recoil question........

[Enfield47]

It will be interesting to see which works better. I made up 25 rounds of 30-06 for my 1903A3 using 150 gr bullet and Unique to test out - 5 rounds each at 10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, and 12 gr.

[Whiterabbit]

the three powders you want for low recoil rounds IMO are trailboss, 4895, and surplus 50 cal powder.

Take your pick, cast boolits or jacketed bullets. Both work fine.

[rsrocket1]

I don't think surplus 50 cal powder is a good idea. You want a small amount (on the order of 10 grains) of faster powder (like Trail Boss), not a slower powder and 50 cal powder is really slow for a 30 cal cartridge. Maybe it is, have you tried it in a reduced 30 cal application. It would be cool to know that it is because that powder seems to be always cheap and available.

[Whiterabbit]

rsrocket, you can think all you want. But there is data that shows 50 cal powder works as a reduced load powder, is effective, bulky, and plenty accurate for the work being proposed here.

And load data available to boot because it is a common and accepted practice.

We are not talking about an "hey, I think this would work" scenario. We are talking about a "hey, this works, is proven, and thousands of people do it. You can too if you want."

Have I tried it? I have used 20mm Vulcan powder in 7x57. 50 BMG powder in a 30 cal works just fine. There's more data for 50 cal powder in 308 and 30-06 than there is for 20mm powder in a 7x57. But still plenty out there.

[rsrocket1]

I'm seeing duplex loads for powders like WC872 and some trials where the bullet leaves a trail of unburned powder in the barrel with a compressed 49g load in .308, but not many successful low recoil loads similar to 10g of fast shotgun powders.

Since WC872 is still around $5/pound, I was tempted to experiment with duplex loads with that powder. That would be 5-7g Red Dot or Unique against the primer and compress the rest of the cartridge with WC872. Of course I would first test the round in a 91/30 tied to a tree or lashed to a shooting bench and pull the trigger with a string

If you have load data for 50 cal or 20mm powder in a 30 cal I'd love to hear your experience with it for low recoil loads. I only have test data on the faster side powders (Red Dot, Clays, Unique, Titewad, Bullseye).

[Whiterabbit]

If you have load data for 50 cal or 20mm powder in a 30 cal ...... I only have test data on the faster side powders (Red Dot, Clays, Unique, Titewad, Bullseye).

http://www.castpics.net/LoadData/Surplus/

[Enfield47]

Finally got a chance to test out my gallery loads today. I created 5 loads using Unique powder (10 gr, 10.5, 11, 11.5, & 12) and a 150 gr M2 bullet. I was shooting an 1903A3 at 100 yards and all of them shot really low. I use a 6 o'clock hold with my normal loads, buy I was having to aim quite a bit above the target with the reduced loads and accuracy was just so, so. Should I use a higher charge? If so, what is the highest charge you would recommend?

[Cheep]

Did they shoot a good group and just low or a large group?

[Enfield47]

Not so much a group, more like a shotgun pattern. They were hard to get on paper so I tried a 8" steel gong with varying degrees of success. Most rounds would just hit the berm.

[BruinGuy]

I use 11gr Unique under a 123gr plated bullet for my Mosin gallery loads. They shoot to roughly POA at 50 and a few inches low at 100. I've never really tried to get a group out of them...just plinking steel, but I'd not be surprised if the "group" they yielded was scattershot.

I would suggest going with a lighter (and cheaper) bullet, first of all. Kind of a waste to use good 150gr FMJ bullets on a gallery load. Try out the suggestion of 110gr plated bullets, or even the Xtreme 150gr plated. They're between .08 and .10 each. I'd bet the 150s drop more quickly.

http://www.xtremebullets.com/30-s/48050.htm

http://www.xtremebullets.com/308-s/48051.htm

In any case, I've never tried to wring any kind of real accuracy out of the gallery loads...they're just for fun plinking and ringing steel or knocking over bowling pins. I think of them as shooting pistol rounds out of my rifle and adjust expectations accordingly. Maybe others have had better luck than me making short-range lasers out of them, though.

[Enfield47]

Bumslie and I have been PMing about this and he suggested trying a lead bullet so it would fill the grooves and increase accuracy. I'm going to give it a try because I did enjoy shooting the gallery loads and if it helps increase accuracy, then all the better.