Anybody reload a all-purpose 308 and/or 30/06 load?

[Quarterbore]

I have never reloaded either 308 or 30/06 but I have been picking up brass for years so my brass stockpile says it’s time to start.

308 I have a number of guns from Rem 700s, T/C Encore, AR-10, M14 and Garand.

30/06 is a bit simpler as I only have 1903 variants and my Garands.

What I am looking for is a good bullet that will work well for both target and match as well as being effective bullets for big game. I have had very good luck with Nosler Ballistic tips over years of reloading many other cartridges so my plan was to start with the Nosler Ballistic Tip in 168gr as it’s a “Hunter” type bullet and for the 30/06 I can try to replicate M2 ball so no major worries there.

For the 308 I am debating what bullet weight is the best choice, 150, 160 or stay with the 168s? The two cartridges don’t need to share the same bullet weight but my plan is to load up a large lot of ammo after I find one that cycles fine in the semiautos plus shoots well in the bolt guns (MOA or better for the 308 out of the Rem 700s). Hope to load 500rd to 1000rd lots of each which based on my current shooting would easily last 2-3 years even if I was shooting matches every weekend which hasn't been possible this year. Hunting normally takes 2-3 shots to fill my 2-3 tags so matches obviously is the ammo drain.

Anybody else load a common shared load for 308 and 30/06? I need to stop shooting my surplus ammo and leave that as an emergency stash.

[Kestrel4k]

I've done far more with hunting bullets than match bullets, but my experience is that Hornady generally has the most accurate hunting bullets. If I wanted an all-purpose load, I would use a Hornady Interlock 165gr SP - or perhaps the 150gr SP if I wanted something a little faster.

[Quarterbore]

Thanks. I should have added I am in Pennsylvania so I am only hunting Whitetail. My black bear days are done and I don’t hunt out of state so I don’t need a high performance hunting round.

[ceresco]

Buy a big box of Speer 125gr TNT bullets, some magnum primers and 8lbs of IMR 3031. Load both cartridges to 2900fps for starts. If you really believe you need something else for hunting, it is a small step. Good Shooting. ....

[35 Whelen]

When I was shooting High Power with a .308, I used the Sierra 165 gr. GameKing HP, which was a very accurate bullet.

I have since switched to the Remington 150 gr. Core-Lok. Definitely not a match bullet, but loaded over 47.0 grs. of H4895, velocities run just over 2700 fps from my 20" Scout Rifle and accuracy is plenty good considering the 2 1/2X scope.

[Brick]

I have had good results from 30 cal bullets from https://www.evergladesammo.com/bulle...tml?caliber=35
They also have good 30 carbine bullets.


Have used them in 308 (bolt action and AR-10), 30-06 (bolt action and Garand)
Quality and price are great.

Make sure you research the loads for the Garand, they are different!

[Quarterbore]

Yea, The only 30/06 rifles I have is the garands plus a pair of 1903s, a pair of 1903a3 and two drillers that may end up as A4 clones. So, for the 30/06 I honestly wouldn’t even need a hunting load and could just load a match load for the Garand and use it in the 1903s.

The 308s I guess is where I would like to find a dual hunt/match load. I have used lots of different bullets over the years. The 117gr Hornady 257 bullet in the 257 Roberts is wildly accurate but the Ballistic tips in the 25/06 and 270 have been very accurate even if they are a bit more expensive. Obviously right now everything is out of stock but I am going to just work on sorting, polishing and as soon as I get dies I will get everything resized. Hopefully next spring/summer I can start working on a load. I am not shooting this time of the year.

I do appreciate the advice though. I have quite a few 30-cal bullets I can play with from reloading the 300 Whisper/300 Blackout as well as the 30/30 for the T/C Contender.

[la Fiere]

I found the "Kilo Sierra" 125 grain TNT load (30.06) shoots well in all my 30.06 rifles, (Garands, M1903's, Savage 110, and Remington 742). I can't say if that would be considered a hunting load or not.


I've also had good accuracy with Nosler 165 Ballistic Tips over a mid-level charge of IMR 4064 (in the range of 47.5 grains if memory serves) in the same eclectic mix of rifles.

[lucky52]

Out of curiosity,anybody ever shoot a whitetail with a Sierra 168 gr. Matchking and how much did it expand?Thanks.

[mnhusker]

Originally Posted by ceresco

Buy a big box of Speer 125gr TNT bullets, some magnum primers and 8lbs of IMR 3031. Load both cartridges to 2900fps for starts. If you really believe you need something else for hunting, it is a small step. Good Shooting. ....

My Garands love the Speer TNT bullet, very accurate.

I have a friend who is a Marine Corp weapons instructor (retired) who also loads them for his M14 and likes them very much.

I use 4064 for my powder.

All the best.