Giving up using H355 WC844 for cast. Red dot is amazing

[greenwart]

Did a ladder of H355 (WC844) to try and see if I could get a respectable load.
The set up is.
Howa 1500 with scope 3-9X
30-06 Win cases
S&B LR primers
Lee C309-155-2R hardened and GC Sized 0.311before hardening.
50-50 Lube

loaded up 30,32,34,36g

After fouling shots the 30g gave an 1.5" group at 50yd. Average fps 1984 StdDev 20.7 Extreme Spread 48.0.
32g No accuracy and average fps 2128 SD 69.9 and extreme spread 189.

I think over 2000 fps it is too fast for this bullet.

using the Lee C309-170-F
30g 1800fps, SD 73.0, ES 151.0
32g 2014fps, SD 31.8, ES 83.0

Since this is a ball powder it may do better with magnum primers, but I didn't have any problems with ignition. When I tried a similar thing with 30-30 accuracy improved the faster I got until velocity got to high. Fuller case higher pressure seems to work best for this powder. This is not a forgiving powder. R-15 worked very good for 30-30 Probably will for 30-06 also.

Red Dot was a dream.
30-06 Win cases
S&B LR primers
Lee C309-155-2R hardened and GC Sized 0.311before hardening.
50-50 Lube

13g RED DOT 1564 fps, SD 6.2, ES 13.0

Lee C311-100g
6.2 RED DOT 1261.0 fps, SD 16.1, 38.0 A few giggles after shotting this one.
7.5 RED DOT 1409.0 fps, SD 35.1, 90.0
9.1 RED DOT 1578.7 fps, SD 14.6, 29.0
10.6 RED DOT 1737.0 fps. SD 8.4, ES 21.0
11.8 RED DOT 1822.4 fps, SD 14.7, ES 34.0

My chrono quit (battey died) but I did pump a total of 10 rounds of the 13.0g REDDOT into a ragged hole. I do not have any published data for Reddot using the 155g bullet and wondered what a safe max would be for that bullet/cartridge? I have data for a 115g cast which has a max of 15g though pressure at 36,900 C.

[runfiverun]

13 is about 45-K.

your ball powder had too much ignition deviation.
it needs a filler.
drop back to 28 and use some Dacron the powder will burn better.

[LeadPoisonTX]

You are right on "discovering" RED Dot - it is the bomb for cast in the 30's. I loaded some plinking rounds for 30-30 and found some accuracy nodes with Lyman 311041 (173 grs with my alloy) and Hi Tek coated, no gc. I have some 30-06, 150 grs PC rounds loaded up with Red Dot waiting to be tested - I will report my findings. Have you tried to Power Coat your boolits?

From Lyman Reloading Handbook, 45th edition: 30-06, 155 grains w/GC (311466), page 107
Red Dot - Start Charge: 11.0 Start Velocity: 1479 fps; Max Chrg: 14.0 Max Vel: 1715 fps Max Pressure: 35,500 CUP

[swheeler]

13 is about 45-K.

your ball powder had too much ignition deviation.
it needs a filler.
drop back to 28 and use some Dacron the powder will burn better.

​This^^^^^^^