volume 11.3

Terry Wieland’s On Ammo

If the century-old .30-06 were introduced today, it would be accepted as a thoroughly modern cartridge, capable of excellent accuracy, fitting a wide range of actions, and delivering both shortand long-range killing power with bullets ranging in weight from 74 grains to 250.

The reason is simple: Today’s .30-06 is quite different than the original cartridge of 1906, largely due to advances in primers, powders and bullets. Other cartridges from that era were left behind by developments, but the .30-06 is such a well-balanced design, it was both the spark and the beneficiary of many advances, and improved right along with them.

In 1903, as testing began on the initial design, barrel corrosion was a huge problem. This was due partly to the corrosive primers then in use, and partly to the composition of early smokeless powders. Ordnance engineers were faced with the unpleasant choice of ballistic performance and rapid barrel deterioration, or long barrel life combined with ho-hum ballistics.

Both the government and private companies were determined to solve the problem, which they did, replacing mercuric primers (which attack the brass) first with potassium chlorate (which produces steeleating salt) and finally lead styphnate, which is both dependable and metalfriendly. Initially, the .30-06 was loaded with a powder called ‘WA,’ produced by the firm of Laflin & Rand (later swallowed up by du Pont). WA was about 30 per cent nitroglycerine, and while it delivered velocity and accuracy, it was extremely hard on barrels.

Driving the 220-grain round at 2300 fps, barrel life was only about 800 shots! The redesign of the cartridge between 1903 and 1906 included replacing WA with a du Pont powder known as ‘Pyro’ (for pyrocellulose) that was predominantly nitrocellulose, a new development that originated in France. It was a remarkable powder that enjoyed a brief but undeniably spectacular life.

Phil Sharpe described it in almost erotic terms: “It was very beautiful, being bright pink in colour and in rather long slender grains.” As it turned out, Pyro delivered every virtue – except stability. It was coloured pink deliberately so that deterioration would be readily visible. Sharpe found that, as it degraded, the pink faded to a nasty yellow.

The French government learned about its failings rather more dramatically: As Pyro deteriorated, it became prone to spontaneous combustion. The resulting explosions in powder magazines resulted in the sinking of two French battleships. Powder development progressed quickly, led by du Pont. In 1912, a lengthy antitrust suit against du Pont, which had attempted to form a gunpowder monopoly, resulted in the company being broken up. Hercules was formed, and given all the double-based powders such as Unique, while du Pont kept the single-based powders.

Double-based powders consist of nitroglycerine and nitrocellulose, while single-based are nitrocellulose only. The former are faster burning, and usually used in shotguns and handguns, while the latter are rifle powders. Du Pont developed the entire line of IMR (Improved Military Rifle) powders, many with the .30-06 in mind. Early IMR powders intended for the .30- 06 include 3031, 4064, and 4320, all introduced around 1935. Seventy years later, all are still in production.

Around 1941, as war loomed, the U.S. Army made some changes to its .30-06 ammunition for use in machine guns. This resulted in the development of what is now known as IMR 4895. It is one of the best all-around .30- 06 powders ever developed. After 1945, Bruce Hodgdon bought huge lots of government surplus 48985 and used it to build his infant powder company. H-4895 is a fantastic powder with many uses, even 60 years later – all owed to the .30-06.

Hercules grew as a company and during the 1980s brought out its ‘Reloder’ line of powders imported from Europe, one of which – Reloder 19 – is one of the best .30- 06 propellants ever made. Progress in hunting bullets was understandably slower. Rather early, target shooters settled on a 172-grain bullet as ideal for the .30-06, and that is not far off the current standard, which deems the 180-grain to be a bit heavy, and the 150 a bit light.

The current crop of superb 165- grain bullets was developed largely for the .30-06. Over the years, it has been loaded with every .308-diameter bullet imaginable. In 1937, Sharpe reported there were about 40 factory loads available. Standards have been the 180 and 150, of course, but it was also possible to get 110, 125, 130, 145, 173, and, at the other end, 220 and 225- grain loads.

At times, 250-grain bullets have been made for it. As powders became slower burning, it was possible to increase velocity with heavier bullets, but the law of diminishing returns kicks in rather quickly above 180 grains. As late as the 1960s, experts recommended a 220-grain load for hunting in Alaska.

While the old 220s were heavy in weight they were light in jacket, and shed weight rapidly as they expanded, even at .30-06 velocities. Once the new generation of premium bullets came along, everything changed.

Consider the implications of a 220-grain bullet that hits an animal and sheds half its weight. You end up with a 110-grain shard, and poor penetration. Instead, shoot a 165-grain Bear Claw or Woodleigh; you get higher initial velocity, flatter trajectory, 90 per cent weight retention, and good penetration – the best of all worlds. With 165-grain bullets from Nosler (the Partition), Trophy Bonded, Woodleigh, Swift, and the plethora of new bondedcores, the .30-06 may well be the best allaround hunting cartridge ever made.

And, because of the range of fine powders available, excellent performance can be obtained from a 22- or 23-inch barrel, making a rifle that is short, light and handy for everything from the African veld to the Alaskan mountains. To illustrate how the .30-06 has evolved, a selection of loads from years past and the current day: