The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Skunkworks > Handloading, Reloading, and Bullet Casting

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old August 13, 2002, 06:42 PM   #1
redrider
Member
 
Join Date: June 18, 2002
Location: seattle, washington
Posts: 67
Reduced loads for 30-06

I want to practice all year with light, soft kicking recoil loads, then use full strength loads for deer/elk. I was reading the Speer #13 reloading book and it listed one reduced load that got my interest. 180g. spitzer in front of 27-31g. of IMR 4198, for a speed of 1721-1988fps. The reason it caught my eye in the first place is simply because I use IMR 4198 in my .222, so thats what I had on hand. I will be using 56g. of IMR 4350 with 165g. gamekings for hunting. The Speer manual listed a reduced load for all the bullet weights, but my question is why would someone "plink" with big ol' 180's? Don't shooters usually use the much lighter bullet weights for plinking? Is there some practical field use for a slow 180g. Is there something besides cans and paper that this load would be good for? I was thinking of using the 100g. 'plinker', but I have read that the lightest weight that would properly stabilize is 130g. Is this true? Even though my triple duece shoots so sweet I would like to start using the 06 for everything from rabbits, chucks and coyotes on up to elk, so I get to know this one rifle like the back of my hand, and I will have the confidence that I will hit what I'm looking at. Thanks for your input on this issue.
__________________
Wanted: good women with nice truck, smart dog and large critter ranch. Please send photo of truck, dog and ranch.

Last edited by redrider; August 15, 2002 at 08:17 PM.
redrider is offline  
Old August 13, 2002, 06:52 PM   #2
Quantrill
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 28, 1999
Location: Arizona, USA
Posts: 725
Reduced 30-06 Loads

Red,
I believe that the 30-06 will stabilize bullet weights down to 110 grains and they are sold commercially. Most folks I know who fire light loads in the '06 use cast bullets. they are cheaper and at the lower velocities, accurate. Quantrill
Quantrill is offline  
Old August 13, 2002, 11:46 PM   #3
Northwest Cajun
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 26, 1999
Location: Spanaway Wa. &Lafayette La,(Cajun Country)
Posts: 189
reduced 30-06.... It's called a .308
The 30-06 is one of the most versitle rounds made everything from 90 gr pistol bullets to 220gr match bullets.
I've found that I can get almost the same POI from slow 150's and fast 180's so much so that I do not have to change my scope to practice. My hunting load is a 165 gr Grand slam @ 2733fps It will group 5 shots in under 2 inches @ 200 yds( closer to 1.5")
I also tried 125's @ close to 3000FPS not bad groups to boot!
I just scored a couple hundred german 06 surplus rounds that use 150 gr bullets. Thats what I've been using latley to practice.

Cajun
Red, PS I'm back in Western Wa. Wanna go shootn'
__________________
Laizzes Les Bon Temps Rouler!
Northwest Cajun is offline  
Old August 14, 2002, 12:36 AM   #4
C.R.Sam
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 29, 1999
Location: Dewey, AZ
Posts: 12,858
I have loaded cast 180s down to subsonic in the 06 and was pleasantly suprised to find that they were tack drivers out to bout 150yds. Took some load fiddlin to get ammo and rifle to agree on things. But it was fun and worth the trouble.

Sam
C.R.Sam is offline  
Old August 14, 2002, 12:41 AM   #5
redrider
Member
 
Join Date: June 18, 2002
Location: seattle, washington
Posts: 67
Back to my original question though, why such heavy bullets for plinking????? One of my questions anyways.
__________________
Wanted: good women with nice truck, smart dog and large critter ranch. Please send photo of truck, dog and ranch.
redrider is offline  
Old August 14, 2002, 05:07 AM   #6
MADISON
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 1, 2000
Location: Roanoke, Virginia
Posts: 2,678
Reduced loads for 30-06

The Lee Loading Manual, on pages 90 through 93 gives you information on ordering their "cute" little $5 program. The program allows you to use the powder and bullet you normally use and reduce the velocity down to where you want it. Lee will not put the program on line for downloading.
MADISON
MADISON is offline  
Old August 14, 2002, 07:35 AM   #7
braindead0
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 28, 2002
Location: Canton, Oh
Posts: 896
Or you can go to Handloads.com, they've got a reduced load calculator..

I remember (a long time ago) some bullseye loads for 30-06 that lobbed a 180gr bullet at around 1000fps... no real kick at all.
__________________
DoD# 2223
Meum scapha volitare plenum anguillae
braindead0 is offline  
Old August 14, 2002, 09:52 AM   #8
Northwest Cajun
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 26, 1999
Location: Spanaway Wa. &Lafayette La,(Cajun Country)
Posts: 189
Back to your question,
I think some people only buy one type/brand of bullet and thats it. I think the term is frugel
I don't , but if my spending $$ gets low, I'd consider it. Mine choice would be the 165gr Hornady interlock SST, Boat tail or flat base.

Cajun
__________________
Laizzes Les Bon Temps Rouler!
Northwest Cajun is offline  
Old August 14, 2002, 11:02 AM   #9
labgrade
Member In Memoriam
 
Join Date: November 29, 1999
Location: west of a small town, CO
Posts: 4,346
A heavier bullet has better trajectory path retension & all - doesn't blow off course as much.

