Need Some 30-06 Load Help

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tallburnedmidget
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Need Some 30-06 Load Help

Post by tallburnedmidget »

Well guys I don't have quickloads and I know this isn't a 300BLK question but I believe this community will give me the best shot at a starting point :)

I'm looking to create a 150gr Hornady GMX load using BL-C(2) powder.
Why? That is the powder I have on hand and it should do just fine but I don't have any published load data for the 150gr GMX with the 30-06 cartridge and BL-C(2).

I am thinking 44gr of BL-C(2) with the COAL 3.210" and the 150gr GMX.

I came to this conclusion by:
Looking at Lyman's 48th reloading manual and seeing what charges were being used for Win760 and BL-C(2) with 150gr loads for the 30-06.
I then looked at what was being used for Win760 and the Hornady's 9th ed load for the 150gr GMX and and it was almost identical to the load with Win760 in the Lymans 48th for a 150gr bullet.
So this leads me to believe I may be ok using a 10% lower load of the BL-C(2) that correlates to the Win760 load in the Lymans since the Win760 load in the Hornadys for the 30-06 and 150gr GMX is the same powder load.

Now I am presenting all of this info to you guys to see if 1) you have any 150gr GMX, BL-C(2) 30-06 loads, (2) If you can bring up any solid holes in my load investigation.

My other option is to email Hornady and see what they come back with... if they come back at all or any day in the near future.

Let me know your thoughts, thanks! :)
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dellet
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Re: Need Some 30-06 Load Help

Post by dellet »

Do you have a COL from Hornady for the GMX, or better do you know how long you can load it in your rifle?

I would use Barnes data for a solid copper bullet of similar length and weight, adjusting seating depth with bullet length.

Barnes 150 grain TTSX is 1.300". Hornady 150 GMX 1.327"

If the chamber will allow it, I'd start with 50 grains at 3.270". That puts the same amount of bullet in the case, with the starting charge weight. If I knew the powder, my rifle and had at least a .010" jump I might start higher. But I don't do anything without knowing where a new bullet hits the lands.

http://www.barnesbullets.com/files/2016 ... ForWeb.pdf
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tallburnedmidget
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Re: Need Some 30-06 Load Help

Post by tallburnedmidget »

dellet wrote:Do you have a COL from Hornady for the GMX, or better do you know how long you can load it in your rifle?

I would use Barnes data for a solid copper bullet of similar length and weight, adjusting seating depth with bullet length.

Barnes 150 grain TTSX is 1.300". Hornady 150 GMX 1.327"

If the chamber will allow it, I'd start with 50 grains at 3.270". That puts the same amount of bullet in the case, with the starting charge weight. If I knew the powder, my rifle and had at least a .010" jump I might start higher. But I don't do anything without knowing where a new bullet hits the lands.

http://www.barnesbullets.com/files/2016 ... ForWeb.pdf

Thanks for the input dellet.

Hornady states to go COAL 3.210" with the 150gr GMX but doesn't list a BL-C(2) powder loading.
Lymans 48th ed states COAL 3.200" for the Hornady 150gr SP, and COAL 3.230" for the Barnes 150gr XLC which isn't made anymore.

For the Lymans BL-C(2) Hornady 150gr SP at COAL 3.200" the min charge is 46.0.
For the Lymans BL-C(2) Barnes 150gr XLC at COAL 3.230" the min charge is 48.5.

I figure I will start at 43gr with the 150gr GMX and work around there.
I do plan to load .050" off the lands the way Barnes recommends for their all copper bullets. Yeah this isn't a Barnes bullet but it is an all metal bullet so I'm hoping the Barnes suggestions apply. I will also load some to the Hornady published COAL. I got a bunch of them like half off so I "should" be able to dial them in without crying about loading so many.

In my Lymans it has Win760 for the Hornady 150gr SP at COAL 3.200" load at almost the exact charge and COAL as listed in my Hornady 9th ed for the 150gr GMX Win760 and COAl 3.210".
This is what leads me to believe I can use the Lymans BL-C(2) Hornady 150gr SP at COAL 3.200" load and work from there.

So how does 43gr of BL-C(2) sound to you? :)
tallburnedmidget
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Re: Need Some 30-06 Load Help

Post by tallburnedmidget »

Hmmm, I also just read that the GMX likes a lot of jump. One guy reported he got his accurracy at .100" off the lands!
Other guys were reporting the greater the jump the better they were seeing accuracy until they hit their sweet spot, but they did not supply their jump numbers.

So I will load up a safe charge weight and about about 50 bullets with different COAL's to find which COAL is producing better groups and then work up and down on my charge from there. A number of posts I found online seemed to point in going this direction as some people had to play around quite a bit to get the GMX to dial in. One guy stated finding the COAL seemed to be the first thing to do and then work from there.

Hahahaha all of this because I do not want to do much tracking in the dark with my evening hunts. The 30-06 aught to knock these under 100 pound deer right in to the walk-in freezer for me :P
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cwlongshot
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Re: Need Some 30-06 Load Help

Post by cwlongshot »

Its been my experience that you are better off going into a new gun with a open mind...and palate... Meaning preconceived notions should be left at the door.

Every gun barrel is a entity unto itself. EACH carries its own collections of likes and dislikes. Let YOUR barrel teach you what it likes and dosen't like. While it confidence inspiring to read of others experiences, only occasionally can they be taken verbatim and equal the identical results.

Try loading as book calls, but dont sell yourself short, try longer just short of touching the lands if your magazine will allow it. As a general rule I have almost always seen improvements, seating longer. PLUS the benefits Dellet mentions of increased powder cap and reduced pressures for same.

Same needs to be said and considered for the Powder and Bullet. I understand its what you want to use... but ultimately you want a accurate rifle shooting a bullet appropriate for the task at hand. Anything else (unless your very lucky) will be a compromise.

