30-221 first time out

[jhrosier]

I recently had a Savage 112 rebarreled in 30-221 and got it to the range for the first time.
There were some issues with the bedding, trigger and scope, but the first results were promising.
Target has 1" grid.

http://images50.fotki.com/v1523/photos/5/590147/2786028/30221target14june-vi.jpg

Lyman 31141 sized .311 with Carnuaba Red, over 5.7 grs Trailboss, CCI BR primer.
Shilen 24" supermatch barrel, 1-10 twist.
The powder left a lot more crud in the barrel than I expected and the necks were smudged with lube and powder residue.

I am going to try the same boolit with Blue Dot and either 2400 or H110 next time.
The Trail Boss was at 100% case capacity and the pressures were still too low for proper combustion.

The boolit dropped about 6" going from 50 to 100 yards.
I intend to try to stay barely subsonic.

The trigger and bedding have been adjusted and a new scope ordered.

I also have a Lyman 311299 that I want to try next.

Jack

[Bigjohn]

Not bad, not bad at all!

I think I have that mold here but never used; 173grs IIRC. Bought it for a .30/30 I never bought.

The 311299 at 200grs should be interesting, keep us posted.

John

[jhrosier]

John,
That 31141 is my favorite boolit. I shoot it in a bunch of different guns and it always gives good results with very little work. I've never put them all through the same hole though.
It happens to be the only boolit mould that I have that works in my K31.
I've shot a bunch of groups close to 1 moa from the 03 Springfield and a M39 Finn.
My only complaint is that the Lyman 4-holer is too heavy to suit me. I'm thinking about looking around for a DC.

Jack

[JSH]

AA#9 was my go to powder for a long time. I have been using IMR4227 as of late. That is with the exception of some PB 110-140 grainers with a load of BE. I quit with the rifle primers and went back to small pistol. Tightened groups enough for me that I will stick with them.
I shot a lot of jacketed in my 30x221. I found the loads for it at that time to work as well in my 30-20 TC barrel. I then started a bit lower and with CB's. A lot of the heavy CB's shot the same accuracy load as well if not better than the FLGC from years past.
The small pistol primers will flatten on several loads. The rifle primers never showed a thing.
Shooting to say 200M with a scope with this, you may run out of elevation. The Burris rings can solve this and there are a few bases with some elevation built into them.
jeff

[GrizzLeeBear]

The powder left a lot more crud in the barrel than I expected and the necks were smudged with lube and powder residue.

I am going to try the same boolit with Blue Dot and either 2400 or H110 next time.
The Trail Boss was at 100% case capacity and the pressures were still too low for proper combustion.

Jack

I just did some testing with Trail Boss in my 8mm Mauser, looking for a mild load that filled the case more than half full. I have tried loads from 9 gr. (50% case full) to 17 gr. (95% case full) in 1 gr. increments with the Lee 175 gr. boolit. Same results as you. Sooty cases, accuracy at best was 3" with flyers at 100 yds.
18 gr. of 2400 groups into half that consistently. This load maintains 1 1/2 MOA out to 200 yds. As much as I like how fluffy TB is, I can't get any consistent accuracy with it in rifle cartridges, and I hate how dirty the cases come out.
It works well for "low powered" pistol loads though, which of course is what it was designed for.

[Doc Highwall]

jhrosier, if your necks are getting smudged with soot and lube your brass is too hard. Try annealing them and your groups should get smaller at the same time.

[jhrosier]

AA#9 was my go to powder for a long time. I have been using IMR4227 as of late. ...

Jeff,
I would be grateful if you would share your load data for AA#9 and IMR4227 for cast boolits in the 30-221.
Please PM if you would rather not publish it here.

I have spent a bit of time mining the various websites and forums and have a good pile of info to digest in the next few days before I load again.

I'm waffleing a bit on the Blue Dot because of suggestions that it tends to be 'spikey' when the max loads are approached. 2400 is looking better all the time. I'm also wondering if I can get enough pressure to make H110 burn cleanly and consistent while keeping the velocities subsonic.

All of the above is in reference to the 175 gr 31141 right now. I will work on the 200 gr 311299 later.

I am interested in anyone's experiences or theories regarding loading for this cartridge.

I also have quite a bit of data for 200 gr + jacketed bullets and am considering whether the starting loads given for the jacketed bullets would be a good starting point for cast boolits.

Jack

[MT Chambers]

I shoot the Whisper with cast boolets alot and can't get as good accuracy subsonic as i can when i load them up, best subsonic load was 7.5grs. AA-9, best load overall is 17.5 grs. RL-7 and a 205gr. Eagan bullet...it has to do with stabilizing the long bullets with my 1-12" twist barrel.

[jhrosier]

.. best subsonic load was 7.5grs. AA-9,....

What boolit weight did you use with this load?

Jack

[jhrosier]

Well, adjusting the trigger, relieving the forend pressure on the side of the barrel and replacing the crummy Simmons scope with a better quality Barska made the second range session more productive.

I tried two different loads, one with Blue Dot and the other with 2400.
Target grid is 1".

The Blue Dot shot about 6" higher @50 yards than the earlier Trail Boss loads, and had a distinctive supersonic crack. there was very little powder residue on the case necks and much less fouling in the bore.

The load with 2400 shot a couple inches lower than the Blue Dot load and did not sound as if it was supersonic. There was a bit more residue on the case neck than the BD load, but the bore fouling was about the same.

http://images49.fotki.com/v1510/photos/5/590147/2786028/30221target20june-vi.jpg

Both of these loads cleaned up easily with a single dry patch through the bore after each 10 rounds.
I was surprised and pleased that neither load showed signs of a flyer on the first shot. The shots that are out of the main group all happened somewhere in the middle of the string.

What happens next depends entirely on whether I find another pound of 2400 in the powder locker. The local gun shop is out of stock.

While I am still very interested in developing a subsonic load, I am more interested in the most accurate load possible. I sighted the gun with some of the 5.7gr Trailboss loads and they shot easily twice the size of these. I'm writing off Trailboss completely.

The chronograph will be used the next time out and I will vary the loads up and down 1 grain, in half grain steps.

As a final note, I would mention that this is the first gun that I have every owned with a genuine top-shelf barrel. The barrel is a Shilen supermatch grade 1-10 twist. Judging by the targets and the ease of pushing a patch trough the bore alone, I would say that it is worth every cent of the additional cost to use the very best one can afford.:drinks: I also have to recognise the work of my gunsmith, K.L. Hooton Gunsmithing, Palmer MA, for his excellent execution of the project in only a couple of weeks and at a very reasonable price.


Jack