Too, better sectional desinity for penetrationo if used on game. .30 cal cast dowloads make dandy small game getters & a 175 or so at 1500fps is nothing but a light .30-30 - will do a deer within reasonable ranges.

1/2" 100 yard groups attainable with some foolin' around.
labgrade is offline  
Old August 15, 2002, 07:44 PM   #10
redrider
Member
 
Join Date: June 18, 2002
Location: seattle, washington
Posts: 67
http://www.hodgdon.com/data/youth/index.htm

This is where I have found some 'youth' loads.

Labgrade-- Why is your light load 500fps slower than thiers? Can you share this recipe with me? The slowest load from Hogdson is -- 30-30 at 2000fps and the slow 30-06 is going 2500fps. Both with 60% of max load of H4895. That is what they recomend; is this "60% of max 4895", for a safe light load for any cal listed for 4895. I load both of these cals. But Speer says 1700-2000 range for thier light load of 4198. Hmmm.......


Cajun-- That makes alot of sense. My old man always taught us "You gotta use what's lyin' 'round". IMR 4198 lyin round is what started me on this in the first place!!!!!!!!! In fact I have some old 180's lyin round........

Madison-- I do not currently have the Lee loading manual but will try and get it so I can check out this 'cute' little program.

I have heard that if you go with too little powder it can turn your cartridge into a 'pipe bomb'. I have been told that with big ol' 45-120's and the like (originaly black powder) that light loaders would put just a little bit of powder in the case and fill the rest up with cornmeal to keep the powder packed around the primer. I read or 'hear' alot of different things about reduced loads, like for instance, that a good rule of thumb is that your powder should not lay below the level of the primer when the case is horizontial.

Please feel free to enlighten me or to further confuse me.
Thanks for your input!!!!!!!
__________________
Wanted: good women with nice truck, smart dog and large critter ranch. Please send photo of truck, dog and ranch.
redrider is offline  
Old August 16, 2002, 03:27 PM   #11
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
 
Join Date: November 13, 1998
Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA
Posts: 24,798
Around 20 grains of 2400 won't push cast 169-grain gas-checks fast enough to lead the bore. For jacketed bullets, 20 to 25 grains of 2400 and any bullet weight that's handy...

, Art
Art Eatman is offline  
Old August 17, 2002, 12:47 AM   #12
redrider
Member
 
Join Date: June 18, 2002
Location: seattle, washington
Posts: 67
Is there such a thing as too little powder? Is there a safety concern with too little powder? If so then how do you tell how much is not enough?

Thanks
__________________
Wanted: good women with nice truck, smart dog and large critter ranch. Please send photo of truck, dog and ranch.
redrider is offline  
Old August 17, 2002, 01:38 PM   #13
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
 
Join Date: November 13, 1998
Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA
Posts: 24,798
The only reported problem of which I've read concerned a "thought to be" reduced load in a .243, with somewhere in the vicinity of 20 to 30 grains of 3031. The American Rifleman had an article on this, some thirty years back--mas o menos. Destructive explosion.

Otherwise? No. As a generality, though, with regular rifle powders, it is felt that the safest loads are those no more than ten percent below maximum.

For reduced loads, use the faster-burning pistol or shotgun powders.

In the '06, five grains of shotgun smokeless and a round lead ball of about .32 makes a great squirrel load.

Art
Art Eatman is offline  
Old August 18, 2002, 03:35 PM   #14
labgrade
Member In Memoriam
 
Join Date: November 29, 1999
Location: west of a small town, CO
Posts: 4,346
My .30-06 (& .308) light loads are a Lyman gas checked 173 flat nose cast bullet.

The reason it's slower than their's is because it's accurate (1st requirement ) & it's light (2nd requirement). I'm using Unique as a powder - worked up the load till it was accurate & stopped - the velocity is a by-product.
labgrade is offline  
Old August 18, 2002, 06:18 PM   #15
444
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 20, 2000
Location: Ohio
Posts: 3,968
I regularly shoot a load consisting of 3 grains of Red Dot and a 000 buckshot pellet crimped at it's circumference. This load is all but silent, and is quite accurate out to at least 25 yards (that is as far as I have shot them). Buckshot is available in one pound boxes from Hornady. I initally coated the balls with alox and sized them. After loading some of them, I decided that the pure lead ball simply deforms to the size dictated by the seating/crimp die. For that reason, you can use any buckshot pellet that is at least .309-.310.
The next step up from there for me is a cast lead bullet which drops from an RCBS mould at about 190 grains. I seat that bullet over 20 grains of 2400 and plink with it as far as I can see. I have never fired it on paper for groups at anything over 50 yards but I have put 5 in the A-Zone of a silhouette from close to 200 yards offhand.
Why use a heavy bullet ? Increased effectiveness. Just because you want a light load, doesn't mean you have to have a light bullet. You cut the velocity to a bare minimum, the heavy bullet allows the load to still be effective on game animals. I wouldn't hesitate to use my cast bullet loads on coyotes, jackrabbits, groundhogs, ground squirrels, or whatever.
__________________
You know the rest. In the books you have read
How the British Regulars fired and fled,
How the farmers gave them ball for ball,
From behind each fence and farmyard wall,
Chasing the redcoats down the lane,
Then crossing the fields to emerge again
Under the trees at the turn of the road,
And only pausing to fire and load.
444 is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:03 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.10014 seconds with 10 queries