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dellet
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Re: Need Some 30-06 Load Help

Post by dellet »

tallburnedmidget wrote:
dellet wrote:Do you have a COL from Hornady for the GMX, or better do you know how long you can load it in your rifle?

I would use Barnes data for a solid copper bullet of similar length and weight, adjusting seating depth with bullet length.

Barnes 150 grain TTSX is 1.300". Hornady 150 GMX 1.327"

If the chamber will allow it, I'd start with 50 grains at 3.270". That puts the same amount of bullet in the case, with the starting charge weight. If I knew the powder, my rifle and had at least a .010" jump I might start higher. But I don't do anything without knowing where a new bullet hits the lands.

http://www.barnesbullets.com/files/2016 ... ForWeb.pdf

Thanks for the input dellet.

Hornady states to go COAL 3.210" with the 150gr GMX but doesn't list a BL-C(2) powder loading.
Lymans 48th ed states COAL 3.200" for the Hornady 150gr SP, and COAL 3.230" for the Barnes 150gr XLC which isn't made anymore.

For the Lymans BL-C(2) Hornady 150gr SP at COAL 3.200" the min charge is 46.0.
For the Lymans BL-C(2) Barnes 150gr XLC at COAL 3.230" the min charge is 48.5.

I figure I will start at 43gr with the 150gr GMX and work around there.
I do plan to load .050" off the lands the way Barnes recommends for their all copper bullets. Yeah this isn't a Barnes bullet but it is an all metal bullet so I'm hoping the Barnes suggestions apply. I will also load some to the Hornady published COAL. I got a bunch of them like half off so I "should" be able to dial them in without crying about loading so many.

In my Lymans it has Win760 for the Hornady 150gr SP at COAL 3.200" load at almost the exact charge and COAL as listed in my Hornady 9th ed for the 150gr GMX Win760 and COAl 3.210".
This is what leads me to believe I can use the Lymans BL-C(2) Hornady 150gr SP at COAL 3.200" load and work from there.

So how does 43gr of BL-C(2) sound to you? :)
I start every load the same.

Establish max overall length for the chamber, or bullet.

Establish load density from published data for bullet and powder.

Establish Max load and work down.

When I am working the COL down to establish jump, I keep the load density constant, dropping charge weight as I go.

Everyone has their system, that's basically mine for a new rifle, bullet or powder.
300 Blackout, not just for sub-sonics.
tallburnedmidget
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Re: Need Some 30-06 Load Help

Post by tallburnedmidget »

Thanks for the info guys.

I have loaded ammo that works with the rifle and I used with with plenty of hunting success before I got into the 300BLK.
I just hope I can get this 150gr GMX load worked up before my big hunt in October.

I feel ready to rock. Just decapped 500+ pieces of once fired R&P brass. Going to clean and resize tomorrow... I hope.
ARHuman
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Re: Need Some 30-06 Load Help

Post by ARHuman »

Steve's pages are always a help

http://stevespages.com/308_8_150.html
tallburnedmidget
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Re: Need Some 30-06 Load Help

Post by tallburnedmidget »

ARHuman wrote:Steve's pages are always a help

http://stevespages.com/308_8_150.html
Thanks for the info, I will use as much reference info as I can get my hands on :)
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GunFunZS
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Re: Need Some 30-06 Load Help

Post by GunFunZS »

dellet wrote:
tallburnedmidget wrote:
dellet wrote:Do you have a COL from Hornady for the GMX, or better do you know how long you can load it in your rifle?

I would use Barnes data for a solid copper bullet of similar length and weight, adjusting seating depth with bullet length.

Barnes 150 grain TTSX is 1.300". Hornady 150 GMX 1.327"

If the chamber will allow it, I'd start with 50 grains at 3.270". That puts the same amount of bullet in the case, with the starting charge weight. If I knew the powder, my rifle and had at least a .010" jump I might start higher. But I don't do anything without knowing where a new bullet hits the lands.

http://www.barnesbullets.com/files/2016 ... ForWeb.pdf

Thanks for the input dellet.

Hornady states to go COAL 3.210" with the 150gr GMX but doesn't list a BL-C(2) powder loading.
Lymans 48th ed states COAL 3.200" for the Hornady 150gr SP, and COAL 3.230" for the Barnes 150gr XLC which isn't made anymore.

For the Lymans BL-C(2) Hornady 150gr SP at COAL 3.200" the min charge is 46.0.
For the Lymans BL-C(2) Barnes 150gr XLC at COAL 3.230" the min charge is 48.5.

I figure I will start at 43gr with the 150gr GMX and work around there.
I do plan to load .050" off the lands the way Barnes recommends for their all copper bullets. Yeah this isn't a Barnes bullet but it is an all metal bullet so I'm hoping the Barnes suggestions apply. I will also load some to the Hornady published COAL. I got a bunch of them like half off so I "should" be able to dial them in without crying about loading so many.

In my Lymans it has Win760 for the Hornady 150gr SP at COAL 3.200" load at almost the exact charge and COAL as listed in my Hornady 9th ed for the 150gr GMX Win760 and COAl 3.210".
This is what leads me to believe I can use the Lymans BL-C(2) Hornady 150gr SP at COAL 3.200" load and work from there.

So how does 43gr of BL-C(2) sound to you? :)
I start every load the same.

Establish max overall length for the chamber, or bullet.

Establish load density from published data for bullet and powder.

Establish Max load and work down.

When I am working the COL down to establish jump, I keep the load density constant, dropping charge weight as I go.

Everyone has their system, that's basically mine for a new rifle, bullet or powder.
That's a good system. I suppose the books don't teach it because it would require simple math.
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