Need some advice on 30-06 loads

[robertbank]

Well I have been reloading for my psitols for years and casting as well. Now I would like to try shooting cast bullets out of my 30-06.

I will be Lyman GC 311291 170 gr bullet cast from wheel weights.

Looking for a decent load that you have tested anf found to be accurate. Anything things to watch for or hints in loasding this bullet would be appreciated.

Stay Safe

[felix]

standard rifle primers, 23-25 grains 4227, 4198, N120. VV powders are the most consistant from lot to lot of all the powders manufactured in this speed range, should you want to buy powder in one pound cans only. ... felix

[sundog]

Robert, be very careful using slow powders in large cases with cast boolits. Even though alot a people say it can't be done intentionally you always run the risk of SEE. I highly recommend 4227 for a starting place, or even 2400 or Herco. Felix mentioned 4198, another good'un. For a little more speed try 3031 and 4895. Notice no ball powders listed? Well, if you use one, it needs lots of pressure to get consistent burn, kinda self defeating in some respects trying to get cast to shoot good (ball will work good however for medium cases like 30-30, 32 Spl, and 35 Rem with a not so light boolit as long as pressure is up). I've been shooting cast in '06 for a LONG time, and 4831 would NOT be a first choice. Sorry if that bursts your bubble. sundog

[StarMetal]

I've shot cast in a 30-06 for alot of years also. The Lyman Cast Bullet manual has LOTS of loads for slow powders. I've shot tons of the old Hodgdon's H870 out of my 06 and it was one of the best damn powders I ever shot out of it. Currently I'm running through a batch of surplus 5010 and you can't get much slower then that and it shoots pretty good also..although for smokeless powder it's a tad dirty. As for the comment on ball powders, well that H870 is a ball powder and I mentioned how that shot for me, another I'm using now is surplus 844. To say that doesn't have any applications in larger cases is wrong. I'd love to have some 4831 on hand, one nice thing about that is you fill most the case up and don't need a filler, plus it's gentle on the bullet. One thing though is that I would use the slower burning powders with a heavier bullet like the 311284 or the 314299. By the way I've used that 5010 clean down into the real small bores like 243 with decent results. I'll admit I'm not a real big fancier of pistol or shotgun powders, or real fast rifle powders in my cast bullet shooting in rifles. I'm not out to be economical, I just like shooting bullets I make.

Joe

[45 2.1]

Robert, be very careful using slow powders in large cases with cast boolits. Even though alot a people say it can't be done intentionally you always run the risk of SEE. sundog

SEE can occur when you reduce the charge of a slow burning powder below a certain level. This level has been opined to be somewhere around 70 to 80% of case capacity of the powder.A slow burning powder usually fills the case.

[sundog]

I think I may have inadvertently misspoke or maybe did not explain enough about slow powders. 45 2.1 is right in that LIGHT charges of slow powders seem to be the culprit for inducing SEE. Joe, I've also used slow powders and some of them do right nicely, but they normally fill better than seventy five percent of the case. You CAN make 4831 work with cast in the '06 (I have), but like I said, I would not start there, not first choice. I would rather have some early on success and a nice comfort level first. Just my opinion, and we all know what opinions are like, don't we? HAR. sundog

[beagle]

You all done forgetting the old standbys...Reloader 7 and 4759. Couple of my favorites./beagle

[sundog]

Beagle, 10-4 on the RL7, but I can't stand the acrid aroma of the smoke. sundog

[StarMetal]

Read Jumptraps load for the 7.62x54 Russian in the thread Loads for the 7.62x54 Russian. Mirrors exactly what I've found slow burning powders to do, and here he's using a one alot slower then 4831. My opinion is first these slow powder such as 4831 require just about a full case to get a decent velocity, like say 1600 fps or slightly more in a 30-06 for example. I think they are great beginners because slow powders are very forgiving on your bore getting leaded because of too fast a powder. Again they don't need a filler either. I'm not sure how many grains it would be for 4831 to only fill say half the 06 case, but what fool would do that? The velocity would be super low for one thing. There can be just as many safety hazards with the faster burning powders as the slow one. Take Buckshot for example, double charged 4227 in his grandfather's low serial numbered 03 Springfield and blew it up quite satisfactory. I'm going to load a light cast bullet in a large case I'll go the faster powder route, but generally I like to use the slowest powder I can get away with.

Joe

[David R]

My experience:

11 grains of Red Dot works great.

