questions on reduced loads

[blueridgeMTNs]

I finally got some H4895 powder. Going to load some reduced .243W loads for my son to shoot in his Ruger American Compact.

Question I have is I read on Hodgdon website that I can take the max powder charge for a bullet that uses H4895 and use the 60% calculation of the max to find the reduced load. (I am not going to just use 60% I will probably use closer to 65% anyway).

Now does this formula apply to the heaviest bullet for the .243W or does this formula apply to any bullet that uses the H4895? I.E if I want to use Nosler's 70gr NBT or Sierra's 60HP in .243W I just take the heaviest charge for the bullet and multiple by 60%. (providing I can find any loads with H4895.)

Thanks and I am excited to get the ball rolling. But realize this may not work in this specific rifle but certainly H4895 can apply to other calibers so I am hitting the bird with two stones!

 

[allaroundhunter]

Any will work.

 

[J_McLeod]

Any bullet where you can find load data for H4895. I tried it in .308 and it was pleasant to shoot, but not particularly accurate.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Any bullet where you can find load data for H4895. I tried it in .308 and it was pleasant to shoot, but not particularly accurate.

That is the correct answer and since there is H4895 load data on the Hodgdon site for all 16 bullets weights listed for the .243 Win you can use the 60% rule for all 16 bullet weights listed.

Hodgdon says you can reduce the load an additional 10% if necessary but no more. Don't forget the range report, good luck...

 

[243winxb]

30-06 Reduced loads with IMR 4895

The 2nd loading of brass used for Hodgdon type reduced loads with IMR 4895 ( different than H) powder may produce soot all the way back to the case head in 30-06 with 150 gr. bullets. This is because the case gets shorter on firing as it expands outward. Only 1 out of 20 did this. All brass was shorter, after firing, when measured head to datum. Accuracy was ok. Your results may be different. Wear shooting glasses.

 

[Sunray]

A 60 or 70 grain bullet won't need any reduction. And both are varmint bullets. If deer hunting is the plan they are not suitable.
What 60% rule?
A 60% reduction of a 60 grain H4895 max load gives 16.8 grains. Reducing the max load by 40% give 25.2. Both will be unsafe and will possibly detonate.

 

[oldpapps]

Check the 'Pistol' section in Hodgdon's on-line loading data. I would think a starting load for a 'pistol' would be both safe and reduced.

 

[morcey2]

A 60 or 70 grain bullet won't need any reduction. And both are varmint bullets. If deer hunting is the plan they are not suitable.
What 60% rule?
A 60% reduction of a 60 grain H4895 max load gives 16.8 grains. Reducing the max load by 40% give 25.2. Both will be unsafe and will possibly detonate.

From Hodgdon's own publication:

To create this type of target and plinking loads, we recommend our 60% rule with H4895: Refer
to our latest reloading manual or the Reloading Data Center found on this website; take the maximum H4895 charge listed
for any given cartridge and multiply it by 60%. The shooter can create a 1500 to 2100 f/s load, depending on the bullet
weight shown. This works ONLY where H4895 is listed. DO NOT use H4895 in a cartridge where it has not been shown

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

Start at 60% of the max load of H4895 given in Hodgdon Data. 25.2 gr of H4895 in a 243 Win case will not detonate the way that much slower powders are rumored to when underloaded.

Matt

 

[rskent]

243winxb said:

The 2nd loading of brass used for Hodgdon type reduced loads with IMR 4895 ( different than H) powder may produce soot all the way back to the case head in 30-06 with 150 gr. bullets.

Any chance you could elaborate please. What load are you trying?

 

[243winxb]

Hodgdon Youth Load Link for H4895

Hodgdon Youth Loads http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/H4895%20Reduced%20Rifle%20Loads.pdf

Any chance you could elaborate please. What load are you trying?

30-06, Hornady jacketed 150 gr #3035, IMR 4895-32.0gr. Only 1 produced soot. Annealing of the brass may help. I have shot many cast bullets with IMR 4895 at lower powder charges with no soot. Here i think the Lyman "M" die helps seal the necks when not crimping. The Hornady gave the worst accuracy, compared to 2 different Sierra 150 gr FBSP & match BT bullets.

 

[rskent]

What kind of accuracy are you getting with the 150's?

 

[243winxb]

30-06 IMR 4895- 32.0gr. 150 gr bullets

What kind of accuracy are you getting with the 150's?

The Sierra #2130 - 2 1/8" The Sierra match #2190- 1 1/4" The Hornady #3035 was "no good" i didnt put down the measurement on 10-27-14. 5 Shots each. Shooting a Rem 760 by holding onto forearm, hand on front bag. No bag rear. Not true benchrest. Most shooting was standing offhand. Reduced load shot about 1 1/4" to 7/8" below point of aim compared to a 46.0gr start loading @ 100 yds. 1 7/8" & 1 5/8" groups. Note that my Rem 760 pump never was a tack drive, unlike newer 7600's i have shot that were more accurate. Not trying to work up a load. Just plinking with components laying around.

 

[blueridgeMTNs]

When I went to a GS and bought some H4895 I saw some Speer .243 85 and 90gr bullets and bought some of this. Looking at my Speer #12 manual it shows reduced loads with IMR4198 starting at 17gr and max at 19gr.

Is it perfectly safe to test reduce loads with IMR4198? I ask this because I have not read of IMR4198 being consistent enough to create reduce loads unlike the H4895. Since I have one box of 85gr and 90gr thought I would try this if I did not get acceptable accuracy with Nosler NBT 95gr with H4895 in reduced load.

 

[jwrowland77]

If it's in the manual, then it should be safe to follow the manuals load data, provided they haven't put out any corrections for it.

 

[Haxby]

Speer has been publishing those 4198 loads for at least 40 years, now. They must not get too many bad reports back.
H4895 - Just because Hodgdon says you can reduce loads by 40% doesn't mean you have to reduce that much. A load of 75% or 80% of max might work well.

 

[Captcurt]

I loaded some 243 loads from the Speer Manual for a friends grandson. Loaded a 90gr Speer with IMR-4198 at around 1700fps. He took 4 deer in 2 years with that load and graduated to full loads. Worked Swell. Never had any dealings with any other reduced loads.

 

[Kosh75287]

A 60% reduction of a 60 grain H4895 max load gives 16.8 grains. Reducing the max load by 40% give 25.2. Both will be unsafe and will possibly detonate.

Sunray, could you walk me through the arithmetic you used to get those charge weights?

 

[morcey2]

Sunray, could you walk me through the arithmetic you used to get those charge weights?

The "60 grain" in his post refers to the bullet weight, not the powder charge. The max powder charge is 42 grains and that's where the other numbers come from.

Matt

 

[Kosh75287]

Okay, yah, that makes more sense. Thanks for clarifying that.