Nosler Balistic Tip bullets 30-06

Hook686 · November 1, 2014, 10:09 PM

I bought some Nosler 125 grain Balistic Tip bullets in 30-06. I have H4895 powder, and IMR 3031.

Looking on the Nosler web page

http://www.nosler.com/30-06-springfield

I see the C.O.A.L. of 3.320" for 125 grain Ballistic Tip bullets, but no data for IMR 3031. However the Hodgdon reload site

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle

shows 49.0-52.8 grains for IMR 3031 with C.O.A.L. of 3.150" for 125 grain SP bullets.

For the H4895 the Nosler site list 48.5-52.5 grains with C.O.A.L. of 3.320" for the 125 grain BT bullets.

Hodgdon shows 53.0-57.2 grains of H4895 with a C.O.A.L. of 3.150" for a 125 grain SP bullet.

The Nosler data seems more conservative, so I will use it.

My question is where would you begin looking for a IMR 3031 load, 48.0, 49.0, 50.0 grains ?

boondocker385 · November 1, 2014, 10:49 PM

Starting at the bottom is safeest. How familiar are you with 3031? and 30-06?

Hook686 · November 2, 2014, 03:24 AM

30-06 is new to me. 3031 I used with 6mm Remington until recently when I got the 30-06. That is why I am asking. With the 6mm I found a mid range load worked well for me. I was looking for anyone that might use 3031 with the lighter bullets for 30-06 giving their findings. The use will be hunting Coyote.

Longshot4 · November 2, 2014, 11:53 AM

The Nosler BT are fine bullets. Although the bullet in my experience doesn't need hot loads to perform well. A 150Gr. or 168Gr. BT with just a modest vel. will perform best. Chose a low pressure powder and start at the bottom loads. 350 Yard shots should be easy enough. The heavier bullets will buck the wind better and have more mass to fallow through. That's my opinion.

Hook686 · November 3, 2014, 10:12 PM

Okay does not seem like too many people load light bullets in 30-06 with IMR 3031. I will load up a few with 48.5 grains, 50.0 grains, 50.5 grains and 51.0 grains, try them and see the results. I expect the 50.5 grain loads to be adequate for my purpose, but will work up to it.

riverratt · November 5, 2014, 09:27 AM

Caution this post contains load info that is beyond max published data start low and work up carefully at your own risk.

Now that the lawers are happy, when i lived in IN and my 06 was nothing more than a range toy and coyote killer i worked a load up with a 125gr bt and 3031 powder that was quite accurate. I was unable to achieve acceptable accuracy with published data. The higher i went the better it got so i inched past until i saw a createred primer. At that point i knew where the limit was for MY gun and combo of components. I settled on 53.8gr.

By the way if you want the pelts to sell the bt makes a heck of an exit hole but the nosler vamageton tends to not exit at all, if it does it resembles something like a shotgun blast with alot of small holes.

Clark · November 5, 2014, 11:51 AM

I shot a couple animals last week with Nosler Ballistic tip bullets 140 gr 3400 fps at close range, and got good results. [15% more powder than max published and yet with calculated safety margin protecting long brass life]
That is 17 big game animals I have taken with BT bullets in the last 7 years.
What makes the BTs seem so good to me, were the bad experiences I have had with hot loaded VLD hunting bullets at close range.

T. O'Heir · November 5, 2014, 04:15 PM

"...no data for IMR 3031..." There is on Hodgdon's site. H4895 data too. That it isn't a Nosler doesn't matter.

Geezerbiker · November 5, 2014, 07:37 PM

I've always found if that I can swap bullet brands in loading data so long as I have a couple different sources for the data. I have both a Speer and Hornady manuals and I've down loaded all the free info from the powder companies. From there I find it easy to come up with a starting load.

I'm not into hot loads any more. If the starting load shoots great, I often won't screw with it further and call that load good enough...

Years ago I bought a box of the 180g ballistic tip bullets for my '06 and one of the local shooter I was talking to told me that they were noted for core separation with hotter loads. Since I was planning to hunt Roosevelt elk, I switched to Nosler partitions.

I loaded those ballistic tip bullets in my .308 and when I worked up to a grain over the starting load, it was shooting 1/2 MOA so I stopped messing with it and loaded all the rest. I hunted deer with that load and rifle for years. At the beginning of the season the sight in group would be just as good as the previous year.

Tony

Hook686 · November 7, 2014, 04:05 AM

T. O'Heir ... I saw that data and note that the C.O.A.L. is different, 3.150" shown on page http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle from the C.O.A.L. of 3.320" listed on http://www.nosler.com/nosler-load-da...6-springfield/

My concern that this difference in C.O.A.L.of .170" might be significant in pressures led me to make this inquiry. Maybe folks do not notice any pressure differences when usin Nosler BT bullets.

hartcreek · November 7, 2014, 04:56 AM

Case differences will make for bigger pressure spikes that that OAL difference. You need to seperate your cases to headstamps and then weigh them. The heaviest cases will have the smallest capacity.

I have used 3031, 4064, 4831 and H414 for 30-06 including 110 grain bullets.

Hook686 · November 7, 2014, 02:21 PM

That is good information hartcreek. Thanks I will sort and weigh.

