what are your pistol powder loads for 30-30 cast

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

what loads do you run

[Doc Highwall]

7.2 grains Unique with 311041PB.

[RickinTN]

It would somewhat depend on what bullet weight you're shooting and what your velocity goals are. I've been "playing" with cast loads in 30-30 for a couple of years now. I'm sure others here have much more experience than me. Most of my shooting has been in the 1,000 to 1,300 fps plinking loads. I've used a couple of containers of Trail Boss and have gotten good results. Suggested load recommendations are available from Hodgdon. I've also used Red Dot, and have been pleased with it. My next powders to try will be Unique at moderate loads and 2400 to try and up the velocity a little. I'm thinking most any of the shotgun/pistol powders will give good results if the pressure/acceleration is matched to the bullet. One very attractive feature of the Red Dot for me is that I can get about 1,000 loads per pound of powder. It makes for good cheap fun!
Good Luck with your choice,
Rick

[Alan]

311316 and 7.0 (seven point oh) grains of red dot.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

I have been shooting 6.3 gr power pistol , it is accurate at 50 yards and acurate enough for 100 yard plate ringing
with a lee c309-170rf no gas check

it makes for cheap fun shooting that is easy on brass , i think i am going to work up a bit and add a gas check and see if i can shrink the 100 yard group

why 6.3 i needed a starting place and thats what i use under a 170 in 40s&w , so i knew with all that added case it would be safe , so the auto disc was already dropping it i set up the measure on the rifle charging die on my turret and they load fast

when shot it i got a good group so i left it and have shot 150 of them tat way , but now i am curios what more i can do

i use a large pistol primer to light it off

[TCFAN]

For plain base boolits I use enough Unique to get a Lee group buy 311041 plain base to about 1300 fps.

For my go to load in the 30-30 I use 2400 at 16grs with the gas check version of the 311440 NOE boolit. This load works good in every 30-30 both Winchester and Marlins I have used it in.It has plenty of power and very good accuracy for a good all around load.................Terry

[358 Win]

Lyman 31141 with 16gr of Alliant 2400 @ 1650fps. I use the Federal 215 Large Rifle Magnum primer. The 215 primer improves the ballistics with much lower extreme spreads and standard deviation. Does not matter where that small powder charge is lying in the 30-30 case cause that 215 Magnum primer really lights it up! The accuracy also improved over standard force primers. I also use the exact same combination in my .32 Win Specials with the 08-170 RCBS bullet and the Ranch Dog 323-170.
358 Win

[dubber123]

10 grains of Unique or Power pistol with a Large pistol primer. Runs a 170 at 1,400 fps. and shoots at 1/2" or less at 50 yds.

[btroj]

NOE 311165 RD and 16 gr of 2400.

[Nobade]

15gr. Blue Dot + any 150 - 170gr. boolit. Good for about 1500 fps.

5gr. Clays + #311008 to duplicate factory 32-20 loads.

[popper]

Btroj 311165 RD and 16 gr of 2400 what fps? I used 14 gr 2400 on the RD PB'd powder coated and it was about the same group as GC'd with 15 gr. (and same as GC's over 30 gr LeverE). Don't have QL or a chrony so I'm wondering how much 2400 I can use or do I need to switch to H4895 for higher velocity. I'm wanting to see how hard I can drive the PB (~180gr) PC'd. 336 1:10 20".
Used 7.5 gr Unique for a fun plinker load @ 50, same CB.

[MT Gianni]

165-170 gr fn with 15.5 gr WC820.

[Baja_Traveler]

Looks like everyone has it covered, except I use 8 grains Unique with the 115gr 311008 as my chicken load for levergun silhouette.

[rintinglen]

8.0 grains of Herco under a 311-245 93 grain rn, 8.5 grains Unique under 311-419 88 grn FN GC, 8.0 grains Unique under 311-316 115 grn FN GC,

17.5 grains of 2400 under 311-465 125 grn Louverin, 311-466 Louverin 155 grn, 311-041, 311- 291, and RCBS 30-180 fn.

17.5 grains of 2400 is kind of a favorite of mine, I've had good results with that in Ruger 45 long colt loads, 30-06 mid range loads, 30-40 311-291 loads, in addition to those listed above.

My favorite of them all is the 311-465 loaded over 17.5 grains of 2400. I cast mine out of straight wheel weights, back when I could get 'em, sized 'em .310 or .311 using a 311-291 nose punch to flatten the nose, and used them for pigs, chickens and turkeys, in my silhouette days.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

8.0 grains of Herco under a 311-245 93 grain rn, 8.5 grains Unique under 311-419 88 grn FN GC, 8.0 grains Unique under 311-316 115 grn FN GC,

17.5 grains of 2400 under 311-465 125 grn Louverin, 311-466 Louverin 155 grn, 311-041, 311- 291, and RCBS 30-180 fn.

17.5 grains of 2400 is kind of a favorite of mine, I've had good results with that in Ruger 45 long colt loads, 30-06 mid range loads, 30-40 311-291 loads, in addition to those listed above.

My favorite of them all is the 311-465 loaded over 17.5 grains of 2400. I cast mine out of straight wheel weights, back when I could get 'em, sized 'em .310 or .311 using a 311-291 nose punch to flatten the nose, and used them for pigs, chickens and turkeys, in my silhouette days.

do you know how fast your favorite the 311-465 is going that's a 122gr gas check round nose design but you flatten it , what is the drop from chickens to turkeys with that if you know

what did you use for rams ?

