30-30 2400 pressures with 311413

[45&30-30]

I received some load data off another site many years ago. The information was to have come out of a Lyman Cast bullet manual. For a 311413 165 grain GC boolit it listed 18gr 2400 at 1905fps and 22gr 2400 at 2300fps. I do not have this manual and wanted to know if anyone knew what the pressure would be at the low and high end. I am mixing an alloy and wanted to get the BHN right for this testing with 2400. I will be using the RD 311-165 GC.

[405]

What you are quoting I can't find in my Lyman books. Obviously no manuals will have data for such and such RD cast bullets. The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook only lists 2400 under a 115 gr bullet. The Lyman 49th Edition Reloading Handbook may have more data?

But, here's from Lyman 48th Edition Reloading Handbook for 30-30 Win
Lyman #2 alloy standard

311291 (170 gr) 2400 max 18.5 gr 1853 fps 37500 CUP OAL 2.521"
311041 (173 gr) 2400 max 19.0 gr 1909 fps 36600 CUP OAL 2.510"

[Char-Gar]

A couple of thoughts on the issue at hand;

1. 2400 is a great cast bullet powder for loads up to about 1.7 fps in the 30-30 cartridge.
2. 15 to 16 grains will get you to the sweet spot with about any decent cast bullet in the 30-30.
3. 17 grains will give you a load that will kill a deer grave yard dead as long as the bullet has a decent meplat. There is nothing to be grained by going any faster. Such loads won't kill better or shoot much flatter.
4. If you want to go faster than 1.7K up to 2.2K you will need a slower powder for decent accuracy. 3031, 4895, H335 and the like are what you want.
5. Air cooled WW is good for up to about 1.9K fps.
6. From 1.9K fps and up No. 2 and Taracorp Magnum is about the right alloy.
7. The loads listed are not dangerous, just not accurate.

The Lyman cast data is often just data/numbers and bears no resemblance to real world cast bullet shooting. Just because a load appears in some Lyman book, does't mean it will shoot for sour apples. Some will shoot and many won't.

1. The loads you listed are several fps higher than the actual yield of those loads.
2. Those loads would spray all over the target as 311413 is the Lyman version of the Squibb bullet which rolls snake eyes (accuracy wise) at much over 1.5 or 1.6 fps.
3. Sure wouldn't want to use 311413 in a tubular magazine as it is a needle nose bullet.

The above is probably more than you want or doesn't suit your preconceived notions, so disregard if you chose.

I am not familiar with your bullet (RD 311-165). Is that a Lee number? I have close to 200 bullet molds, but only one if an over the counter Lee. I do have about a dozen custom Lee molds.

[45&30-30]

Thank you both for the information. Chargar, heap it on, what I don't absorb today will answer tomorrow's question. :D I keep seeing the 16/2400 coming up. Must be a reason. I'll try that out. The RD 311-165 I was referring to was the Ranch Dog two cavities he used to sell.

[sundog]

I'm with Charles on this. The Ranch Dog molds are all very dandy and can be driven hard. 2400 would NOT be my powder of choice for this GC boolit at the velocity you want to drive them. There are some 30-30 loads on castpics ( www.castpics.net ) that can help. 3031 is a very good powder in 30-30 with GC boolits. When driving them very hard (for a 30-30 that is) 335 and it's surplus cousins like 844 do very well. Certainly a chronograph helps when starting into the upper end of the 30-30 realm. Cast can very well surpass jacketed in 30-30 (and 32 Win Spl - which is a better caliber than 30-30. Biased? Yup.).

[Bulletlube]

I just went thru all 3 Lyman cast bullet handbooks that I have and there is no 2400 data for the 30-30 in any of them.

[BruceB]

Whether or not a given load or powder appears in a handbook means little.

This Board has more experience and knowledge about CAST bullets (in my opinion) than a whole flock of handbook-writers.

With that said, I agree that 2400 is the wrong fuel for high speed in the .30-30, and the other respondents have correctly identified some better powders for the purpose. Also the 311413, as previously stated, is both unsafe in a tubular magazine, and mostly inaccurate above moderate velocity. I have a four-cavity mould for the beast, and I'm not just repeating "common wisdom" in this matter.