Need Load Data for 15" 30-06 Encore

[Dago1]

I just got a 15" 30-06 Encore barrel. Factory ammo seems OK, but Lordy, it's a fire-belching demon. I have loaded 06's for rifles, but not pistol length. It seems as though the slower burning powder is the main culprit.
  I'm really pleased with the accuracy, 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 @ 100. Recoil is a "Hoot" to say the least, but I like it. I plan to hunt with it this year.
  Any 06 pistol load data would be welcomed and appreciated

[Redhawk1]

*Use at your own risk.* It is not a max load though. I load 50 gr. of IMR4064 under a 150 gr. Nosler Ballistic tip. I am getting great accuracy from my Encore 15 inch barrel. I took a nice buck last year with it at 100 yards.    Good luck in your hunt.

[stratocaster]

Hi Dago1,
I have been working with my 15" 30-06 quite extensively lately.  I'm going to Idaho for bear in October and am set on using the 30-06 handgun.  I have tried MANY, MANY powder and bullet combination over the last few months.  The hunt is going to be a spot and stalk hunt so velocity and accuracy are my main concerns.  I have settled on 48g of IMR 4064 with a 165 sierra HPBT.  This combination consistently prints groups just under an inch at 100 yards.  velocity is right around 2350 fps.  I posted the same question as you a few months back and most people have had very good results with IMR4064.  I was using H4350 and a 150b B-tip.  This would produce groups in the 1.5 - 2 inch range, but with A LOT of muzzle blast.  I tried every thing I could to try to get the Nosler Partitions 165g to shoot but nothing worked.  The best group was something like 3 - 3.5 inches, and that was with IMR4064.  I really want to use the partitions, but it looks like that is not going to happen.  I hope I am not making a mistake with the sierras.
Give the IMR4064 a try and let us know how you make out.

[HHI-7420]

Stratocaster, those Sierra hpbt's may be for target shooting only. You may want to check with Sierra(Rich Macholvich is a good one to talk to).  Pat

[TopGun]

HHI-7420. I think the 165 HPBT is in fact an excellent hunting bullet,  :grin: However, the 168 Match HPBT is in fact an awesome target round. :eek:  I too, interchange the data depending on what I'm doing.  :shock: The 165 and 168 over that load of 4064 should be a one-holer in any gun, regardless of barrel length.   If it's not, I'd sell the gun!!  :wink: Try it you'll like it!!    I used this load to take a beautiful 10 pt PA buck 2 yrs ago with a Texas heart shot. Bang, dead, down it went. never twitched.  :oops: Ya gotta love the '06! Topgun.

[Possum]

I have been shooting 53gr of H380 with a 165gr Nosler BT.  Tremendous recoil.  Accuracy was not bad, but the recoil is horrible.  I wrecked a Burris 3x12 three weeks ago and just got it back today.  I think I am going to try the 4064.  The recoil can't be any worse.

[haroldclark]

IMR 4064 is a great powder for 30-06, 308 and a number of cartridges.  You might want to consider my thoughts on this subject.  I average shooting over 200 rounds of Contender and Encore rounds a week.  Muzzle blast and recoil are major concerns to me.  I can’t handle too many blasts that nearly set my beard on fire before I start backing away as I pull the trigger.  It is frequently declared in my circle of shooting friends that if a gun will not shoot with 4064 powder, it will not shoot with any powder.  I would start with 4064 and use that as a standard of expectation while looking for a load that produces less blast and recoil.

Consider 48 grains of IMR 4064 behind a Sierra 165 grain bullet seated to an OAL of 3.23”. (I always insist that at least a bore diameter length of the bearing surface is inside the neck of the case.  Example:  if the boat tail is .2 “ long on a .308 bullet, then I seat the bullet down .40” to provide alignment for the bullet in the case.  In this example I seated the bullet .46” into the case.)
This load will produce 2333 fps from a 15” barrel and burn 94.11% of the powder in the barrel with a 22.4% ballistic efficiency rating.  This is very acceptable, but there will be some muzzle blast.

Now, consider using 45.7 grains of IMR 3031 with everything being the same.  The velocity from the 15” barrel will be about 2400 fps.  99.75% of the faster burning powder will burn in a 15” barrel and produce virtually no blast out the barrel.  The ballistic efficiency of the load is 24.9%, which is very acceptable.  The recoil will be around 20 foot-pounds of energy with both loads.

The less powder that burns outside of the barrel, the less lip flapping, beard burning muzzle blast you will encounter.

At 200 yards, the bullet will still be going 2002 fps with 1474 foot pounds of energy with the IMR 3031 loading.

If you have access to a 48th Edition of Lyman’s Reloading Handbook, check out the Encore section for 30-06.  You will note that they list much faster burning powders for the 15” barrels.  Example: IMR 3031, AA2460, IMR 4895, WW 748, SR 4759 and XMP 5477 for the 170 grain bullets.

Please note that the listed loads above are only suggestions for the purpose of studying muzzle blast and efficiency.  I would not hesitate to use either of them in my Encore, but you should start several grains lower and work your way up while watching for pressure signs.

I hope this gives you something to consider.

Harold Clark