H4895 loads for .30-30

[andym79]

hi guys well today I bought some H4895 (AR2206H) here in OZ. I want to make light loads for target shooting in a WIN 94 .30-30 with a 165grn RNFP bullet.

The bullets are cast with a BHN of 16, Hodgdon list 17.5grns as a minimum but the Lee manual goes down to 15grns, which would be below 50% fill, is H4895 safe at that low level?

Has anyone used H4895 at 50% or below fill? Does it need fillers for such small loads?

I like the look of between 18 and 20grn! At the top end Hosgdon list 21grn where as Lee list 29grn, though with a BHN of 16 I think a load over 23grn would cause a lot of leading.

 

[NCsmitty]

If you look on the www.hodgdon.com site, they list in the intro, running H4895 at 60% of maximum for use with cast bullets.
They also show youth load data for hunting, using a 20% reduction.

http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/H4895 Reduced Rifle Loads.pdf

I have not used light cast loads in 30-30, but in other calibers, I have used IMR4227 and IMR4198 with their faster burn rates.


NCsmitty

 

[popper]

Nope it doesn't 'need' filler. Make sure it is Hodgdon powder, I'm not sure IMR 4895 works the same as H4895. I've used 17 gr. The bottom of the bore has a dusty soot trace so filler may help. I don't know what a 15 gr load would be used for, shooting @10 yds? 7.5 Unique would be better and cheaper. Are you using GC? I went to 25gr. using 50/50/10 with minimal leading.
17 was fun, good to 50 yds, 25 is stout but accurate to 100.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Didn't you do most of this already in this thread you made?
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=636086

I highly doubt 23.0gr will cause leading as long as the bullets are properly lubed. I doubt the pressure will be high enough with that charge to cause leading. As long as you keep the velocities under ~1,800 fps I think you will be fine. A charge of 23.0gr will probably be around 1,400 fps give or take a little. I use a charge of 21.0gr to 22.0gr H4895 all the time with no leading at all using a plain base 165gr cast bullet. The charge of 21.0gr generates 1,340 fps AV in a Marlin Carbine.

 

[chris in va]

Not quite the same, but I shoot a 155gr cast/gas checked 7.62x39 with 17.5gr of 4227 through my CZ. Haven't tried 4895 with it though.

 

[andym79]

Didn't you do most of this already in this thread you made?
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=636086

I highly doubt 23.0gr will cause leading as long as the bullets are properly lubed. I doubt the pressure will be high enough with that charge to cause leading. As long as you keep the velocities under ~1,800 fps I think you will be fine. A charge of 23.0gr will probably be around 1,400 fps give or take a little. I use a charge of 21.0gr to 22.0gr H4895 all the time with no leading at all using a plain base 165gr cast bullet. The charge of 21.0gr generates 1,340 fps AV in a Marlin Carbine.

Yes I guess I did, sorry to repeat myself, just wondered if a different title in my thread may attract new posters!

I am green to loading with cast bullets, and want to get all the information I can. From some of the posts I have read I am starting to get the impression that the pressures listed in Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th edition might be a bit on the high side. Lyman certainly seem more conservative at both end of loads in terms of grains of powder compared with Lee Modern Reloading 2nd edition. I guess firing the loads and checking for leading is the best way to check whose figures are most accurate!

Because using Lyman my BHN 16 bullets (estimated psi of 22000 using LEE's table) will only work with Unique, RX7 and 748, the other powders are not readily available in OZ! Where as using Lee's pressures, I can also use Varget, H4895 and H4198.

Perhaps I am just treating this 22000 PSI as gospel for maximum pressure for a BHN of 16, am I misguided? Because using this as a guide, even trailbosses use is limited!

Would a gas check remove the projectile restriction on pressure?

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Are you casting the bullets? If yes and if you're worried the bullets aren't hard enough you can water quench them to make them harder. Water quenching could possible bring them up to 20 BHN...

Like I said, the bullets I'm using are 18 BHN and they have been used up to ~1,800 fps without leading. (but not by me) I have clocked them to over 1,400 fps without a trace of leading. The proper lube counts too.

 

[res7s]

I'm using water dropped Ideal 308241 152gr PB water dropped bullets cast from mixed ww's in my 1970 Marlin 336. The hardness is around 18 BHN. My favorite load is 6.0gr of Red Dot.I size my bullets to .312"(large throat) and use a good lube. After a day at the range, I clean the rifle by running a patch soaked in Ed's Red through it, followed by several dry patches. I get a little carbon, but no lead. Your mileage may vary.