plinking load 30 30

[hatcreek]

I read somewhere that a guy loaded 9gr of herco, in a 30 30 round, is this doable, I cast 170gr fn lead .309 gas check, and fire them in a Marlin 30a 30 30, do i need to put a gas check on the bullet since this would appear to be a pretty mild round? any help or advise would be great. Thanks HC

[jcwit]

I load a 113 grain cast bullet from a Lee mould #90362 in front of 12 grains of Trail Boss. Makes a fine plinking round with little change in the sights.

[btroj]

A 165 bullet with 16 gr of 2400 is my plinking load. It works, why mess with it?

[quilbilly]

I load a 113 grain cast bullet from a Lee mould #90362 in front of 12 grains of Trail Boss. Makes a fine plinking round with little change in the sights.
Same plinking load as mine. MV is around 1100 fps.

[hatcreek]

Hey guy's thanks for your input I'm going to give it a shot, no pun intended. HC



Better to fight for something than live for nothing.
George S. Patton

[RickinTN]

The Herco load should work well. Around 6 grains of Red Dot, or around 8 grains of Unique, or about 9 grains of Trail Boss will do about the same thing. I would use the gas check. I've not used the Herco load, but the others have worked well for me and others.
Good Luck,
Rick

[Jack Stanley]

Lots of ways to skin that "cat" , I've been known to use 700-X sometimes .

Jack

[Lonegun1894]

I use either 5.0grs Unique or 11.0grs Unique for plinking, just depends on what I am trying to accomplish. I have even been known to use 2.7grs of Unique for mouse fart loads with a 150-170gr boolit, but I usually go ahead and use the GCs and always size to .311" for my Marlin.

[kbstenberg]

I like bullsey 3gr (superlight) 800ish fps or 4gr lite load at 1000ish fps with a 3118 mold (PB) in soft lead. In the 30/30 Kevin

[TXGunNut]

My plinker is 8.5 Universal under a RD boolit, hits quite a bit lower than my Rx7 load but it's an easy adjustment. I don't have a PB mould so I'll keep on using GC's on my GC boolits.

[uscra112]

Substitute Blue Dot for 2400 - you'll find it is even more consistent.

[sargenv]

I like a 165 gr Flat base lead bullet with 8 gr of Trail Boss. No worry about double charging since 16 gr would overflow the case.. This one out of my 30-30 is just subsonic.. feels like a 22..

[flint_knapper]

I use hornady 308 100gr half jacket or speer 308 100gr plinker
over 8gr. of unique, a very polite load in winchester 94's

[Ruber]

I use a 170 gr gc design for silhouettes over some Win 748 with gas checks. I'll use some over 8 gr Blue Dot for a plinking load. I'll get about a two inch group at 50m on paper (the load with GCs and 748 will be under an inch comparably), so not the best to say the least, but for a plinking load it does what it's intended for...

Ps. I do leave them sized as dropped for the plinkers.

[mj2evans]

6.0g Unique and Lee 120g RN orginally from a 30M1 carbine mold group buy.

[Salmoneye]

.310"-311" round ball over 2gr of Red Dot...

Works well for me...

[helice]

with the light weight booltis 5 grains of just about any fast burning pistol powder will work well; PB, Red Dot, Green Dot, 700X, 231Winchester, Bullseye, These all work with the little 32 H&R Mag boolits. Should give 32-20 like velocities. They are lots of fun.

[Loudenboomer]

7 gr AA#5 and tumble lube a lyman 122 gr. More than a cat sneeze but less than a horse fart. loads of fun

[hatcreek]

Very interesting can't wait to load up some cat sneeze, shy of a horse fart, and maybe a mouse fart, thanks all. HC


No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.
George S. Patton

[hatcreek]

Thats interesting would like to try this one, got my eye out on a .311 round ball mold from Lee, this sure is addicting. Thanks HC

[jcwit]

When loading a round ball how do you lube? Or isn't it needed.

[kbstenberg]

I found that the easiest way to lube was is 45/45/10. rollem dry loadem.

