Starting to Reload for 30.06

[tenntex32]

My best groups from my many different types of milsurp rifles, with original open sights mind you, came with a Remington 03A3 shooting 180gr BTSP bullets being pushed with enough Varget to get them to 2560fps approx..

On several occasions that combo gave sub 3" groups at 250 yards and consistently bested on average my Swiss K31, Finn M39, and Swedish M96 examples which are no slouches by any means.

I could only imagine how well it would perform in a properly tuned scoped rifle. (Obviously this load performed fine in my rifle. Any load data provided in this post is to be used at your own risk.)

Here's a pic of a 2 3/16" five shot group at 250yds......which was my best milsurp group at that distance using original military open sights.

 

[nbedford]

I started rifle reloading with the 30'06 back in the 70s. It's easier than handgun cartridges.

Every '06 I used to own shot exceptionally well with 165 grain BT bullets and 48.5 grains of IMR 4064, anf standard primer.

Long hiatus before I got back to reloading bottleneck cartridges. For a long spell I had been reloading straight wall pistol cartridges: 32 S&W Long, 38 Special, 44 Special, and 44 Magnum. And, I must admit that I had gotten spoiled. Ok, so with bottlenecks, especially with military brass, and if they are going to be shot in a semi-automatic, you need in my opinion to use small base dies (don't ask me how I know this little tidbit!), and after resizing (use plenty of case lube - to avoid having the case stuck in the die - don't ask me how I know this little tidbit!), then check your overall case length; I found they were all out of spec by quite a bit. So, get out the trim kit, and trim them down. Next chamfer the case mouth. Next swage the fire out of the primer pocket. Then when all that has been done, add powder and carefully seat the bullet (making sure it is in spec for overall cartridge length).

Other than that it is easier than re-loading pistol rounds. Or as a buddy of mine used to say, "Other than that Ms. Lincoln, how'd you enjoy the play?"

 

[SMSgt]

I've never used small-base dies for reloading any mil brass, including what I run through my AR. The only cases I ever stuck were when using RCBS lube, which will never grace a case again with me.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

I think straight walled rimmed cases are easier than bottleneck rifle cases. But the 30-06 is a great shell to start with, then reloading all the popular rifle shells is basically the same procedure. Get yourself a good reloading manual and follow the rules. It's fun, but it's more fun to empty them at the range.

Handling primers and powder in an unsafe manner is stupid. So please don't be stupid.

Have a blessed day,

Leon