November 1, 2014, 10:09 PM	#1
Hook686 Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2005 Location: USA The Great State of California Posts: 2,090	Nosler Balistic Tip bullets 30-06 I bought some Nosler 125 grain Balistic Tip bullets in 30-06. I have H4895 powder, and IMR 3031. Looking on the Nosler web page http://www.nosler.com/30-06-springfield I see the C.O.A.L. of 3.320" for 125 grain Ballistic Tip bullets, but no data for IMR 3031. However the Hodgdon reload site http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle shows 49.0-52.8 grains for IMR 3031 with C.O.A.L. of 3.150" for 125 grain SP bullets. For the H4895 the Nosler site list 48.5-52.5 grains with C.O.A.L. of 3.320" for the 125 grain BT bullets. Hodgdon shows 53.0-57.2 grains of H4895 with a C.O.A.L. of 3.150" for a 125 grain SP bullet. The Nosler data seems more conservative, so I will use it. My question is where would you begin looking for a IMR 3031 load, 48.0, 49.0, 50.0 grains ? __________________ Hook686 When the number of people in institutions reaches 51%, we change sides.

November 1, 2014, 10:49 PM	#2
boondocker385 Senior Member Join Date: March 6, 2013 Posts: 640	Starting at the bottom is safeest. How familiar are you with 3031? and 30-06? __________________ No second place finishes in a gun fight.

November 2, 2014, 03:24 AM	#3
Hook686 Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2005 Location: USA The Great State of California Posts: 2,090	30-06 is new to me. 3031 I used with 6mm Remington until recently when I got the 30-06. That is why I am asking. With the 6mm I found a mid range load worked well for me. I was looking for anyone that might use 3031 with the lighter bullets for 30-06 giving their findings. The use will be hunting Coyote. __________________ Hook686 When the number of people in institutions reaches 51%, we change sides. Last edited by Hook686; November 2, 2014 at 03:30 AM.

November 3, 2014, 10:12 PM	#5
Hook686 Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2005 Location: USA The Great State of California Posts: 2,090	Okay does not seem like too many people load light bullets in 30-06 with IMR 3031. I will load up a few with 48.5 grains, 50.0 grains, 50.5 grains and 51.0 grains, try them and see the results. I expect the 50.5 grain loads to be adequate for my purpose, but will work up to it. __________________ Hook686 When the number of people in institutions reaches 51%, we change sides.

November 5, 2014, 04:15 PM	#8
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...no data for IMR 3031..." There is on Hodgdon's site. H4895 data too. That it isn't a Nosler doesn't matter. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

November 2, 2014, 11:53 AM	#4
Longshot4 Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2014 Posts: 868	The Nosler BT are fine bullets. Although the bullet in my experience doesn't need hot loads to perform well. A 150Gr. or 168Gr. BT with just a modest vel. will perform best. Chose a low pressure powder and start at the bottom loads. 350 Yard shots should be easy enough. The heavier bullets will buck the wind better and have more mass to fallow through. That's my opinion.

November 5, 2014, 09:27 AM	#6
riverratt Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2014 Posts: 314	Caution this post contains load info that is beyond max published data start low and work up carefully at your own risk. Now that the lawers are happy, when i lived in IN and my 06 was nothing more than a range toy and coyote killer i worked a load up with a 125gr bt and 3031 powder that was quite accurate. I was unable to achieve acceptable accuracy with published data. The higher i went the better it got so i inched past until i saw a createred primer. At that point i knew where the limit was for MY gun and combo of components. I settled on 53.8gr. By the way if you want the pelts to sell the bt makes a heck of an exit hole but the nosler vamageton tends to not exit at all, if it does it resembles something like a shotgun blast with alot of small holes.

November 5, 2014, 07:37 PM	#9
Geezerbiker Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2011 Location: Willamina, OR Posts: 1,908	I've always found if that I can swap bullet brands in loading data so long as I have a couple different sources for the data. I have both a Speer and Hornady manuals and I've down loaded all the free info from the powder companies. From there I find it easy to come up with a starting load. I'm not into hot loads any more. If the starting load shoots great, I often won't screw with it further and call that load good enough... Years ago I bought a box of the 180g ballistic tip bullets for my '06 and one of the local shooter I was talking to told me that they were noted for core separation with hotter loads. Since I was planning to hunt Roosevelt elk, I switched to Nosler partitions. I loaded those ballistic tip bullets in my .308 and when I worked up to a grain over the starting load, it was shooting 1/2 MOA so I stopped messing with it and loaded all the rest. I hunted deer with that load and rifle for years. At the beginning of the season the sight in group would be just as good as the previous year. Tony

November 7, 2014, 04:05 AM	#10
Hook686 Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2005 Location: USA The Great State of California Posts: 2,090	T. O'Heir ... I saw that data and note that the C.O.A.L. is different, 3.150" shown on page http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle from the C.O.A.L. of 3.320" listed on http://www.nosler.com/nosler-load-da...6-springfield/ My concern that this difference in C.O.A.L.of .170" might be significant in pressures led me to make this inquiry. Maybe folks do not notice any pressure differences when usin Nosler BT bullets. __________________ Hook686 When the number of people in institutions reaches 51%, we change sides.

November 7, 2014, 04:56 AM	#11
hartcreek Junior member Join Date: April 22, 2014 Location: Washington Posts: 1,549	Case differences will make for bigger pressure spikes that that OAL difference. You need to seperate your cases to headstamps and then weigh them. The heaviest cases will have the smallest capacity. I have used 3031, 4064, 4831 and H414 for 30-06 including 110 grain bullets.

November 7, 2014, 02:21 PM	#12
Hook686 Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2005 Location: USA The Great State of California Posts: 2,090	That is good information hartcreek. Thanks I will sort and weigh. __________________ Hook686 When the number of people in institutions reaches 51%, we change sides.