Sweet shooting low recoil 30-06 round

[Bobby Linton]

If anyone wants to start their child with a 30-06, I have found a load that is accurate and a pleasure to shoot. I got a new tikka t3x in 30-06 and let me tell you, a 6lb 30-06 will kick from the bench. Loaded some Hornady 150gn rn (pn# 3035), with 41gn of 4895, CCI 200 primers, @ 3.000" oal. Don't have a chronograph, but should be 2400-2500 fps. That equates to about 300 savage energy levels and the recoil is very mild. I shot up all 50 I loaded yesterday and accuracy is easily 1moa. I'm still smiling! What a diverse round the 30-06 is. Will be my go to deer round for under 200 yards. Anyone else have a pet low recoil round they would like to share?

 

[nmurph]

Yep...Federal Fusion Low Recoil.

I bought my son a NEF .243 when he started hunting. I also bought a box of FFLR in .270 for a 700 I had. My seat of the pants calibrated shoulder said the recoil was about the same. I let my son decide which to shoot and he chose the .270 and used it to kill his first deer at 30yds and his second at 125yds (DRT).

 

[Mr Bya Lungshot]

Loaded some hopefully low recoil 30/06 yesterday also.
The book had for 150gr round nose to use 4831 at 55grains minimum.
Will you post a picture of the 3006 data in that book please?

 

[BriarPatch99]

30-06 cartridge with 125 gr. Sierra SP bullet. Max load shown in the Reloading Data Center with H4895 is 53.7 grains. 53.7 X .6 = 32.2 grains. The shooter begins with this load, and may work up from there to obtain the desired velocity and accuracy for his reduced load.

H4895 reduced load can be reduced to 60% of any listed data ....

Any load XX grains x .6 = the minimum load for H4895

 

[rayjay]

This thread reminded me of the MCA Sports chamber adaptors. I haven't been able to find a current website. The guy making them had a stroke a year or so ago but did apparently recover and was going to continue offering them.

Anyway, these were steel inserts that looked like say a 30/06 case on the outside but had a 32 pistol cartridge chamber on the inside. More of a novelty than anything but fun. I have a 22lr to 223 adaptor that requires an extra piece that allows the CF firing pin to set off the rimfire cartridge. A 22lr hits about 10" low at 100 yds. He used to offer a large variety of adaptors for about any combo of bore compatible pistol to rifle. A 357 mag to 35 Whelen would be pretty neat and of some usefulness.

 

[Jester896]

This thread reminded me of the MCA Sports chamber adaptors.

Is it Mo DeFina? Was his place Master Craft Sports?

 

[rayjay]

Too long ago.

 

[Bobby Linton]

Loaded some hopefully low recoil 30/06 yesterday also.
The book had for 150gr round nose to use 4831 at 55grains minimum.
Will you post a picture of the 3006 data in that book please?

Let me know if you want another bullet weight.

 

[Bobby Linton]

Anybody else find it odd that we call anything short of max a "reduced load" for a rifle. To me it is just making an appropriate load for a specific set of needs. I dont shoot 3 1/2" #2 Turkey loads at dove, but I never felt like low brass #8 were a "reduced load". When I was searching online for a good round nose cup and core load for a 30-06 , you see a lot of the, "why not buy a 30-30 if that's what you wanted" comments. I think that misses the whole point of selecting a versatile round. If I had of fully understood what could be done with a 30-06 hand loading, I would have never had a need for a starter gun. It is what you make it.

 

[Jester896]

anything short of a max load is a reduced load...just simple math . I also find that different than a reduced recoil load too. You also just can't make reduced recoil loads with just any powder either.

 

[Dub]

If anyone wants to start their child with a 30-06, I have found a load that is accurate and a pleasure to shoot. I got a new tikka t3x in 30-06 and let me tell you, a 6lb 30-06 will kick from the bench. Loaded some Hornady 150gn rn (pn# 3035), with 41gn of 4895, CCI 200 primers, @ 3.000" oal. Don't have a chronograph, but should be 2400-2500 fps. That equates to about 300 savage energy levels and the recoil is very mild. I shot up all 50 I loaded yesterday and accuracy is easily 1moa. I'm still smiling! What a diverse round the 30-06 is. Will be my go to deer round for under 200 yards. Anyone else have a pet low recoil round they would like to share?View attachment 971102

Great post!!!


