Decided to try full power loading

[Kim]

I've been shooting 15 gr. of 2400 behind an Ideal 308274 at 199 gr. in my Ruger 1-B for a while now and decided to try for a full power hunting load. A 180 gr. RCBS FNGC at 190gr. (Brinell 21) with CCI 200 and 50 gr. of IMR 4350 was my first try yesterday. Inch and a half at 50 yards and the barrel is clean as a whistle (recoil was plentiful). I used Carnauba Red from White Label Lube Co. sized to .309. I consider this an early success and will now "fiddle" with the components and try to get smaller groups. I want to thank this forum and all its members for all the information
shared here that has made my first try at full power so encouragingly successful.

[Kim]

PS It's a 30-06! DUH!

[white eagle]

excellent first time results
keep going

[TXGunNut]

Very encouraging early results, keep us posted!

[pworley1]

You can never do enough fiddling around with your loads. That is why this is so much fun.

[MT Chambers]

I usually have to work very hard to get good accuracy out of that kind of load using Boolits.

[jhalcott]

I tried virgin Linotype alloy some years ago with hunting in mind. I figured the higher velocity would help down the animals quicker! Not all our plans work the way we hope! The deer did NOT fall over instantly, but ran a good distance squirting blood. I had one buck with no exit hole and I couldn't find the boolit. The chest cavity was a mess. The shot was into the onside shoulder, thru the onside lung, heart and offside lung. It looked like a GINZU knife went spinning thru. I believe the boolit started tumbling after it hit the shoulder/rib at about 80 yards. This was a LONG ~185 grain slug moving over 2500 fps. The same slug at ~2200 or less had MUCH better results when cast of #2 alloy.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Enjoy the exercise, but save that load for critters you don't plan on eating.

[Harter66]

Well done ! My boolits haven't cooperated well enough to meet that yet although there is some promise of success in several loads .
If the OP has a minimum energy rule like mine (it is a legal statute) then it may be necessary to drive that hard to meet the law.

[starmac]

Just curious, how does the game warden, or whoever check the energy status of your handloads. I can see if you are using an inadequate caliber to meet their requirements, but it seems checking them would be hard and even harder to enforce.

[Harter66]

No idea just know what the law says . I try to avoid finding out how the load would be proved or disproved . I guess maybe all 18 wardens in the state have a scale and a Chrony. I had a thread about a year ago about all of the legal pistol cartridges that make the cut but nobody in their right mind would hunt big game with them . Just to keep it clear to meet 30 cal ,1000 ftlb/100 yd takes a .400 BC 200gr @ 1900 fps muzzle. It's not hard to get there with an 06' .
It was merely a suggestion as to why he might want or need to go full bore.

[Whiterabbit]

wow, lucky. I can't hit the broad side of the target with H4350 in my 7x57. Wish I could! I also load reduced loads for cast in that rifle.

[Mike H]

I've been shooting 15 gr. of 2400 behind an Ideal 308274 at 199 gr. in my Ruger 1-B for a while now and decided to try for a full power hunting load. A 180 gr. RCBS FNGC at 190gr. (Brinell 21) with CCI 200 and 50 gr. of IMR 4350 was my first try yesterday. Inch and a half at 50 yards and the barrel is clean as a whistle (recoil was plentiful). I used Carnauba Red from White Label Lube Co. sized to .309. I consider this an early success and will now "fiddle" with the components and try to get smaller groups. I want to thank this forum and all its members for all the information
shared here that has made my first try at full power so encouragingly successful.

Good start Kim,
Not sure what ranges you usually shoot game at but move out to 100 yards and see how your rifle groups there,if it is no more than 3"" you will be alright for the closer ranges.I believe you should test to the maximum distance you are likely to shoot at.
Mike.

[largom]

I would try boolits sized to .310 or .311 if your chamber will accept them.

Larry

[44man]

All my life I used jacketed bottom loads with cast and worked up, some heavier then jacketed when accuracy was found. I never found shotgun powders to work. Give me 3031 or 4895 in the 30-30 and 4064 or slower in the larger.
WHY NOT 4350 in the 06?

[Whiterabbit]

Because many of us find that with standard casting and loading practices, poor accuracy is to be found at 100 yards. That it takes some very special work to make 4350 work with cast. You imply that with enough motivation, effort, and development, we can make it work. I agree! but it's not an iron many of us are willing to put into the fire.

[44man]

I never liked a pinch of powder in a rifle case. Never liked it in a revolver either. I refuse to say cast has to take a bottom position. Worked loads with fast powders and seen never a difference but with slow I could work a load. Tell me 1/10 of a gr of 2400 means anything. REALLY?

[Harter66]

I have found that 4350 can be used but I believe it is easiest when you have heavy for cartridge boolits. I actually have done well with the x39 and 200gr boolits . The biggest problem I had was getting the loads up to pressure and finding a happy alloy . 32 Rem worked out as well too . While I haven't done well with the 7mms it has been velocity and hitting pressure in the smaller cases while alloy and it's limits are the hitch in larger cases . Of course I try to work every load as if it were to hunt.
Yep a fair bit of fooling around but worth it .

[Whiterabbit]

I think you nailed it. Bottleneck cartridges and expansion volume. I use H4350 in my 510 wells express with cast and it is GREAT. But typical deer cartridges, I've had no luck. You mention 7mm, 7x57 is exactly what didn;t work out for me. 135gn, 150 gn, 160 gn, 175 grain. Just didn;t work for me. Tiny expansion chamber? Maybe? It's my go-to powder for jacketed and copper solids in the 7x57, but just never worked out with cast.

Maybe if I loaded it REALLY light it could be made to work. That might be worth trying sometime.

[44man]

There is a time to change, 3031, Varget, etc. Medium burns.
Case size and less friction from cast.
I would not reduce 4350.
Any rifle case I have tried Unique in was a waste. Push is lost fast so even though you can get some velocity, it never seems to even out.
Same in the .44 where 7 gr shoots the same as 10 gr even though velocity will increase. Working in 1/10 gr increments shows nothing for accuracy.
Barrel length and twist also has an affect. Powder choice is always an experiment.
Load manuals can be a pain since there is a whole list of powders and many look to see the velocity. With every caliber there will be only 1 or 2 powders in the list that are best. It is not an easy pick.