30-06 cast loading question... powder selection.

[mattw]

I have been loading my cast 185gr gas checked bullet for years for my old 03. The load that I have used for the last 15 or so years has been 38.5 grains of 2230C, very accurate and decent velocity. I would like to try the old Lyman 165 gr. 30-30 bullet for a little less recoil to maybe interest my kids in a high power rifle. Just not sure what I should load them with. The rifle is an old "brittle" Rock Island that has had maybe 4 or 5 thousand of my cast loads over the last 30 years. I do not shoot full house jacketed loads (do not like the recoil, rotator cup issues) in this gun, but I also do not worry about the action. It is a 4 groove barrel and seems very accurate. The barrel slugs at .3092-3, is very smooth, does not lead and has plenty of meat left in the rifling.

As an aside, my 14 yo daughter will shoot fairly stiff cast 30-30 loads in the old Winchester. My 10 yo daughter is stronger and tougher than the older one but just does not like any recoil.

Thanks guys.

[Hick]

I use 11.0 grains of W231 under a lee 309-170GC boolit. This gives me 1450 fps out of my M1 in 30-06. Very mild recoil and still accurate.

[mattw]

I have always been a little nervous down loading a large case like that. In fact, have never tried it. I have always worked up from a lesser jacketed charge to a point that accuracy is good and I did not leave lead in the barrel. Does one look for excess pressure in a down loaded round in the same way as a normal round? Flat primers, extractor marks and marks from the bolt face? I have considered 2400 in the 15 to 17 grain range, a couple of times. W231 seems like a really fast powder in that case. Would it need filler? I am not a fan of messing with fillers or duplexing loads either.

Thanks

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Myself, I would start with Unique.

but since Hick brought up W231, I did a quick search and this is an interesting thread
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...W231-for-rifle

[Grmps]

Funny you should ask that just now.
I just got done doing some test loads
SAVAGE MODEL 110 CAL 30-06 SPRG F55#### Twist 1 in 10" 6 grooves BORE 0.307 birth date 6/1996
365 sil COWW PC'd GC sized 309 with a 3x9 scope.
I tested 16 grn to 20 grn of 2400 and all groups were acceptable (under 2 in groups) and recoil was mild YMMV

I was testing grouping and not serious about sighting in until I get the grouping I want.





You can find the target free download site here
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...download-sites

[mattw]

What range were those shot from? I do not have a scope on the old girl, if I could find someone that would not screw it up I would do it. It is a very old hunting rifle conversion, little rust in places but very good where it counts. I have one that was never issued as well, but do not shoot it and would not modify it.

[Grmps]

I shot these @ 35 yards that's why they are all low.

The scope just helps old"er" eyes see better.( I had the scope dialed way down)

If I had a good bench rest (I know, and could shoot better) the loads could do better groups.

Here are 2 places to look
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...online-sources

has lighter load data and Powder Weight /Velocity Data for the 170gr RNFPbb wich would be a little lighter charge than the 165 grn.
http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

[John Boy]

I would like to try the old Lyman 165 gr. 30-30 bullet for a little less recoil to maybe interest my kids in a high power rifle. Just not sure what I should load them with.

http://reloadammo.com/3006load.htm

[mattw]

I am 52 and have very bad eyes, gotta scope the old girl. My idea of fun with it are tie plates at 100 yards. Can hit them 4 out of 5 shots, sometimes 5 out of 5.

[mattw]

http://reloadammo.com/3006load.htm

Thanks, had forgotten that site! Sucks to get old... I cast my lead hard and find that I can really push them, try not to top 2000 fps. I am going to have to try 2400, sounds like the ticket to me.

[mac1911]

Thanks, had forgotten that site! Sucks to get old... I cast my lead hard and find that I can really push them, try not to top 2000 fps. I am going to have to try 2400, sounds like the ticket to me.

2400 has done right by me and I have shot some very good scores at cmp matches out to 200 yards with them. if only my awful hand was a bit better!

[oldblinddog]

16.0 grains of 2400 is the load you are seeking.