[GabbyM]

I've a Saeco 30-140 plain base bullet. Have tried it over 8.0 grains of Unique with modest accuracy results. Also dirty load. Then one in a hundred or so. I'd get a squib that filled action with powder and stuck boolit in barrel. That may be the 38 year old LR primers I was using up being soft. Or may be better off using LP primers. Since one theory is the primer pushes boolit out of case before powder ignition.

After reading this My big can of 700X may get tapped into along with LP primers. The unique load also shot high to POA and didn't have enough pressure to seal the cases. Faster powder should bring POI down and allow higher pressure before velocity gets to high for a PB boolit. All theory right now.

Our Marlin 336 doesn't feed the Saeco to well. Takes a bite on it. But my Win 94 gobbles them up.

[Salmoneye]

When loading a round ball, I decap, but do not resize the case...I prime, charge, and then tap the round ball in (sprue up) flush with the case mouth and then coat the top with LLA...

73489

[Sensai]

Lee 311-93-1R over 5 to 7 grains of Trailboss is great for plinking and for squirrels.

[GabbyM]

I know from shooting 00 buckshot from a 12 gage shotgun that even one ball of this diameter kills way out of proportion to it's size and velocity. Pretty much a bang flop on critters under fifteen pounds.
Round balls simply kill better than conical bullets.

[doctorggg]

I've seen several white tail deer taken with only 1 oo buckshot in them. It will kill if the critter is hit propperly.

[Alan in Vermont]

Lee 311-93-1R over 2.7-3.0 grs of Bullseye works real well for me.

[hatcreek]

what is 45/45/10? i always use alox, thanks HC

[Lloyd Smale]

I used to shoot 7 grains of unique with a 150 cast Until i tried sized down 115 grain 312s that i shoot in my 32 mag. With the same powder charge its like shooting a 22 and the funny thing is at 25 yards they print to the exact same spot as 170 corelocks and within an inch at 50 yards.

[OnHoPr]

Any of the shotgun powders or fast rifle powders will work for a plinking load it just depends on what your gun likes. If you load the Lee .311 in the 30-30 it will work for a gallery type load but might have difficulties feeding from the magazine due to the combined weight and balance of the loaded round. Though it is good and cheaper for practicing a snap shot form at gallery ranges.

[blaze blaze]

Looking for a good 30-30 plinking load comparable to the old .32-40 Marlin/Winchester load, 150-170 Gr cast (with or without GC) at about 1300-1400 FPS in a 20"bbl Win.94. I have Unique, bullseye, 800-X, 4759 and H4198 powders to work with. Not for hunting, but for gongs, tin cans and paper punching. Thanks.

[Baja_Traveler]

8 grains of Unique under a 115 grain 311008 shoots like a 22 - and has the same recoil...

[Salmoneye]

Looking for a good 30-30 plinking load comparable to the old .32-40 Marlin/Winchester load, 150-170 Gr cast (with or without GC) at about 1300-1400 FPS in a 20"bbl Win.94. I have Unique, bullseye, 800-X, 4759 and H4198 powders to work with. Not for hunting, but for gongs, tin cans and paper punching. Thanks.

This is for 170gr cast, but has a number of powder options...

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/3030w170_dat.htm

[Bullshop]

Good fun plinking loads can be put up with light charges of fast powder with a RB projectile.
For 30/30 a .310" RB thumb pressed in unsized case neck with about 3 to 5 gn Red Dot.
When I put up these loads I first press a lube ribbon on the neck then the RB. Fun, cheap, low noise, and accurate at 25 yards.

