30-06 180 Swift Scirocco II and A-Frame Loads?

[shootist~]

I'm in the process of working up 30-06 loads for a July 2020 Limpopo Plains Game hunt, to (hopefully) include BWB, Zebra, Gemsbok, and Kudu, plus some smaller animals. Looking for favorite 30-06 load data with the 180 grain Swift bullets, or similar.

These are my top bullet choices for a new Tikka 30-06 with 22.4" barrel.
I'm using new Lapua Brass and F210Ms.

I'm using H4350 to start with and getting "fairly good" results so far (~MOA) with the 180 Scirocco at .080 off "just touching" the lands, (with 54.0 grains H4350). A couple with this load did 2,703 fps over a Magnetospeed.


Initial with the 180 AF has been pretty so-so thus far at .051 off and .076 off the lands (best was 56.0 Gr H4350 at .051 off).

Additional powders on hand include RL16 and RL17. Any 30-06 experience with these, especially with Swift bullets, would be most helpful.

Thanks!
Joe

 

[shootist~]

 

[Divernhunter]

I prefer the 165gr A-frame. Usually they shoot well backed off the rifling. If you have shot regular jacketed bullet you need to super clean the barrel before shooting the pure copper jacketed Swift bullets. I start with Wipe-out then Sweets 7.62 or Barnes CR-10 and last with Butches Bore Shine. If the barrel shows a lot of fouling I repeat until really clean.
That is all the help I can give. I used A-Frames when we and I alone went to Africa with excellent results. We(I) took 257R(120gr), 257W(120gr), 30-06(165gr) and 338win mag(225gr) for our(my) hunts. The 1st trip was with my daughter and the 2nd I went alone. Had a great outfitter and brought home a bunch of book animal as well as had a great time with spot-n-stalk hunting for PG.

Looked at my records and I ended up using 150gr Barnes TTSX in the 30-06. Sorry for the confusion. I did try the A-Frames but wanted more speed in a short barreled rifle. The TTSX work well also and require the same tips as for loading Swift bullets

 

[shootist~]

Absolutely correct on the bore cleaning, Divetnhunter. I use Bore Tech normally, and used it plus J-B bore Paste just before starting the Swift loads.

I had good luck with 165 gr A-Frames in a .308 (using RL17), but thought I would go heavier for the 30-06.

Thanks for the information.

 

[meigsbucks]

With 180gr bullets in an ‘06, I tend to get the best combination of accuracy and velocity with H414. IMR4350 gives me slightly better accuracy but H414 gains me ~60fps. CCI200 primers. Note: My ‘06 has a 21” barrel.

 

[fourfive8]

While accuracy is important, IMO dependability trumps both velocity and accuracy if both of those are good. I don't mess with bench rest loading max accuracy techniques too much and prefer to stay on conservative side of pressures/velocities. Both of those bullest will do fine just pick the one that is most consistent somewhere between 2500 and 2700. I also like the temperature insensitive powders for hunting purposes. I'd try 4831 SC.

 

[shootist~]

Yeah, the goal is not to get 300 H&H velocities, but I am a bit of an accuracy freak.

FWIW, this is only my second 30-06 - but the first one was from about 50 years ago. :yikes! It was also my very first centerfire rifle.

I continue to tweak the H4350 / Scirocco 180 gr load. Today's, seated a bit deeper, shot close to MOA at 100M on paper (4 shots), and did 3" at 325 Yds (3 shots), on steel.

Also tried a few with RL16 just to get a feel for this powder in the 30-06. And it's pretty zippy as expected. Alliant has some limited load data for this powder, (none specifically for Swift bullets.)

 

[Divernhunter]

FPS makes for a flatter shooting round which make guessing ranges less trouble. Speed also gives better terminal performance. I look for speed with accuracy in my hunting loads and it has worked well for many years.
The Sirocco really likes bullet jump. My groups shrunk with more jump---Just like Barnes bullets

 

[shootist~]

I'll have to give Redding a call. My competition seater die was max down with today's loads at .086 off just-touching the lands (180 Sciroccos). Screwing the die body down as far as I dare only gets me another .007.

The box of factory Remington/180 Sciroccos I bought were .116" off.

The "zippy" RL16 load (loaded four, chronograped just one), ran 2,764 fps. No pressure signs, but group size was so-so.

 

[Hearties]

In my experience the Sciroccos can be very finicky to load for - think is because of the veery thick copper jacket. My best results (165gr in a 30-06) were with at least 2mm of jump - both with IMR4350 and VV N550 - although I’ve now moved to the Accubond.

