Hi all. First time here and first time loader.
I am beginning my reloading career with the 30/06. I am shooting a Tikka bolt rifle(t3) with 150gr Barnes TSX, Winchester virgin brass, CCI250 LR. Cases are all trimmed to 2.478 and COA is 3.299. My best load is 58 grains of H414 which put three shots into .75 inches at 100 yards. I also shot 58.5 of 414 for a 1.75 group, 59 of 414 for 1.5 and 60 grains for 2.0. I have also tried a load of IMR 4350 at 56.5 grains and it shot 1.6. Obviously from this data the 58 grains of H414 is the best. However, I am not totally satisfied as this gun will shoot federal premium ammo into less than 1". Now that I have several "fireformed" cases, would loading those help increase accuracy? Barnes Recommends the H4895 as the most accurate load. I suppose I also need to try some groups with it. It might also be worth trying more loads with the IMR 4350. Judging from this info what would you guys suggest? Thanks!

Welcome to the forum Brandon. Rules are simple, be nice and join in. Your fire formed cases will usually give better accuracy if you neck size them. Full length sizing will return the cases back to factory spec and your simply starting from the same point you were at when you put that new case in your chamber.

I don't shoot an 06 but H414 works very well in both my 243 and 308. I've found 4831 works best in my 280. Rifles can be very selective about different powders. Again Welcome to the forum.

The new premium factory ammo can be hard to beat. But as you already know, reloading gives you more control over what you get.
You can try different seating depths of your bullets, this can make all the difference in the world.
One thing you might try is to find out what kind bullet the Federal load is using and try this in your handloads.
Good luck with it.

JR

[quote=captbrandon;318502] However, I am not totally satisfied as this gun will shoot federal premium ammo into less than 1". [quote]

I have owned a couple of rifles over the years, real good shooters, that I could never actually top factory loads with. A M7 in 7mm-08 shot plain vanilla Remington 140gr'ers better than anything I could find. Another case in point was a Win M70 in .270 Win. that shot Fed Premium, with Sierra bullets, into < 1" all day long.

Sometimes it just hapens.

My first attempts at reloading way back when also ended in the same type results you are getting. But that is the fun of reloading. You will soon find what type powder and bullet your rifle likes and you will have a combo that shoots as well or better than the factory stuff. As the old saying goes, "Getting there is all the fun".

There is a satisfaction with rolling your own that the factory stuff can't give ya. That , and I hate to go to Wal-Mart.

Welcome to the Forum,Captain
The '06 is a favorite of mine,but lately,all my shooting is with cast bullets and some 130 grain "easy on the shoulder" rounds for Club competition.
Frank

[quote=captbrandon;318502] However, I am not totally satisfied as this gun will shoot federal premium ammo into less than 1". [quote]

I have owned a couple of rifles over the years, real good shooters, that I could never actually top factory loads with. A M7 in 7mm-08 shot plain vanilla Remington 140gr'ers better than anything I could find. Another case in point was a Win M70 in .270 Win. that shot Fed Premium, with Sierra bullets, into < 1" all day long.

Sometimes it just hapens.

I had a similar experience with a Marlin 336 lever gun in 30-30. It shot plain old vanilla 170 grain Remington factory ammo into teeny tiny groups all the time. My handloads using 150 grain bullets looked like a shotgun pattern. I finally got to a good load using a 170 grain bullet but it took a lot of experimentation.

All those little pieces of masking tape covered holes are from a 30-30 load I was clearly having lots of problems with. Some of the tape is completely off the target. This was at 100 yards. Yes, I was shooting at the center of the target. :) The big holes are from my Guide Gun as is the hole in the bottle cap. So it wasn't that I am a poor shot, the load just wasn't accurate. But like someone said - that's the fun of it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v69/GuideGun/Reload_38_45-70_Target.jpg

cptn, I'm bettin' if you tried different bullet, say a hornady 165 boattail spire point Interlock or a Sierra 165 Gameking your groups would shrink alot more.

A 150 grain bullet is not going to be the most accurate out of a 1:9 twist 06.

RJ

I agree I could get better accuracy out of another bullet. However I want to shoot the TSX in 150. Thats one of the reasons for my whole foray into reloading. Develop an accurate load using components that fit my taste, rather than what the mainstream masses want. I think that since I have found a 3/4" load already, I can get it where I want. This is going to be a hunting load anyway. It doesnt need to be one hole, but I am just OCD like that! haha Thanks for all the input. I will be rolling some more this week and doing a little testing. I'll give a report.

I have on old push feed model 70 Featherweight 30-06 that is finiky and almost drove me nuts. Federal Premium/Fusion shot under 1" all day long. RL19, IMR 4350, H4831 with different bullets all came in at 2". All of those powders should work but I can beat the Federals with loads of IMR4831, RL15, and Win 760. You just have to find what the rifle likes. Different primers shoot differently also.