IMR 4320 in .30-06

[stripper clip]

I have a couple pounds of IMR 4320 on hand, and am thinking about working up some loads with 168 SMK's for my Springfield. Has anyone tried any of this powder, and what kind of results have you had? Thanks.

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[Alfred]

I have a couple pounds of IMR 4320 on hand, and am thinking about working up some loads with 168 SMK's for my Springfield. Has anyone tried any of this powder, and what kind of results have you had? Thanks.

I haven't loaded for the .30/06 but I have used 4320 almost exclusively for my .303 150 grain loads, with stellar results, sub MOA to at least three hundred yards.
The powder grain size fills the dippers very consistently so theres very little that has to be trickled in when weighing a charge, so I expect it would meter well if you chose not to weigh every charge.

I've used the same loads in 100 degree heat and in 20 degree heat with no shift in POI.

Can't garantee that it would work as well in the larger case, but we did load up a few light loads in 7.62X54R using this powder and had good results.

[stripper clip]

Thanks for your reply Alfred. I've used 4320 in .243 w/ 100gr. soft points, and it actually produced the best handloads I've been able to turn out for that caliber. The results were very good, and I will be using that same load again.

[purple]

Way back when IMR4320 was the preferred propellant for .30-06 match loads in the 1903 Springfield. I find the accuracy from it in my '03s to be very similar to what I get from IMR4064 and IMR4895 and 168gr bullets.

It is fine for a bolt gun,but is too slow burning to be used in the M1 Garand.

[USSR]

Way back when IMR4320 was the preferred propellant for .30-06 match loads in the 1903 Springfield. I find the accuracy from it in my '03s to be very similar to what I get from IMR4064 and IMR4895 and 168gr bullets.

It is fine for a bolt gun,but is too slow burning to be used in the M1 Garand.

Actually, while it is on the slow side, the 50+ year old axiom for reloading for the Garand is: No powder faster than IMR3031 or slower than IMR4320, and no bullet heavier than 180 grains.

Don

[stripper clip]

Thanks for the replys everyone!

About two weeks ago I worked up some loads with the 4320 and 168 SMK's to chronograph. This was with HXP brass and Win. LR primers. The results, in the end, were pretty good. The winning load was 49.0 gr. of 4320, which averaged a muzzle velocity of 2618 fps and had a standard deviation of 20.95. Out of a string of ten shots for this load I had an overall group measuring 1.9", and three clusters of two holes touching. I was pretty happy with that. I was using the peep sight on the ladder. The group was in the middle of the target at 100 yards with the peep set at 200 and using a six o'clock hold.

I might try some 175 SMK's next.