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Question(s) regarding reduced loads...
McDAccountant
Member Posts: 466 ✭✭
When loading reduced loads for a bolt rifle, do you full length size the case or do you neck size a fire-formed case?
Just wondering about potential issues with the lower pressure from a reduced load...thoughts?
Just wondering about potential issues with the lower pressure from a reduced load...thoughts?
Comments
Full lengthed ones might not seal the chamber and you might get some blowback.
For a bolt rifle neck sizing works for cases fire formed in that one.
Full lengthed ones might not seal the chamber and you might get some blowback.
That's what I was wondering about..."blowback" on full lengthed sized cases. Thanks!
Some are 223 (for squirrel hunting at 22 mag velocities) 300 mags, 7 mm rem mags, 7 mm wby mags, 30-06's, 270, plus some others!
I save my cases that have been reloaded several times for such!
I also reduce load the larger caliber rifles for small framed people and grandkids usage on Deer at 30-30 velocities and they can practice with their hunting guns and not have the large muzzle blast and reduced recoil of the HV loads! I get very good accuracy and I can make the majority of the rifles shoot close enough to same point of impact as HV reloads, therefore the scope does not have to be re-adjusted for use out to 150 yards! I try to use neck sized hulls and rarely have to push the shoulder back when resizing using reduced loads, but I've never had any problems using full sized hulls, either.
What make and caliber of gun are you testing reduced loads and what are you trying to accomplish?!
I reload reduced loads for several different calibers and have been doing so for several years.
Some are 223 (for squirrel hunting at 22 mag velocities) 300 mags, 7 mm rem mags, 7 mm wby mags, 30-06's, 270, plus some others!
I save my cases that have been reloaded several times for such!
I also reduce load the larger caliber rifles for small framed people and grandkids usage on Deer at 30-30 velocities and they can practice with their hunting guns and not have the large muzzle blast and reduced recoil of the HV loads! I get very good accuracy and I can make the majority of the rifles shoot close enough to same point of impact as HV reloads, therefore the scope does not have to be re-adjusted for use out to 150 yards! I try to use neck sized hulls and rarely have to push the shoulder back when resizing using reduced loads, but I've never had any problems using full sized hulls, either.
What make and caliber of gun are you testing reduced loads and what are you trying to accomplish?!
Browning X-bolt 30-06...wife wants to shoot it...full load would probably break her shoulder and/or knock her on her butt. Planning on trying some loads with Trail Boss (or any other suggestion you may have).
quote:Originally posted by Okie743
I reload reduced loads for several different calibers and have been doing so for several years.
Some are 223 (for squirrel hunting at 22 mag velocities) 300 mags, 7 mm rem mags, 7 mm wby mags, 30-06's, 270, plus some others!
I save my cases that have been reloaded several times for such!
I also reduce load the larger caliber rifles for small framed people and grandkids usage on Deer at 30-30 velocities and they can practice with their hunting guns and not have the large muzzle blast and reduced recoil of the HV loads! I get very good accuracy and I can make the majority of the rifles shoot close enough to same point of impact as HV reloads, therefore the scope does not have to be re-adjusted for use out to 150 yards! I try to use neck sized hulls and rarely have to push the shoulder back when resizing using reduced loads, but I've never had any problems using full sized hulls, either.
What make and caliber of gun are you testing reduced loads and what are you trying to accomplish?!
Browning X-bolt 30-06...wife wants to shoot it...full load would probably break her shoulder and/or knock her on her butt. Planning on trying some loads with Trail Boss (or any other suggestion you may have).
Don't sell your wife short. Weight and size only very generally have any bearing on recoil sensitivity. I've seen 300 pound men cry from the recoil of a 30-06 and children and very petite women (the one I have in mind weighed 100 pounds soaking wet and was all of 5'1") not mind at all.
Remember, recoil even from a 30-06 in a fairly light rifle is going to be minimal. The noise of the gun and the perception of recoil are worse than the genuine article. A standard load out of the 6lb, 8oz X bolt with a 150 gr bullet travelling around 2800 fps is going to generate a 13 fps rearward thrust and a perceived recoil of 18 pounds. So if your wife can take the weight of a bowling ball on her shoulder, the 06 ought to offer no issue- it's mainly a mental thing, and a question of proper posture, shooting position, etc. I.e. don't have her shoot from a rigid bench rest to start, let her shoot so she can rock back a little. A rubber recoil pad also helps a lot to reduce felt recoil impulse, as does a sweater, shooting vest, jacket, etc.
There are a lot of reduced loads you could use, and Trail Boss is a good one and very mild. If you want to go with something with a little more zip but still mild, I'd suggest with a 150 gr bullet about 24 gr of either IMR 4198 or IMR SR 4759 (or a pinch less with heavier bullets). Also 13 gr of Red Dot, 21 gr of 2400, 6 gr of Bullseye, or 35 gr of 4895 are all mild loads, with varying recoil (Bullseye having the least).
Now how well any of these will shoot is anyone's guess; I've had the best luck with SR 4759 in reduced loads.
You can visit their (western powders) website for the latest data and they do answer e-mails!
For the 30-06 the normal recommended loads 26-30g powder for 150-180gr JACKETED bullets!
vel is about 1950-2052.
Also you will find that just going from a 180g bullet to a 150g bullet will reduce the felt recoil surprisingly.
You can also get the 30-06 caliber specific manual that lists several 06 loads!
When testing I've noticed that some of the other reduced load powders produce different vel's and accuracy if the powder is not against the primer or I would get different vel's if the barrel was pointed down or up before firing so as to move the powder from the rear to the front of the case!
5744 remained consistent, bazrrel up, down, etc! You can vary the 5744 grains about 1 grain at atime to move the group and vel! On some guns I would shoot a group with the hi vel load and then start loading 5744 and test for same area on the HV target and not have to re-adjust the scope for the LV load out to 150 yards, then I would check the final vel by a chronograph. But again on some 06's I had to re-adjust the scope for the different low and high vel's re-loads.
KEEP A HEADS UP AND DO NOT OVERCHARGE (DOUBLE CHARGE) a case using reduced loads!
Go to page 17!
http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/accurate_load_data_3.5.pdf
also www.accuratepowders.com
Little confusing, but accurate powders are owned by maybe Western Powders, so you may see both names mentioned! Also the 5744 powder is sometimes referred to as XMP5744, but I think nowdays it's referenced as 5744.