30 30 150 gr lead bullets

[sandman228]

i recently started casting for my 30 30 im using a lee 150 gr flat nose gas check mold im using wheel weight alloy and adding just a touch of alloy i have thats high in tin and antimony for a little more hardness . im tumble lubing with 50/50 alox -mineral spirits , resizing and adding gas check with a lee 309 sizer die then tumble lubing a 2nd time with straight alox . i know tumble lubing isnt ideal for rifle but ive shot 20 so far with no leading . my prob is accuracy i loaded 20 with the starting charge in my lyman manual 9.0 gr . the windage is perfect but they hit way low about 3-4 inches low at 25 yrds and so low they dont even hit paper at 50 yrds . i have to aim at top of target to hit paper at all i would guess about 8 inches low . im shooting a winchester 94 and have the rear sight adjusted clear up to top notch . will a hotter charge bring them up any ? i believe the book calls for 9.0 to 12.0 , i loaded 20 more this morning at 10.2 gr but dont know when i'll get a chance to try them out i figured if worse came to worse i would install a peepsight on this rifle for more sight adjustment but then it would b way off with jacketed relaods and or factory ammo .

[sisterjim]

Is that Trail Boss you are using or some other fast pistol powder?

[sandman228]

yea i guess it would have helped if i said what powder i was using didnt reallize i missed that i started out with 9.0 gr of herco , book calls for 9.0 to 12.0 i believe . i just loaded 20 more with 10.2 gr

[P.K.]

What version of Lyman's data are you using?

I ask because the only data I have in my 4th edition is for 170 gr. and 173gr. cast boolit, over Herco. My Cast Hand Book has the same.

[sisterjim]

Maybe try some powder like 4198 if you don't want full power. The most accurate load of Trail Boss is 7" lower at 75 yards than the most accurate ADI 4198 equivalent with same bullet. I figure I am in the 1250 fps with TB and 1800 with 4198. Too little 4198 left a lot of unburnt powder until 18 grains in 30-30.

[imashooter2]

Might I recommend Alliant 2400? I've used your exact boolit and lube combination over 15.5 grains of 2400 with great success. The load goes 1,739 fps average from my 20 inch Marlin 30AS.

FWIW, if you want something that duplicates factory impact point, you are going to have to be pretty close to duplicating factory velocity too. Trail Boss or any of the pistol powders is not going to get you there.

[DLCTEX]

My 3rd. and 45th. editions of Lymans both list the 9-12gr. Herco for 150(151)gr. boolit. +1 Move to rifle powders to increase velocity to get to POA of factory.

[P.K.]

My mistake, I had a two year old to juggle at the time. Disregard my last.

[1Shirt]

The 150 lee flat nose is an ugly looking critter, but it shoots well in all of my 30's. Shoots best in my 94 Win-30-30 over about 16 gr. of 2400.
1Shirt!

[26Charlie]

If you want to enjoy the 1250 fps level of loads, you will need peep sight on the receiver - if your objective is to get near the factory sights, you will need to get near factory velocity (as has been mentioned) somewhere between 24 to 28 grs. Of 3031.

[sandman228]

ok thanks for all the input im going to try a bit hotter with the herco just to see what happens if still no good then try another powder . i just figured i would give herco a try number 1 because i ended up with 8 lb of it here after a going out of business sale at a local gunshop at 70% off, in my opinion its a very versatile powder i use it for 40 s&w ,357 mag amung other pistol calibers . i also use it for plinking loads in my 35 marlin with a 195 gr lead bullet with great results . i got the data from my lyman cast bullets book for the 35 rem, i saw that there was also loads for the 30 30 with herco so i figured i would try it out . im not looking for hunting loads or factory duplicate just a nice shooting plinker with decent accuracy .

[popper]

unique or 2400

[dverna]

Accuracy and POI are NOT the same thing.

You seem to have a problem with POI - easy to fix if you like the load.

Accuracy can be a bitch - so tougher to deal with. What size groups are you getting?

Don

[Wayne Smith]

8 lbs of Herco, eh? Sounds like you need to be shopping for a 32-20!