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COWBOY LOADS
casper1947
Member Posts: 1,147 ✭✭✭✭✭
I was wondering what the effective target range would be for a cowboy load?
30/30 (rifle) and 45C (revolver).
Would a light or heavy bullet be better
30/30 (rifle) and 45C (revolver).
Would a light or heavy bullet be better
Comments
I like medium and heavier bullets most of the time. Ultra light for caliber can sometimes be fun.
A .45 Colt "cowboy load" is comparable to .45 ACP Midrange which is very accurate at 50 yards.
Of course that assumes that your guns and your loads are equal quality to what the target shooters use.
the load data i was looking at shows FPS significantly lower for cowboy loads.
this is just for target shooting.
it's been quite a while since i used factory. My vision is not that good. I am thinking about a scope on my 94.
Have you slugged your barrel? Are you casting your own bullets? I mostly run 50/50 alox/beeswax and 0.001 or 2 oversized multi grease grove bullet (Loverin design) when I can. Gas checks some times, I'd like to try some of those homemade ones from beer cans.
a while back got a box of "COWBOY HARD CAST BULLETS" from Rim Rock Bullets. .309 165gr RNFP.
I have not slugged the barrel of either Marlin 30AS or the WIN 94. both were bought used and appear in very good condition, but that is no guarantee.
Do you have the Lyman Cast bullet hand book? Lots of tips for loading lead.
they do list 170g but the only powders listed that i have Unique and 2400. i was wanting to use H4895 that is what i have the most of.
The only H4895 i have found is for the cowboy loads:
158-160 grain lead RNFP or RN (COWBOY LOAD)
H4895 17.5 gr. 1,351 fps Start
H4895 21.0 gr. 1,562 MAX
I have only been reloading for a couple of years, since i retired.
I do it for cost and to tame then down a bit. Targets at 50 yards is my limit.
After i refinished my Arisaka 99 30-06 i shot 3 and wanted my mommy. it is surprising what a couple of grains can do and still be sufficient at 50 yards.
Trying to hotrod cast bullets is difficult. Maybe impossible with bulk cast storebought.
I had good shooting with some Laser Cast in .30-06 but with VERY light loads.
I have the Lyman 311291 170 gr mold which is listed as "the old standard G.C. bullet for lever actions" 4198 is listed as 18.0 gr for 1473 ft. per second, and 3031 21.0 1600 fps, 2400 19.0 1872 fps. I would look to find a 31141 175gr.
I'm still shooting $4.90/per 1000 primers with $2+/per pound powder.
With 21 gr its like 300 rounds for $20 or a fat nickel a round.
I have a 6.5 Jap but have only shot it a few times, have lots of way nicer rifles to shoot.
LEE 2 has a section on CAST BULLET LOADS and includes H4895.
For a 170g using H4895 the table goes from 15g (1300 FPS
) to 29g (2040 FPS).
That seems to me to be a very large variance.
The data I had that indicated COWBOY LOAD had 21g as MAX and all load data sources emphasize NEVER EXCEED MAX. Beside I am not an experimenter. My load data will be a real close match (170 for a 165g bullet). No ballpark.
In a discussion of cast bullets would hardened or non-hardened effect load data at say 1500 FPS? (i may not have phrased that very well)
OK, now at what FPS would you use GC for hardened bullets, if at all?
When casting, bullets dropped into water are harder for a while. Not sure how long that last, I do it avoid damage to warm bullets.
Gas checks are used to protect the base of the bullet at around 1800 fps sometimes sooner. Bullet needs to be designed to take them. I run a lot of them barefoot i.e. no gas check.
Crappy bullet lube like roster red, look nice and isn't sticky to handle but also doesn't prevent leading. Marketing Plus User Fail