Powder Recommendations For .309 Lead Cast 135gr. RNFP

[UtopiaTexasG19]

I ordered in a small amount of cast bullets from Missouri Bullet Co. in the .309 Diameter 135 Grain RNFP (30-30 Winchester) to tide me over until I get my casting bench in the barn rebuilt and organized and then realized that my Hodgdon Charts (the only powders I have on hand) do not show a powder measurement for cast lead in the 135gr. weight. The chart does show a couple of 160gr. cast recommendations so I do not know what to do. The recommendations for 130 grain are not for lead cast bullets and the speeds are in the 2,000 to 2,300 fps. range. I have some gas checks on hand for the higher speed recommendations but wonder if anyone has a recommended powder to use the 135gr. lead cast as is? I had my head up my butt when I ordered these and did not look at the charts first. Like most folks I really don't want to buy a pound of powder just for these 200 bullets unless it's a general use type for other loads. Oh well.....

[MikeS]

Depending on what you're planning on using the loads for, I personally like Trail Boss. You could load those boolits over 8gr of Trail Boss without any problems. You can use Trail Boss is almost any cartridge with cast boolits. They recommend that you fill the case you're going to use to where the boolit base would be, then weigh that amount of powder, and multiply by .7 and that's your starting load, and the weight of the powder that you measured is your max load.

Keep in mind that most purchased cast lead will be much harder than boolits you cast yourself. They do this so their bullets will survive shipping without denting or deforming, not because hard boolits are any better than softer ones.

[mroliver77]

First off you need more loading manuals! If your going to play with cast get a copy of the Lyman Cast Bullet book. I like to have a few around to compare loads.

Unique, 2400, 4198 or even 4895 with a gascheck and decent lube. The Lee manual gives some "rules" for downloading certain powders and even some prefigured reduced loads for commen cartridges. Lee manual (Modern Reloading) is a must on my bench.
Jay

[Will]

16gr 2400

[MBTcustom]

I have always used IMR3031 in the 30-30. H335 is supposed to be good also.
Go to hodgdons websight. They have load data for 110, 130, 150, 160, and 170 grain boolits.
They are all over 30-30 like stink on week old roadkill.
I would say that about 1/3rd of the powders they list are Hodgdon.

[Boolseye]

16gr 2400
+1. mild, accurate and cheap