Reduced load for 308 Win????

[bantam9]

I'd like to make a reduced load for my son to hunt PA deer.
I have SR4759 and 125 gr Sierra SP. Anybody have any load data for this combo, or any other????

 

[rcmodel]

Use this & H4895 powder.
http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Youth Loads.pdf

SR4759 is generally used in reduced lead bullet loads.
Not so good with jacketed bullets.

rc

 

[redneck2]

Don't know, but I'd suspect that a 125 SP in .30 cal is more of a varmint round than deer round. Most likely the bullet will blow up rather than penetrate.

You should be able to find something that is pretty equivalent to a .30-30. Extremely light recoil and enough whack for Bambi.

 

[bantam9]

The only manual I have is the Speer No. 11. They list 130gr with the SR4759, but no 125gr. I'd like to stay with the SR4759 since I already have it. Is it really that poor with a jacketed bullet? Would a hollow point be any better?

 

[USSR]

I'm presently using the following load for 200 yard matches:

Hornady Match brass
Fed. 210M primer
168SMK
37.0gr IMR4895

For a hunting load, simply sub your favorite 165gr hunting bullet.

Don

 

[rcmodel]

I'd suspect that a 125 SP in .30 cal is more of a varmint round than deer round. Most likely the bullet will blow up rather than penetrate.

Might be a varmint bullet at normal high velocity.

But with a reduced load it becomes a pretty good deer bullet.

Explosiveness vis expansion is tied directly to velocity.

rc

 

[Jim Watson]

The only manual I have is the Speer No. 11. They list 130gr with the SR4759, but no 125gr.

A load for a 130 grain bullet will not be enough different with a 125 to matter or even notice. Realizing that is part of handloading that makes it different from reloading and the Recipe Hunt.

 

[avan47]

Barnes makes their 30 cal TSX in both 110 gr and 130 gr. Either will kick less than a 150 gr. I don't think either one of these is a varmint bullet, but check the Barnes web site for applications and loading data.

 

[Bart B.]

Those loads listed may well work fine. But there's a safety issue with reduced loads.

When the .308 Win. case gets driven forward by the firing pin, the shoulder sets back a few thousadnths, the case head is now forward the same amount, then pressure rises pushing the case body against the chamber wall. The first point to contact the chamber wall is the shoulder as it's got the thinnest brass. Then contact starts moving back towards the case head stretching the case as the brass behind the shoulder is pressed hard against the chamber. Meanwhile, the primer starts to back out from pressure getting to it, too.

If there's not enough peak pressure to push the case head against the bolt face and seat the primer back flush with the case head, the fired case will have less head clearance than it did before. And the primer will be seen sticking out a ways.

I've seen primers stuck out of .308 Win. case heads 10/thousandths of an inch when normal max loads are reduced by 10 to 12 percent. I suggest one start cutting normal max loads 1 grain, shooting that round, noting if the primer's still flush with the case head, then drop another grain and shoot again. As soon as the primer's seen protruding past the case head, mash that case between your teeth to destroy it, then consider your minimum safe reduced load is 2 grains more than one that had the protruding primer.

My reducedload tests dropping .30-06, .308 Win. 7x57 Mauser and .270 Win. charges this way all had about this same thing happen. So

 

[Kernel]

In Handloading by Wm. C. Davis, Jr., published by NRA Press in 1980, Davis said, "...4759 is possibly the most useful reduced-load powder for rifles. It combines all the desirable characteristics of easy ignition, relatively clean burning, and low bulk density. It is single-base powder, of porous-base type which facilitates quick, uniform ignition in reduced loads."

Davis LOVED 4759 and went on for 5 or 6 paragraphs extolling it's history and merits.

Thing is, Davis's concept of "reduced load", regardless of bullet weight, toped out below 2000 fps. Great for plinking, but probably too slow for a cross-the-board humane deer hunting load.

I'm with rcmodel. H4895 is a much better powder choice for a Youth Load - something 10-20% under a full power load.

If you want to proceed with a hunting load using 4759, go for a maximum load, and be cognizant of it's M1 Carbine level of performance.

4759 would be ideal for training your young hunter to shoot (and for small game, too). Let'em get in plenty of trigger time with an accurate low recoiling round. Just switch to something more powerful for hunting.

 

[kelbro]

4759 will work just fine with jacketed bullets and a 125gr SP at 2Kfps will knock most whitetails down quickly and humanely out to at least 150yds. My experience is on Texas-sized deer. I have heard that the PA deer are larger. Either way, a good clean double-lung shot will take them down. If it were me and I was hunting larger deer, I would probably bump it up to a 150 or 165 gr bullet.

Load some up and take the boy hunting.

 

[JDGray]

Guns & Ammo did a write up on this subject, called "308 Lite" Had a dozen or so loads tested, with the results. May be able to do an archive search on G&A web site.

 

[zxcvbob]

How 'bout using flat-nosed .30-30 bullets? They are designed to mushroom at 2000-ish FPS.

 

[KenWP]

Try useing cast bullets. The cast bullet reloading manual has lots of reduced loads for lead bullets. For shooting metal tagets we use really light loads that are so much fun to shoot I have to limit how much ammo I take to the range each time. I am not neat my manuals right now to check what I use so I would not even try and mention it. All I do know is it uses Red Dot powder.

 

[41 Mag]

I can honestly say that I have not used the powder you mention for the .308 Win. Did use some of it a long while back for some reduced solid loads for the .243.

I can also say that I have been using H-4895 with the .308 with great success with the grandson. I have burned over two pounds of powder shooting loads ranging from 38 - 42grs, with bullets in weights of 125 - 130. I have not seen any issues with the cases or primers that were mentioned here. I have seen some of the best grouping loads ever shot from this rifle. Even the grandson shoots them into quaint little 1" or less holes at 100yds.

So far he has taken one feral hog, and a coyote using the 125gr loads, and another hog with the Barnes 130gr TSX. In testing them out before he got behind the trigger I shot several hogs up to 200# out to ranges of 200ys with the TSX and had no issues what so ever. In talking with Hodgdon extensively about this powder and it's characteristics, they assured me that using the 60% rule with this particular powder, I could load all the way back up to the standard rifle max loads. Pressure allowing in my rifle of course.

I would definitely recommend you give it a try if you can round some up.

 

[bantam9]

Just ran out last night and picked up some H4895. I'll load some up and see how it goes starting with the published Hodgdon specs for reduced loads fro the link from rcmodel.
I did shot 3 shots with 22 gr of the 4759. It was about a 2 in group at 100yds.
Regardless of powder choice/bullet. I'll most likely only allow the boy to shoot at 100yds or less.
Thanks for all the input

Bantam9