brewer12345
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308 or 3006?
Low velocity plinker .308 and .30-06
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berettaprofessor
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You learn something every day. I thought pistol/shotgun powders (HP38, Unique, etc) were always a no-no in rifle cartridges. I've always used Trail Boss.
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That was in the .308, my wife's LEFTY Savage M11. This load was only slightly less accurate than her long time proven deer load, might prove equally so with a proper rest and more time taken to settle in. Was 5 degrees out and falling with a wicked wind, so I didn't spend a lot of time on getting a good hold for precision LOL. I suspect I'll get similar results with the .30-06, but might up the charge a grain per Lyman book and THR recommendation.
@berettaprofessor , Unique was a popular rifle powder when most folks still stuffed FFG in their cartridges. Still a good option for low velocity reduced loads. When my friend cleaned out his great grandfathers house "up North," we found a shoebox containing 1/2 lb of unique, UMC primers, .38-40 and .38-55 brass, lead cast bullets, Lyman "nutcracker" loaders for both calibers, pictures of Moose?! and bear with him holding a Win 92 or High Wall single shot, and a Sears &Roebuck receipt for all from 1912.
@berettaprofessor , Unique was a popular rifle powder when most folks still stuffed FFG in their cartridges. Still a good option for low velocity reduced loads. When my friend cleaned out his great grandfathers house "up North," we found a shoebox containing 1/2 lb of unique, UMC primers, .38-40 and .38-55 brass, lead cast bullets, Lyman "nutcracker" loaders for both calibers, pictures of Moose?! and bear with him holding a Win 92 or High Wall single shot, and a Sears &Roebuck receipt for all from 1912.
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brewer12345
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If you load cast bullets for rifles, what we think of as pistol powders are all over the place in the data. I use Unique and 2400 in 30-06 as some of my standard cast loads, and Lyman's cast bullet handbook has lots of pistol/shotgun powders for various rifle cartridges. I need to spend some more time fooling around with 35 Rem and Unique will be on the list of powders to experiment with.
You can easily use +/- 10gr of any powder from bluedot to the faster burning powders like reddot or bullseye/clays/etc as a stating load.
Heck I was using 4gr of bullseye in the 308w pushing 95gr wc's for a 50yd sledgehammer for pest control.
Step up to powders with burn rates like 2400, aa#9, steel, mp-300 start in the 16gr range and work up. The lee 160gr bullet in a 308w, a 10-shot group @ 100yds.
The biggest issue with using the fast burning pistol powders for rifle is that it doesn't take much to go from having all bullets touching to the groups opening up.
I couldn't even begin to count home many 1000's of cast bullets have been put down range in a beater springfield 03-a3 between my sons, family, friends and myself. Free bullets from range lead & +/- 700 pulls of the trigger to a pound of powder burning up any powder that I could find cheap at gunshows.
On a side note:
1 of my favorite plinking/pest control bullets for that beater 03-a3 in the h&g #38 also known as the "Ness" bullet. It a 135gr bullet with a huge hollowpoint.
18.5gr of 2400 pushing that bullet pictured above in the 03-a3 gets it moving in the +/- 1650fps range. 100yds and in it really puts a smack on anything it hits. Testing that bullet/load/rifle combo @ 75yds into bundles of wetpack with different alloys. That ness bullet performed as it was designed with water dropped wheel weights. It was designed as a anti- ricochet bullet to take out pests in the garden, by exploding on contact. It would leave silver dollar sized holes in the wetpack that were +/- 4" long.
Heck I was using 4gr of bullseye in the 308w pushing 95gr wc's for a 50yd sledgehammer for pest control.
Step up to powders with burn rates like 2400, aa#9, steel, mp-300 start in the 16gr range and work up. The lee 160gr bullet in a 308w, a 10-shot group @ 100yds.
The biggest issue with using the fast burning pistol powders for rifle is that it doesn't take much to go from having all bullets touching to the groups opening up.
I couldn't even begin to count home many 1000's of cast bullets have been put down range in a beater springfield 03-a3 between my sons, family, friends and myself. Free bullets from range lead & +/- 700 pulls of the trigger to a pound of powder burning up any powder that I could find cheap at gunshows.
On a side note:
1 of my favorite plinking/pest control bullets for that beater 03-a3 in the h&g #38 also known as the "Ness" bullet. It a 135gr bullet with a huge hollowpoint.
18.5gr of 2400 pushing that bullet pictured above in the 03-a3 gets it moving in the +/- 1650fps range. 100yds and in it really puts a smack on anything it hits. Testing that bullet/load/rifle combo @ 75yds into bundles of wetpack with different alloys. That ness bullet performed as it was designed with water dropped wheel weights. It was designed as a anti- ricochet bullet to take out pests in the garden, by exploding on contact. It would leave silver dollar sized holes in the wetpack that were +/- 4" long.
rskent
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Funny thing, when I Googled it, it sent me back here.
DocRock
member
Auto-correct fault. Should be C.E. (Ed) Harris
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?13425-Cast-Bullet-Loads-for-Military-Rifles-Article
Although it is a different bullet than the OP asked...I have loaded 110g Sierra round nose over Trail Boss for my .30-06...very low recoil. It was perfect for introducing my son to the rifle. In full disclosure, i had a great time plinking with them as well, and might load a box of them tomorrow...hmmm...
website for Trail Boss loads below
https://imrpowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/trail-boss-reduced-loads-r_p.pdf
website for Trail Boss loads below
https://imrpowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/trail-boss-reduced-loads-r_p.pdf
DocRock
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For a hoot years ago, I loaded some 30-06 over TB with the Hornady 86grs half jacket 30 Mauser bullet. Let the kids shoot it. No kick at all.
rskent
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I have some Acme 155gr powder coated 30 caliber bullets coming for my 03A3. I was planning on trying them out with Red Dot and Trail Boss. Anyone use these bullets before? Any suggestions on powders?
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