 

[shootist~]

The 180 Scirocco work-up appears to be in the books. The Tikka-H likes the 180 Scirocco at .087 off the lands with 54.2 grains of H-4350 and F210M primers.
In fire-formed brass it did 0.6 MOA (1 1/4" or a tad more) for three shots on steel at 219 Yards, (my usual target for setting Zero). This followed three at ~0.63" at 109 Yds.
V for 3 more over the Magnetospeed averaged 2,716 fps, which is a little higher than the Swift manual shows.

The 180 A-Frame shows promise at 56.3 gr H-4350 and about .040" off the lands, but no cigar just yet. Unfortunately, the A-Frame does not print to the same POI as the Scirocco.

 

[JMM]

180 grain Swift Sciroccos, 180 grain A-frames and H4350 are all I use in Africa. I use them for culling and have shot over 150 animals with these loads. Mostly zebras, wildes and gemsbok. 56.5 grains of H4350 for both. The A-frames print about 4 inches lower at 100 yards than the Sciroccos. I have a 24" Pacnor barrel with 1/10 twist.

 

[shootist~]

Thanks, JMM.
Your comments on the 30-06 / 180 grain Swift performance - in a couple of threads, were a big part of my decision to go this route.

 

[JMM]

Thanks. I just got back from a culling trip. Nothing but Sciroccos and A-frames. I shot wildes with Sciroccos and zebra/gemsbok with A-frames.

 

[shootist~]

Can anyone share the magical COL or Ogive measurement for their 180 A-Frame load (30-06)? The factory load measurement would be useful also.

Even better would be the distance off the lands.

After trying .076" off the lands (fair, but nothing special), I thought .040" off was going to be the ticket. But that load (with H4350) won't consistently shoot MOA or better. It prints a horizonal string, more or less.

I'm thinking I may need to go much deeper. Maybe in the range of .135" off the lands, (which is where my 308/165 A-F load is).

 

[Ridgewalker]

Not the same rifle bullet combo, but Rem 78 & 180 Nosler Partition. 57.0 H4350 using WLR at 3.310 COL I get under MOA. It has done this in 4 Rem 700s, 1 Savage 110, 1 Rem 7600, and 1 Win 70. Some days near 1/2” when I hold well. They have done the same with 56.0 IMR4350.

55.5 of H414 works almost as well with the Partitions and Accubonds in my experience.

I rarely do more than 3 shots for accuracy especially in my Tikka Lites. I’ve never used more than two shots on an animal and don’t believe I could ever get more than 3 shots off before an animal is out of sight. JMO
Best of luck!

 

[Areaonereal]

56 grains IMR 4350 or 55 grain IMR 4451. Works very well in every 30 06 I own(5). I normally shoot 180 Accubonds but have also used 180 Sciroccos. At .065 off the lands in a custom chambered barrel. Have shot over 75 wildebeast, zebra, oryx, hartebeast with the Accubond 040 off the lands, most have been pass thru on 200 plus yds in Namibia. Have never had an issue switching from Accubond to Sciroccos without cleaning. Accuracy has always been less than 1 inch. Do Not overlook the 200 grain Nosler Partition for Limpopo, just used them on Zebra and wildebeast last week in Limpopo...very impressed..pass thru on all. Wildebeast at 257 yds pass thru, the front lead acts like a hand grenade on internal organs. Used H4831 on the 200 grain also used 220 gr Noslers on three giraffes...2 DRT..neck pass thru and older female in the shoulder lung...40 yds down in off shoulder under the skin..all 30 06.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Do Not overlook the 200 grain Nosler Partition for Limpopo, just used them on Zebra and wildebeast last week in Limpopo...very impressed..pass thru on all. Wildebeast at 257 yds pass thru, the front lead acts like a hand grenade on internal organs. Used H4831 on the 200 grain

+1 pretty slow, but make up for it in B.C. And mass.

 

[Areaonereal]

Running these 200 gr at 2570. Sighted 2 in high at 100 comfortable to 300 yds aiming on hair. have not used Partitions in years, but was very impressed, especially the 220 gr on Giraffe at 2475 FPS...thru the shoulder lung...PH was very pleased. No tracking
.

 

[Areaonereal]

Can anyone share the magical COL or Ogive measurement for their 180 A-Frame load (30-06)? The factory load measurement would be useful also.

Even better would be the distance off the lands.

After trying .076" off the lands (fair, but nothing special), I thought .040" off was going to be the ticket. But that load (with H4350) won't consistently shoot MOA or better. It prints a horizonal string, more or less.

I'm thinking I may need to go much deeper. Maybe in the range of .135" off the lands, (which is where my 308/165 A-F load is).

Not sure of factory but mine are best at .085 off the lands on the AFrame handloads.