IMR4895 Loads For The 30/06

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Larry Gibson posted this 13 September 2025

Start at 28 gr and work up in 1/2 gr increments to 32 gr. Use a dacron filler. Test for accuracy with 10 shot groups at 100 yards.

LMG

Concealment is not cover.........

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pat i posted this 13 September 2025

Thanks Larry. I was all ears until I got to the dacron part. I hate messing around with things like that.

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Ross Smith posted this 13 September 2025

28 gr. with the 310-185 hoch does the trick for me in both my '06s.

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pat i posted this 13 September 2025

28 gr. with the 310-185 hoch does the trick for me in both my '06s.

Are you using a filler? Do you know the velocity?

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Ed Harris posted this 13 September 2025

Easy way to manage the Dacron filler is to buy quilt batting in the craft section at Walmart. I cut it into 1/2" squares with scissors which weigh about a half grain each. These poke easily into the case mouth using a wooden match stick. One is sufficient in a smaller case like 7.62x39 or .30-30. I use two in the .30-'06.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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Ross Smith posted this 15 September 2025

NO FILLER

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Larry Gibson posted this 15 September 2025

A dacron filler works fine, especially with cast bullets over 4895 in the 30-06. The filler keeps the powder uniformly positioned against the primer. More efficient ignition and burn is achieved resulting most often in improved accuracy.

Those who chose to use a dacron filler properly benefit from its use. Those that chose not to not use a dacron filler properly don't. It's a matter of choice, use it or don't. Your choice, no problem.

LMG

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Coydog posted this 16 September 2025

Larry when use the dacron not in sheet, but in bags for filler how much you use for weight or dose it matter I seen what Ed wrote for what he use. I have in the past got the bag that they use for stuffing .

A dacron filler works fine, especially with cast bullets over 4895 in the 30-06. The filler keeps the powder uniformly positioned against the primer. More efficient ignition and burn is achieved resulting most often in improved accuracy.

Those who chose to use a dacron filler properly benefit from its use. Those that chose not to not use a dacron filler properly don't. It's a matter of choice, use it or don't. Your choice, no problem.

LMG

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Larry Gibson posted this 16 September 2025

Coydog

"Larry when use the dacron not in sheet, but in bags for filler how much you use for weight or dose it matter I seen what Ed wrote for what he use. I have in the past got the bag that they use for stuffing ."

I've done considerable testing over the years in numerous cartridges. I gave up weighing the dacron fillers years ago because I found the weight doesn't really make any difference.

The key to Dacron's use as a filler is to use enough to just fill the air space between the powder and the base of the bullet.

I've gotten pretty good at just "eyeballing" it even when cutting squares from sheet Dacron [batting] and pulling a tuft from bulk Dacron. I put the cases charged with powder in a loading block, then simply place the piece of Dacron over a case mouth and push the dacron into the case with a small rod. I push the dacron in only so all is inside the case neck. Then seating the bullet pushes the dacron the rest of the way.

Again, only enough Dacron is needed to fill the airspace. The pieces of Dacron do not have to be consistent in weight from one to another.

LMG

Concealment is not cover.........

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Coydog posted this 17 September 2025

Coydog

"Larry when use the dacron not in sheet, but in bags for filler how much you use for weight or dose it matter I seen what Ed wrote for what he use. I have in the past got the bag that they use for stuffing ."

I've done considerable testing over the years in numerous cartridges. I gave up weighing the dacron fillers years ago because I found the weight doesn't really make any difference.

The key to Dacron's use as a filler is to use enough to just fill the air space between the powder and the base of the bullet.

I've gotten pretty good at just "eyeballing" it even when cutting squares from sheet Dacron [batting] and pulling a tuft from bulk Dacron. I put the cases charged with powder in a loading block, then simply place the piece of Dacron over a case mouth and push the dacron into the case with a small rod. I push the dacron in only so all is inside the case neck. Then seating the bullet pushes the dacron the rest of the way.

Again, only enough Dacron is needed to fill the airspace. The pieces of Dacron do not have to be consistent in weight from one to another.

LMG

Thank you Larry , this helps alot . I had try it some years ago and how it shot was great after I had read your write up on it years ago. Just that I was not sure about the weight , you just clear that up . Thanks for all your help .

