The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - You most accurate powder loads for .30 cal rifles

Art Eatman · March 18, 2008, 08:50 PM

Since around 1950, I've had plenty-good accuracy and results with 53.5 grains of 3031 behind a 110-grain Hornady for varmints. 52.5 grains of 4064 behind most any 150-grain bullet, although I've used Sierras these last thirty years or so.

I've used Sierra's 165-grain HPBT and the 180-grain SPBT. All their bullets will give groups inside one MOA at 100 yards and 500 yards.

Not too long back I tried 54.0 grains of H414 behind a Sierra 180-grain SPBT, and put the first two shots about 1/8" apart (100 yards). The third bullet went into one of those holes, but I couldn't tell which. So I quit. I loaned the rifle to a buddy, and "interest on the note" is a bunch of elk steaks in my freezer...

You can load some 5 grains of shotgun smokeless or fast pistol powder behind an 00 buck for a squirrel load. You can use an 80-grain pistol bullet ahead of a bodacious quantity of 3031 and do horrible things to jackrabbits.

, Art

March 18, 2008, 08:50 PM	#2
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Since around 1950, I've had plenty-good accuracy and results with 53.5 grains of 3031 behind a 110-grain Hornady for varmints. 52.5 grains of 4064 behind most any 150-grain bullet, although I've used Sierras these last thirty years or so. I've used Sierra's 165-grain HPBT and the 180-grain SPBT. All their bullets will give groups inside one MOA at 100 yards and 500 yards. Not too long back I tried 54.0 grains of H414 behind a Sierra 180-grain SPBT, and put the first two shots about 1/8" apart (100 yards). The third bullet went into one of those holes, but I couldn't tell which. So I quit. I loaned the rifle to a buddy, and "interest on the note" is a bunch of elk steaks in my freezer... You can load some 5 grains of shotgun smokeless or fast pistol powder behind an 00 buck for a squirrel load. You can use an 80-grain pistol bullet ahead of a bodacious quantity of 3031 and do horrible things to jackrabbits. , Art