[358 Win]

http://s824.photobucket.com/user/bobddville/media/Gun%20Collection%20Photos/IMAG0023.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1#collapse_1

Trying to post photo of target shot with 16.0 grains of 2400 powder and Ranch Dog's 323-170FNGC from my Marlin 336SC in .32 Win Special. Scope was a Leupold VXI 2x7x33 and the distance was 50 yards for the five shot group.
323-170 boolit was sized .323 and the speed was 1744fps.
358 Win

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

Thanks for the pictures , glad to see my reloading bench isn't the only one that looks like that.

[detox]

http://s824.photobucket.com/user/bobddville/media/Gun%20Collection%20Photos/IMAG0023.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1#collapse_1

Trying to post photo of target shot with 16.0 grains of 2400 powder and Ranch Dog's 323-170FNGC from my Marlin 336SC in .32 Win Special. Scope was a Leupold VXI 2x7x33 and the distance was 50 yards for the five shot group.
323-170 boolit was sized .323 and the speed was 1744fps.
358 Win

To the right of your picture click on the box called IMG links then click on IMG code. Click to copy then paste link in your post.
http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz169/bobddville/Gun%20Collection%20Photos/IMAG0023.jpg

[358 Win]

detox,
Thanks for the instructions! I'll have to give it a try.

Did not work. Nothing works for me when it comes to photo sharing from photobucket.

358 Win

[Salmoneye]

I usually start here for 'pistol powder' loads:

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

[BCRider]

Could someone tell me what the advantages are for using pistol powders for lighter loads like this? Is it to reduce the velocity on the cast boolits to tolerable levels while still ensuring decent obturation? Or is it to produce lighter plinker or target loads?

I'm always up for some extra fun with my lever guns. And my Marlin 336 doesn't see as much lovin' because so far all my loads have been full power J word loads. Something cheaper to make up for it could well see it getting a far nicer sun tan from being out more often.

[358 Win]

BCRider,
For me it's the plinking target type loads. I don't always have the need for full throttle loads so the more sedate loads suit me fine. My .32 Win Special loads vary in speed from 1744 fps for my plinking/target loads, to full throttle loads @ 2300 fps, with the same 182 grain cast boolit. Even at the more sedate speed of 1744 fps, there are not too many critters that won't fall when properly hit. Fortunately, my target loads and my full throttle loads have the same POI at 50 yards. My target load has 1230 ft/lbs of muzzle energy and my full loads have a muzzle energy of 2138 ft/lbs.
358 Win

[Salmoneye]

Not just plinking for me...

I simply do not need full power loads on varmints, etc...

More quality time with my levers...

One of my favorite loads for my Marlin 1893 .30-30 is a .310" round ball, and a couple of grains of 'pistol powder'...No resizing, a primer, a dipper, a small brass hammer, and a drop of alox...

Dead on out to 60 yards, which happens to be the far end of my Wife's vegetable garden...

lol

Officially called 'Cellar Loads' in old Lyman/Ideal manuals...I know they also have round ball loads for .35 Rem, and I think .32 Spcl, and others...

[blixen]

With a LEE C312-185, dropping at about 180gr. gas-checked, I'm playing with 7 grains red dot, 8 grains of Unique, 11grains of 2400 (best accuracy) with good accuracy. I used Trail Boss but the accuracy doesn't seem as good. Been using CCI LR primers, but I accidentally bought a box of mag pistol primers, so I'll try that.

Now, I need to tune the loads. So many variables.

I would probably settle on 2400 and work on loads, but the hoarders have made getting any pistol powder difficult. I'm using up what I've got on hand.

BTW, these loads are in a 94 winchester, 336 Marlin and a Stevens bolt. So far, the levers are outshooting the bolt.

[1Shirt]

165 RD over either 7 gr. Unique, or 16 gr. of 2400
1Shirt!

[Rick R]

Last year I decided to dust off my old .30-30 and try some cast in her. I ended up using a 170 gr gas checked Lee boolit over a load of 2400 near book max. I get 1 1/2" groups at 100yds, @ 1,800fps and a lot more smiles per can of powder.

And that was my end goal. :)

[FergusonTO35]

I've been using the Ranch Dog 115 grain GC .32-20 slug sized to .310 over 20 grains H4227 and a large rifle primer. Don't know what it chronos at but it duplicates my 150 grain hunting loads in trajectory and accuracy. Gun is a Marlin 336T in .30 WCF.

[rintinglen]

do you know how fast your favorite the 311-465 is going that's a 122gr gas check round nose design but you flatten it , what is the drop from chickens to turkeys with that if you know

what did you use for rams ?

For Rams I used either the 311-041 over 34.0 grains of WW-748, or the RCBS 30-180 FN over 30.0 grains of WW-748.
(Sorry, I was so long replying, Been in Virginia, house hunting and visiting the Grand Kids.)

[blixen]

2400 (15grs), Red Dot (8grs.) and Unique (9-11grs.) -- in my mod. 94, 336 and Stevens bolt. The stuff I shoot at--velocities around sonic is plenty out to 100yards.