Reloading H4350 in 30-06 Handi

[Ol BW]

Anybody have any luck reloading with H4350 in their Handi?  Looking for a good accurate load with 150gr. or 165gr. bullets.
 
I tried a load my bolt gun likes, 56.7 gr. with 165 gr. GMX Rem brass and CCI primers, but the handi don't like it!

[Sourdough]

I shoot Speer 125gr TNTs, in front of IMR-3031.  Sierria 165gr HPBT in front of IMR-4350.  Nosler 165gr Ballistic Tip, in front of RL-22.  And Nosler 180gr partitions in front of RL-22.  I get good results from the bullets and powders listed with all three of my Handi 30-06s.

I have never loaded using H-4350, so I honestly can not say as to it's compatibility with Handis.  I got good results with Winchester W760 and the 165gr Sierria, but I tried RL-22, and liked the increase in velocity, with no accuracy lost.   

[jager]

I've used it in a 30/06 Tikka with excellent results. It's seems to be a bit slower than Accurate 4350 or IMR4350, but I can get higher velocities near "max" then the other two powders without sacrificing accuracy. 

[Ol BW]

Thanks for the replies guys.   
 
This gun shoots best with Remington 150 gr. Core-lokt.  I looked up on the Remington web site and found out the velocity of their factory load and I will try to work up a load that matches the velocity according to the reloading manual with Hornady 150 gr. SST and H4350.  Hopefully that will put it in the ballpark of where I wanna be.

[cwlongshot]

Thanks for the replies guys.   
 
This gun shoots best with Remington 150 gr. Core-lokt.  I looked up on the Remington web site and found out the velocity of their factory load and I will try to work up a load that matches the velocity according to the reloading manual with Hornady 150 gr. SST and H4350.  Hopefully that will put it in the ballpark of where I wanna be.

'
 
I have used it, but prefer IMR 4350...
 
I have a buddie who swears by 150 Corlokt factory ammo. Last summer, he challanged me to build a load as accurate... I like a challange.
 
I load him a near max loading of 4064 in a RP case with a CCI LR primer and a Rem Corlokt 150 ptp bullet.  Shoots sub 1"in his Walmart Winchester M70.
 
CW

[Ol BW]

Based on that info, I am tempted to say that 150 gr. bullet is the key in mine regardless of the velocity.  We'll have to see how these SST do.  If I could find a local place that had Core-Lokt bullets I would load them and be done with it!

[cwlongshot]

I get mine form Midway.

CW

[tacklebury]

I've had better luck with the Hornady BTSP versions in 150, 165 and 180 than the corelokt.  They have better BC's also and are very accurate.  I'm shooting sub 6" groups at 300 yards with the 180 and 165's in current loads with iron sights.  The better BC means it still retains it's energy better at the longer ranges also.  Per Hornady the interlocks need to be moving 1600 FPS minimum to obtain proper expansion at a given range, so I develop my loads in reverse based on the longest shot needed.  The 180 gr. load is moving out at 2385 FPS on my 30-06 load, which with the 180's 0.452 BC and this gives me a 400 yard range with 1600 FPS as the floor.  On our 80 acre farm, this is about as far as it's possible to get to. 

[Swampman]

Flat based bullets are usually more accurate.  I love Core-Lokts...

[cwlongshot]

I've had better luck with the Hornady BTSP versions in 150, 165 and 180 than the corelokt.  They have better BC's also and are very accurate.  I'm shooting sub 6" groups at 300 yards with the 180 and 165's in current loads with iron sights.  The better BC means it still retains it's energy better at the longer ranges also.  Per Hornady the interlocks need to be moving 1600 FPS minimum to obtain proper expansion at a given range, so I develop my loads in reverse based on the longest shot needed.  The 180 gr. load is moving out at 2385 FPS on my 30-06 load, which with the 180's 0.452 BC and this gives me a 400 yard range with 1600 FPS as the floor.  On our 80 acre farm, this is about as far as it's possible to get to. 

I agree 100%!!  I do like  Corlokt bullets and in this case for this loading I used them because my friend wanted them.
 
If you looked at my bullet shelfs you would see more boat tailed bullets than any other.


 
CW

[tacklebury]

CW - you have more dies and bullets and prolly powder than the only shop around here that even sells components.  hehe  Maybe I should buy direct from you. 

[bucmeister]

That is a mighty impressive set up you have there CW.   

