30-30 alternative powders

[XWrench3]

has anyone else ever tried using slower powder in the 30-30 for cast boolits. i have been tosing around the idea of trying some imr4831 in it for a slower longer burn. my thoughts are a slight increase in overall velocity without a large spike in pressures. i know a 20" barrel is not optimum for a slower powder. what do you think?

[leadman]

Pretty sure it would send the boolit out the barrel, but much slower than a medium speed powder.
Can only guess it might be about the same speed as the fast pistol or shotgun powders. Pressure would probably be lower than the fast powders.

Try it an let us know how it works.

[NHlever]

I would think that 4831 might be a bit too slow for that case, but I do know that 760, and 4350 work pretty well at times so it might be worth a try. The only thing I've found to be a problem with the real slow for case size powders is that you just can't build enough pressure behind a soft boolit to get much in the way of velocity. Harden the boolit, and things work fine, but defeat the purpose of a hunting load. I've tried turning down the exander plug, and more crimp, but past a point you just size the boolit down in the case.

[plainsman456]

Try some IMR-3031 powder with 150-170 grain boolits.
Also I have used some RL-7 with about 25 shots so far,it's working.

[lesharris]

I did at one time load 30-30 reduced loads with Sr4759. It was a long time ago and I do not remember the exact # of grains or the bullet.
Maybe try a search on this site or the cast bullet association website.
IMR 3031 has been my 30-30 powder for awhile now

[rockrat]

My neighbor used to shoot a 30-30 with AA's MRP, which was a 4831 eq. IIRC, he just used a caseful to where when you seat the boolit, it would just compress the powder about 1/10 inch or less.
He said it was very dirty , but shot well.
He shot the 311041 boolit

[Will]

I first loaded 30-30 with 4831 because it was the only rifle powder I had. It worked well. I have since seen loads in manuals of 36gr. I used as much as 39gr but it was a little too hot. This was with 311291. I've found my 30-30 will digest about anything you can put in it. I havent tried bullseye or 50bmg but have used 2400 and 4831.

[XWrench3]

i have shot some pistol powder through her with cast boolits, including bulseye, and that works resonably well. it is suprising how fast it is with such small charges of pistol powder. it would be awesome to build a special barrel that would withstand a case full of pistol powder, and touch one off just to see what would be possible. but anything except a special rig would certainly blow apart like a grenade. i do not have any 4350, if i did that would be my first choice.the only other slow powder i have is imr 7828, and i know that is slower still. i guess the only way to know is load some up and touch them off. i will shoot them over the chrony, so when i do this, i will post and let you know what i find out.

[paborn]

Lyman 31141, 170 grain gas check with Lyman #2, sized .310. With 17 grains of 2400 gets 1750 fps out of my 1949 336-A and shoots consistantly into less than 1.5 inches at 100 yards with aperture sights. 33.6 grains of WW 760 gives 1900 fps with the same accuracy. For full power loads, I generally use IMR 3031, WW748, or RL-7

Paborn

[GabbyM]

If you want a slower powder for max laods look at the new Hodgdon Lever Revolution.
Find the thread here on it. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=115657

With the slow powders I'd not care to reduce them much in order to assure good ignition and burn.

[Harter66]

I've used 4350 in a 32 Rem(rimless 32special more or less) w/a starting load behind WCWW of 175gr and plain based, hitting well into top jacketed speeds. I think you would build a little more pressure w/the 30-30 and get fin results .....................maybe I was just lucky.

[Larry Gibson]

GabbyM

Did you get the hard copy of the data?

Larry Gibson

[Marlin Junky]

4831 in the 30-30? Got Lyman 311284? Even 4350 would be better suited with 311284; however, if you have a whole bunch of 4831, give it a try. I would inspect for unburned kernels after a shot or two though.