20 grains of 2400 is one of my best accuracy loads. 22.5 with the 311291 is my 200 yard load. My 311291 comes out at 282 grains.

15 grains of WC820

11 grains of Red dot, 12.5 grains of Unique, or 13.5 grains of Herco worked great with the 311466, a 150 gr boolit.

I have not got to the 4895 yet in my enfield, but will be reporting soon. I did try 45 grains, but it was more than I wanted in the velocity department. I just want accuracy, not to get kicked every shot.

Can't wait to try a case full on 860. I just got the surplus powder and have had good luck so far.

What ever powder you use, make sure the boolit fits the gun. This is far more important. You are on the right track using a heavier boolit.

Does the bore ride fit the bore? In my enfield, I load so the boolit actually gets pushed in the case as I close the bolt. Works for me.

Have a BLAST
David

[Buckshot]

..............Well Beagle beat me to it! I was scrolling down in amazement that good ole SR4759 hadn't been mentioned, ha!

The 30-06 is actually really easy to get shooting cast well if the rifle is mechanicly sound. Has a bit more combustion area then would be ideal (go to the 30-30 for that ) but it's pretty forgiving.

I like, and have had excellent accuracy with boolits of that weight using 10-13 grs Red Dot, 12 -16 gs Unique, 16- 20grs 2400, 18-24grs 4227 and SR4759, and 22-26grs 4198. What's nice is that they're accurate without killing ya, yet still have some juice to-em.

If you have a desert handy, or some other area where you can shoot way over yonder, it gives you a chance to stand the ladder of your Springfield's Buffington sight up, and run the elevator up there amongst the big numbers.

............Buckshot

[26Charlie]

I have used this bullet with loads of 22 to 25 grains of 4198, Scot 4197, and RLR7. It is quite an accurate load in the various .30-06's, mostly Springfield sporters, I have shot it in. These loads give 1650 to 1800 f/s, and don't leave a lot of unburned powder cluttering up the works like slow powders sometimes do. I highly recommend the bullet and reinforce Felix's post on this.

[versifier]

Buckshot, Starmetal, Do you get much leading with ww bullets at those pressures/velocities? I've gone to lino in my .308 to try to minimize it. Maybe I need to size them a little larger. Thoughts? I've never had any leading problems with the .30-30 and ww.

[StarMetal]

For me 30-06, at least the ones I have and have owned were very forgiving far as finding good loads and no leading. So to answer your question, no I didn't get any leading.

We once had what we called a 200,000 rpm contest. That was to see who could shoot a cast bullet out of any caliber to obtain 200,000 bullet revolutions, which is pretty darn fast velocity wise. I got my 7mm-08 up to near 2700 fps with ZERO leading. I never knew it would do that.

Joe

[BlueMoon]

Many loads have worked well in my 30-06 with gc'ed lead boolits. Two easy loads were a 170grn boolit with 36.0grn of 4895 or 4064 for 2170fps or 2100fps.

Bill

[felix]

Bill, those loads look ideal to me. Might try them in the 308W at 2 grains less. ... felix

[krag35]

I only have one 06 load w/ cast, but I'll share it.

WW cases
CCI 200 primer
36.0 gr Aac 2520
Lyman 311284 A/C WW

Only lube the 2 bottom groves w/ Lyman's Super Moly.

krag35

[1Shirt]

I have been loading 06 with cast for many years, and have a fondness for 2400 and 4759 with the edge going to 2400. 20 grains of 2400 will work as a great starting point for bullets from 150 through 220. Have shot a lot with fillers and a lot without fillers and for range shooting can't tell any difference. If I were to carry these into the field to hunt, would use a filler to keep the powder on the primer as the rifle would be carried in a varity of positions. I like standard primers, and prefer Rem, but that is a matter of preference. I seat to Lyman recommended OAL lengths and have never had a problem chambering any of my loads accordingly. 2400 is always available it seems, but it is sometimes difficult to get 4759. These two powders make shooting cast a bit more reasonable than with some of the powders that require 40 or more grains, and with the cost of powder today, that is to me a big consideration.
1Shirt

[StarMetal]

1shirt

I bet if you shot both those same 2400 loads (one with filler and one without filler) that you'd see a difference. Wanta bet?

Joe

[David R]

No betting, but every time I have tried filler, I got better balistics and worse groups.

This is only MY expierence.

YES 2400 Kicks butt. I am now finding out WC820 is as good. Still testing. If it is, I will buy a few more kegs to hoard.

David