Am learning how much fun reduced loads are!

[Jevyod]

So for my 358 Winchester I have been using the 35-200 at about 2100 fps. Been working on my hunting load. I also decided to load some low recoil easy shooting loads for target/plinking. I used the recent group buy mold from Arsenal. Was the 358-158 with no grooves for powdercoating. With gas checks and powdercoat, my boolits weigh 164 grains. Loaded some using Unique powder. Under a 12.1 charge, 5 shots went into .75 at 50 yards. Very minimal recoil, fairly quiet, and just an absolute joy to shoot! of these at a sitting is not enough, want to load 50 for my next outing! Only thing is the meplat is too wide to feed properly, so will be loading them one at a time. Color was gotten by mixing the Signal Blue and Traffic purple from smoke.
https://i.postimg.cc/8zX83VDz/20200406-172742.jpg (https://postimg.cc/gxhBXQnC)

[NC_JEFF]

It's an addiction, I shoot a lot of 30-06 reduced recoil loads. I have a lot of success with imr4895 at the 78-180gr weight.

[sharps4590]

As my handloading/casting hobby has evolved, these days the first load I work up for a newly acquired vintage rifle is a reduced load. Yes sir, they are fun.

[GhostHawk]

Red Dot works great for those light loads, very very thrifty and dang accurate. Most of my rifles do well with 4-6 grains.

I've shot the .444marlin in a single shot handi rifle from 6.5 grains to 13. All were accurate, quiet, easy on the shoulder.

[toallmy]

I have a feeling you may want to go for loading a 100 , just in case someone else wants to take a shot or 20 ....

[dverna]

I have never enjoyed recoil so understand.

I did some work with cast in a .30/30 but found reloading was too slow if I wanted to plink a lot. Also, brass a bit costly. My favorite plinking round is now .38/.357 in three lever actions.

I am looking for a bolt action rifle in a pistol caliber. The little Ruger 77 seems to lack accuracy so now looking at a Rhineland conversion but no idea how they shoot. Wish the Howa mini-Mauser could be had in .357. Maybe a "baby" rolling block is the ticket?

BTW, love the .358 and your loads look great. 3/4" at 50 yard is fine accuracy in my book!!

[444ttd]

more and more i find that 2400 is the "go to" powder. i shoot a 444 marlin with 24.0gr of 2400/dacron(1624fps with 300gr fn gc) and a 35/30-30(1726fps with 200gr fn gc) with 20.0gr of 2400/dacron. (i use a tuft of dacron cuz it shoots more accurately than without) 2400 doesn't have the recoil (which i guesstimate close to no "kick") of full power loads. deer don't like it. usually the deer shot will fall straight down but it will go 20-30 yards after the shot.

i have used trail boss and unique in about all of my rifles.

[RU shooter]

For even more fun in that 358 and they will probably feed , try the old standard 158 rn bullet and 6 grs of Bullseye be about the same vel as a warm 38 spl load

[charlie b]

Try some of these:

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

I use Blue Dot in my .308. About 1000fps gives a nice subsonic load. I routinely get MOA accuracy out of it at 100yd and sometimes at 200yd.

There is a definite sweet spot for accuracy. Off by a .5gn and the group will open up.

[unclemikeinct]

Reduced loads in our old favorite hunting rifles...is more fun than we should be allowed to have.

[unclemikeinct]

IDK if it is the tinkering w the right load to get it just right. Or watching the smiles on the faces of the women folk & the kids getting to use those rifles. If you guys use those well built light weight rigs , You know what I'm talking about. Hunting season is just too short to not use those guns. uncle mike

[tobywan45]

IDK if it is the tinkering w the right load to get it just right. Or watching the smiles on the faces of the women folk & the kids getting to use those rifles. If you guys use those well built light weight rigs , You know what I'm talking about. Hunting season is just too short to not use those guns. uncle mikeAnd you are all so right there

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[Silvercreek Farmer]

If the wind cooperates a bit, those "reduced loads" can make for some fun shooting 300 yards and beyond!

[perotter]

IMO, Even if one bought all their hunting ammo and reloading just to have reduced loads would still make reloading and casting worth it.

[unclemikeinct]

{} {} {} What he said: I could buy pretty good 22-250 ammo for GH's.. Any odd 270W for deer..The rest of them rifles/calibers I could just blaze away w cast & other odd reduced loads & be happy. uncle mike

[bedbugbilly]

I love reduced loads and have played with 30-30 and 8mm Mauser and cast quite a bit. I was limited to 50 yards when I had my own shooting spot behind my house on the farm. Good results though and lots of fun! I experimented with low doses of Unique, Bulls Eye, Red Dot and Green Dot. In my rifles, I kept going back to the Red Dot as it gave me the best results. I found it interesting how my old 1907 Mauser could shoot so well with a 115 grain boolit - same with the 30-30.

Jevyod - NICE looking rounds!

[robg]

light loads mean you can shoot and not get a flinch or beaten up. whats not to like?

[donald duck]

I finally got to the range yesterday and shot my G2 Contender in 14 inch 30-30 with reduced loads. Tried several different loads with different powders but 3.2 grains Tight Group was the best. It is as accurate as I can shoot at 25 yards. The .223 seems to like 5.7 grains of Accurate #5. Shooting 94 grain cast Meister .314 Lee Sizer to .309 in the 30-30.. Lyman cast 52 grain in the .223. The .223 is a Browning A bolt.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

1650 fps. out of a .308 is a very nice reduced load with a 160 gr. boolit and one that could easily drop a deer. The rifle loads at around 1000 fps. are perfect for pests. And all of them really easy on your rifle and a big savings in powder.

[Texas by God]

Going from 3700 FPS jacketed to 1500 FPS cast in a 22-250 is great fun and teaches trigger follow through very well. Ive shot a lot of squirrels with round ball and the Lee TL 314 SWC from the 30-30. Which reminds me, I want to work up (down) RB loads for my 38-55 and 44-40 carbines. On the List!

[DDJ]

I'm awaiting the arrival of my first 45-70 and reduced loads will be my first priority. Don't have the rifle yet but I have the dies. brass and bullet mold. I'm casting boolits for it today

[richhodg66]

I'm awaiting the arrival of my first 45-70 and reduced loads will be my first priority. Don't have the rifle yet but I have the dies. brass and bullet mold. I'm casting boolits for it today

I have been shooting up a bunch of 380 grain round nosed bullets my Dad gave me with 12 grains of Unique, as accurate as I can shoot at 100 yards with iron sights. Two inch gropus are common if I do my part, when a group opens up, I can tell it's usually me. Fun stuff and easy on rifle and shooter.

[charlie b]

IDK if it is the tinkering w the right load to get it just right. Or watching the smiles on the faces of the women folk & the kids getting to use those rifles. If you guys use those well built light weight rigs , You know what I'm talking about. Hunting season is just too short to not use those guns. uncle mike

I don't have kids and women shooters to worry about, but, these light loads put a huge grin on my face! No lightweight rifles either. My .308 is a 12lb rifle shot off bipod or benchrest. Recoil is less than a .22LR :)

[Conditor22]

the4 only thing better than reduced loads is reduced loads through a can. --- no kick and no hearing protection needed :)

[robg]

who needs recoil? light loads are fun especialy in a 45-70