I’m in the initial stages of getting my gear setup for rolling my own handloads once again.

Space and budget aren’t ideal, but I’m not letting it stop me.

Starting off simply with handgun range loads. I will soon be getting into .308 & .30’06. The .308 is more for plinking fun in an M1A, but the ‘06 will hopefully be using 165gr Accubond for hunting.

That’s great that you dialed in on a soft shooter that will be enjoyable.

 

[deast1988]

I loaded some 130gr tsx by Barnes as hot as the book said to go. They float a touch, but 1.25in groups at 100yds. Recoil is less then a .308 An it crushes stuff. I have a stainless xbolt 30-06 it doesn’t love the load I made but it’s a loaner. Have had a few buddies lay some critters out. Best I can tell 3500fps is a death ray!

 

[Bobby Linton]

I loaded some 130gr tsx by Barnes as hot as the book said to go. They float a touch, but 1.25in groups at 100yds. Recoil is less then a .308 An it crushes stuff. I have a stainless xbolt 30-06 it doesn’t love the load I made but it’s a loaner. Have had a few buddies lay some critters out. Best I can tell 3500fps is a death ray!

I was wondering how barnes ttsx bullets perform at lower velocities. I would like to making a flat shooting soft load as well. Ordered some of the 125 Sierra soft points Briarpatch suggested. Just curious how bullets perform at the lower velocities. Sierra recommends that bullet as varmint at high velocities and light big game at the lower speeds. 3500 fps is laser speed. I'm slow and easy. Saves powder and brass life.

 

[SakoL61R]

x2 on H4895 for reduced recoil loads.
Want even less recoil?
Try Hodgdon TrailBoss.
https://www.hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/trail-boss-reduced-loads-2018.pdf
Have fun!

 

[BriarPatch99]

I loaded some 130gr tsx by Barnes as hot as the book said to go. They float a touch, but 1.25in groups at 100yds. Recoil is less then a .308 An it crushes stuff. I have a stainless xbolt 30-06 it doesn’t love the load I made but it’s a loaner. Have had a few buddies lay some critters out. Best I can tell 3500fps is a death ray!

I load 110 grain TTSX in a 300 WSM .... these run about 3800+ .... it has a brake ....and is about like shooting a .243 Win as far as recoil ...... YES it is deadly on Whitetail!!!

 

[deast1988]

I was wondering how barnes ttsx bullets perform at lower velocities. I would like to making a flat shooting soft load as well. Ordered some of the 125 Sierra soft points Briarpatch suggested. Just curious how bullets perform at the lower velocities. Sierra recommends that bullet as varmint at high velocities and light big game at the lower speeds. 3500 fps is laser speed. I'm slow and easy. Saves powder and brass life.

Barnes don’t normally follow the lead bullets, they require speed. But the great thing about that is you can go light for caliber an not loose speed but reduce felt recoil.

 

[pdsniper]

I too have a pet load that I have been loading for 30 06 and 308 that drops deer like a hammer using a 110 gn Sierra hp Varminter and Ram Shot TAC powder the 06 load does in the 3600 fps range and 308 in the 3400 range its stupid accurate and very little recoil

 

[pavogrande]

For "light loads" i have used speer and hornady plinkers, about 100 and 110 grain half jackets - I also use cast 311316 and 311420. In fact use all of them in all 30 calibers. 30 carb, 30/30, 30/40, 30/06 and 30 rem.
use all but 311410 in 32 mag as well -
my ha-penny

 

[GunnSmokeer]

Just a couple weeks ago I went to a high power rifle match where folks were shooting M1 Garands and other .30-06 rifles like the P 17 Enfield & 1903 Springfield.

One guy next to me said that he was using 125 grain bullets and a reduced powder charge load to shoot at 200 yards; he had higher powered ammo with heavier bullets for longer range, but at 200 yards he wanted the minimum amount of recoil.

Makes sense.
Choose the ammo for the particular application for which you will use it.

 

[Tom W.]

Check out the "mouse ****" loads at castboolits..... some really light loads there...Great for fire forming to A.I. configuration.