30-06 Load Diary

arakboss · Aug 16, 2025

I fired 230 of my reloads today and still have a bunch remaining. I only fired five rounds with cast bullets. I saved those until close to the end of the day, in case they caused leading.

I started with a clean rifle but by the time I tried the cast bullet loads, I think the rifle was to dirty. They were very difficult to chamber so I fired 5 rnds and went back to jacketed bullet loads. Eventually those were became lightly difficult to chamber, so I called it a day. I did not clean the rifle at all for 230 rounds. Not to bad for a budget bolt rifle.

I think the cast loads are going to need their own range session with a clean rifle. I might just save the cast loads for the BP range and bang some steel with them. I don't think they are going to be terribly accurate, judging from the five I shot today.

arakboss · Aug 17, 2025

I did not keep track of which load is which on my first three targets. All shooting yesterday was done at 50yds.

These targets were left behind by somebody so I used pasters to cover up their shots and reused them. The white paper is the map of which shots are which.

Left target from map.

Right target from map.

arakboss · Aug 17, 2025

I need a better system for marking targets. I am thinking about buying some adhesive lables to stick on the targets.

How do you guys keep track of and mark your targets?

arakboss · Aug 17, 2025

arakboss said:
I need a better system for marking targets. I am thinking about buying some adhesive lables to stick on the targets.

How do you guys keep track of and mark your targets?

These lables are on the small side but only a 1/3 of a cent each if I order the 8000ct pack.

Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

Here is sample info I would like on the lable.

I would fill these out and include them in the baggie with my reloads. I would have to keep track of which group was which during shooting. Then apply these lables to the target after I pulled them or during a cold range call. I usually get in two or three groups during a 20min hot range call. It would give me some extra exercise to walk down and apply these stickers after shooting corresponding groups.

Edit: this lable is a little more money but is much larger.

Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

arakboss · Aug 17, 2025

arakboss said:
These lables are on the small side but only a 1/3 of a cent each if I order the 8000ct pack.

Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

Here is sample info I would like on the lable.

View attachment 2146764

I would fill these out and include them in the baggie with my reloads. I would have to keep track of which group was which during shooting. Then apply these lables to the target after I pulled them or during a cold range call. I usually get in two or three groups during a 20min hot range call. It would give me some extra exercise to walk down and apply these stickers after shooting corresponding groups.

Edit: this lable is a little more money but is much larger.

Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

My wife ordered the larger lables for me. I will try out a new target marking system on my next range trip.

I am picking up 1000 plus 30-06 commercial brand cases today, so I should have plenty of components to keep the 30-06 rifles fed for some time.

Next 30-06 loads I put together are going to be focused on reduced jacketed bullet loads using the #164 powder. I want to try some different charge weights and see if I can get groups as good as the Unique groups. I have a lot of the #164 powder that needs to get used up. It's very old.