MJ

[GabbyM]

Yes I did Larry. Thanks a big ole bunch.
Stopped in a couple of gun shops looking for Lever-Revolution powder with no luck. Would be much safer for me to just mail order it. To many tempting treats in those gun shops.

[XWrench3]

Stopped in a couple of gun shops looking for Lever-Revolution powder with no luck. Would be much safer for me to just mail order it. To many tempting treats in those gun shops.

the only trouble with mail ordering powder is the haz mat fee (which in itself rediculous). that makes it completely a waste of money unless you are buying a bunch of powder at a reduced price. there have been many times i would have loved to order up a bottle of powder. but adding $20 to a $20.00 pound of powder is crazy at best. @ $40.00 a pound, i am no longer interested in shooting it!

[BCB]

I got the best accuracy from seveal Model 94's and the 311041 boolit using WC-852...

I have the slow lot and it is somewhere between 4350 and 4831...

I was getting only 1750+ fps from the carbines, but accuracy was very good at 100 yards and a bit less than 1-inchers were mostly the norm at 50 yards...

So, I don't think slow burners can be eliminated in the 30-30...

Good-luck...BCB

[cbrick]

I did at one time load 30-30 reduced loads with Sr4759. It was a long time ago and I do not remember the exact # of grains or the bullet.

18-19 gr SR4759 with a 160-180 gr bullet, shoots great in my 26" 30-30. SAECO #311 (160 Gr) with 18.5 gr 4759 does 1920 fps with good accuracy.

Rick

[Shuz]

has anyone else ever tried using slower powder in the 30-30 for cast boolits. i have been tosing around the idea of trying some imr4831 in it for a slower longer burn. my thoughts are a slight increase in overall velocity without a large spike in pressures. i know a 20" barrel is not optimum for a slower powder. what do you think?

H-4831 surplus powder works very well in my 1979 vintage Marlin 336 in .30-30.
My load is 34g behind a CCI 200 primer and the boolit is the RCBS 30-150FN @ Bhn 14 seated to 2.485 OAL. This load chrono's 1753 fps with an SD of 21.

The 34g load also works well with the Lyman 311440HP and Lyman's 311291HP. However, the accuracy is a bit better with the RCBS boolit.

[Marlin Junky]

H-4831 surplus powder works very well in my 1979 vintage Marlin 336 in .30-30.
My load is 34g behind a CCI 200 primer and the boolit is the RCBS 30-150FN @ Bhn 14 seated to 2.485 OAL. This load chrono's 1753 fps with an SD of 21.

The 34g load also works well with the Lyman 311440HP and Lyman's 311291HP. However, the accuracy is a bit better with the RCBS boolit.

Is 34 grains a 100% density load? I'm really surprised that with such a light boolit you don't have unburned powder all over the place. The 30-30 never ceases to amaze me... anyone on this board without at least one 30-30 is missing out on a good thing.

Nevertheless, for full power loads with the heaviest boolits, H414/W760 is hard to beat.

MJ

[Rockydog]

I'm using 30 grains of IMR 4895 in my 30-30 with excellent results. Water dropped checked WW. Lyman 311041 or 311291. No leading with either bullet. Just enough punch to remind you that it's a light gun. RD

[Shuz]

Is 34 grains a 100% density load? I'm really surprised that with such a light boolit you don't have unburned powder all over the place. The 30-30 never ceases to amaze me... anyone on this board without at least one 30-30 is missing out on a good thing.

Nevertheless, for full power loads with the heaviest boolits, H414/W760 is hard to beat.

MJ

34g is not a 100% density load............but it works!

[1Shirt]

Had a bunch ov very old 4831 that I got cheap at a gun show. (4.00 a lb) Old Yellow and Red cans, no date, but It shot well in my 94 under 165 RD's, and
31141's. Full case loads, very few unburned pdr kernals. Wish the guy had more, bought all five pounds that he had. You take a chance on the old stuff, because you don't know if it has been stored properly.
1Shirt!:coffeecom