[UncleSarge58]

blaze blaze,
Try 20gr H4198 w/ 170gr Cast LRNFP (1700fps)
Very accurate out to 54yds in my 336, Adequate for Close Range Deer & Real Fun to Shoot.
For Squirrels & Rabbits 7.6gr Trail Boss Is Perfect & Shoots Dead On/Same Point of Aim @ 25yds.
Both Loads Require No Sight Adjustment from my Deer Load (30gr LVR w/ Same Bullet for 2000fps)
All 3 Shoot +/- 1in, 3 round Groups.
UncleSarge58

[YunGun]

I've had pretty decent results (minute of popcan/2Ltr) with ~16gr Alliant 2400 / ~16gr IMR SR4759 / ~18gr IMR 4198 / ~22gr Alliant RL-7 with the NOE 311165 w/GC (RD clone) out past 100yds, & ringin' steel @ 200 pretty consistently. Unique @ ~8gr w/out GC seems ok out to 50yds or so.

[Green Lizzard]

if you want a little more steam in that rb load a 30 cal gas check will crimp on a 00 buck

[blackpowder man]

I like the 8.0 grains of unique previously mentioned, but using a gas checked lee 113 soup can. Accurate to 90 yards in Marlins, Winchesters, and savages in 30-30. Great boolit in other calibers too.

[hatcreek]

What is a Lee 113 soup can?

[hatcreek]

got to get one of those 113 soup can.

[detox]

RCBS 150 gr. Cowboy Boolit mould (part #82302), 7 grains Trail Boss powder, and Winchester Large Pistol primers. I use linotype alloy to cast these. Also use SPG lube, but alox works well also. Size to .310

[Ramjet-SS]

My plinker is 8.5 Universal under a RD boolit, hits quite a bit lower than my Rx7 load but it's an easy adjustment. I don't have a PB mould so I'll keep on using GC's on my GC boolits.

Me too love Universal mine is RCBS GC drops at 190 but is fun load to play around with. That Powder burns clean my other is 4759. Littl more velocity but that is the best reduced load powder made IMHO

[Sensai]

I was just rereading this thread an it struck me how many definitions there are of "plinking load". The more experienced already know, but I feel the need to state some basic physics. First- trajectory is purely a resultant of velocity and gravity. Assuming gravity to be a constant over the range of the projectile, trajectory is a product of velocity. Of course the velocity is reduced by air resistance, which is influenced by ballistic coefficient, etc, etc. the largest factor that we control is muzzle velocity. Second- at the same applied pressure, in the same gun, a lighter projectile will attain a higher muzzle velocity than a heavier projective. Here it gets rather complicated in that MOST plinking loads use a quicker powder than full power loads. Just as a generality, though, the same charge of the same powder will give close to the same pressure with the heavier projectile having more pressure than the lighter projectile. Third- if you want lighter recoil, near the same trajectory and use less powder and lead, you have to push a lighter projectile at a higher velocity. The velocity needs to be the same or slightly higher tha your full power load. If you are just after less recoil, you can use a heavier projectile at reduced velocity. In doing this you will have to compensate your point of aim for the different trajectory. And that comes full circle to the definition of a "plinking round". The point being, before you can know if a load meets your objective, you really need to define your objective better than a generic term with no one definition for everyone.

Of course all of the above is my opinion and is extremely simplified. Be advised that sometimes what you read is not what I was thinking when I wrote it, I'm no wordsmith!

[sthwestvictoria]

Lee 311-93-1R over 5 to 7 grains of Trailboss is great for plinking and for squirrels.

I use the Lee TL-314-90-SWC, sized to .311 with LLA or 45/45/10 over 7.0grains of Trailboss, works beautifully. THat is it in my avatar. This load is doing 1480fps.

This has some target pictures and some tips form Larry Gibson and blixen on seating these little boolits:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?172940-win-94-loves-Lee-TL314-90-swc-and-trail-boss

[jbremount]

I like the 8.0 grains of unique previously mentioned, but using a gas checked lee 113 soup can. Accurate to 90 yards in Marlins, Winchesters, and savages in 30-30. Great boolit in other calibers too.


I reloaded these years ago. I used 8.5gr of unique with a 113 gr Lee Soup Can. Nice shooting load.

