Reduced loads in .30-06

[joneb]

Blue dot's fast enough that I suspect the 20% pistol volume limit applies to it and you're well over that.

Sorry I don't follow.

[joneb]

I will concur the recomendation of Trail Boss. For reduced rifle loads it works very well.

I have tried Trail Boss for various handgun cartridges with lead bullets from Min. to max. the accuracy is mediocre compared to Bullseye or W231.
I did try Trail Boss with plated bullets for 38spl and it was not pretty, I may give it a try with jacketed bullets in .308 win. just for fun.

[Unclenick]

Jibjab,

Sorry, I put your apology for posting the load in the context of the detonation volumes, not Slamfire's post. Blue dot seems to be a funny case, with the magnum pistol loads, so perhaps this is one powder that's just best to steer clear of for reduced loads. Kind of a mystery.

[DoctorXring]

.

I have used Blue Dot loads for reduced jacketed bullet loading for
years. It is safe, in that a double charge will fill the case entirely
on standard cases like 30-30, 308, 30-06, 7.5x55, 8x57, etc. all of which
I have used Blue Dot in. Of course, you still need to be cautious
with it as with any other powder and avoid overcharge. But since
double-charging is the source of most problems with using fast
powders in rifle cases, Blue Dot has a big advantage here.

There is a "rule of thumb" for using Blue Dot in rifle cases. Fill
the case with Blue Dot. Weight that amount of powder. Use 45%
of that weight as a starting load and 60 % as a max. Go up on
charge by no more than 1 grain at a time in medium cases and 1/2
grain in smaller cases.

Charge weight range for 150 grain bullets in the 30-06 is between
21 and 26 grains.

It is superbly accurate. Not position sensitive in the least, and you
do not want to use "filler". A pleasure to shoot. Here's a few
Blue Dot groups with iron sights.

Qualifier -- If you cannot discipline yourself to check each case for
proper powder charge before seating the bullet, then reduced loading
should not be done.

[m&p45acp10+1]

Jibjab the loads I use Trail Boss for in pistol it shines through them all in my book. I use it primarily for .41 Mag, and .38 spcl. Accurate, and clean. The only cleaning I have to do is to clean off the carbon from burned bullet lube.

For a real hoot shoot the round nosed 110 or 115 grain .308 bullets for .30 Carbine in a .308 Win Case with a 95% case fill of Trail Boss. The load shoots quite untill the sonic boom of the bullet catches up. The sonic boom is louder than the initial shot itself.

I shoot a lot of Trail Boss loads in my 91-30 Mosin Nagant. Wtih iron sights I can hit 6 inch steels at 50 yards with ease. They group about an inch and half at 50 yards last time I tried grouping them.

[Brian Pfleuger]

Trail Boss loads are great fun in my .204Ruger also. 70% case fill sounds like a cap gun. I shot a rapid fire, 30 shot, 100 yard group of about 2 1/4 inches, just doing case forming. Loaded 5 rounds and shot as quick as I could load and get the crosshairs on center, then 5 more, etc. Was like 6 inches low but I was surprised to shoot that many rounds into that small of a group that fast.

[joneb]

If you cannot discipline yourself to check each case for
proper powder charge before seating the bullet, then reduced loading
should not be done.

I agree.
I use Bullseye, W231, and AA#5 for handguns, any of these powders can be double charged in many handgun cartridges, SO INSPECTION PRIOR TO SEATING THE BULLET should be a mandatory procedure when the possibility of a double charge is possible.

I must add that this inspection is not just for double charges, but it is a safe guard against a NO CHARGE.

[jwrowland77]

H4895 I a great powder to use for a reduced recoil load. I currently do a reduced recoil load for my daughter and her .223 single shot she has. By loading a reduced load for her it has brought me and her closer and has really energized her love for shooting. She is 7yo and without doing a reduced recoil load with the H4895, she probably wouldn't shoot much. She has shot around 150 rounds of .223 with the H4895 and we have not had a problem with a single one.

Follow Hodgons instructions on loading with a reduced load and you shoul have no problems. I've been able to get my daughter used to shooting now and each time we go out, I have been increasing the charge by .1. With the rate that she has been going, she should be up to 20 grains by the time deer season rolls around. She uses a Hornady V-Max and is hitting pretty good with them. I normally take her out 3 times a month on the weekends.

Enjoy the time with your son! I had several post on here asking questions too about a reduced recoil load for her .223. Search for them and you may be able to find something in those as well.

[Unclenick]

As with all things shooting, what works well in one person's gun and equipment may not work out in another's. When you get to rare events like detonations or out-of-battery fires in gas guns and so on, you'll often find the majority of persons can shoot through several barrels without having even one incident, while another may have more than one blow up. The point is that one person's experience being good doesn't tell you for sure something's perfectly safe.

I fully admit I can't tell what the Blue Dot issue is about other than to say most handloaders have had no problems with it, yet every once in awhile it blows up a gun. So despite it doing well when all is going right, I think it's likely prudent to decline to experiment with it outside Alliant's recommended uses at least until the problem Alliant believes in is explained.

[RWE]

I am tickled to death with the Hodgdon H4895 Youth Loads in my .30-06! Great groups and recoil of a .223. My daughter will be hunting with it this year and to be honest, I will be too. I see no reason to change the zero for my loads and we have worked up the DOPE to 200 yards. That said, I am limiting her to 100 on deer. Good luck!!

[Edward429451]

You could always use 12.0 gr of Unique under those 110's too. The loads may not break accuracy records but they're fine for light range loads.

[hootey]

A great source of info on reduced loads is the "Modern Reloading-Second Edition-by Richard Lee". It has a complete section on reduced rifle loads for the 30/30, 308, & 30-06. A lot of good information, as well as good reading material. Have used many of the reduced loads for 30/30 & 30-06 with good to great results. Some of the 30-06 loads have been very accurate out to 100yds. Lastly, they make shooting the 06' a lot of fun. Almost no recoil if any and "accrite", so to speak. Offering my 2 cents worth to go along with all the other useful information on this post....

[Tom68]

I also assemble reduced-velocity .308 Win loads for my 11 yr old son (Also done .30-06& .270)... the only thing I've ever used was A-5744, and it works just fine. I've had to e-mail Accurate for load data, but they have always promptly responded and provided useful information that works well in my rifles. That being said, I've heard so many good things about Trail Boss that I'm willing to give it a try; only thing that keeps me from it at this point is the large amount of A-5744 I still have on hand-- a 1 lb jug makes up lots of .308 rounds!

unlike some of the others here, my reduced velocity loads are for practice only, using 110 grain bullets. for actual hunting he'll use 150 gr full-power loads, and I'll re-zero the scope right before the season to get him on target at 100 yards, which is about as far out as I'm willing to let him shoot at a deer.

Funny thing is, I've complained about this particular Mossberg rifle on this here site before, how it won't shoot anything except Federal Fusions... Hornaday and Federal Match ammo won't group, and neither will any potential hunting load I've tried... but the reduced stuff will group at nearly 1" @ 100 yards. go figure?

[capodastro]

check this out..
http://www.chuckhawks.com/reduced_recoil_H4895.htm

[jwrowland77]

I didn't even think about reducing my 7mm Rem Mag....hmmmm.