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cast bullet load needed--Results!


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Match coming this Saturday, and I find I don't have reliable cast ammo.  Using 173 grain Bear Creek moly bullet ('cause that's what I have) and wondered about a mild Trail boss load.    Looking at maybe 9,0 gr. of Trail Boss.  Just wondered if anyone has used Trail boss in this cartridge with a bullet around 170 gr.  Any ideas welcome.

  Brewed up a great, mild .45-70 load after finding all I had available were suitable for dispatching elephants,  rhinos or water buffalo.  When I hit the steel plate at 80 yards it knocked it over as well as nearly undoing my expensively rebuilt shoulder......

  Now I can even enjoy shooting my Pedersoli buffalo gun, which has only the steel butt plate---no padding at all.  If my shoulder had more padding it probably wouldn't be an issue, but this is supposed to be FUN, not torture.

 

Thanks for useful ideas.....

 

Wound up with 11.5 gr. Trail Boss and 170 gr. Bear Creek flat nose lead in Krag.

 

Used 15.5 gr. Trail Boss with Oregon Trail 350 gr. flat point lead.

 

No gas checks needed.  Both more accurate than I am.....  and very gentle on the brass, the gun, and my shoulder.

 

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Bad Bascomb,

 

For 30-30 with cast bullets, this is what I'm loading:

 

Bullet: Oregon Trail, True Shot, 170grn RNFP-GC

Powder: 7.0grn Unique

OAL: 2.518"

 

 

 

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From my experience out past 75 yards or so, 30-30 rounds don't ring targets with much authority. If the spotters are not on the ball you'll get called for a lot of misses that are actually hits.

I found that a 38-55 has exceptionally mild recoil yet it will ring targets out to 150 yards.

 

I know that doesn't answer your question but that has been my observation after shooting shooting Cody Dixon pretty much monthly for the last few years.

 

 

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Bad Bascomb:    My 30.30 loads: Bear Creek 170 gr LFN. Used in Long Range shooting.

Unique 7.0 - 10.6 grs.

3031      21.5 - 27.0 grs

Red Dot  6.5 - 8.5 grs

700X        6.0 - 7.5 grs.

All very accurate

Those are start & max loads.

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From what I have read by others on other forums Trail Boss is a poor  30-30 powder. Accuracy is awful throughout it's load range. There were WARNINGS not to compress  the powder in any way. Huge pressure spikes if you do.

 

I have no experience with this but I toyed with the idea and that is what I found in my research.

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:ph34r:  Thanks for the replies.....all useful info.  :) 

 

Sedalia Dave, I was privileged to try  a 336 Marlin in .38-55 at an annual event and was surprised (blown away?) by its mild manners.  Just never had the $$ when a nice one showed up.

 

Only bolt gun I own qualifying for BAMM matches is a .30-40, having sold my pristine 03-A3 last year.......:(

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.30-30 issue resolved, and many thanks to all. 

 

Now working on .30-40 which is similar, but not exactly same.  I did discover a .30-30 round WILL fire in the .30-40 (accident on my part), but the brass splits at the neck.....  NOT recommended.

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Yo-Ho Bad Bascomb:: 30-40 Krag.    From Lyman 47th reload book. Ruger N0. 3  Carbine only

169 gr. (#2 alloy) Cast Bullet  (Sized .308'dia)

Unique 8.0 - 12.0

2400     18.0 - 23.0

IMR-4227    19.0 - 24.0

IMR-4198     23.0 - 27.0

 Start - Max  Loads

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I use the following in .30-40 Krag...

 

11 grains of Trailboss behind a .308" 185 grain lead gas checked pointy bullet.   It works  very well.   I use the 185 grainers because that's what the store had in stock.   I also use it in .30-'06.

 

There is a very simple way to develop a load for Trailboss.   Figure out where the bottom of the bullet will sit in the case.   Fill with powder to that level so that the bullet will just touch the powder with no compression.   This is your max load.  70% of that amount of powder is your minimum load.

For pistol cartridges I tend to go with minimum loads.  For rifle cartridges I tend to run medium to just under max loads.  But even the hottest loads with Trailboss have very little recoil to speak of.

 

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I’ve been reloading my 30-40 for my krags and 30-06 for 1903s with 9.9 gr of Tin Star V-V N32C with a 193 gr fp gc boolit. Easy going load for short range shooting, less than 100 yds. Use it at my cas clubs BAM shoots, won’t hurt close steel or you. I went to the range with my wifes uncle who was a big milsurp shooter one time many years ago. We shot a lot with a variety of rifles, anyway after we got back to the house and cleaned his toys I took a shower, when I came out my wife was shocked how bruised up my shoulder was. I like easy loads with steel buttplates, getting hurt isn’t fun.

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On 5/29/2020 at 12:11 PM, Bad Bascomb, SASS # 47,494 said:

:ph34r:  Thanks for the replies.....all useful info.  :) 

 

Sedalia Dave, I was privileged to try  a 336 Marlin in .38-55 at an annual event and was surprised (blown away?) by its mild manners.  Just never had the $$ when a nice one showed up.

 

Only bolt gun I own qualifying for BAMM matches is a .30-40, having sold my pristine 03-A3 last year.......:(

Love my 38.55. 6 gns TB and get a 1.5 group at 50 yds., use for our Pat Garrett match,similar to Cody Dixon but targets a little closer.

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