Rifle shooting..............

[trixter]

Being the tightwad that I am I need some help. I have a 30-06 that I shoot 155gr RFP with gas check in and I am getting results that I like with 17gr Unique. I also have a Remington 700 bolt in 300 Savage that I want to shoot the same boolit, and powder, but I cannot find any formulas for that combination, I am thinking about starting with 12gr of Unique, and working my way up to ?? and see what happens. What are your thoughts?

[rsrocket1]

I think that is a good idea. I usually start a new weight bullet in my .308 with 10g Unique and work up to best accuracy. I think 17g may be a little too hot for 300 Savage so 12 would be a better place to start.

[Yodogsandman]

17.0gr Unique is way too hot for the 300 Savage and it's the max load listed for the 30-06. Being so close to a 308 Win in case capacity, I would use that data if I couldn't find 300 Savage data. A 151gr Lyman 311466 for 308 Win has a listed starting load of 11.0gr to a max load of 15.0gr Unique (38,000 CUP). All data is from Lyman 47th Edition Reloading Handbook. So in this case, I'd use a starting load of 10.0gr of Unique due to the slightly less case capacity and slightly more boolit weight. YMMV

[NC_JEFF]

Wasn't "The Load" originally 10 grains of Unique? A lot has been done with cast boolits and fast powders since then but I agree with Yodog, 10 grains would be a good starting point

[John Boy]

Why is no one else using Unique for the 300 Savage?
http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=300%20Savage&Weight=All&type=rifle&Order=Powder&Source=

[bangerjim]

Why is no one else using Unique for the 300 Savage?
http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=300%20Savage&Weight=All&type=rifle&Order=Powder&Source=

Because there are better cleaner powders for 30 cal rifles than that 100 year old formula powder.

[runfiverun]

Ding..

[rsrocket1]

Why is no one else using Unique for the 300 Savage?
http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=300%20Savage&Weight=All&type=rifle&Order=Powder&Source=

Try it out yourself. At 10 grains of Unique, I'm sure you won't shoot your eye out. In fact I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Don't be turned off if you have sooty necks as long as the case body is clean. With a 20" barrel and a medium to large bottle neck case, I've found that 10 grains of just about any fast to medium speed pistol powder (Clays, Titewad, Red Dot, Unique, Bullseye, Power Pistol, 800X) all perform incredibly close because all of them are 100% consumed well before the bullet exits the barrel.

So rather than worry about what powder to use, work on the most accurate charge of whatever powder you have the most of (or any of).

[303Guy]

I worry about the faster powders and extreme pressure shock waves. I've had the necks of cases jamming in the chamber without pressure signs on the primer. The same chamber does not jamb cases with full power loads. The powder in question was Clays. I now use it only at very low levels like 4.5 grains in a 303 Brit.

[PAT303]

12grns of TB under a soft air cooled .315 or better yet .316 boolit works for me in the 303. Pat

[tsubaki]

For the .300 Savage the Lyman 46th Edition lists 8.5gr-13.0gr of Unique to be used with a 169gr and 178gr cast.

Comparing the cast stuff in 30/06 the range is 12.5gr-17.0gr for a 151gr and 12.0gr-16.5gr for a 169gr and 170gr.

I would hazard to guess 9.0gr-13.0gr would be safe in the .300 Savage with a 155gr cast.

[trixter]

Because there are better cleaner powders for 30 cal rifles than that 100 year old formula powder.

Yup I agree, but that is what I have to shoot lead boolits.

Thanks

[Yodogsandman]

Yup I agree, but that is what I have to shoot lead boolits.

Thanks

Unique isn't always the best but, it works good in almost everything it isn't the best at. This is a top powder for a cast shooter to have on their shelf. That might be why it's survived so long.

[bangerjim]

Yup I agree, but that is what I have to shoot lead boolits.

Thanks


I hear 'ya bud! In this day of powder shortages, we all have to get by with what we have and can find. Some of us are fortunate to have a "stock" of powders from the "pre-Obummer daze" and can shoot different loads. Finding it today seems to be getting easier. Standard rifle powders are becoming very prevalent in all my LGS's and big box sports stores around here and the reports on here are promising too. It is the fast pistol powders that are still in a somewhat precarious supply situation.

Load safe.........have fun!

banger-j

[woody1]

trixter, start at 9 gr. and quit at 13 gr. Unique. Oh, someone already said that! My data is from the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, #3. Regards, Woody