RedDot in a 30-06

[Pirate69]

I think everyone recognizes 13 grains of RedDot is a good starting point for any case greater than 7mm per Ed Harris's recommendation. I am playing with a 9 grain RedDot load behind a 170 grain boolit in a Model 1903 and it is grouping well at 100 yards. Very pleasant load to shot. I do not think I have seen where there are issues with reduced loads of fast powders like RedDot but I thought I would run it by the wisdom of the Forum anyway. Does anyone see any potential problems with a light RedDot load?

[Texas by God]

No problem except too much fun maybe... I'm shooting 10.5 grs with a 175 gr boolit in 8mm Mauser.

[Maven]

Except for the risk of double charging a case, I don't think there's a problem either, P69. Btw, I often use 12.5gr. Unique in my .30-06 with CB's between 175gr. - 203gr.: Very accurate + little recoil and noise.

[Thumbcocker]

I have gone as low as 7 grains of fast powder in .06 with a standard weight boolit and no gas check. Loads of fun. I have read that rimless cartridges can get head space issues with very light loads because there is not enough pressure to swell the brass to fit the chamber and ths shoulder could move thus effecting the head space. Never happened to me but that is what I have read.

[Pirate69]

Thanks

[Larry Gibson]

Pirate69

Only potential problem with lighter loads like that are with the case headspace shortening a small amount with each firing so after 3 - 5 +/- firings misfires or fail to extract can become a problem, especially with push feed actions. If that occurs then well fire formed cases with the flash holes drilled out (#30 - #28 drill) solves the problem.

[leebuilder]

They are addictive, is a hazard, going to low has its hazards.
Oh yah, not getting anymore red dot could be hazardous.
I found imr red to be slightly better in some loads.
Be safe

[Pirate69]

If you believe QuickLoad, chamber pressure should be about 17,500 psi and 1,350 fps. A reduced load but not a very light load.

[Texas by God]

Pistol power and rifle accurate.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Eddie2002]

6.5 grains of red dot pushing a 100 grain cast .311 boolit was my go to load during the .22 rim fire drought. Great fun out to 50 yds and cheaper than .22's at the time. Still use that load for fun in all my 30 caliber+ rifles.

[dbosman]

My favorite bullet for reduced loading is a Lyman 311008 or 311116 GC over Red Dot.

[Tom W.]

I think I use 14 gr. to fireform my 30-06 A.I. with 160 or 170 gr cast. I like putting holes into the target without getting beat up, and enjoy the "deer in the headlights " look on people's faces when the ejected round looks " different."

[richhodg66]

When I first read about "The Load" years ago, of course, I had to try it.

My opinion is that 13 grains is too hot and ten to eleven grains is a lot better.

[Kestrel4k]

I have had exactly the experience that Larry Gibson describes above (i.e. shortening cartridges & failure to extract due to rim being too deep for the extractor in a push-feed WinM88 .308), so have done subsequent flash hole enlarging per his recommendation.

[Walter Laich]

off the beaten path:

I use RD in my reduced 45-70 loads for plinking fun

does raise a few eyebrows when I first start shooting, though

[dbosman]

Oh, thank goodness and richhodg66. I've settled on 10 gr Red Dot in .30-06 and about 8 in .308. I was embarrassed to admit 13 gr was too stout for my pleasure.
I've sold the rifle, but I if I ever get a .223 bolt gun again, I'll start at 3.5 and a NEI .225" boolit.


When I first read about "The Load" years ago, of course, I had to try it.
My opinion is that 13 grains is too hot and ten to eleven grains is a lot better.

[rsrocket1]

Here's a 50 yard group of subsonic loads with the Lee 309-200-R bullet and 6.5g Red Dot

https://images3.imgbox.com/03/5a/ZjfR3Q2B_o.jpg

and here's a 100 yard group with 13.3g Titegroup using the Lee 309-170-F bullet. Always that one darn flyer!

https://images2.imgbox.com/da/77/sWSzDl5n_o.png

[2152hq]

10.5gr RedDot ('cause that's what the scoop throws) and most any cast or jacketed bullet I have around in either the 30-06 or 30-40Krag.
Even works well with pulled GI FMJ.

