I bought a new Tikka T3 for my son. I bought some factory shells but I reload all my rifles. I picked up 50 rounds of new brass and am ready to run some. Which ones have y'all found that worked the best???

Wish I could help but all my loads are over SAMI max spec, and because of that I wouldn't feel safe giving them for someone else to try. I can say the IMR 4350, IMR 4831, H 4350, and H4831 all work great in my 3006. But I also shoot 200+ grain bullets for all my loads.

What bullet weight are you leaning toward? Since this is Texas and the gun is your son's (a youngster?), I'm guessing 130-150 gr bullets. Here I like IMR4320 best, along with IMR4064. You can achieve 3200 fps with the Hornady 130 and 3100 fps with the 150 gr behind IMR4320.

For 165 and 180 gr bullets, look at one of the 4350 powders or Re-19.

That Tikka is a very accurate rifle with almost any load. I have one in .30-06 myself.

I run 165 gr Accubonds with IMR 4350 with great results.

Win brass, fed 210 primers, Berger 168 VLD hunting, 51 grains of Varget. Scary accurate

150 gr Nosler Partitions over IMR4895 usually in or near middle of the scale in the manuals. Win cases and Win WLR primers

Nothing against other powders just had good luck w this and stayed w what ain't broke.

An old reliable load is 150 grain bullet on top of 52 grains of IMR4064. New books may say this is over max-I haven't checked.

A 165 grain bullet with 58 grains of H4350 go together like peas and carrots.

I'm very satisfied with the Hornady 150 grain spire point over RL 15; except that RL 15 is unobtanium these days.

My load for the last few seasons is 180gr Sierra GameKing over 55.4gr IMR4350. Shoots very well in both of my 06s.

-ww

Classic loads for the 06 are:

165gr with about 57gr of 4350 (either one)
150gr with 52/4064

I like Sierras for the 06 and deer

Good luck!

scan thru the above and see why I don't post charge weights except in blackpowder and why I use several reloading manuals to confirm a charge. Two posts with the same weight bullet and same powder but there is a 25% difference from low to high.

TC

52 gr of imr 4895 behind a 150 gr sierra pro hunter. It might not be the fastest or have the best ballistics with its BC, but under 200 yards with a well placed bullet in the < or > it will horseshoe a deer a lot of the time. When you go to the deer and stand at its back the legs and belly will be horseshoe pointing to where you shot from.

TC Good catch, and good advice! (always confirm with several loading manuals)... I corrected my typo.

I play with several of them.

The best accuracy load(not hunting) is the Sierra 180gr Match King with 48 grains of IMR4064. It's both pleasant to shoot and deadly accurate in all of my 06's.

That's almost identical to my best 180 grain load.

IMR 4350 is my go to powder for the 30-06. I've had too good of results to switch to anything else. I'll play with H4350, and sometimes 4831 for the heavy bullets. But 4350 has been great.

I wanted to say "Thanks" to all that posted. I will be sure to look thru all and try some. I did try one batch using Nosler 150gr. Ballistic Tips. IMR 4350 @ 58.0gr using Winchester brass and CCI-200 primers. Ran pretty good and had 4 shots inside a 1" square after I moved the scope around after bore sighting.
Thanks again y'all and good hunting!!!

This exactly. 150 and 180 grain IMR4350 works very well.

I use H4350 with 150gr hornady and nosler bullets. this was my first powder to try and have not dad a reason to try another.

My all time favorite load is 125gr Sierra Pro-Hunter over 58grs of IMR 4350 in Winchester brass and CCI 200 primers at around 3000fps. This load is pretty mild in recoil and a plesure to shoot. It is very accurate. The last 3 deer taken with this load were eiter DRT or a very short blood trail. Good luck in your testing.

46 gr. 3031 and any 180 gr. bullet

Good advice

Im currently using IMR 4064 with a hornday 165 sst at 48.3 grains. Has been very accurate for me so far.

Just use whatever your barrel likes.....

180 grains is awesome out of someone else's barrel but sucks out of mine. Just a thought.