Acme 135 grain FP for 30-06?

J

Jim Watson

New member
Bulk cast bullets in a centerfire rifle are kind of a crapshoot.
I had some that shot quite well... and a bunch that did not.

Give them a try, but don't buy a lot to start with.
 
B

Blindstitch

New member
I use them in my 30-30 for plinking. They seem to work fine but I shoot them around 1200 fps charged with green dot powder making a really light target round for new shooters or someone who prefers light recoil.

I'm not sure how fast you can push them without a gas check. I should really pick up the 155 but as you said they don't have them at my LGS. I should have picked them up when I was at the farther one last saturday.

I do find it odd that I can't buy them at Acme which is maybe 25 miles away.
 
9

9mmSkeeter

New member
Well, I don't have my rifle with me at home (it's at my parents'), but I loaded up a handful of 30-06 today - my very first time loading 30-06. I am always nervous about loading a new caliber...fears of losing fingers and arms and eyes and so forth. I did some quick math and ended up with 46.0 grains of 3031, although at times it spit out around 46.2 or 45.9, etc. I tried to get as close as i could. My genuine concern is that I'm doing this right. I'm not too concerned with velocity, pressure, etc. Accuracy, yes but not overly so. I just want to be safe, and I don't want to end up like dkyser (no offense meant man, at all - I just feel for you), and maybe my fears are irrational. I mean 30-06 is a powerful cartridge but I'm well within my means here for a powder charge, correct? Remember it's 135 gr FP lead, no gas checks, just a lubricated lead bullet. I have loads in my manual for 130 and 150, I figured 140 starting load was halfway (47 grains) so I subtracted a grain from that.

Ahhh help me distill my fears!
 
K

Kframe

New member
Skeeter, according to http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle the starting load for a 130gr bullet, in 30-06, with 3031, is 47 grains.
The thing is though they don't specify whether that's for jacketed (which I think is likely) or for cast lead, or both.

Load data for a 130gr bullet is likely to be very close to that for a 135gr bullet, but data for jacketed bullets can be significantly different that appropriate charges for cast bullets.
 
M

Mike / Tx

New member
I will also throw in on reading that write up from Mr. Harris.

He is, well in a word, extremely knowledgeable. Ok two words. He is a walking wealth of information on cast bullet loads.

As mentioned you are looking at loading a medium hardness cast bullet at a fairly high pressure load right from the get go. I'm not going to say it won't work, but I am going to say it isn't going to work without issues.

Most of the folks loading cast bullets in rifles are still using a faster powder like Unique, 2400, and the likes. They aren't pushing the bullets usually over around 1800fps, but they are using these for target and plinking, not full service type loads. That's not to say they can't be used for close range hunting IF the proper bullet is used for the job, but even then most are using at least a 170gr or heavier one for that purpose.
 
S

skizzums

New member
don't go that fast w/o using a gas-check combined with new bullet coatings or PC. you will regret it. I am currently working up loads in 54r using GC powdercoated 180gr lead hard-cast using IMR4227 pistol powder.. I will never go back to attempting getting anywhere close to rifle velocities with regular lube or alox. I was cleaning liquefied lead out of my gas system for days, it was truly devastating. sme people have success, but you need to have a perfect combination of size, hardness and FPS to make it a viable endeavor. especially on a gun as nice as yours, I wouldn' risk it.
 
9

9mmSkeeter

New member
Should I chuck the rounds and start from scratch, is that what I'm hearing? I don't have a bullet puller but maybe now would be a good time to invest in one.
 
D

dahermit

New member
If you are interested in shooting reduced cast-lead bullet loads for plinking and/or small-game hunting, obtain a Lyman Cast Lead Bullet Manual and work-up the appropriate loads with the powders and bullet weights (3031 is likely not one of those), listed.
 
T

T. O'Heir

New member
"...did some quick math..." There shouldn't ever be any math. Just read your manual. If you don't have a manual, you need one.
"...starting load for a 130gr bullet, in 30-06, with 3031, is 47 grains..." That's for a jacketed bullet(Um, 'Spr HP' is Speer Hollow Point. It'd say cast if it was cast.) Cast bullets do not use the same powders.
As mentioned, cast bullets use pistol and shotgun powders. Data doesn't have to be for a specific bullet and weighs can be close. So 130 grain data will do for a 135, but not jacketed data.
 
9

9mmSkeeter

New member
T, if you could kindly point me in the direction of an official recipe I'd be more than happy to follow it. Yes, some math can be involved. Please do not paint with such a broad brush or talk down to me. I think that says lots about your character and I'm throwing what you said out. Thanks to everyone else who has helped.
 
S

skizzums

New member
I recommend trying to get ahold of 2400 or even 4227 or unique if you can finds any. and if all of those are un obtainable. look into powder coating or hytek if you need to use lead, but going that fast will need to be gas checked. I know it suks and no one wants to pull their first loads and start over, but I think it may be your only option. you run a real risk of making a total mess of your guns and your lead may not even stay in one piece to the target going that fast(although it may just fine), but it's very difficult to remove all the lead that's going to be left behind. and to make matters worse, your going to have heckva time finding 2400, 4227, unique, trilboss etc at this time
 
B

Blindstitch

New member
If you are interested in shooting reduced cast-lead bullet loads for plinking and/or small-game hunting, obtain a Lyman Cast Lead Bullet Manual and work-up the appropriate loads with the powders and bullet weights (3031 is likely not one of those), listed.
Click to expand...

Problem with the Lyman Cast manual or at least the one I have is all the projectiles are listed with powder combinations all say gaschecked.

The 122 grain doesn't show figures for 3031 but the 151 grain shows 31 grain starting at 1775 and goes to a max of 41grains at 2462 FPS.
 
T

T. O'Heir

New member
Hi. You are not being talked down to. No math by the home reloader is ever involved. Doing so is like making up your own data. It's not safe.
"...substitute a Hornady 110 gr fmj for a Hornady 110 gr sp..." Yep. You load by the bullet weight not who made it. 110's are .30 Carbine bullets, but they'll work in .30-06. OAL is less though.
 
S

skizzums

New member
yes, you can use the 110gr SP. doubt the accuracy would be exceptional, but a lot fo people use them for all walk of .30 for their cheap cost. anything in .308 that has a jacket, even a half-jacket like the SP will work. the 110 FMJ may be slightly better since it has a better point. the SP is made for the 30-30 crowd, but will work in anything that isn't semi-auto
 
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