Reduced loads???????

[mikeym1a]

I will readily admit my ignorance on this topic. I want a reduced plinker load for my several rifles, and don't quite know where to start. How do you pick a powder? Which powders are good for this? I am thinking of velocities around 900-1300fps. What about all the empty space in the case? Any chance of 'detonation'? Before I try this, I would like a bit more info. If there is a sticky that I have missed, please direct my attention to it.

Thanks for any help. mike

[fcvan]

Mike, there's a great resource for such things in the 'classics and stickies' section. Look here

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?17536-Favorite-reduced-loads

[mdi]

Besides the answer from fcvan, look here http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=Al8vJ.uxMZJRBSBJGOnPeuybvZx4?p=reduced +loads+for+rifles&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-900

[HARRYMPOPE]

Bullseye and no filler for loads under 1000.

[paul h]

I've used bullseye, red dot and unique. Basically any of the faster to medium rate handgun/shotgun powders will work. When you get under 1000 GPS I find a small tab of to to hold the powder o Ed the primer helps with consistent ignition/velocities. Injustice use the powders I use for my handguns, no particular preference.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

caliber ?

my fav for 223rem is 4.0gr red dot with a 50gr to 60gr. boolit for a 1:12 or 1:14 twist bolt action rifle. I get about 1600fps.
it's kind of like shooting a 22Mag rimfire.

[Outpost75]

In most .30s, 150-grain flatnose bullet works best, no harder than 12 BHN

4 grains of Bullseye in 7.62x39
5 grains of Bullseye in .30-30
6 grains of Bullseye in .303 British, .30-40 or .308
7 grains of Bullseye in .30-'06
No filler is needed.
Standard large rifle primers.
Velocity will be about 1000-1100 fps.

OK to adjust charge for best accuracy increasing up to one grain of Bullseye.

[sthwestvictoria]

The classic article about reduced loads is by Ed CE Harris using Red Dot, however he specifies .30 rifles only:
http://members.shaw.ca/cronhelm/TheLoad.html

For factory data if you have a 30-30, 45-70 or other cowboy type rifle there is a small amount of factory data using Hodgdon powders, found in their free .pdf under Cowboy data - page 32:
http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Hodgdon%20Basic%20Manual.pdf

After that Lyman reloading manuals or the Lyman Cast Bullet book, 3rd or 4th Ed.

[williamwaco]

I like Unique 8 to 10 grains.
I have really good luck with the Lee 170 grain FP

I use this same load in .30-30, .308, .38-55

It is absolutely not position sensitive. I do not use filler because it is not needed.
My chronograph results show that the difference in velocity between powder-back, powder-middle, and powder-forward is less than the spread between the individual rounds of the same load.

[sthwestvictoria]

Another factory source of reduced loads is Hodgdons youth loads and 60% rule. THis only applied to H4895 (AR2206H for us Australians) where Hodgdon states you can reduce H4895 by up to 60% of maximal loads:
http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/H4895%20Reduced%20Rifle%20Loads.pdf

Hodgdon also provide a 70% case volume load rule for starting loads using Trail Boss:
http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Trail%20Boss%20Reduced%20Loads%20R&P.pdf

[willie_pete]

I learned a lot from this:

http://guns.connect.fi/gow/arcane1.html

WP

[runfiverun]

the faster powders like bullseye, red-dot, 700-x and clays are going to be your better ones for the slooow rounds.
notice these are all flake type powders also used in shot shell rounds so are designed to burn at lower pressures.
moving up to unique and herco type speeds will also need an increase in powder volume
[velocity will follow of course ] to burn well.

[Tim357]

Get a copy of Lee's reloading manual. There is a chapter that deals with reduced rifle loads. This chapter alone is worth the price of the book. Great stuff there, I highly recommend it!
Tim sends

[Jeff H]

One of my favorite casting/handloading topics!

I've played with a lot of cartridges in this manner, to include a few I use regularly in this manner; the .38/.357, .223, and most recently the 300 BLK. Unique is tough to beat but have used W231 a lot too.

.38/.357 - LEE 125 RFs, or a little more lead and a little less effort, the LEE 358 SWC TL

.223 - LEE/RDO 225-50 RF TL

300 BLK - LEE 309 170 FN or 314 115 RF (tumble-lubed, sans gas checks)

My Unique loads for the .223 are typically below "book" and for the .357, I use from starting loads to about mid-range of what's in the manuals (except the latest Lyman CBH - which has NO Unique loads for the .357?). I have found NO such load data for the 300 BLK so I have been on my own but its case volume is extremely well suited to the faster pistol pistol powders and mild to moderate cast bullet loads. The 170 grainer in the 300 BLK is shooting under a half inch at 50 yards with Unique.

