30-30 Reduced cast load, Sanity check

[cpy911]

I have some load data for cast bullet reloads, but the data is not exact to what I have (lists another mold# and slightly different weight by 1 grain).

Anyhow, here is what I propose:

Rifle: 1956 Vintage Winchester 94 with 20" barrel in 30-30.

Projectiles: 150gr FP lead bullets sized at .309 with a bevel base, supposedly rated at 1200-1400 fps that are "hard" cast per the guy casting them. I don't have a hardness tester so I don't know. I am assuming they are not soft lead, they don't dent with my fingernail.

Load: I propose to use 7gr Unique. Any guesses what velocity a 150gr bullet and no gas check would run?

The bullets in question came from here: http://magnusbullets.com/store/page3.html

I hope to not lead the barrel, but most importantly blow up the gun or myself.

I will be very, very, careful NOT TO DOUBLE CHARGE!

 

[Galil5.56]

I have cast and shot a gazillion 150 grain/7 grains Unique plinkers, and what a hoot they are. This web page has a ton of interesting loading for cast bullets, and if you click on the 170gr RNFPbb under 30/30 on the left, and scroll down about 3/4 the way, you will see the Unique load data.

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

Looks like they got 1179 with 7 grains of Unique and a 170 grain cast bullet in 30/30. My Lyman #3 says 7.5 grains and a 151 grain cast bullet gets 1333 fps; max is 11 grains @ 1691 fps.

 

[cpy911]

I have cast and shot a gazillion 150 grain/7 grains Unique plinkers, and what a hoot they are. This web page has a ton of interesting loading for cast bullets, and if you click on the 170gr RNFPbb under 30/30 on the left, and scroll down about 3/4 the way, you will see the Unique load data.

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

Looks like they got 1179 with 7 grains of Unique and a 170 grain cast bullet in 30/30. My Lyman #3 says 7.5 grains and a 151 grain cast bullet gets 1333 fps; max is 11 grains @ 1691 fps.

Thanks. I just wanted a sanity check, since I am new to RIFLE reloading. I will be careful. Any guess on velocity? I am guessing 1200fps?

 

[res45]

I shoot 170 gr. Lee RNFP .310 sized bullets cast from wheel weight alloy BHN 12 with the gas check left off all the time in my 30-30 pump gun using 7 to 8 grs. Alliant Red Dot avg. MV is around 1300 fps. I get no leading with this load. Using the starting load listed you shouldn't get any leading with a hard cast bullet unless you don't have a good bullet to bore fit and get some gas cutting.

Lyman Cast Bullet Manual 3 rd. Edition list.

150 gr. RNFP bullets.
Unique 7.5 grs. 1333 fps. 11.0 grs. 1691 fps.

 

[kingmt]

I use jacked doing the same thing. With this fast of powder bullet grin & case size mean very little 30-30, 270, or 300 all should load about the same. Now 223 is another story.

Lighter(shorter) bullets will probably work better.

 

[tkcomer]

I use the Laser Cast 170gr bullets and about 7.5gr Unique. That range does the best for me but I have no idea how fast they are.

 

[Kernel]

Some more reading for ya.....

SMALL CHARGES IN STANDARD CARTRIDGE CASES by paco kelly:

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/small_charges.htm

 

[Walkalong]

Another option is to fill the case to the bottom of the bullet with Trail Boss and have at it. It should give in the neighborhood of 14/ 1500 FPS.

http://www.imrpowder.com/PDF/Trail-Boss-data.pdf

Impossible to double charge.

 

[cpy911]

Another option is to fill the case to the bottom of the bullet with Trail Boss and have at it. It should give in the neighborhood of 14/ 1500 FPS.

http://www.imrpowder.com/PDF/Trail-Boss-data.pdf

Impossible to double charge.

I thought about TB, but I hear it is a pretty whimpy powder. I would be surprised to get more than 1000 fps, do you have any load data for 30-30 and Trail Boss?
Thanks...

 

[Walkalong]

The link explains how to load Trail Boss in rifle cases. The only one I have tried in .30-30 so far is a .30 Carbine 110 Gr bullet. The case filled to the bottom of the bullet gave me 1216 FPS. Wimpy? I would just call it low recoil fun. Which I thought you were looking for.

 

[Bmac1949]

Walkalong, you're not metering the powder with that load? Just filling the case? Sounds like a fun plinking load.

 

[Walkalong]

It was 13.5 Grs.

Double check it for yourself. Fill the case to the bottom of the bullet, then pour it onto your scale and weigh it. I just hand poured and weighed the first one. Next I will set up my measure to throw the same volume/weight.

 

[cpy911]

The link explains how to load Trail Boss in rifle cases. The only one I have tried in .30-30 so far is a .30 Carbine 110 Gr bullet. The case filled to the bottom of the bullet gave me 1216 FPS. Wimpy? I would just call it low recoil fun. Which I thought you were looking for.

If I could get 1200 fps, I would be happy, just wasn't sure it could get up to that with Trail Boss. I suppose a 150 gr bullet would be less velocity.

 

[Josh45]

I don't use lead bullets but I do use Berrys Plated and I used Herco powder. I use a charge of 9.3-9.5 for a light recoil load for plinking with my 30-30 lever gun. Its not bad out to 50 yards. I didnt get a chance to test it out to 75 yards and 100 yards.

In case your interested,

Case - Remington
Primer - WLR
Powder - Herco
Charge 9.3-9.5
COAL - 2.480 ( Crimp with factory crimp die from Lee if you have it )
Bullet - Berrys Plated 150 GR FP

 

[kingmt]

I don't use TB but I think it is around the burn rate of 2400 or BD(I don't have my chart). I don't think whimpy is the right word maybe safe because it is so bulky.

Why are you set on a certin volocity?

I bet 8gr Bullseye would go 1200 w/jacketed so lead & a slower powder should be easy to get you there.

Why 150gr?

 

[cpy911]

I don't use TB but I think it is around the burn rate of 2400 or BD(I don't have my chart). I don't think whimpy is the right word maybe safe because it is so bulky.

Why are you set on a certin volocity?

I bet 8gr Bullseye would go 1200 w/jacketed so lead & a slower powder should be easy to get you there.

Why 150gr?

150 gr because I got a good deal on these cast and they are designed for 30-30. I am looking to control velocity to prevent leading, as the mfg said the bullets are good for 1200-1400 fps.

 

[rcmodel]

According to Hodgdon, Trail Boss burn rate is #14 on the chart.
Titegroup is #10, and Bullseye is # 9.

It is WAY faster then 2400 (# 45) or Blue Dot (#41).

Just because you use a lot of it by weight or volume doesn't mean it burns slower.

rc

 

[rsrocket1]

With your load in a 20" gun, you should get right around 1290fps if you seat them to .35" depth, but there would only be less than a 20fps difference between seating them anywhere from .3" to .4" and you are way down into the 15kpsi range so you have plenty of margin.

That pressure should be high enough to seal the case in the chamber, but you might have a little soot on the neck. That's what I get with my 110g RNP's when I shoot them with 11g Unique in my .308. Nice light recoil, just a bit louder than a 22 and a great plinker out to 100 yards. I only need to neck size the cases and they seem to last forever.