[Duckiller]

Low speed load i used 11.5 (I think) gr of 700X under a 185=/- gr lyman boolit cast with wheel weights, air cooled. Probably my most accurate load in any gun I own. Started at 10.0 gr and increased at about0.5 gr until It really got good at 11.5.. I am doing this from memory. Load won't cause problems but may need a little more or less for your gun. Mine is a sporterized 03A3 in a Herter stock. Modification was done in 1965 or earlier.

[Reverend Recoil]

I have found nothing better than Reloader #7 powder for 30 cal. cast bullets. I meters like sugar, fills half the case, and makes accurate loads. The Lyman reloading handbook has many good loads with this powder to suite your purpose.

[Gewehr-Guy]

I use the 2400 load often, also Reverend Recoil is spot on with RL-7, but for pure plinking pleasure try some light loads with a stotshell powder like Red Dot, G-Dot, Unique, or my favorite Herco, 9.5 grs and a 175gr plain base bullet shoots very accurately out to 200 yards in my Krag, should work just as well in a 30-06

[aspangler]

13 grains of Red Dot works really well for me. About the same velocity as the 16 grains of 2400. I use that under the Lee 150-170 grain boolits. Enough power to kill white tail at up to 100 yds and almost no recoil.

[Char-Gar]

For subsonic gallery loads use Bulleye or Unique
For 1.5 to 1.8K fps loads use 2400 or a similar powder.
Above 1.8K fps use 3031, 4895, RL 7 or a similar powder.

[Kosh75287]

I have always been a little nervous down loading a large case like that.

I don't know how to allay your fears about the use of faster-burning powders in large cases. It may SEEM unsafe but as long as you stay within the bounds of minimum and maximum charges, it's works. Hodgdon has made much of the fact that their H4895 is the slowest-burning rifle powder that can be safely reduced to 60% of the maximum charge and obtain good results. If you are uncomfortable with using pistol/shotgun propellants in your rifle cases, try using the 60% rule with H4895. You may have to work the charge weight upward for best accuracy, but somewhere in that range, you'll hit a combination you'll like.

When reading some of the previous posts, I noticed some well-established reduced loads that are almost universal to medium capacity rifle cartridges:
13.0/RedDot/150 cast: Ed Harris's "The Load"
14.0/Unique/150 cast: Not sure of the source, but see it quite a bit.
16.0/2400/150 cast: I think this was in a training manual for use in bolt action rifles of the Army Reserves & National Guard.
I also noticed 11.5/700-X/150 cast mentioned, and it, too, sounds familiar.

[oldblinddog]

That should be 10.0 grains of Unique.

[JBinMN]

Not a load suggestion, although I like the 13gr. Red Dot/150 gr. "the Load" with 30-06 myself.

Might I suggest that you involve the your daughters in the loading & shooting of those loads you work on for them.


Perhaps you will find that they may get interested in helping & learning how to do this stuff by themselves in the future, if they do not already have interest.

Another thing is that if you are making these loads for "them" to shoot. It might be to your advantage to have "them" shoot the ladder test rounds to see where "they" want the recoil, along with accuracy.

Just some suggestions, if you are not already doing it...

I have done this with my missus recently , as well as my two sons as they grew up. ( 35 & 30) , & their being involved in the process has certainly developed into more interest in how to do the casting/reloading & test firing to shooting more often.

In particular... Having the missus get involved due to her wrist & hand health issues made her a lot more comfortable shooting as she saw how I reduced the loads & then did ladder tests to work the loads for a load that was easy on her with recoil, but also in accuracy. She actually came down to where I reload in the basement and helped reload the rounds she was going to shoot. So now she enjoys shooting more & is more comfortable with shooting regular l(factory) type loads on occasion , where before she did not want to shoot much because of those health issues.

Anyway, like I said. Just suggestions if ya have not thought about, or done this with your daughters.


P.S.- She has a sewing room & although she showed me how to use the sewing machine again after about 35-40 years ( not since mid 70s anyway when it was a required course to graduate), I only used it once to sew up a hammock & have not returned yet. So the sharing in the doing does not always work to garner more interest in something.. LOL

G'luck regardless!