30/30, 30/06 loads with Power Pistol?

[YunGun]

So, THIS THREAD (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?192514-what-are-your-pistol-powder-loads-for-30-30-cast) got me thinking (again) about trying to work up some light plinking/target loads for my 30/30 & '06 using Alliant Power Pistol powder. I've used up most of the initial 1lb can of Unique that I purchased for testing and, although I like it well enough to buy more, there's none available in my area. I do, however, have a couple lbs of Power Pistol I'd primarily purchased for use in my .40S&W....
Since Power Pistol is pretty much right next to Unique on all of the burn rate charts I've seen, I would think it should be able to be used similarly. The previously referenced thread seems to agree, as it suggests that it has been done with decent results by at least a few people.

In fact, I went so far as to load up a few 30/06 test rounds (8-11gr, IIRC - If it works in a 30/30, it should be a perfectly safe starting point in a 30/06, right?) using the Power Pistol powder, but had second thoughts about straying too far off the beaten path without additional input.

So I emailed Alliant with this same question, and received a brief response stating: "We have no data for Power Pistol in reduced rifle loads. I suggest waiting until Unique is available and continuing on with known data." Not really all that surprising, given the possibility of lawsuits & the like, but I'd love to hear from anyone that has direct experience using Power Pistol in 30/30 &/or 30/06 loads, as I have no idea when (or even IF) I'll be able to get my grubby li'l hands on any more Unique in the near future....

[felix]

Your concern is the ignition character of PowerPistol. If you are not using fillers, then raise the gun up before each shot making sure the powder is placed next to the primer. If all goes well with the "same" load as Unique then change the angle slightly towards vertical and shoot another volly. Continue this process until the gun is level or is in a normal position as would be for using Unique. ... felix

[uscra112]

I tried PP in a middle-range load in my Hornet, with j-warts. Load density about 60% and was not position sensitive that I noticed. Your boolit load in a .30-30 would have to be much less dense. A very rough Quickload model suggests about 10-12 grains of PP for a 165 grain boolit, and that's only 40% to 45% load density. That might make it position sensitive, so you'll have to try it and see.

Light loads for plinking can use very fast powders when done in moderation. Ed Harris' old "The Load" rule would suggest about 8 grains of Red Dot in the .30-30. I've done that in my .303 Savage (Model 99) with decent results. (Do not go any higher.) The .303 is almost exactly the same case capacity. That leads me to try Herco and Blue Dot in the near future. Those two straddle Power Pistol in the Quickload database.

[YunGun]

I've been meaning to report back with the results of my initial tests, just been too busy {/lazy} to dig out & scan the targets I guess....
All rounds fired without issue & were even fairly accurate at 50 yards out of my Ruger American 30/06.
Loads ranged from 8gr-11gr (in 1gr increments) under a 131gr GC CB + WLRM (Winchester Large Rifle Magnum) primers & no wad/filler.
70584705857058670587

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Have you done any more testing?

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

how did i miss this thread till now

I have done some of light loads with power pistol in 30-30 and have started playing with it in 30-06 also

all have been lit with large pistol primers

initially in 30-30 i had started with 6.3 gr it is what i used under a 170gr truncated cone in 40S&W the powder measure was set so i went with it , well i have to admit that is about where load development stopped for a long time that would make a nice group at 25 and 50 and i could ring a steel plate at 100yards very satisfyingly

i keep meaning to put together a bunch every half gr or so and see if i can go faster and hold accuracy

but lately i have been playing the how low can you go game , i made it all the way down to 1gr of power pistol , not if i went below around 4 gr with a standard flash hole it didn't burn well i had a bunch of unburnt powder , but mark the case and drill the flash hole to 1/8 inch and you can take it low it also burns much better in the 3-4 gr range also these i have been doing with both the lee tl314-90swc mainly but also lee c309-170rf and c309-200r

it's been fun but i haven't gotten outside to put much on paper since i opened the flash holes

and when i was out to try the 4.5gr loads of power pistol under the 314-90swc it was during a snow storm but warmer weather will bring more range time i hope

[YunGun]

Have you done any more testing?

Not with Power Pistol, no....

I was mainly trying to get a sense of powder choice/charge weights for that light-for-caliber (~130gr)boolit prior to acquiring the similar-weight MP311410HP, but load development was severely limited at the time due to lack of available powders.

After receiving the new mould I did try PP again, along with several other powders (once I finally found some!), but similar PowerPistol powder charges did not yield results similar to those pictured above with the new boolit profile/length, so I quickly moved on to other powders.

[Photog]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?162667-Power-Pistol-and-168g-Cast-boolit-with-CG

I worked on this too