Thread: "Karhu" A.K.A "Finnish Bear" 30-06 load developement

Should be plenty of twist i load 178eldm in a .308 tikka which I think is 11 sounds a real beauty mate

Brass all prepped ready to load charge weight ladder



Here's my charge ladder details if you can decipher my scrawl

56.5gr 2209 and a 165gr projectile is one of the magic loads in a 30/06.

Originally Posted by stug

56.5gr 2209 and a 165gr projectile is one of the magic loads in a 30/06.

If I try the 165gn I'll be starting a bit higher than that, but bear in mind longer than SAAMI C.O.L so will need more powder for same velocity.
I'm gonna try the ELDX first but once I get rounds loaded up I have a scope/ring compatibility issue I need to sort first.

Originally Posted by dannyb

If I try the 165gn I'll be starting a bit higher than that, but bear in mind longer than SAAMI C.O.L so will need more powder for same velocity.

maybe not.....you could seat to saami spec and allow projectile to jump...do the spacewalk, like so many .308s do,seated deep enough the projectile gets off to a good straight start...

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

maybe not.....you could seat to saami spec and allow projectile to jump...do the spacewalk, like so many .308s do,seated deep enough the projectile gets off to a good straight start...

Maybe.....I guess we'll see, or we won't

Been crook as a crook thing last few days, but managed to get some time at the loading bench today. Got my ladder all loaded up.
Tested in the mag and they chamber perfectly, now i just need to wait until my replacement scope mounts arrive.



As much as it's a lot of work i do love making bullets

I’ve got two 06s I load for. Both 700s, one with a custom tube. One runs with 56.5 gns of 09 for 2810 fps with a 165 BT or AB. The other like 58.5 for 2930 fps with the same pills. The BT and AB in the same wt have same poi. RP brass.


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Originally Posted by Dicko

I’ve got two 06s I load for. Both 700s, one with a custom tube. One runs with 56.5 gns of 09 for 2810 fps with a 165 BT or AB. The other like 58.5 for 2930 fps with the same pills. The BT and AB in the same wt have same poi. RP brass.


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That sounds like a couple of smoking good loads, those AB's certainly like to be driven hard I'll bet it's devestating.

Go up another grain with the 178 grainers. I have had three 06's shoot 57.5 g of 2209 very well with 180g bullets, with velocities 2800 - 2880fps. It's a standard load for me and any .30/06.

Originally Posted by JohnDuxbury

Go up another grain with the 178 grainers. I have had three 06's shoot 57.5 g of 2209 very well with 180g bullets, with velocities 2800 - 2880fps. It's a standard load for me and any .30/06.

good to know, will work up to it, with my longer COL I may even need to go higher. Will shoot the current ladder and see what results I get back, can always load a few more if I'm not getting the desired velocity.

57 gns with a 180 is the classic load for 06. However it is to warm for one of my rifles and it pops primers…. Ok in the other. Start a bit below.


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Got to take the Finnbear to the range today and whilst no particularly stunning groups were shot, I have a really good starting point to tune a load and some very useful and interesting data.
Sadly I didn't get my lowest charge weight group on paper due to me being incredibly crap at bore sighting. I did however capture all of the chronograph data so all was not in vein.
My first 3 steps in my ladder showed average SD's of 35-20 fps over 3 rounds each.
The next 2 steps up the SD's dropped to 14fps and I started to think we could be coming into a velocity node,
Then with my final load my SD dropped to 2.6fps over 3 rounds
So 6 different charge weights shot all seated 10thou off my jam measurement and very very good velocity achieved. No signs of excessive pressure at all on the brass or with the rifle. I could probably go higher but i don't really think it's really needed.
Unfortunately my highest charge weight I only got 2 shots on paper as I failed to adjust the scope down as my velocity increased and the first shot sailed above my target into the backstop so I used a different point of aim for the last 2 shots of that charge weight.
Very happy with the results so far, tomorrow I will load up 6 more at 56.5gn to double check the velocity node and hopefully get 2x 3 shot groups on paper, then if the grouping is not acceptable but the velocity is still stable I will tutu with a seating depth ladder to try and tighten the groups up.
All in all I'm pretty pleased with todays results, interestingly the best group shot today was 55gn with an SD of 19fps. Hopefully I can tune the 56.5gn load to sub moa with its much tighter SD of 2.6fps I have some high hopes pinned on it. Obviously as I seat the projectile deeper I may have to back off the charge weight if the SD starts to open up.

Load ladder data
Velocities x3 then A: (average velocity) and SD



Best 3 shot SD and velocity data




On a side note even with the 178gn eldx at good pace the finnbear is a pussy cat too shoot

So here is the groups from today, as mentioned nothing super flash in fact quite the opposite, but I'm confident i can tune a load out of the data i have collected so far.









[B]highest charge weight group but only 2 shots on paper as per previous post, loading up 6 more for tomorrow[B]

yeah 55 might be hundy slower....but shows definate promise.....wee tweak in depth might also change that ES you seem to like chasing....maybe LOL