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My child will be 10 next month and before I left Colorado I traded for a marlin youth rifle. Now is the time to give her a nice birthday gift, but I don't want recoil or report to scare her. Anyone cast a nice 150 gr gascheck for reduced loads and have any suggestions on what powder to use?
I have a coffee can full of Lee 309-130-Round nose if you are interested. These are as cast, not checked or lubed. Sold the mold and don't know when I will get around to using them.
I would recommend a PB bullet under 8 grains unique has worked great for me and little recoil.
Me 2 the 165 plain base with unique is a lot of fun at 50 yards , and it will definitely teach you to hold over at a 100 yards .Quote:
Originally Posted by 380AUTO
My child is very small for her age. Thus the reduction in load. I do have some unique.
How much do you want for said boolits and are they good for a reduction load?
Bullfrog, five to seven grains of just about any pistol powder behind a (roughly) 170 grain plain based lead boolet will safely get you where you want to be with no recoil (or leading) issues for the little one. As noted above in other posts you can go much lighter on the boolets, too. I have a Marlin 336 that eats just about any cast load I feed it - including light ones - but I also have a Winchester 94 that's only really happy with heavier, longer slugs. You'll need to do a little load development. For gas-checked 175 gr. boolets, I like 16 grains of 2400 which always gives good accuracy and no leading issues. The recoil is very mild for a man, but might be a bit much for a small child. In my lever guns I just use as-cast boolets tumble lubed in liquid Alox cut with mineral spirits. For the more powerful gas-checked rounds I use a sizer die, but that's mainly just to seat the check.
I'm no expert so take what follows with a grain (or several) of salt. I'm in a local cowboy club and they don't allow 30-30s in competition. You have to have a pistol caliber carbine/rifle using only plain-based boolets, that can hold ten rounds. They do have a special division for kids using .22s. I have no idea if this is true for all cowboy clubs. They don't allow gas checks in any matches. Once a year we hold a Bar-B-Q and a special 100 yard offhand match where you can use 30-30s or any other pre-1900 rifle cartridge (in a period-correct rifle), but again no gas checks and only plain-based lead boolets. While it's not especially "cowboy" they grudgingly accept my 1893 Mauser in 7x57 ;-)
Good luck getting your little one into shooting!
Best regards
Doc
In my 94, I used 8 grains of Unique with the 31141 and 311291 bullets. Two things to watch for, I had to size mine to 309 to get them to chamber in the 94. Also, my gun shot way low with the open sights using these light loads. I had to go to a higher front sight after input from TexasbyGod and that has put me back closer to zero at 50 yards. Sending you a PM.
Round nose bullets are not usually recommended for a lever with a magazine. Hate for these to go off in the magazine.
Round nose lead bullets will be fine in a lever gun, especially at the recoil levels he's looking for. As mentioned, the 311291 is a good bullet in .30-30 lever guns, I've used it too.
Thanks fellas! Rich it is good to hear from you again.
Bullfrog, I sent you a PM.
Unique loads in a rifle will be like shooting a mild .357 Maganum in a carbine. Very mild recoil. It gives new life to guns once relegated to a once a year hunt, fun and cheap plinking.
Please limit discussion to the initial WTB: