Pistol powder for light rifle loads

It's typically shotgun powders that are used. Pretty much all of them will work for light, cast bullet loads in cartridges of appreciable capacity. Just FYI D/IMR-4198 works very well for your combo.
 
Here is some data for your bullet out of the Lyman manual. Hopefully you can find something that will work for you.



I use 26grns of D-4198 myself. Mixed brass, whatever primer. My 314299 weigh 215 grns with lube and GC, velocity is a decent 1800ish fps from a Jungle Carbine.
 
I've used 700X, 800X, Unique, and others in rifles using cast bullets. Long ago a guy on Cast Bullet Forum developed a "universal" load using Red Dot (?) 35 Whelen, 450 Marlin (ballistic twin to the 45-70), 308. All are doable using cast bullets with minimum recoil and acceptable accuracy. The only issue I've had is developing a load using 700X in the summer, then expecting it to work in the colder temperatures. The solution (for me) was to use MAGNUM primers. I was mostly shooting to 50 yards as they drop a lot out at 100 and generally have vertical strings. Once you have it sighted in all works well. Have a look on a Cast bullet forum, I'm sure you'll find plenty of loads for the 303 using a 200 gr cast bullet or the LYMAN cast bullet manual, it's excellent.
 
If you can get your hands on some trail boss powder it will work nicely, it was developed for reduced loads just don’t compress the power.
 
Red Dot has worked well for me, though I haven't played with other SG powders in reduced rifle loads. "The Load" as coined by C.E. Harris is a simple recipe you can find with a quick google search. 13 grs in most cartridges .30-40 and larger under a cast or jacketed bullet. It does make some pressure but report, recoil and velocity are mild. I also load 9 grs Red Dot in .30-30 (this is a max load from Lyman) under a 150 gr Berrys FN plated bullet.
 
I have used 2400 in .308. Not sure about .303.
Found the data in an older edition of Lee modern reloading.
Trail boss sounds like a good match but sometimes hard to find.
 
The Load is for GC bullets. Look for an article from the same author: Cast bullets are best for surplus rifles. Unfortunately over the years Ed reduced the number of powders mentionned in the article as he updated it. He mostly uses Bullseye nowadays.
 
Hogdon 4198-have some and at least 3 more lbs available locally. have used all my IMR 4198 and can`t find anymore locally. I know that they are the same but not the same.... the Hogdon site does not really cover anything for cast 200+ gr bullet, or didn`t where I could see.
I didn`t know Lyman had a book dedicated to cast bullets.
I am paper patching as I have not yet gotten around to getting the lube/sizer or gas checks, have had relatively good luck with low velocity loads using unique, I just never seem to get the time to actually work it out to fine tuning, I should just suck it up and order some more unique.
I have the wrapping down pat- nice confetti with no leading on two rifles. I have a sand bullet trap, and there seems no evidence of the powder blowing past the bullet on recovered bullets, and no smoking bits of paper fluttering in the wind.

I`m using a NOE 314 mould with the known softer COWW, the harder lead in some of them just seems to shatter as opposed to obturate.
mixed brass- 50% winchester, the rest a mix of Greek, PPU, S&B, GEVELOT, IMPERIAL, IVI, DOMINION, & FC.
some (not many)of the IVI is a smaller primer. would this be what a small rifle primer is? it`s just barely too small, not small as in 5.56 nato small. I`ve set those aside for now.
 
The IVI may have a crimp that needs to be removed. I don't recall it in any of the 1000 count lot I purchased and loaded but maybe. Still a standard LR primer. I initially started with H-4198, it produced effectively indentical velocities compared with IMR/D-4198. I would strongly suggest working up your load of course. My experience may not be your experience.
 
infideleggwelder said:
the few that had the smaller primer did make a distinctly different sound when popping the primer out, and the primer was misshapen. I`ll check for an all round crimp. it does not have the three point crimp/stake points that I`ve normally seen and removed with the tip of a sharp knife.
Click to expand...

They may have undersized primer pockets. Depending if they're just slightly under min saami spec or if they follow a different spec you may be able to use a primer pocket reamer. I use Lyman but there are other brands. They will open an undersized pocket to min saami as well as chamfer/remove any crimp. I had a batch of WCC 556 that had some undersized pockets among other issues. I've also had some tight ones in LR but not often.
 
I have a bunch of 30-30 I loaded up a few years back with cast bullets over Unique. I want to say around 8gns but I'd have to check my book.
Made them for a bolt action 30-30 I bought for the grand kids to shoot. They think they're shooting a big gun because the cartridge is big compared to the. 22 but there is really no recoil for them.
Accurate to 50yrds then they start dropping like a rock. I don't know if they will make 100yrds lol.
 
supernova said:
They may have undersized primer pockets. Depending if they're just slightly under min saami spec or if they follow a different spec you may be able to use a primer pocket reamer. I use Lyman but there are other brands. They will open an undersized pocket to min saami as well as chamfer/remove any crimp. I had a batch of WCC 556 that had some undersized pockets among other issues. I've also had some tight ones in LR but not often.
Click to expand...

there is no crimp on these at all, just smaller. there is not many of them, so I`ll just be setting them aside till I get desperate. I don`t see that happening, I have picked up almost 100 new casings left at the pit I shoot at over the last couple of outings. nice when they leave the box with the plastic and foam inserts behind too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom