Reloading Question....

[leadhead]

I have a buddy that has a Spanish 1916 converted to .308.....
He loaded 25 grs of 2400 behind a 150 gr jacketed bullet to
use for deer season. He got the load from Lee's reloading
manual and says there's hardly any recoil and no signs of over
pressure.... I told him he's way over loaded... What do you guys
think? Is this a safe load? Thanks for any info.
Denny

[Scharfschuetze]

Good advice to your friend Leadhead.

I don't think that I've ever seen 2400 used with jacketed bullets in any of the major loading manuals. Did he substitute a jacketed bullet for a cast boolit? Perhaps someone with a Lee loading manual can check that load.

The Lyman CBH #4 lists a maximum load of 22 grains of 2400 for the Lee "C309-150-F" 150 grain cast boolit. Given that, I say that he is pushing his luck with that load.

With the recent threads on the strength of Spanish Mausers, I would caution your friend to back off a bit or use a slower powder and a more appropriate powder for deer loads with a jacketed bullet.

[TNsailorman]

I have the Lee reloading manual and it does not have one single load in it for 2400 powder, even the light 100 grain bullet. The Lyman Cast Bullet Hand load , third edition lists one load for the Lyman #311440 lead bullet for 2400. The start load is 17.0 grains with the maximum load as 24.0 grains. The pressure listed for the 24.0 grain load is 46,100 C.U.P. pressure which is really pushing the envelope on the 1916 Spanish action. The loads listed were worked up on a universal receiver, not the weaker Spanish action. Your friend may get away with that load, and he may not. When you operate at the top end of the pressure limit, even small changes like a primer change, case manufacturer/military brass or other factors can make a major difference. Its his eyes, his rifle, and his decision to make, but I would not load that heavy for deer. just my experience anyway, james

[leadhead]

No, it says for a jacketed bullet. I told him about the converted 1916's.
The bad part is, he was going to let his 11 yr old grandson use it.....
I think I have him about convinced to change loads.
Denny

[racepres]

No, it says for a jacketed bullet. I told him about the converted 1916's.
The bad part is, he was going to let his 11 yr old grandson use it.....
I think I have him about convinced to change loads.
Denny

One thing to use it yerself...dumb to give it to a Youngster!!
While I don't think the 1916 will fail catastrophically...It may well set the lugs back severely!!
I know from experience that a 30/30 will smoke a dear!!! Ditto the 300 Savage!!!
While the 308 can reach out a bit farther...The Question remains...Why??
Yes I have a 1916 in 308, Yes I shoot it a Bunch...No I don't think I have ever sent a J-Word Bullet roaring down that Bore!!! Now...My M48???? That's all it gets fed!!!

[JSnover]

Any chance he was using 30-06 load data? He wouldn't be the first try it.

[Mk42gunner]

I have both editions of Lee's Modern Reloading. I haven't checked the second edition; but the first does have 25 grains of Herc2400 as both a starting and max load with 150 grain jacketed. Supposedly 2215 fps and 36700 CUP.

I don't think I would use this load although it is probably safe, I wonder just who's data was used for this???

Robert

[leadhead]

Yes, it was the 1st edition.....I read it myself and thought then it was a mistake.
I can't believe it has mild recoil.... I shoot a lot of 2400 in military rifles with
cast bullets, but never went over 20 grs. I noticed some increase in recoil around
18-19 grs.
Denny

[Adam Helmer]

leadhead,

I suggest your friend use the Lyman #311467 (175 grain), or the #31141 (180 grain) cast boolit ahead of 13.5 grains of Unique in his military .308 rifle. My old military rifles shoot 2 or 2.5 inch groups at 100 yards.

Adam

[dragon813gt]

I have both editions of Lee's Modern Reloading. I haven't checked the second edition; but the first does have 25 grains of Herc2400 as both a starting and max load with 150 grain jacketed. Supposedly 2215 fps and 36700 CUP.

I don't think I would use this load although it is probably safe, I wonder just who's data was used for this???

Robert

If it's in the Lee manual one of the manufacturer's printed it at some point. Lee does not perform any load testing. They simply compile published loads into one manual.

[racepres]

If it's in the Lee manual one of the manufacturer's printed it at some point. Lee does not perform any load testing. They simply compile published loads into one manual.

^^^ This
I Look to more Professional Sources...tho I do own the Lee book!!!
Lyman for cast and Sierra for j-Words...and I have Bought every Publication of the Speer book since 1974!!!! Pays to double check!!!

[wiljen]

Oddly enough, I'm going to take the opposite stance. I have run 25gr of 2400 through quickload using the 308 cartridge, a hornady 150gr SP (Catalog 3031) with an overall load length of 2.8 inches and it shows 41000 PSI. Even if the bullet were seated so deep as to be ridiculous (.891 inside the case), the load only produces 59000 PSI. While not very common to use 2400 under a jacketed bullet, this combination appears to be within safe limits of the 308 (62,000 PSI) and the 1916 at a much more conservative 45,000 PSI.