30-30 lever bullets

[bigbossman]

When it comes to jacketed... I can't remember he last time I shot a jacketed bullet in this rifle! Maybe I ought to take it hunting!

Now, there's an idea. One wonders where such a possibility would exist. lol

With my previous post, I was just thinking out loud on why the un-burned powder....too light a charge? Not enough combustion pressure? insufficient dwell time of the bullet while under ignition?

[pennstater]

21 grains is what Hodgdon lists as max for a 160 grain lead bullet. They're assuming it's a traditionally lubed lead bullet and don't specify a hardness.

I'll work my way up towards 30 grains, stopping when I have good accuracy and a supersonic bullet out to 150 yards or so or until the Hi-Tek coated bullet just fails and starts leading; but at the end of it, it's not like I can hunt with it in CA and not like it's a great hunting load otherwise (IMO, 165 RNFP hard cast doesn't have enough meplat).

When it comes to jacketed... I can't remember he last time I shot a jacketed bullet in this rifle! Maybe I ought to take it hunting!

Napalm, if you do take it hunting, I just may have a good copper load for you. A 150gr TSX is hell on Ca. hogs!

[NapalmCheese]

With my previous post, I was just thinking out loud on why the un-burned powder....too light a charge? Not enough combustion pressure? insufficient dwell time of the bullet while under ignition?

I think all three are correct insomuch as they are interconnected, but only two of the variables can be changed, and of the two variables that can be changed one of them is affected by the other.

Ultimately I think the Hi-Tek polymer coating on the bullet is more slippery than traditionally lubed lead so chamber pressure is lower than it would be for a traditionally lubed bullet. Since the barrel is only 20 inches long and since the chamber pressure is so low I'm seeing a lot of unburnt powder. I can't lengthen the barrel, I can't uncoat the bullets, but I CAN increase the powder charge.

Even if Hodgdon lists 21 grains as max for lead bullets I know I can use around 30 grains with jacketed, and I know jacketed bullets produce higher pressures than lead. So obviously the 21 grain max for lead bullets isn't a pressure problem.

My gut tells me around 25 grains of H4895 will probably get that bullet going 1600 fps or so and create enough chamber pressure to allow that 18bhn coated bullet to obturate and burn the powder efficiently. If I can get it going 1600 fps that'll keep me supersonic out to about 200 yards or so. But I digress, I'm using these bullets for funsies, not real work, so I don't REALLY need to get them going like that.

[NapalmCheese]

Napalm, if you do take it hunting, I just may have a good copper load for you. A 150gr TSX is hell on Ca. hogs!

Chances of my taking hunting in CA might be slim, but I hoard loaddata