30/06 COL?? Which is which?

wover98 · April 6, 2011, 01:34 PM

I am about to load my first 06 shells, I am using new brass and Sierra 165gr HPBT bullets over 46gr IMR 4320. My Nosler manual gives the max col of 3.340 but using an empty brass and bullet I set the bullet in the neck and carefully chambered it into my rifle and when I pull it out it has a col of 3.205.
Should I try to load to the 3.340 col? or to the 3.205? This is a Ruger M66 bolt action rifle.

Thanks.
Will

PA-Joe · April 6, 2011, 01:44 PM

Each bullet has a unique shape and you must use the bullet manufacturer's COL. The other option is to meaure your chamber's COL and reduce it by 0.02" so that you are not touching the lands.

F. Guffey · April 6, 2011, 02:40 PM

Not sure why you do not choose to load from the reloading manual for at least 6 months then move on to the seating off the lands, Me? I am not a fan of loading to the lands, I am a fan of the jump start and do not like the ideal the bullet is setting at the rifling with no way to get started from a dead stop, same with firing cases once and go straight to neck sizing, I like the time factor when sizing cases to fit the chamber.

F. Guyffey

F. Guffey · April 6, 2011, 02:45 PM

there may not be any logic but I believe you should start somewhere meaning if you load from the book and you get good groups you can take liberties, you can seat the bullet out in increments while checking for accuracy and pressure THEN you can go the other way.

F. Guffey

wover98 · April 6, 2011, 03:23 PM

"Not sure why you do not choose to load from the reloading manual for at least 6 months then move on to the seating off the lands"
F.Guffey, the way I am measuring it if I load to the book they will not chamber. (I do not however have a Sierra manual and am using a Nosler)
PA-Joe, thanks, that is the info I am needing. I think by seating to the lands and comming off that .020" will be safer.
Guys correct me if I am wrong, but when I am using a brass like this, I am seating to the lands, right? The case is not neck sized so the bullet is not real tight in the neck. F.Guffey, I know you know a lot more than I, I am just trying to make sure I am doing things the right way.

Thanks guys
Will

rg1 · April 6, 2011, 03:23 PM

Sierra's recommended oal for the 165 HPBT for 30-06 is 3.185". That's where I'd start to see how they shoot in your rifle.
Sierra's data says to start with 42.6 grains of IMR 4320 and work up to a maximum of 50.2. They used Federal cases and Fed 210 primers in their tests. I like to have the bullet company manual and one reason is to check their recommended overall lengths.

mehavey · April 6, 2011, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Not sure why you do not choose to load from the reloading manual for at least 6 months

Guffey has a good (starting) point, but I'm finding that several "newly" manufactured rifles seem to have a short throat, ... so short that seating to the bullet maker's recommended OAL would shove things into the lands by quite a bit.

Case in point was my new (2010 manufacture) Model-70/30-06 whose actual OAL/Distance-to-Lands was quite a bit shorter the Sierra manual OAL for its 168SMK. Even Hornady's commercial 150 BTSP was found to be only 0.005" off the lands.

My counsel to new reloaders/new rifles would be to check the Distance to Lands -- even w/ the cleaning-rod method if necessary -- before deciding on a seating depth.

Scorch · April 6, 2011, 07:35 PM

Quote:

The case is not neck sized so the bullet is not real tight in the neck.

You need to size your brass to hold the bullet tightly. If it does not, you will never achieve anything approaching accuracy.

