains or so. You really just have to try different powders with the bullet you intend to use in your rifle. That's all part of the fun of reloading by letting one shoot more to try and find the right load.

[joem]

I have found that most of my rifles like a load between 92 and 98 per cent of the max load of powder. I always try to stay in that area.

[Mickey Christian]

Thanks for the responses. I sort of figured a fuller case would be somewhat better but wasn't too sure.

[Hefights]

IMR 4064 should perform well.

[BudT]

IMR4064 is good powder.

[colt100]

There are a lot of good powders out there. Varget works well. 4350 works well. 4064 works well. VV135 and VV140 and VV150 work well. I wouldn't use some of these powders in a garand though but if a bolt, I'd use a slower powder like 4350. I'd also use the 165 gr range bullets instead of the 150's. The 165's shoot much better in my garands then 150's.

[snakehunter]

I suppose this might be a can of worms, but....

to get good accurate hunting loads with say 150 gr. 30-06 Nosler balistic tip bullets, Remington brass and Winchester LR primers....
would a suitable powder that fills the case give a generally better accurate load than a suitable powder that at max only partly fills the case?
In other words do the slower powders generally give better accuracy than fast powder?
Thanks,
Mickey

My most accurate '06 load (.75 moa) is with the 150 ballistic tip and Winchester 760 powder

[Matt Anthony]

It use to be 4831 was the powder to use and my load was 60.0 gr's using a 150 Gr. round nose Sierra for white tail. Supurbly accurate in both of my Remington 700 BDL's. IMR 3031, 4895, 4064, 4320, 4350, BL-C2, RE-11, RE-21, H380 and even 748BR if you still have some are all good powders.
Always use a powder that will either fill the case or as others have said at least 90% and that is true on all cartridges unless you are shooting cast bullets.
A man with a 30/06 has the best of both worlds because of the vast selection of bullets available and the extreme testing the 30/06 has gone through. From round ball cellar or gallery loads to 220 grain projectiles, the 30/06 is honestly the only rifle caliber one man needs!
Buckshot that is ran through a .308 or .309 sizing die is alot of fun. Lube them with Lee liquid alox or spray them with moly. Load with 5 grains of Bullseye, 700X, Red or Green dot and you have a small cridder load for supper! Great for squirrels, rabbit and Coon!
Matt

[mikld]

I believe that generally (and that's a broad generally), powder charges that fill the case are more "efficient", and produce better accuracy (a larger charge of a slower burning powder versus a small charge of a faster powder). But, I've only been reloading rifle cartridges for 6 or 7 years, as the first 20 were mostly big bore handgun reloading. I'm using IMR 4064 and Varget with 150-155 gr. bullets for 30-06...