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Coydog posted this 17 September 2025

Just was wondering Larry , what other powder can you use Dacron as a filler the same way ?

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Larry Gibson posted this 17 September 2025

I have for many, many years found dacron (polyester fill) to be the best "filler". I use a filler only when appropriate. Many think I always use a filler with every powder....I DO NOT!!!! The use of the filler can cause problems if not used correctly and when appropriate. If the powder is not correct for the bullet/cartridge combination then the filler is not going to make it "right". Many want to use a specific powder for a cartridge because the powder is "cheap" or because "they have a lot of it". There are lots of powders that are not only poor choices to use but that can be dangerous if used in an inappropriate bullet/cartridge combination. Do yourself a favor if you are wanting to use an inappropriate powder (usually "no data" available is an indication the powder might be inappropriate) and get an appropriate powder. You will save yourself a lot of frustration. The use of the dacron filler only makes an appropriate powder perform better. The dacron filler will not make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

I don't use the dacron filler or a wad with the fast to medium burning "fast" pistol /shotgun type powders. I find one of these fast burning powders that is fast enough to ignite and burn efficiently at the velocity I want and avoid using a filler with them.

I almost always use the dacron filler in rifle cases with the slower “fast” burning powders (4227, 4759, 5744, 4198, etc. with lighter medium weight bullets for the cartridge; i.e. 140 - 165 gr bullets in .30/.31 cals of 30-30 through '06 case capacity), the medium burning powders (RL7, 3031, 4895, etc.) up through the slow burning powders (RL19, AA4350, H4831SC, RL22, 3100, etc.) that give around 80% or less loading density under medium to heavy weight bullets for the cartridge; i.e. 170 - 220+ gr bullets in .30/.31 cals. Those examples are for the .30/.31 cals but the same guidance applies to other calibers. The dacron filler is used only between the powder and base of the bullet.

The “dacron” is polyester fill as commonly found in pillows and toys. It also comes in sheets called “batting”. It can be obtained very reasonably at most any fabric store.

The dacron batting comes in various thicknesses. I prefer that which is about 5/8" thick. My wife recently bought me 10 yards which will give many, many thousands of cast bullet loads. With this current batch of batting I cut it initially across the width into strips about 3/4" wide. I then "eyeball" cut 1/2" wide chunks which is close to 3/4 gr.

A smaller chunk is cut for 1/2 gr and larger for a larger amount. I've cut some chunks that weight 1/2, 3/4, 1, 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 grs and have them in a "snack" baggie stuck on a poster board above my loading bench for quick reference when I need to cut new chunks. The batting will run thin and thick throughout the sheet so I again just "eyeball it" based on the thickness of the batting when cutting the chunks.

Pretty extensive tests have demonstrated that the weight of the filler does not have to be exact, only close. What is important is that there is enough so that it “fills" the space between powder and bullet. A little too much hurts nothing but too little poses problems. That's why I have the different size "chunks" so I can use the right size for the case capacity I am filling. For example; with most medium burning powders (3031, 4895, 4064) in and '06 to function an M1 a 3/4 gr dacron filler is about right. With slower powders that give a higher loading density like 4831 a 1/2 gr filler is about right.

I use a section of .22 cal cleaning rod in cartridges of .30 - .375 cal to push the Dacron chunk inside the case just so it is all in. The 6 to 10" section gives plenty to hold onto and sufficient "feel". Merely hold the chunk of dacron over the case mouth and shove it in with the rod. Sometimes it takes a couple three pokes to ensure all is inside the case mouth. I poke the chunks in until all the dacron is at the bottom of the neck or at least all in the case. It doesn’t matter exactly where just so long as you don’t tamp it down on the powder as a wad and leaved a space between the base of the bullet and the dacron.

What you want to do is push it in to let the base of the bullet finish pushing it down and adding any compression against the powder. Thus I do not push it down on the powder but let the bullet do that when the bullet is seated. Using the right size chunk of dacron this method then provides a "filler" in the air space between the powder and base of the bullet.

A small length of coat hanger works for the .22-7mm cartridges and an unsharpened pencil works well for .45 cals. With the charged cases in a loading block I simply hold the chunk of dacron over the case mouth and push it in with the rod. It is quite easy and a lot of “precision is not required, just get the dacron into the case and let the bullet finish pushing it down.

Concealment is not cover.........

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