MOshooter65202 · April 6, 2011, 08:34 PM

As PA Joe said Each bullet manufactures COL will be a bit different because of bullet designs as well as different rifle chambers. I always use a RCBS precision mic when working up a load with a different bullet,that way I can always find my rifles COL with different bullets. The RCBS Precision Mic measures the ogive of the bullet where it is making contact with the barrel riflings,always start .002-.003 off rifle landings so as not to create high pressures.

wover98 · April 6, 2011, 09:14 PM

I have loaded them at 3.185", that is .020 off of what I believe to be the bullet striking the lands. When I said the brass was not neck sized, I was refering to the "Test" case I was using to check my chambering. I have full length sized all the brass even though it was new. Some went by with very little effort while some had some push to them so I guess its a good idea to size new brass as well. I am going to try to just neck size them once they have been fired in my rifle.
Thanks guys as always your a great resource.
Will

April 6, 2011, 01:34 PM	#1
wover98 Member Join Date: March 4, 2009 Posts: 44	30/06 COL?? Which is which? I am about to load my first 06 shells, I am using new brass and Sierra 165gr HPBT bullets over 46gr IMR 4320. My Nosler manual gives the max col of 3.340 but using an empty brass and bullet I set the bullet in the neck and carefully chambered it into my rifle and when I pull it out it has a col of 3.205. Should I try to load to the 3.340 col? or to the 3.205? This is a Ruger M66 bolt action rifle. Thanks. Will

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April 6, 2011, 01:44 PM	#2
PA-Joe Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2010 Location: NEPA Posts: 909	Each bullet has a unique shape and you must use the bullet manufacturer's COL. The other option is to meaure your chamber's COL and reduce it by 0.02" so that you are not touching the lands.

April 6, 2011, 02:40 PM	#3
F. Guffey Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Posts: 7,249	Not sure why you do not choose to load from the reloading manual for at least 6 months then move on to the seating off the lands, Me? I am not a fan of loading to the lands, I am a fan of the jump start and do not like the ideal the bullet is setting at the rifling with no way to get started from a dead stop, same with firing cases once and go straight to neck sizing, I like the time factor when sizing cases to fit the chamber. F. Guyffey

April 6, 2011, 02:45 PM	#4
F. Guffey Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Posts: 7,249	there may not be any logic but I believe you should start somewhere meaning if you load from the book and you get good groups you can take liberties, you can seat the bullet out in increments while checking for accuracy and pressure THEN you can go the other way. F. Guffey

April 6, 2011, 03:23 PM	#5
wover98 Member Join Date: March 4, 2009 Posts: 44	"Not sure why you do not choose to load from the reloading manual for at least 6 months then move on to the seating off the lands" F.Guffey, the way I am measuring it if I load to the book they will not chamber. (I do not however have a Sierra manual and am using a Nosler) PA-Joe, thanks, that is the info I am needing. I think by seating to the lands and comming off that .020" will be safer. Guys correct me if I am wrong, but when I am using a brass like this, I am seating to the lands, right? The case is not neck sized so the bullet is not real tight in the neck. F.Guffey, I know you know a lot more than I, I am just trying to make sure I am doing things the right way. Thanks guys Will

April 6, 2011, 03:23 PM	#6
rg1 Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2001 Posts: 1,125	Sierra's recommended oal for the 165 HPBT for 30-06 is 3.185". That's where I'd start to see how they shoot in your rifle. Sierra's data says to start with 42.6 grains of IMR 4320 and work up to a maximum of 50.2. They used Federal cases and Fed 210 primers in their tests. I like to have the bullet company manual and one reason is to check their recommended overall lengths.

April 6, 2011, 08:34 PM	#9
MOshooter65202 Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2011 Posts: 471	As PA Joe said Each bullet manufactures COL will be a bit different because of bullet designs as well as different rifle chambers. I always use a RCBS precision mic when working up a load with a different bullet,that way I can always find my rifles COL with different bullets. The RCBS Precision Mic measures the ogive of the bullet where it is making contact with the barrel riflings,always start .002-.003 off rifle landings so as not to create high pressures.

April 6, 2011, 09:14 PM	#10
wover98 Member Join Date: March 4, 2009 Posts: 44	I have loaded them at 3.185", that is .020 off of what I believe to be the bullet striking the lands. When I said the brass was not neck sized, I was refering to the "Test" case I was using to check my chambering. I have full length sized all the brass even though it was new. Some went by with very little effort while some had some push to them so I guess its a good idea to size new brass as well. I am going to try to just neck size them once they have been fired in my rifle. Thanks guys as always your a great resource. Will