rbstern
02-28-2006, 07:59 PM
I took my first three batches of 30-30 to the range today:
All cartridges had the Lee 309-150FP, ww, water quenched, sized 309, gas checked and tumble lubed. The three loads were:
7.4 grains Red Dot
14.4 grains WC820
25 grains surplus IMR4895
The gun is a Marlin 336, circa nineteen eighty-something, that I found looking pretty beat up in a gun shop a couple of weeks ago. I refinished the stock and got many years accumulation of crud out of the barrel and action. It's my first Marlin lever gun, and I have to say I am impressed with the action's smoothness. I was worried about the micro-grooves, but I took heart from the folks here who said boolits and micro-grooves can be made to play together.
I set my target board 25 yards out, and a gallon milk jug at 100 yards. I didn't have a rest with me, so I had to shoot from the bench on my elbows. Everything grouped well, with some three shot cloverleafs at 25 yards. None of the loads produced any flyers. The buckhorn sight was adjusted a little low and left for me, but that's an easy fix.
The real fun was the milk jug, which I shredded from one end of the backstop to the other. Didn't matter which load I used to do it. They all went true, minute-of-milk-jug accurate. The rifle and the rounds worked beautifully together. Got home and took the bolt out, found minimal leading.
If deer season opened tomorrow, I'd take this gun and these loads to the woods in a heartbeat.
Next up, I'll bring the chrony and a rest and start fine tuning and see how tight the groups can be made.
Thanks for the many contributions you've all made to this successful outing. I read many past threads on 30-30, microgrooves, milsurp powder, reduced Red Dot loads, etc., and it helped me short circuit a lot of load development time. I'm moving right to fine tuning and practice.
The Cast Boolit web site rocks!
All cartridges had the Lee 309-150FP, ww, water quenched, sized 309, gas checked and tumble lubed. The three loads were:
7.4 grains Red Dot
14.4 grains WC820
25 grains surplus IMR4895
The gun is a Marlin 336, circa nineteen eighty-something, that I found looking pretty beat up in a gun shop a couple of weeks ago. I refinished the stock and got many years accumulation of crud out of the barrel and action. It's my first Marlin lever gun, and I have to say I am impressed with the action's smoothness. I was worried about the micro-grooves, but I took heart from the folks here who said boolits and micro-grooves can be made to play together.
I set my target board 25 yards out, and a gallon milk jug at 100 yards. I didn't have a rest with me, so I had to shoot from the bench on my elbows. Everything grouped well, with some three shot cloverleafs at 25 yards. None of the loads produced any flyers. The buckhorn sight was adjusted a little low and left for me, but that's an easy fix.
The real fun was the milk jug, which I shredded from one end of the backstop to the other. Didn't matter which load I used to do it. They all went true, minute-of-milk-jug accurate. The rifle and the rounds worked beautifully together. Got home and took the bolt out, found minimal leading.
If deer season opened tomorrow, I'd take this gun and these loads to the woods in a heartbeat.
Next up, I'll bring the chrony and a rest and start fine tuning and see how tight the groups can be made.
Thanks for the many contributions you've all made to this successful outing. I read many past threads on 30-30, microgrooves, milsurp powder, reduced Red Dot loads, etc., and it helped me short circuit a lot of load development time. I'm moving right to fine tuning and practice.
The Cast Boolit web site rocks!