[dromia]

Ed Harris's seminal work on Cast Bullets in Military rifles is a good read on reduced loads.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?13425-Cast-Bullet-Loads-for-Military-Rifles-Article

[Piedmont]

What I always end up asking myself if I go real light with the rifle loads is why not just shoot .22LR and have no work loading and no brass retrieval. For the past year .22 has been hard to get but some of us have a stash.

On the other hand, loading down big bores is appealing because they become easy to shoot and, if needed, would still drop a deer out to 100 yards.

[bangerjim]

First and foremost.........load the powder you CAN FIND!!!!!!!!!! This is important!

I have 9 different powders I use and play around with loads. Best thing is rely on the published load datas and then start out low. There are those on here that go as far as using a software program to calculate loads. I do it by the seat of my pants. Have not had any "barrel stickers" yet!

I use a 100wt paper circle cut with the correct diameter HF gasket punch die on my 45LC reduced loads. Helps a lot. I just use a 357 case to ram it down against the lite powder load.

Good luck in you quest. You are in the right place to ask the questions.

bangerjim

[mikeym1a]

What I always end up asking myself if I go real light with the rifle loads is why not just shoot .22LR and have no work loading and no brass retrieval. For the past year .22 has been hard to get but some of us have a stash.

On the other hand, loading down big bores is appealing because they become easy to shoot and, if needed, would still drop a deer out to 100 yards.

Our original muzzle loading rifle, the Pennsylvania rifle, had a muzzle velocity of about 1200fps. Long ago, when my kids were young, I taught them to shoot with .22RF's. Each had their very own single shoot. It was not unusual for us to go through a brick in an afternoon. Even back then, that got expensive. When I started them shooting handguns, I choose the .32S&WL. I found that I could load them for about 3.5c ea. .22s at the time were about 2.5c ea. It just seems wasteful to shoot a cartridge and throw the case away. Had I to do over, I would try and get them a single shoot chambered for the .32 S&WL, or even the short. I like the little .22, I have about 5K in stock, but find shooting the bigger bores more enjoyable. The .22 will do the job, but, I want something more 'grown up'. Plus there's the challenge of making an accurate shootable load. :-)

[MtGun44]

Like William said - 8-10 gr of Unique.

Bill

[paul h]

What I always end up asking myself if I go real light with the rifle loads is why not just shoot .22LR and have no work loading and no brass retrieval. For the past year .22 has been hard to get but some of us have a stash.

On the other hand, loading down big bores is appealing because they become easy to shoot and, if needed, would still drop a deer out to 100 yards.

You get a more satisfying whap when the bullet hits the target, especially if you're using something like a 35 caliber flatpoint bullet. I guess the other thing is it's a pity to have a bunch of money tied up into a centerfire rifle that you rarely use with full power loads and it's nice to take it out and make it go bang without spending a fortune on ammo.

[Jon]

In most .30s, 150-grain flatnose bullet works best, no harder than 12 BHN

4 grains of Bullseye in 7.62x39
5 grains of Bullseye in .30-30
6 grains of Bullseye in .303 British, .30-40 or .308
7 grains of Bullseye in .30-'06
No filler is needed.
Standard large rifle primers.
Velocity will be about 1000-1100 fps.

OK to adjust charge for best accuracy increasing up to one grain of Bullseye.

Good to know. I have plenty of bullseye, and want to develop some plinking loads for my rifles that don't use gas checks. :-P

[leadman]

The problem of "detonation" is usually associated with the rifle powders like 4350 and slower. I use alot of Unique, 700X, and PB. Haven't tried Bullseye because I have so many other powders in stock.

If you can find the older Lyman #3 Cast bullet manual this contains more loads with the slow shotgun/pistol powders than the new $4 manual.

[Eddie2002]

For my 30-06 and 7.7 Jap Arisaka 5 to 6 grains of Bullseye or Greendot pushing a 100 grain .311 cast bullet works great out to 75yds. I'm using a Lee .311 100 two cavity mould with WW lead and home made bullet lube. Haven't had a chance to fine tune the load past 75yds, the local range has been closed for renovations for the last three months. It's a lot of fun shooting a center fire and having the recoil and report along the lines of a rimfire.

[gwpercle]

Ed Harris did a bit of work with reduced loads and Red Dot and found it to be good for that application. I have a 303 British Enfield, bought a can of Red Dot because it was the ONLY powder on the shelf several months ago, My Lee boolit mould finally got off back order along with a sizer die...now to cast em up and load them over "The Load" - 13.0 grains Red Dot and go shootin. O.K. Ed I'm going to put your your expertise to the test.