.30-06 reduced load

[John Foley]

How far could one reduce a load, using a 150gr bullet and IMR 3031, and still be safe?
The idea being to reduce recoil for a young shooter. I use reduced, cast bullet loads in my '06, but my son-in-law wants to use jacketed ones. Any info. will be appreciated.

------------------

 

[Contender]

John, Somebody might have more experience on this than I. All I can say is be careful loading below the listed starting loads in the manuals, especially with jacketed bullets. You want to use a powder that's specifically suited for reduced loads. These will usually keep a good loading density to be uniform. SPEER lists some reduced loads in their manual for the '06 using SR4759. Not sure if this powder is still available. Stick with approved data though. I'll do a little more research.

Take Care

 

[Art Eatman]

I wouldn't use 3031 in a reduced load, only because an explosion of a .243 occurred with such a load. This from the American Rifleman, some 20 years ago. I have no memory of how light was the load; there was no firm conclusion about the "why?" of it.

I always loaded 20.0 grains of 2400 behind a 169-grain lead gas-check for reduced loads in my '06. I don't think you'd get too-high pressures by changing to the jacketed bullet, since the book's comment about muzzle velocity was around 1,900 fps. Start at 17.0 grains? Yo no se...

 

[ShadedDude]

for a low recoil target round I use a 125 grain TNT bullet from Speer backed by 55 grains of AA 2495BR.

Very nice.

------------------

Mouse Assassins inc.