All,
I've just decided to join this forum after over a year of using it for information. Many thanks for all the good useable advice I've received to this point.
I am working up a 30-06 hard cast load for an M1917 Eddystone. It is standard configuration, 26" barrel, 5 grooves. Seems to shoot 150 & 180 grain jacketed bullets okay. But...
I'm nearly unable to group 5 shots of 165 gr RNFP (no gas checks... yet). These are hard cast from SlashK, they purport that these bullets are 15 on the SAECO hardness scale (~35 BHN). They're .308" and 0.93 inches long.
I'll explain what I've done so far and hopefully someone can point me in the right direction.
I've loaded these buggers with 18 gr Alliant 2400 to 3.050" COL. I put a heavy crimp on these rounds and they shot terribly. Something like 18" 5 shot group at 35 yards. No key-holes but these things are high, low, port and starboard from where I'm asking them to go.
Finally, I changed two things at once (very scientific, I know!). 16 gr Alliant 2400 and zero crimp. This yielded a better group, maybe 5 inches. Still a long way to go.
Any advice or hints would be much appreciated.
Thank you, Jim K.