Easy on the shoulder and the rifles. Plenty accurate out to 100m which is as far as the range is.

Lots of other powders work as well for this type of loading, but I just happen to have RD around and have used it for many years. Keeps it simple.

[Pirate69]

Shot 25 rounds of 170 grainers with 9.2 grains (Lee dipper) RedDot today. Tumble lubed, no GC, no leading. Can't match the groups above but pleased for Model 1903 iron sights. Groups running around 5 inches at 100 yards. More fun than struggling to get my scoped Garand to shoot tight groups. Good medicine for the Garand blues.

[texasnative46]

10 grains of RD, behind a PBCB, out of my Model of 1917 service rifle OR out of the .303 British version "does a job" on called coyotes & other similar size critters & spoils little meat on the edible ones. = In one side & out the other at most any angle.

yours, tex

[Pirate69]

Yes, it is a load to be respected. You do not want to get in the way of 170 grains of lead moving at 1,300-1,400 fps.


10 grains of RD, behind a PBCB, out of my Model of 1917 service rifle OR out of the .303 British version "does a job" on called coyotes & other similar size critters & spoils little meat on the edible ones. = In one side & out the other at most any angle.

yours, tex

[bedbugbilly]

I don't have a 30-06 - YET - but am looking for one just to shoot reduced RD / cast loads from.

I am currently using 8.3 gr of Red under a 120 ish grain cast boolit in my 1905 Danzig GEW98 Mauser and it is way too much fun. I'm only shooting at 25 to 50 yards but it shoots very accurately and with good groups using the standard military sights.

I also used reduced RD loads in my 30-30s and it is equally as much fun. I started playing with the reduced loads when the 22 shortage happened and I haven't shot a 22 since.

Thanks Larry for the info on the possible reduction in headspace with the lighter loads - so far, I haven't had any issues at all with the reduced loads but I'm writing down that sage advice in my reloading notes so I have it.

I don't hunt anymore and being older, I don't like the hammering recoil that some of these rifles can give so the reduced
RD loads certainly allow for continued fun!

[texasnative46]

bedbugbilly,

Fwiw, C.E. Harris's famous "The Load" works fine in any case from .308WCF & larger, using most any common "shotgun powder", like RD, BD or GD.

As I'm a "well-known cheapskate" (who doesn't like to waste money needlessly & thinks that you cannot kill game "deader than dead"), I'm working on a reduced load for small to medium critters for my rifles that use cases with a capacity less than .308WCF.

yours, tex

[Tom W.]

I have found that for plinking loads in almost any rifle the Lee dippers do quite well. If I'm building hunting loads, I'll use my scale....

[UKShootist]

Yes, it is a load to be respected. You do not want to get in the way of 170 grains of lead moving at 1,300-1,400 fps.

I love telling it in imperial about my 45/70. You don't want to get in the way of an ounce of lead travelling at a thousand miles an hour.

[DeputyDuke]

I have used the 13.0 gr of Red Dot, pushing a RCBS 30-150-FP, at 1,630 fps to neatly kill a deer.

Duke

[Catpop]

Here's a 50 yard group of subsonic loads with the Lee 309-200-R bullet and 6.5g Red Dot

https://images3.imgbox.com/03/5a/ZjfR3Q2B_o.jpg


and here's a 100 yard group with 13.3g Titegroup using the Lee 309-170-F bullet. Always that one darn flyer!

https://images2.imgbox.com/da/77/sWSzDl5n_o.png

I solved that flyer problem by shooting one shot groups :kidding: But seriously, that’s some fine shooting!

[James Gibson]

In my 30-06 Howa 24" w/3x9. RCBS 308-200-Sil GC 309. W/Gc , sized with lube 208grs. 13gr of Red Dot went 1850 over cromo. Would do 3" @200ys (most of the time?) -clean shooting