can't find 2400. Other powders for .30-06?

[Cmm_3940]

I've been getting set up to start casting for .30-06, and my first mold is finally on the way (311299). From what I've read here, the classic starting point is 16 grains of 2400. There's just one problem - I haven't seen any 2400 for sale around here for a couple years. At this point, I have everything I need to get started BUT the powder. What other good/popular powder selections are there that I can look for to get started? I'll be loading for a Win 70 for the most part. I don't anticipate the need for a lot of range and power, at least at first. I plan on shooting paper at 100 yds.

[Maven]

Red Dot, Unique, 5744, H/IMR 4198 come to mind, but certainly not in the same amounts.

[aspangler]

What Maven said. My load for 06 is 170 gr Lee gc'd over 13.5 gr. Red dot. Works for me. See my thread "Here I go again."

[Outpost75]

You can use as little as 6 grains of Red Dot, 700-X or Bullseye, or 9 grains of Unique or PB, or 12 grs. of #2400 without the GC for really cheap plinkers.

If all you are doing is punching paper at 100 yards, keep your velocity down under 1400 fps and save money by not using gaschecks.

With the gallery loads I generally load the bullets as-cast and unsized, cast no harder than 12 BHN and just tumble-lube with Lee Liquid Alox.

[ravelode]

5744 is my choice for higher velocity and Promo is good for low velocity, it's way cheaper than Red Dot, if you buy an 8lb jug. Split one with a couple of buddies and it gets affordable.

[Calamity Jake]

SR4759, SR 4756, Green Dot, ACC #9, AA 1680 Trail Boss and 5-6 more I can't think of right now, besides the above.

[jonp]

I always find these threads interesting. Anyone can open a manual and look at the different powders for a given caliber that will work but its more helpful to ask what guys and gals are using to get a good starting point if you don't have a ton of money and powder to burn through.

[Shuz]

I've used 3031 with success in the .30-06 with cast boolits.

[grouch]

I use H110 in 30 06, .303Brit, 30 40, 30 30, and .257 Rob. in place of 2400 with similar charges. I save the 2400 for my 45 70, which does'nt like H110. It gives me equal accuracy, and usually I can get the 110 a bit cheaper.
Grouch

[lostsixgunner]

I have always read that H110 & W296 should not be used in reduced charges in straight wall handgun loads.
Would that not apply to its use in rifle cases as well?

[DougGuy]

I have always read that H110 & W296 should not be used in reduced charges in straight wall handgun loads.
Would that not apply to its use in rifle cases as well?

I would say yes based on the fact that the danger of downloading it comes when you have less than about 70% or 75% case fill. Correct me if I am wrong, but what can happen is with a lower volume of powder in the case, it will lay in the bottom and will expose the top surface area of the powder to the primer flame. This can cause a greater area of powder to ignite resulting in a dangerous and unpredictable spike in pressure. I don't see that there would be any difference in straight walled pistol cartridge as opposed to bottleneck rifle cartridge. In fact there is the possibility of it being even more dangerous in a rifle cartridge due to the primer being much stronger and hotter than a pistol primer.

I specifically go to 2400 in .45 Colt (Ruger ONLY!) loads when I want to clock it back into the 75% - 90% power range, and I use H110 for max velocity loads.

My go to powder for 180gr plain base boolits in .308 is 41.5gr H4895.

[uscra112]

Blue Dot - marginally faster than 2400. Works for me in the K31 and Krag.

[243winxb]

IMR4895 or H4895 for full power loads. When you using a gas check, load her up.

[btroj]

RE 7 is always a good choice. Much of powder choice depends on the desired velocity.

I always think velocity first then chose a powder that will give me that velocity at a reasonable pressure.

[JeffinNZ]

I have always read that H110 & W296 should not be used in reduced charges in straight wall handgun loads.
Would that not apply to its use in rifle cases as well?

The RCBS lists this powder in the .30-30

[USSR]

18.0gr of IMR4227 as a starting load will get you where you want to be.

