Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
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    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    (Allegheny County)
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    Default Dangers of shooting reduced loads?

    I'm not talking about detonation. Here's the background. I have a win 30/30 that I just can't seem to find a winning ammo combination. I've tried about 8 different commercial manufactures of ammo, with the best results coming from LeverEvolution and Rem managed recoil, but still not good. The best I can get, even with these is about 5moa. So I've been itching to work up a load for it.

    I got 160 gr FTX and TAC and loaded up lots of 3 rounds each starting at the min and working up in .5 gr increments up to about 1 gr shy of the max. I went to the range today and started with the lowest, which amazingly had no vertical spread. The horizontal spread was only about 1", which was probably my fault. As I moved up in charge though, I got worse and worse, approaching the 5moa I had previously gotten with factory ammo.

    I would call it and start fine tuning the min charge, but there's a problem. I had carbon on the outside of the case necks indicating not enough pressure to form a good seal. It didn't disappear until I got into the 4th lot, which was about a 3" group, so I'm stuck. Either I accept bad accuracy or I shoot the min charge anyway.

    The carbon stops before reaching the shoulder of the case, so I assume it's technically safe. My concern is whether I'm going to cause some sort of etching or cutting of the chamber from the gasses leaking. Any words of wisdom?

    EDT: Additional info. I don't have a chronograph yet (it's on the wish list), so I'm not sure what the velocities were, but judging from the recoil, they were moving pretty slow for the first few lots.
    Last edited by ham385; April 10th, 2011 at 09:46 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Chambersburg PA (Pure Appalachia), Pennsylvania
    (Franklin County)
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    Default Re: Dangers of shooting reduced loads?

    I've had good results from the Sierra 150 gr FP and IMR3031 in my Winchester 94. Good velocity, and 1-3/8 groups.

    Flash
    "The life unexamined is not worth living." ....... Socrates

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    SEPA
    (Chester County)
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    Default Re: Dangers of shooting reduced loads?

    i'd try a different bullet first but i'm a reloading noob

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
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    Piney twp, Pennsylvania
    (Clarion County)
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    Default Re: Dangers of shooting reduced loads?

    Have a pre 64 that I've been working with reduced loads in cast the last several years. Not minimum starting loads but reduced loads. Experimented mainly with unique and 2400. My cases exhibited the same, and some even had primers backing out a bit. Did a chamber cast and found this 30/30 had a generous chamber. Set up my sizing die to minimally size the neck and shoulder. All went well from then on. Perhaps a change in powder could help. Post the specifics of your loads and someone more knowledgeable on pressure might chime in.
    It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Chambersburg PA (Pure Appalachia), Pennsylvania
    (Franklin County)
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    Default Re: Dangers of shooting reduced loads?

    Quote Originally Posted by cephas View Post
    Have a pre 64 that I've been working with reduced loads in cast the last several years. Not minimum starting loads but reduced loads. Experimented mainly with unique and 2400. My cases exhibited the same, and some even had primers backing out a bit. Did a chamber cast and found this 30/30 had a generous chamber. Set up my sizing die to minimally size the neck and shoulder. All went well from then on. Perhaps a change in powder could help. Post the specifics of your loads and someone more knowledgeable on pressure might chime in.
    That is the key right there. Also goes a long way toward prevention of case stretch, aka case/head separation.

    Flash
    "The life unexamined is not worth living." ....... Socrates

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Somerset, Pennsylvania
    (Somerset County)
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    Default Re: Dangers of shooting reduced loads?

    From what I've read, TAC, and most of the other Ramshot powders, work better at the upper end of the loading data.

    I use Reloder 7 in both the 30-30 and 32 Special.

    FWIW,

    Dale

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    SW. Pa., Pennsylvania
    (Westmoreland County)
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    Default Re: Dangers of shooting reduced loads?

    Some soot on the case neck will not hurt anything just be sure your not getting a delayed or hang fire,If so stop using that load and break them down and try something else.You are correct about TAC and other "ball" powders in general tend to like higher pressures and tend to be more consistant the highter the pressure gets. You have some choices , Stay with the TAC powder and try using a Mag primer at lower levels, Put a firm crimp on the loaded rd., Move to a heavier bullet, Use a different powder either faster like H322,4198 ect or try the old stand by 4895 which works very well even at reduced levels .And I agree with the others if you are not already just partial FL size the case till it just chambers with slight resistance.
    Last edited by Tim Ault; April 12th, 2011 at 04:08 PM.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Easton, Pennsylvania
    (Northampton County)
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    50
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    Default Re: Dangers of shooting reduced loads?

    I used to use W748 and then switched to BL-C(2). After the start of the OBAMAnation, W748 became hard to find. My load for the 160gr FTX is 35.5gr of BL-C(2).
    ““Liberty is the right to choose. Freedom is the result of the right choice.””

    -Anonymous

    Jeff

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