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g153/jbremount/DSCF0272a.jpg

[Muddydogs]

Yesterday I shot my first Lee C309 170 F's sized to .310 loaded at 8,9 and 10 grains of Unique. Rifle used was a Win 94 30/30. The 10 grain load grouped less then 1/2 inch at 50 yards but shot 10 inches low and 4 inches right of where the rifle is sighted in for 170 gr jacketed loads. Recoil was about like a 22 LR. I did hit the 10 x 12 steel at 100 yards with a couple rounds but there was quite a bit of hold over. All in all a cheap light plinking load which is fun to shoot but plan on adjusting the rifle sights.

[hatcreek]

Just ordered the 113 gr Lee Soup Can, and the .311 round ball, let the fun begin, thanks all for your suggestions. HC

[jbremount]

Just ordered the 113 gr Lee Soup Can, and the .311 round ball, let the fun begin, thanks all for your suggestions. HC

FWIK,there were/are occasional group buys on the Lee Soup Can mold in 6 cavities. I size mine to .311 for the Marlin's micro-grove barrel.

[jbremount]

I got in on this group buy and IMO, it was a good one. Maybe someone has a extra mold for sale.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?104133-Soupcan-30-cal-AKA-311316-NOE-GB

[hatcreek]

how do you size a .309 to a .310?

[Muddydogs]

how do you size a .309 to a .310?

From what I have found my Lee molds throw larger bullets. The .309 throws .310 to .311, the .401 throws .402 and a .358 mold I have throws .360. I use COWW's so that might help as the molds throw about 5 grains heavy give or take except for the 240 grain 44 mold which throws right at 240. Go figure that one of the biggest bullets throws right on and the .40 175 grain mold throws 5 grains heavy. The C309 170 throws at 175 +- .5 grains taken from weighting the first 300 I casted.

[jbremount]

I sized mine to .311. I think that's what you need for the Marlin's micro-groove barrels. In the Group buy, one could order the molds in .312 and .314. I ordered mine in .314 and sized down.

[hatcreek]

what is COWW's?

[swamp]

It stands for clip on wheel weights.

swamp

[hatcreek]

Oh not cream of wheat wheat, ha ha thanks. HC

[hatcreek]

anyone ever use 800x or sr7625?

[Whit Spurzon]

For cheap shootin' it's tough to beat Bullseye and the Lee Soup Can or Lyman 311008. Even works on the Chickens in silhouette matches and will usually take down the pigs too.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbRsCaLvpEQ

Us it for Grouse too. Even my 1893 likes it.

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k542/WhitSpurzon/1-Yonderosa086_zpsc48f9256.jpg

[Salmoneye]

Nice takedown, Mr. Spurzon...

[psychicrhino]

Nice shhootin

[Canuck Bob]

Is there a Soup can for the 32 Special? Also how do Winchester 94s, mine is a 1950s, feed these short nosed loads?

I just stocked up on powder and preparing to cast some bullets. I have full weight moulds but now leaning to mid weight, 130+/-, for my 32 special and 303 to ease up on lead use a bit.

[hatcreek]

Here are some plinking loads using 7625 and 800X, the pics on the left are 7625 right 800X, the bullet is cast LEE 170gr rnfp, they mic 'ed at .310 tumbled lubed with 45 45 10, fired out of a Marlin 336 30-30 at 50 yds, I think with a little work I can bring the group tighter, 9.6 gr of 7625 and 10.2 800x. Thanks retire PO for the data on the 7625, and don huff for the 800x.. HC

[torker]

the plinking load for the wife is 9.6 grns. of Blue Dot Lee 170, WWWQ, 2% tin,Alum GC, lubed w/cr, sized @ .310 Shoots well @ 100 yrds. Knocks the heck out of clay pidgeons all day long. really no felt recoil..

[hatcreek]

H'mm I'll have to try the blue dot load, thanks for the info.

[357maximum]

Very interesting can't wait to load up some cat sneeze, shy of a horse fart, and maybe a mouse fart, thanks all. HC


No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.
George S. Patton



When you get bored of all that there are also flea fart loads: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?76956-30-30-Limbo-Load