Cheap reduced load for .308 and 30-06

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crest117

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I have been given several thousand 150 grn 30 caliber pulled military bullets. I would like to use them for some cheap (very cheap) shooting. I have read on a cast bullet site about "the load" which is 13 grns of red dot powder with a cast lead bullet. Does anyone here have experience using this load with a FMJ bullet?
 
Cheap?

You already have "a couple thousand" bullets which are the most expensive component.

How many do you expect to load at a time? How much brass do you have?

What powders do you have?

Have you considered trading bullets for brass, powder or primers?

Smiles,
 
I like bluedot for that.
People are firmly in either side of pistol powder in rifle cartridges.
I've do it but can't recommend it because it's not in a reloading manual.
I use cast bullet data as a starting point because cast bullets generally create more pressure for the powder charge used.
You are going way off the reservation with this and need to do a lot of research before trying it.
 
Reduced loads with h4895 are published and can be quite accurate. If you have access to this powder that is where I would start.

I was just going to suggest that... you beat me to it.

It is an odd question... you didn't really define 'cheap,' nor did you tell us what you are shooting them out of, or what you expect from them.
 
1. Trail boss this is the best option because this is exactly what this powder was designed to do. Cowboy shooters love it but the powder is expensive. What you see is not a one pound bottle and your paying one pound prices.

2. H4895 this powder is a great second option due to the huge amount of testing and published information by the manufacturer. Of all the rifle powders this one I have never herd of having the powder forward reverse ignition that rapidly dissiaembles your gun for you.
3. Pistol powders. Depending on how adventurous you are and how far off the reservation you're willing to go, this is a common practice. The difference being that these loads are with cast bullets. Unique and 2400 are very popular for this practice.
 
I like bluedot for that.
People are firmly in either side of pistol powder in rifle cartridges.
I've do it but can't recommend it because it's not in a reloading manual.
I use cast bullet data as a starting point because cast bullets generally create more pressure for the powder charge used.
You are going way off the reservation with this and need to do a lot of research before trying it.

Are ya sure about that? Lead has less friction with the bore than jacketed bullets.
 
Just to clarify a few things; these are magnetic jacketed bullets, I plan to use them with a pair of well worn Savage Axis rifles, I was not hoping for great accuracy but maybe 3 MOA and very light recoil. I have used H4895 for reduced loads in the past with good results but even with 32 gns it is a bit costly and it is presently very difficult to get. I have also tried TrailBoss with decent results and that is what I intend to use but I was just curious about "the load". It seems to be used often by cast bullet shooters and is recommended by C.E. Harris who developed the concept and certainly seems to know what he is doing. Thanks
 
I guess my question is... would TrailBoss (or Unique, etc...) be safe with reduced jacketed bullet loads? Cast, sure... I load and shoot those all the time, but my concern would be sticking a jacketed bullet in the bore.
 
Take this with a grain of salt, but Phillip Sharpe (from the ‘30s) lists 14 gr Unique at 1640 FPS, 21,300 psi for jacketed 150 gr 30-06. But that data is nearly 90 years old.
 
Take this with a grain of salt, but Phillip Sharpe (from the ‘30s) lists 14 gr Unique at 1640 FPS, 21,300 psi for jacketed 150 gr 30-06. But that data is nearly 90 years old.

I shoot a 118 grain cast bullet with 12 grains of unique in 3006. Don't recall the max charge, but I think it was over 20 grains. I would be very surprised if 24 grains would be anywhere near a max charge with a jacketed 150.
 
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