Looking for an accurate load for my eddystone 1917 using the Lyman 311291 and 2400 powder
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Looking for an accurate load for my eddystone 1917 using the Lyman 311291 and 2400 powder
14 to 16 grains of 2400 will get you where you want to be, providing the alloy temper, bullet lube and bullet size are correct.
First with your #311291 bullet, try poking the nose of the bullet into the muzzle to check fit. If the fore-part does not cast large enough to require some force to press the nose into the muzzle, either your mold casts too small in the forepart, or the rifle muzzle is worn from cleaning rod wear. In either case the bullet will not shoot accurately.
I have found the NOE clone of the #311299 or #314299 to be a better fit and more accurate in worn .30 cal. military barrels.
If your Eddystone has a new or lightly worn barrel AND your Lyman #311291 mold casts the bore-riding forepart of the bullet at least .3005-.301", there is some chance of normal accuracy, but is has also been my experience that many Eddystone barrels are .302" or larger at the tops of the lands, if you check with gage pins, and a great many Lyman molds are poorly dimensioned with foreparts smaller than .300" and there is absolutely no hope for anything resembling "normal" accuracy.
If you do a pound cast of your chamber, it is also not unusual to observe .30-'06 US Enfields with the unrifled ball seat ahead of the case neck being as large as .314" and you are better off using .303 British dimensioned bullets than US .30s...
Char-Gar,
One of my 1917 "American Enfields" shoots best with a .303. GCCB boolit. = 16 grains of 2400 is a GOOD killer & DEADLY accurate on hogs/WT, too.
yours, tex
The 311291 is a bullet that always shot well for me even when the bore ride did not. I wasn't red lining the loads, but it must be a well balanced bullet, maybe enough body section and not too much nose, that it still did well in multiple .30 caliber rifles with a bore ride section that was not large enough.
17.5 grains 2400 and a 311-291 shot very well for me from my 1903 Springfield Sporter. I have never had an Enfield, mores the pity.
I have one I shoot all the time. The larger the bullet the better. I size mine to .311.they shoot real good. Bullets sized .309 are useless in it. I use Unique 13 grains. And I shoot mine a lot. I was thinking if trying 2400. I like mild loads for my type of shooting.
yes sir, char gar said it 14 - 16gr.
What velocities is 16 gr 2400?Quote:
Originally Posted by 500Linebaughbuck
I have used the 314299 gas checked and sized to .314 with 12.5 grains of Long Shot for both the M1917 and P14 rifles. I set the rear sight at 700 yards. and have no trouble getting 10 and X's on a SR-1 target at 100 yards. This load is very similar to the guard rounds that were used in the 1903 Springfield around the turn of the last century. I just substituted a cast lead bullet for the normal jacketed bullet. I use these loads as getting up in age I cannot take the beating from the full power cartridges and it lets me enjoy shooting high power rifles without having to give up the sport. I am a bit surprised that the ammunition companies did not jump on these for us older folks to shoot since a lot of the older folks do not reload or cast their own bullets.
--fjruple
14-18 grains of 2400 will shoot very well in most 30.06 rifles. I shoot 16.4 grains with a .311291 lubed but not sized in a .311 sizing die. The mold drops a .30975 bulled with my lead mix. I get 1 inch or close 100 yard groups in my scoped Remington model 760 and 1 3/4-2 1/2 in my 1903 Remington with military sights.
We shoot gongs out to 500 yards with military bolt actions at our clubs monthly shoots and I bump the load up to 18 grains for that distance. 16 grains will get there easily with the tall 03 sight.
I shot the same loads in my 1917 Eddy Stone with similar results. As stated above bullet size is really the key. My Lyman 170 flat nose shoots equally as well.
It is easy to double charge with 2400 in a large case so I look inside each case before topping with the bullet. A double charge with this can be catastrophic.
Good Luck and Great Shooting,
TF
All good advice.....BUT....not enough info...you said you have an Eddystone US Model of 1917...cool ..got several myself ..have had at least a dozen..fine guns ..VERY ACCURATE......BUT AGAIN...didn't say what barrel it has..the original ?...JA ?
If it's an original your looking at a very tight bore .30 possibly ...and a very generious groove dia....possibly .311 plus ..they used the Enfield rifling .30 bore .3055 grooves...necessitating a bullet sized at least .312..mine with a pristine barrel loves .313 .and will drive tacks ...... .310 -.311 bullets will
tumble given shotgun groups if they even hit the paper..
If it's a JA two groove your now talking about "normal" 30-06 bore/groove numbers and what the people quoted would be more relevant....
WO pictures it never happened..right?
https://i.imgur.com/pWloKgh.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/O64vOyl.jpg
Got more if your interested...
Enjoy yours !...like I said "they're great guns"..IMO
311291 and 20gr 2400 is very accurate out of mine