.30cal mouse fart loads?

Mark-II

Mark-II

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It's getting to be rifle season, and I think I'd like to take a different track, and maybe save a bit of money at the same time.

I have a lot of 110gr plated bullets for .30carbine that I will never chew through in my Ruger Blackhawk.

I'd like to load them in 30-30, 30-40, and possibly 300Blackout down the road, if I convince myself to buy a bolt rifle to use up all of the ammo I can't use in my AR any more

I might even give them a try in 7.62x54r

I just started looking up data, but my manuals all specify hefty charges of slower powder, driving the bullets around 2400FPS

That's NOT what I want.

I'd like to run things somewhere between 900-1200fps. I'm only looking at shooting 50-75 yards with them.

I want to use faster powder - I have RL7, 2400, 4227, lil'gun, Longshot, Power Pistol, Titegroup, Bullseye.

I *don't* have any of the Alliant flake powders like Unique or Red Dot.

Anyone with any experience with the listed powders (or even some faster powders that are actually available these days - I'll buy a pound to play with)?

Or a good place to look for a starting point for data

Cheers
 
I fired lots of "light loads" out of a 30-30, 93gr LEE cast with 5gr 700X, also 150gr Lee cast and 10gr 700X out of other 30 cal rifles. I am not recommending these loads, just sharing my experience.
 
I used to like IMR 4198 for this task, but in 7.62x39 with 123 plated not exactly mouse fart, more in the 1500-1600 speed. Long kernels annoying to meter, not sure if you can find it anymore.
Check the Hodgdon reloading tool, look for reduced loads/ subsonic loads. Titegroup comes up a lot…
I have a Lyman manual at home that might have some ideas. If I remember I’ll post some pics of the relevant pages
 
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12grns of Red Dot behind a campro .312 115grn bullet in .303 Brit. It's quite beyond a "mouse-fart" but you can download until you are satisfied. It's just a modification of "the load" but it works very well and will translate fine in your cartridge/bullet combos.
 
Thanks all.

I don't have any of the Alliant flake powders - I never liked using them much, and now you can't find them anywhere.

I'll check hodgdons
 
Red Dot, Blue Dot, also 5744 is another good powder for reduced loads
Western Powders has several light (L) loads in their load data, but most often are for heavier bullets not light, , usually listed as under 30,000 cups, 27,000 psi

trouble with most mouse-farts is the poor powder position sensitivity, and troubles like detonation and barrel bulges
using a filler to hold powder to the primer is always a good idea
 
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Slamfire, aka "4fifty8" will be along shortly... he is afraid of recoil, he never shoots anything full.
 
Ok here is 30-30, gas checked cast which is close to plated… seems not too relevant considering the powders and speeds, they say this was from a 14” barrel Contender
IMG_6740.jpeg
 
There should be lots of data for 4227. The link on the Recipe page shows a Max of 23gr for 116 gr cast.
I didn't have much luck using it with 115 cast in 303

Clint
 
Here is 30-40 Krag, same bullet, powders better, speed still high for you.
IMG_6741.jpeg
I wonder if such a light bullet at a low speed is veering into experimental territory.
Powder position will be a challenge, cotton ball or similar to hold the powder close to primer will be needed to keep things safe.
Trailboss would be an answer but it is unobtainable at times.
 
I'm in the same boat as you, I have about 1,400 Campro 110 grain bullets for my M1 Carbines. I had good luck using them with 8.6 grains of Unique in my .30/30 about 2 years ago. The moved down range at 1,480 fps and gave 1 1/4" groups at 50 yds. Unfortunately these days it is easier to find an honest Liberal politician than it is to find a pound of Unique.

About 1/2 an hour ago I just finished making up 120 rds of .30/30 using 110 grain Campro bullets with 3 different loads of Tite Group, W231 and IMR 4227. 40 rds each, 10 for chrono, 4x 3rd groups at 25 yds and 4x 3rd groups at 50 yds. Since it snowed out here today it looks like I won't hit the range till next week or so.
 
This may be apples and oranges,,,but I shot a handful of 30-30 117 gr cast this afternoon with 20gr of H4198 and could hit the 10" gong at 100y from the bench. Still plinker rounds. I just finished punching out a handful of gas checks. So tomorrows plan is 21gr with 117 gr sized to .311
 
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