Family friends were here for supper last night, and the dad was lamenting the fact that he had run out of IMR 4895, and needed to go to town and get some more. He uses it in his 308 Winchester. I told him I had some 3031 that I would give him to use.
He told me he has a pound of it, but has never used it. That got me to thinking about this grand old number that has been around for way more than half a century, and is still as useful as ever. Not only in his 308, but it will work equally well in his 303 Br, 8X57 and 9.3X62. While it doesn't pour easily through the small necks, it can also be used in his 222 Rem. In my old SAKO it is the most accurate powder using 55 gr bullets.
I have used it in all the above cartridges, and also the 243, 7X57, 30-30, 30-06, 358 Winchester, 375 H&H, and 45-70 with very satisfactory results. Velocities that at are least close to factory can be reached, and almost always with very good to excellent accuracy. You may have used it in other cartridges, too.
While this is true of many powders, we don't often hear about 3031 being used in loading. Perhaps it is because it doesn't meter quite as well as smaller grained and ball powders. Often find it sitting on store shelves at old, old, prices, but it still works like a youngster. You may want to try some.
Ted
He told me he has a pound of it, but has never used it. That got me to thinking about this grand old number that has been around for way more than half a century, and is still as useful as ever. Not only in his 308, but it will work equally well in his 303 Br, 8X57 and 9.3X62. While it doesn't pour easily through the small necks, it can also be used in his 222 Rem. In my old SAKO it is the most accurate powder using 55 gr bullets.
I have used it in all the above cartridges, and also the 243, 7X57, 30-30, 30-06, 358 Winchester, 375 H&H, and 45-70 with very satisfactory results. Velocities that at are least close to factory can be reached, and almost always with very good to excellent accuracy. You may have used it in other cartridges, too.
While this is true of many powders, we don't often hear about 3031 being used in loading. Perhaps it is because it doesn't meter quite as well as smaller grained and ball powders. Often find it sitting on store shelves at old, old, prices, but it still works like a youngster. You may want to try some.
Ted
