imr 3031

[OFFGRID]

things are scarce around here. my local shop has a few pounds of imr 3031 on the shelf collecting dust. im thinking of buying them. think i can get decent hunting loads for 308 and 3006?

 

[LV Gun]

things are scarce around here. my local shop has a few pounds of imr 3031 on the shelf collecting dust. im thinking of buying them. think i can get decent hunting loads for 308 and 3006?

I think you can,, I use it in 45/70 for my Magnum Research BFR revolver 40 grains with a 300 grain LRNFP and it works great. I believe 3031 at one time was a go to powder for 308 but I may be wrong. I have an old IMR manual from 2000 if you need any data .

 

[deerslayer303]

Yep you sure can, it would work fine for 308 and 30-06. I love 3031, I use it in 303, 308, 30-30, and I load my brother a 150 grain load for his d 30-06 deer Gitter.

 

[OFFGRID]

awesome! ill pick it up. it may come i handy one day

 

[jmr40]

It's a decent 308 powder. It can be loaded in 30-06 but isn't anywhere near the best choice. It's a great 30-30 powder. I wouldn't seek it out, but sometimes you have to buy what is available.

 

[nettlle]

Always a good powder for me in .222/.223.

 

[AJC1]

It's a moderate fast rifle powder which is extruded, gives good case fill and burns easy. Your best results for hunting will be with lighter bullets 150 gainers. For full power with heavier options 4064 will have more horsepower. It's ideal for loading 30-30 if you have one.

 

[nettlle]

I have used 3031 in 30/30 also. A good powder for 30/30.

 

[jmorris]

You can do a lot with IMR 3031. It’s extruded so powder measures don’t like it as much as spherical powders like 748 or TAC but the 3031 these days is at least shorter than it used to be, so it isn’t as bad at bridging small case mouths.

I’ve run lots of it in .223, .308 and 45/70.

 

[entropy]

things are scarce around here. my local shop has a few pounds of imr 3031 on the shelf collecting dust. im thinking of buying them. think i can get decent hunting loads for 308 and 3006?

It's not the best powder for either caliber, but you should be able to find good loads.
I used 46.0 gr. of 3031 under 165 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip or Partitions in .30-06. (CCI Primers) It was a milder load designed for my 742 Carbine. It was very accurate from the 18" barrel.

 

[Charlie98]

It can be loaded in 30-06 but isn't anywhere near the best choice.

It's a moderate fast rifle powder which is extruded, gives good case fill and burns easy. Your best results for hunting will be with lighter bullets 150 gainers.

That... and that... ^^^

I've actually switched from IMR4895 to IMR3031 in the .308... for my Socom16, 16" M1a.... with 150grn or 110grn bullets. It works fabulous there. I reserve the IMR4895 for the .30-06 (M1 Garand) loads. I have worked up an IMR3031 load for the Garand and 150grn bullets... but that's not really it's happy place. For Service Rifle, it's fine, but in both the .308 and the .30-06, if you want to go heavier, you will need a slower powder.

 

[zeke]

3031 was used by an older 308 match shooter i knew and it worked well for accuracy and velocity. Just had to weigh each charge.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I’ve used 3031 for over 50yrs! It’s actually given me outstanding results in the.308. Not the highest velocities, but unless you’re shooting long range in high winds it’s great.
It’s on the quick burning side for the .308, but that makes it economical. For blasting or moderate distance hunting, it’s unbeatable.
Who cares if your 150gr deer load is only running 2,650? Back in the 60’s and 70’s, folks didn’t have chronographs in their back pockets. Sub MOA groups were what mattered.
I’m from the days where an extra 20 shots from a 1lb can was a big deal. I loaded with a Lee loader on my back patio with a block of wood, a plastic mallet, and used Lee powder scoopers, from a coffee cup. Using range pickup brass.
Using roughly a starting load of 3031 I loaded inexpensive ammo that allowed a high school student to be able to plink 1/2gal milk jugs and 1qt oil cans at 200yds.
I’ve still got 2cans of 3031 I bought from a lgs close out 18yrs ago.

HMMM, I think I’ll recreate my 1970’s load and go blasting with my
700 Tactical HB. I bet it’s sub MOA with a Speer 150gr HotCor and nearly with a PPU 150ptspt!