Don

[taco650]

I got some Longshot recently (similar burn rate to 2400) for the same reason listed in your OP. I've found that 16.0gr of it w/ 224 cast boolit in my 303 Brit gave great results. Also check Unique. ~12-18gr should work according to my 45th edition Lyman reloading manual.

[Cmm_3940]

Thanks! Good stuff.

[Photog]

I had very good results with Power Pistol, http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?162667-Power-Pistol-and-168g-Cast-boolit-with-CG

[jonp]

I have always read that H110 & W296 should not be used in reduced charges in straight wall handgun loads.
Would that not apply to its use in rifle cases as well?
I have a 1958 H110 can in my hand. On the front it says Hodgdons Rifle Powder H110. On the back it lists 30-06 Charge 11.5gr with a 170gr Lead GC Velocity 1385.
I always think of H110 as a magnum handgun powder but it was not always so

[Bullshop Junior]

I have a 1958 H110 can in my hand. On the front it says Hodgdons Rifle Powder H110. On the back it lists 30-06 Charge 11.5gr with a 170gr Lead GC Velocity 1385.
I always think of H110 as a magnum handgun powder but it was not always so

This is very interesting!! I have always wondered this since it is very close in burn rate to 2400...

[grouch]

Well, Doug guy - I read the caution too, and can only say that an old friend has been using H110 in cast bullet rifle loads since the early '60s with no problems, and I've shot up about 30# of it, likewise with no problems and results that compare well to what I got with 2400.
Grouch

[Elkins45]

I have a 1958 H110 can in my hand. On the front it says Hodgdons Rifle Powder H110. On the back it lists 30-06 Charge 11.5gr with a 170gr Lead GC Velocity 1385.
I always think of H110 as a magnum handgun powder but it was not always so

I think we've learned some stuff since 1958 from experience. While H110/296 have burning rates similar to 2400, there seems to be a lot of anecdotal evidence that the ignition characteristics are quite a bit different.

It seems like there's a lot of consensus that the "old school" flake powders tend to be less sensitive to position in big cases than spherical ones. Personally, I'm not planning on using H-110 for reduced loads in any cartridge.

Edit: I was typing this while grouch was posting. Maybe I'm being overly cautious? But since I don't use a lot of H-110 anyway I doubt it will ever be an issue for me.

[HARRYMPOPE]

I use 7g of Bullseye and bullets without gachecks attached rolled in lee alox in the '06.You dont need a filler/wad of dacron and pistol primers work fine.its about a 2-2.5 MOA load and doesn't take a lot of time to make piles of ammo.id rather shoot than spend hours tweaking on perfect loads these days.I have a powder measure for 7g BE and shoot that charge in many calibers.The Lee 155 AK/SKS Harris bullet is great on for the '06 that will chamber the unsized bullet.

The RCBS manual used 110 and 296 in rifle loads.I have used it a bunch is 30-30 and 308 with no bad luck.I only used 18.5-19.5 on the 308 and 16-17 in the 30-30,no other loads.it was started by California CBA shooters back in the 1980's and they were winning alot of matches with that powder.Ed Harris sent back some cast loads to Winchester i believe back then and they were not happy with pressure spikes they saw and didn't recommend it.(this is an old memory so hopefully i am correct)

[MtGun44]

I have had good results with Unique, starting at 10 gr and increasing a bit.

Bill

[Eddie2002]

Bullseye is my powder choice for 30-06 plinkers. I'm shooting a 100 grain cast WW bullet, a little light for most plinker loads over 5-6 grains of Bullseye, Works great out to 50 yds and then spreads out. Just loaded 8 grains of Greendot to test out but haven't got to the range yet. I am using a small wad of cotton about the size of my fingernail to hold the powder in the bottom of the case against the primer. The cotton really helped the grouping with the different plinker loads I've tried.

[Bullshop Junior]

I have been using titewad in everything. Why? Because I have...well had over 20 pounds of it I got for $10 a pound.

[Char-Gar]

Start by telling us which powders your have or can acquire. It makes little sense to suggest powders you don't have or can't acquire.