Looking for a reduced velocity 308 Win load.

[StoneHorse]

I'm looking for a mild 308 Win load using a Sierra 125gr bullet, Win cases, 210M primer, 2.700" OAL, loaded with IMR 3031 powder. I have tried out a load using 38.7 gr of powder (the lowest starting load I can find) but I want to go lower. Down to 2200-2300 FPS. Can someone with a QuickLOAD program tell me how low can I safely go using IMR 3031? Thanks!

Edit: I know I can use H4895 for reduced loads but I have IMR 3031 on hand.

 

[StoneHorse]

No one with QuickLOAD?

 

[Ganderite]

I made ammo for my 10 yr old with that powder. 34 gr. Shot well to 600 yards.

 

[577/450]

imr4227

 

[StoneHorse]

Hmm, looks like I'll be picking up some H4895 tomorrow.

 

[Kryogen]

Just reduce your load 1 grain at a time and see for yourself

 

[StoneHorse]

Just reduce your load 1 grain at a time and see for yourself

Not a good idea to stray much below published data. Some powders do not react well to reduced charges. What about IMR 3031? I don't know. I'll leave it to people who know a lot more about reduced loads to experiment.

No longer an issue. I picked up a pound of H4895 today which according to Hodgdon, can be reduce down to 60% of the maximum load.
http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/H4895 Reduced Rifle Loads.pdf

 

[Digger1]

Sorry, you may have to go the Hodgedon 4895 route. Works awesomely in the .243 for the kids. 62% load, 2100 FPS and 5/8" groups.

 

[Neilm]

4198 is a really good powder for reduced loads in 308/30-06 My old speer manual used to list a few. Will see if I can find them.

 

[hometownhero]

I use trailboss for very reduced loads. 30-06 running at 1300-1600fps

 

[Andy]

Quick load isn't the answer here - all it will do is estimate pressure, it won't predict if a particular powder will burn consistently at pressures below published Start loads. You need to experiment yourself with your gun and your components to determine that. As suggested, dropping one grain at a time, over a chrony, until consistency falls away (and you then add at least one grain), or you reach your consistent target MV.

Does no-one experiment anymore? You lost an opportunity by abandoning the use of IMR3031 and jumping on the H4895 Band Wagon. Others could have learned from your shared results.

In my experience, several commonly used powders in the H4895 and faster range are suitable for reduced loads. Too many people think that just because Hodgon only publishes reduced loads with H4895, that it's the only suitable (read "safe") powder to use.

 

[yomomma]

Glad I didn't know that before I started reloading.
I have gone well below stated minimums for 30 yard plinking loads, with IMR3031.

I use WLR primers

Not a good idea to stray much below published data. Some powders do not react well to reduced charges. What about IMR 3031? I don't know. I'll leave it to people who know a lot more about reduced loads to experiment.

No longer an issue. I picked up a pound of H4895 today which according to Hodgdon, can be reduce down to 60% of the maximum load.
http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/H4895 Reduced Rifle Loads.pdf

 

[Kryogen]

Not a good idea to stray much below published data. Some powders do not react well to reduced charges.

I call bull####...

Oh, so what so terrible would happen if he reduced the charge 1 grain at a time? Something like inconsistent ignition when he gets too low, or bad groups?
Is that such a bad idea?

Simply reduce charge 1 grain at a time until you start to get erratic ignition or bad groups, then go back to a load that ignites fine and gives a good group.

It's not like something really bad will happen with a reduced charge.

 

[Northman999]

I use trail boss for most reduced loads. I've a nice load for .308 using 110 grain Hornady soft jacket bullets, up to about 1800 fps. If I need more velocity, I go to H 4895 for medium velocity loads.

 

[StoneHorse]

I use trailboss for very reduced loads. 30-06 running at 1300-1600fps

I've heard of Trail Boss but I don't want to go that low on velocity.
Thanks to all that took the time to reply. I was looking for a quick & simple solution; a 308 Win load that would launch a 125gr bullet at approximately 30/30 Win velocity. Done deal with H4895. Sometime in the future, I will purchase a crony & experiment a little.
Cheers.

 

[bsand]

I've shot 175 gr bergers at 2250 using around min load of 4064. Grouped pretty well out to 300yds, was mouse fart load too.

 

[Kryogen]

I've heard of Trail Boss but I don't want to go that low on velocity.
Thanks to all that took the time to reply. I was looking for a quick & simple solution; a 308 Win load that would launch a 125gr bullet at approximately 30/30 Win velocity. Done deal with H4895. Sometime in the future, I will purchase a crony & experiment a little.
Cheers.

It's an ok solution but could you just tell me why you did not simply reduce your charge until you were satisfied with the recoil and performance, using the powder and bullet that you already had?

 

[Andy]

Not a good idea to stray much below published data. Some powders do not react well to reduced charges. What about IMR 3031? I don't know. I'll leave it to people who know a lot more about reduced loads to experiment.

No longer an issue. I picked up a pound of H4895 today which according to Hodgdon, can be reduce down to 60% of the maximum load.
http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/H4895 Reduced Rifle Loads.pdf

I agree with the bolded part. I would not go much below the published Starting Load with most powders slower than about Varget, e.g. H4350 or IMR7828, but not IMR3031, the original powder in question of this thread. No-one seems to be able to prove it, but something called "Secondary Explosion Effect" (SEE) could occur.

 

[StoneHorse]

I agree with the bolded part. I would not go much below the published Starting Load with most powders slower than about Varget, e.g. H4350 or IMR7828, but not IMR3031, the original powder in question of this thread. No-one seems to be able to prove it, but something called "Secondary Explosion Effect" (SEE) could occur.

I haven't come across that term but I've heard about "flash over" where the powder charge is laid out horizontally in the case because of the reduced load. Can cause erratic ignition and weird pressure spikes. My understand is powders need to be within a +/- pressure range to burn efficiently.

 

[H4831]

Oh boy, where to start?
Had I been the first to reply here, I would have said, just reduce the powder, to get a lighter load. Then our powder professional, Ganderite, came on and told him that 34 grains of (3031) powder gave an excellent light load. And the OP didn't even reply to it.
When I started to get serious about cast bullets in a 30-06 and wanting to see the best velocity I could get and still have accuracy, I purchased the Lyman Handbook of cast Bullets, which was their first edition. I am looking at that book now and bring up 300 Savage, which is very close in dimensions to a 308 W. Under 300 Savage and 150 grain gas check bullet, one of the loads they, Lyman, show, with 3031 powder, is a min. of 29 grains for a velocity of 1975 and a max load of 34 grains of 3031 for a velocity of 2365 fps.