Due to where I live now, the recent ammo shortages, and the components that I found while unpacking some boxes that have been in the basement for awhile, I'm looking to reload a bit this winter. I reloaded once a few years ago for my 30-06 but never really found a pet load. Struggled a lot with getting consistent COAL (now realize I should've measure to the ogive anyways and am looking go get a set of comparators). Accuracy was pretty similar to factory ammo for the best groups I've shot.
I now live somewhere I can do load development off the back porch (unfortunately it's going to be freezing for the next few months but I've got til May or so when the corn gets planted to play around). I have 3 rifles/calibers I want to load for. I really just want to find a load for .223 and .308 but would be nice to have one for 30-06 as well. My goal is to find a pet load for each and shoot. I'm sure that will change as time goes on but that's the current goal.
Rifles are (hypothetically
)
Tikka T3x Lite .223rem 22" barrel 1:8 twist
Rem 700 5r .308 win 24" barrel 1:11.25 twist (may turn this into a Tikka T3X lite in .308 if I like the .223)
Savage 114 American Classic 30-06 22" barrel 1:10 twist
.223 is for practice/plinking & coyotes. .308 was bought when I lived near a 1000 yard range. I now can only shoot to 500 so I'm tempted to trade it for a T3x lite have a lighter short action hunting rifle, 30-06 is for hunting elk, deer, whatever else.
For the .223 I'm intending to load 77gr SMKs and have 1000 on hand. For the .308 and 30-06 I'd like to load accubonds as I have a few hundred 180gr on hand and a box of 150 and 165s also to play with. If I find a load that works I'm intending to buy enough bullets to load 3-400 30-06 rounds, and as much as I can for the .308 and .223. I don't shoot the hunting rifles much so most of my loading will be .223 (plans subject to change but that'll get me through the next few years and I mostly bowhunt anyways). I have enough primers support each caliber as much as I'll realistically shoot in a few years. I'm definitely concerned I won't be able to support great volume of .223 but so is everyone else on this forum so oh well.
Based on that, my question is what powder to use for each load. Varget is the obvious choice for .223 and potentially .308 but 3lbs doesn't go very far for both calibers (it'll get me through most of the bullets I have for .223 now, but obviously replenishing may be an issue). IMR 4350 is the likely choice for 180gr 30-06 but that's also the rifle I shoot the least.
Some of these are from a few years ago and some are from Bass pro a few days ago. My intent is to get through load development then look to trade some of the unused powders for more of what I settle on (i.e. the H335 and RL15 & 17 don't do me much good in the small qtys)
3lbs Varget
4 lbs benchmark
13lbs IMR4350
7lbs IMR 4895
6 lbs IMR 4064
1 lb H335
1 lb RL15
2 lbs RL17
Re-reading that it's a lot of words but with the difficulties in sourcing new components I'm looking to make the best of what I have on hand and would greatly appreciate some feedback on how y'all would mix & match the components/calibers. I'm in Southern WI if anyone wants to trade H335, RL15 or 17 for something more helpful to me as well).
Cheers
I now live somewhere I can do load development off the back porch (unfortunately it's going to be freezing for the next few months but I've got til May or so when the corn gets planted to play around). I have 3 rifles/calibers I want to load for. I really just want to find a load for .223 and .308 but would be nice to have one for 30-06 as well. My goal is to find a pet load for each and shoot. I'm sure that will change as time goes on but that's the current goal.
Rifles are (hypothetically
)Tikka T3x Lite .223rem 22" barrel 1:8 twist
Rem 700 5r .308 win 24" barrel 1:11.25 twist (may turn this into a Tikka T3X lite in .308 if I like the .223)
Savage 114 American Classic 30-06 22" barrel 1:10 twist
.223 is for practice/plinking & coyotes. .308 was bought when I lived near a 1000 yard range. I now can only shoot to 500 so I'm tempted to trade it for a T3x lite have a lighter short action hunting rifle, 30-06 is for hunting elk, deer, whatever else.
For the .223 I'm intending to load 77gr SMKs and have 1000 on hand. For the .308 and 30-06 I'd like to load accubonds as I have a few hundred 180gr on hand and a box of 150 and 165s also to play with. If I find a load that works I'm intending to buy enough bullets to load 3-400 30-06 rounds, and as much as I can for the .308 and .223. I don't shoot the hunting rifles much so most of my loading will be .223 (plans subject to change but that'll get me through the next few years and I mostly bowhunt anyways). I have enough primers support each caliber as much as I'll realistically shoot in a few years. I'm definitely concerned I won't be able to support great volume of .223 but so is everyone else on this forum so oh well.
Based on that, my question is what powder to use for each load. Varget is the obvious choice for .223 and potentially .308 but 3lbs doesn't go very far for both calibers (it'll get me through most of the bullets I have for .223 now, but obviously replenishing may be an issue). IMR 4350 is the likely choice for 180gr 30-06 but that's also the rifle I shoot the least.
Some of these are from a few years ago and some are from Bass pro a few days ago. My intent is to get through load development then look to trade some of the unused powders for more of what I settle on (i.e. the H335 and RL15 & 17 don't do me much good in the small qtys)
3lbs Varget
4 lbs benchmark
13lbs IMR4350
7lbs IMR 4895
6 lbs IMR 4064
1 lb H335
1 lb RL15
2 lbs RL17
Re-reading that it's a lot of words but with the difficulties in sourcing new components I'm looking to make the best of what I have on hand and would greatly appreciate some feedback on how y'all would mix & match the components/calibers. I'm in Southern WI if anyone wants to trade H335, RL15 or 17 for something more helpful to me as well).
Cheers