 

[41 Mag]

I've used it for several calibers from 223 up through 45-70. It shined in a couple of 243 loads and of all things the 270 under 130gr bullets. Nope it hasn't been a top end velocity powder, but like mentioned, has turned in some outstanding accuracy and has accounted for several generations of happiness in the game fields. The 270 load runs just over 2800fps, and is mild recoilling. I worked it up for my then 68yr old mother and it has done well since being used by my daughter and three grandsonss.

 

[OS/N]

3031 is a good powder for most medium sized rifle cases. It is single base so works well in cold and hot weather. It has been on the market a long time and you will find load data for it in lots of chamberings.

First there was dupoint MR (military rifle) powder - the standard single base smokeless powder formula still used today. Next there was dupoint IMR (improved military rifle) powder. The same powder formula but tweeked in size and with different agents to slow the burn rate down and make it bigger or smaller in a case so it worked better or different in different size cases.

Works great in 223, 30-30, 30-40, 308 and many other similar volumn to bore cases.

If you run 06 sized cases you can run 3031 also but 4895 is a little bulkier in the case. In big cases with smaller bores 4350 may work better. There are a few sb powders between 4895 and 4350 like Varget but you can load good consistant ammo in almost any caliber with these 3 or 4 powders. Just study and use your load data.

Like others stated - the size and shape of the powder pieces doesn't auto meter as well as double base type powders. Accuracy wise it is better IMO - is best to meter to half grain of disired charge and weigh in the last few tenths.

 

[Show Me]

Solid choice in a sea of choices. Absolutely no reason to not use it .
Hopefully others aren't powder jumpers like me. When the experimenting is over in early fall I can load up 3031 and pro hunters , Hornady SP and Hot Cor 150's for hunting with equal results. I was able to stream line most of my family into 308 for our woods and small field hunting.
Ziplock bag on the dining room table and grab and go. They don't know what I've done, just free ammo . Makes me smile when a shot blasts out. Silly right?
3031 makes it simple and haven't had trouble maintaining a stock. Some of my bottles have 32$ tag. Last one says 58$ Some of my hot cor have 17$ tag. I use S&B primers at 26$ a brick.
It's hump day.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

things are scarce around here. my local shop has a few pounds of imr 3031 on the shelf collecting dust. im thinking of buying them. think i can get decent hunting loads for 308 and 3006?

That’s exactly what it’s made for.

 

[OFFGRID]

I've used it for several calibers from 223 up through 45-70. It shined in a couple of 243 loads and of all things the 270 under 130gr bullets. Nope it hasn't been a top end velocity powder, but like mentioned, has turned in some outstanding accuracy and has accounted for several generations of happiness in the game fields. The 270 load runs just over 2800fps, and is mild recoilling. I worked it up for my then 68yr old mother and it has done well since being used by my daughter and three grandsonss.

what grain bullets on the 243?

 

[AJC1]

what grain bullets on the 243?

I would look at the 75 grain bullets... if your looking fore red mist the 58 grain red tip would likely be lightning fast... a chuck, squirl or small vamit would explode....

 

[OFFGRID]

I would look at the 75 grain bullets... if your looking fore red mist the 58 grain red tip would likely be lightning fast... a chuck, squirl or small vamit would explode....

well it just so happens i came across a box of old herters hollow points. 70 or 75s i dont recall. i might try that.

 

[OFFGRID]

thank you guys for all the replies

 

[CCSIG]

I use the stuff for 303 and 7.65x53- I hope you got a good price. IMR powders can be really pricey nowadays.

 

[Show Me]

I use the stuff for 303 and 7.65x53- I hope you got a good price. IMR powders can be really pricey nowadays.

But it can be found. 62$ around here.

 

[Odessa]

I load IMR 3031 in the 32 WS, 303 BRIT, and 45/70 GOVT. I used to load it in the 30/30 WIN when I owned one. What I like about 3031 is that I have always been able to find it in stock somewhere. OH

 

[AWS]

I've loaded 3031 for a long time. It seems to work in just about all .378, .473 and rimmed rifle cartridges. It was my go-to powder in the 223 in the 70s-90s. My 308 when I was shooting MS. I still load it in my 6.5x58R Sauer and 9.3x72R.