[cwlongshot]

That is a mighty impressive set up you have there CW.

[tomtomz]

I tried a load my bolt gun likes, 56.7 gr. with 165 gr. GMX Rem brass and CCI primers, but the handi don't like it!

Ouch!  I'm right in the middle of reloading a bunch of 30-06 rounds developed for my
bolt rifle (Varget for smaller 130-150 gn bullets, and H4350 for larger bullets up through 220 gn.)

So I'll put that on hold for now. Now that the new Handi SS 30-06 barrel showed up on
Monday and I'm dying to shoot it this week.

What could be the contributing factor? Different lengths of the barrel? Chamber? Twist rate?

[mauser98us]

Not that it answers the question of a handloader with H4350,but I get better results with IMR 4064 and H4895.

[bucmeister]

How close to the lands are you seating the bullets.  Whether it is correct or not, seating depth has been my "go to" adjustment for load accuracy tinkering once I get into the neighborhood of velocity I want.  It seems closer gives increased accuracy in my existing guns, it will be very interesting to see what it takes to milk accuracy out of my new handi in 35Rem and in its future life as a 356Win, hoping to duplicate the results achieved by cwlongshot and quickdtoo to name two I am familiar with. 

Have you loaded any rounds with the H4350 yet to see how you gun shoots them or were you just asking if anyone had pet H4350 loads for the 30-06 Handi?   In my bolt 30-06 it is 165-168 gr bullets with 56.0 to 57.0 gr IMR4350, however the long throated 1978 vintage Vanguard does not care all that much as it has always been a stable shooter accuracy wise.  Have not yet worked up a load for the new Stainless Sub-MOA, but did measure the seating depth with my Lock-n-Load bullet comparator and the throat is significantly shorter.   Been wondering if I should leave it short or try to lengthen it out to match the older gun.  Figure that at least with it short visual inspection will help me keep the rounds for each gun separate.

[abolt-fan]

My go to load for 30-06 is: Win. Brass, WLR primer, 165 gr. Hornady SP and 57.5 gr. H4350. 

I've shot this load in pumps, single shots and bolt guns.  It has been very accurate in every one of them.  Velocity is in the 2800 fps. range.  I have not shot it in a Handi because I don't have one in -06.

[Ol BW]

Sorry guys I've been out of pocket for a few weeks!
 
I really haven't even tried seating depth yet. Heck, I really haven't started loading particularly for this rifle yet! I know in my other Handi I can't get a bullet long enough to touch the lands that is not overweight for the round, (7.62x39) so I just kinda forgot about trying to seat the bullet out closer to the lands.  Like I said, the frustrating thing is it shoots good with regular factory Remington green and yellow box 150 gr. Core-lokt bullets and you know those aren't seated out close to the lands!
 
Guess I need to stop looking for the quick way out and just buckle down and start loading till I get something right!  I just figured that the load I had worked up for my bolt with H4350 and GMX bullets shot so good it was worth a chance trying it in my Handi, since I had already laid in a supply of powder, bullets and primers.
 
Tomtomz - As far as the difference between my bolt gun and my Handi, go figure!  It's a Remington Sportsman 78 30'06.  The lands are close to the end of the chamber, but seating depth hasn't really made a difference in the bolt rifle.  Any other differences besides the obvious, your guess is as good as mine.  I haven't made a cast of the chamber or slugged it and counted the lands and grooves and all.  That is a little more techincal than I would like to get to at this time.  I am just looking for a load that shoots a little better than minute-of-deer in this rifle without having to run to the store when I run out!

[tomtomz]

,...however the long throated 1978 vintage Vanguard does not care all that much as it has always been a stable shooter accuracy wise.

I have a 1971 Vanguard 270 WSM by Howa that is dead-on accurate, and it likes to
have some freebore before engaging the rifling.
My Mark V Deluxe in 30-378 Weatherby does too. So does the 257 WBY Accumark.
I'm lucky and spoiled to own these,
but I am enthusiastic about Handi Rifles and I will learn
how to get the bullet very near the lands.

I have threaded a few 30-06 cases and will split the neck and install  a bullet a bit long, closing the action, which should
give a fair idea of the proper COAL from the removed cartridge.

Or is a better method available?

My Handi 24" bbl in 22-250 is as accurate as any rifle I own, $300 invested and 500 rounds through it.