Alliant Reloader 15 for 30-30 Win?

[Mad Chemist]

Anyone have any good recipes for 165-172gr cast 30-30 win using reloader 15?
I'm using Missouri Bullets #1 and will be loading for an 1892.

Please note what end of the spectrum the load falls under (heavy or light) and whether it's referenced from a manual or worked up yourself.
My manual is ancient (Speer #11) and it will be a couple of weeks before I can scrape together enough coin for the new one. I have found a lot of data for jacketed and partially jacketed bullets but nothing for lead. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
MC

 

[loadedround]

From checking the Hodgdon web page, it appears that RL15 may be a tad to slow for that weight cast bullet in your 30-30. Three better powders for your cast bullet loads would be H4895, H4198 or Trailboss. Loading data can be found at www.hodgdon.com Good shooting.

 

[rbernie]

RL15 is absolutely TOPS for the 30/30 using jacketed bullets - gives great accuracy and good velocity. GooseGestapo has posted jacketed bullet load data in this forum on the topic, and I have duplicated it with great success. The search engine reveals:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=234276
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=272685
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=317993

ETA - I really glossed over the cast bullet issue - shame on me. It's likely that you will need a far faster powder than RL15 for cast bullets (since you'll be using a very reduced load) and most folk that I know that shoot cast rifle bullets use pistol-class powders such as Unique. IIRC, the Missouri offering is not gas-checked, and as such you really want to keep the velocities low (likely well below 1600fps).

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=32851

 

[Mad Chemist]

Thanks a bunch.
I loaded up a test batch of 20 plinkers w/ 7.1gr Unique.
I guess the Re15 will need to wait for the jacketed bullets.

Any clue as to how hot I can push the Unique plinker load before leading becomes an issue?

The links gave recipes of 7gr for non gc and 10+for gc bullets. If I go between 8-9 gr Unique with the 165gr Missouri bullets will I start to see leading or should this shoot clean?

 

[rbernie]

I've not tried the Missouri rifle bullets. In addition to velocity, I would imagine that the leading issue would depend upon the rifle. For example a MicroGroove might wind up leading faster or slower than the Puma 92, and so forth.

I'd err on the low side and work up only if you really feel the need for more pop. Cast lead plinking loads aren't really meant for serious or long distance work, and for 25yd/50yd offhand practice I can't imagine that 8.5gr of Unique will prove significantly more satisfying than, say, 7.2 gr of Unique.

I have taken to bringing a bore snake to the range during long range sessions; it might prove useful here to run down the bore between strings. It's not going to remove serious leading, but it may help remove the little spots before they become big chunks o' leading.

Do post back to let us know how it worked out for you. I have an H&R 30-30 for which I need to make a bunch of practice loads. If the Missouri loads work out well for you, I'll be right behind ya.

 

[Galil5.56]

I've shot a bunch of Lee 150 grain cast bullets using Unique in a model 336, and they shot great, with little/any leading. Used them as cast, and accuracy was as good as could be expected, and a LOT of fun. You will read that Micro Groove and cast don't work... Well that's BS in my experience, and like any rifle/pistol shooting cast, it pays to know your groove diameter, and play with diameters. Here's that 150 grain Lee bullet fired from my rifle (before it was stolen ) using 7.5 grains of Unique, and I'd say the rifling definitely got a good purchase, and the alloy was correct:



Gonna be really hard to put a hard number on where you are going to get leading, but if you want to help the situation you could always tumble lube these bullets in Lee Liquid ALOX.