trying to duplicate a factory load for hornady frontier ?

[scooterman27006]

i have a BAR 30-06 - in years past i have killed several deer with it using factory hornady frontier ammo - 165gr and have found myself low on ammo - i have not hunted much in the last few years but loan it out to kin to use and they all love it - very little recoil for a 30.06 and its accurate enough to put a deer down over 300 yards -- well they expect ammo to come with it when they pick it up and i know i am not going to buy new ammo for them but i will reload for them - anyhow i have always used the frontier ammo and i know the gun likes it and actually shoots it great - anyhow i would like some suggestions on what type of powder you think they use for the factory stuff - i know its stick type powder and its 56.5gr - i will use the old brass (have plenty as they saved it all for me) and as far as the primer it looks like just a plain old winchester primer ??? care to guess on that one for me too ?? anyhow looking at the reloading charts i know it wont be any of the powders i have so i am looking to buy a pound of that too - and some hornady 165 gr BT spire points and i will be set - as for the primer and powder anyone want to make a suggestion thanks

[Adam Helmer]

scooter,

It sounds like you have some load development to do that is an accuracy load for your .30-06. I like the 165 grain spitzer bullet and have good luck with IMR4895 powder and CCI primers.

A chronograph will let you know if you have duplicated the Hornady Frontier load, but I would go for the accuracy load for your rifle instead of trying to duplicate a factory load. Best of luck.

Adam

[Rocky Raab]

Not only do the factories not use powders that we use, but if you bought a different batch, you'd find that it likely has a different powder in it than the first batch.

As Adam says, you'll just have to pick a reasonable powder (4895, RL-15, 4350, 4320 or half a dozen others) and work up until you duplicate the Frontier velocity and accuracy. Your choice of Hornady bullets is good, that is probably what they use. I'm told that Frontier cases are made by Winchester, so it might be that the primers are WW also. That's a good place to start.

[skb2706]

So they not only borrow your gun they want ammo too? Sweet bunch there.

165 gr. BTSP Hornadys are very accurate in any gun I've shot them from.

[Rocky Raab]

That was my first thought, skb. Anybody with class would borrow the gun by itself and then return it not only clean but WITH ammo.

Instead of developing a handload, I think I'd just say, "Borrow my rifle? Sorry, I'm out of ammo."

[scooterman27006]

LOL thanks fellas for teh input here - i never knew they used different powders for factory stuff - figured they would use same to keep it consistent - as far as family - well it just makes me feel a little better that my gun kiiled whatever - and i feel im as fortunate as any person i know just to be able to afford this hobby and i hate to say it but some of my kin are good people but they have their budget to go by and i guess my budget-well i have more play money than they do - hows that lol - im just glad to be able to help them out especially when one of them would rather hunt than eat when he is hungry - i remember those days before my son was born --- ok im gonna start with the 4895 - but i also have some 4320 - i appreciate the words here and will maybe do a little load play this weekend - bad thing is i dont have a clue as to the velocity on the factory frontier stuff - i will try 4 or 5 different loads and go from there - if it shoots good then i will jsut adjust the scope and stick with that one and then i will know - just figured it would be easier this way if i could figure out what the secret mix was for frontier - its never that easy but i do get to shoot a little and play scoot

[kraky]

I've had really great luck with the 4350's in the bar's and that load sure sounds close to what you'd see with 4350. I always like when people chime right in and say the factories don't use the same powders we use. How do they know what the factories use?? I can say for a fact that there was a time when people asked hornady what the load was in a particular shell and found that it was a common powder.
Anyhow...I've had great luck right at 56 grains of 4350 with 165's in a couple of BAR;s and rem autos'. Probably start at 55 and work up to 56.5 in 1/2 grain increments and enjoy.

[BILLY D.]

IMR 4350 in 56.5 to 58.5 grain batches have been tack drivers in my 06's. Hornady, Nosler Partitions, are both MOA and less. Fed 210 Primers fill the hole at the bottom of the case.

Best wishes, Bill

[scooterman27006]

well i have seen 4350 mentioned too many times and you might know out of the whole cabinet of powders i have thats the one i am missing - i went shopping but they didnt have any 4350 but it will be on the order list - i usually wait till the list is long because of the extra shipping charges but i have a couple of gun shows coming up so maybe i will pick up some 4350 there --- i did shoot a few rounds and 760 shot the best with a fairly light load but i wont load a bunch until i get the 4350 to try - family has several months till they will need it anyhow -- thanks fellas i appreciate the info and will try the 56 + of 4350 and post back

[Catfish]

For some reason you can shoot the same bullet at the same velosity, through the same gun and get 2 different points of impact. If I were tring to duplicate a factory load I would try to load several different powders to the factory velosity then choose the 1 that shoots closest to the point of impact of the factory loads with the same bullet the factory load uses.
Then another thing to consider is that if you just work up the most accurate load you can you might want to forget factory loads and stsrt shooting your own.

[scooterman27006]

cat i guess if i think about what i have done over the past month -------that is really what i did - the only reason i chose the 165 gr is because that was what was being hunted with -- the rest of it is because it made the closest group and i used the powders i had -------but im still gonna get the 4350 and try it before i load up several boxes for the season 2008 - i guess i just plan too far ahead

[Cossack]

Just to throw in another variable. Factory loads don't stay the same. The sometimes change powder and even the bullets on occasion. (Try to buy a Silvertip..with the aluminum insert... for your 06 toady). I'd work up an accuracy load for that rifle and forget the factory side of the equation. The velocity of the factory load can serve as a guide but even that may not be the same for YOUR most accurate load.