When I started reloading rifle cartridges, one of the first powders I bought was a pound of IMR 4895. It's still on my bench, but these days I buy it in 8 pound jugs. IMR 4895 was originally a military powder made by DuPont and was loaded by the government arsenals in the .30-06 cartridge.
As a kid, my first job at age 12 was as a skeet boy at the McBride Rod and Gun Club, England AFB, LA. The gun club hired boys on Saturday to lug boxes of clay targets to the shooting houses and load the automatic machines for the intramural skeet shoots. Each squadron or activity on the base had a skeet team, so we worked from daylight to dark, prepping the range and supporting the shooting, picking up empty hulls, taking cases of shells to the firing lines, doing all the things required to make the day a success. For our labors, we got the princely sum of 50 cents per hour. A 12 hour day would gross you six bucks, paid in cash at the end of the day. I remember sitting on a 30 pound cardboard drum of IMR 4895 watching an old Master Sergeant load .38 Special ammo for the annual qualifications. (No, he wasn't using 4895, but the club had a stack of those 30 pound cardboard drums and they made great stools.). I digress.
When I'm working up loads for a new cartridge, one of the first powders I use is 4895. It may not be the best powder for every application, but it has an application in virtually every cartridge I've ever loaded. Sure, there are other powders, and I use my share of them, most particularly the Alliant powders, but I've yet to find anything as versatile as IMR 4895.
I was surfing around the Hodgdon website this morning. Hodgdon owns and markets IMR powder, along with his own brand and Winchester powders. I was using his Reloading Data Center and decided to count the cartridges that have IMR 4895 data. I started at the .17 Remington and scrolled down the list until I came to the .458 Winchester Magnum. I counted sixty-two (62) cartridges in the list.
Mr. Hodgdon markets his own flavor of 4895 and in the reloading hobby we call it H4895. Occasionally a supply of government surplus powder will come on the market, we call it S4895. Sometime last year I saw some British powder come on the market from the Radway powder company, it was also listed as Radway 4895. Each of these powders are different and loading data is not interchangeable. A prudent reloader will work up loads with each lot of powder he uses.
However, if I were limited to one rifle powder, I believe the one I'd choose is 4895. I'm convinced it's the most versatile rifle powder currently made.
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query IMR 4895. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query IMR 4895. Sort by date Show all posts
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Saturday, July 10, 2010
IMR 4895
In the review of gunpowders on my bench, we come to IMR 4895. Originally used as a powder for the .30-06 it was produced by DuPont and sold to the government armories. After the Second World War, it was one of the first powders Bruce Hodgdon bought and repackaged for the reloading hobby trade.
This eight pound jug was purchased in March, 2006. There is probably two pounds of powder left in that jug. Every bottlenecked rifle caliber I load for has a recipe that uses 4895. From the .223 to the .45-70, I've worked up a load for that powder. Listed at #89 on the Hodgdon Burn Rate Chart, it's a medium fast rifle powder.
IMR 4895 is an old powder. It's been around forever, and newer powders have eclipsed it in many ways. In the reloading hobby, as in all of man's endeavors, newer is better and we tend to try the latest and greatest. Still, IMR 4895 is one of my go-to powders, simply because it is a well known commodity. It's still superb in the .30-06, but I find it especially useful in reduced charges for cast bullet work, both in the .30-30 and the .45-70, some of my favorite loads feature 4895.
The jug in the picture above is from a military surplus seller. Lots of 4895 was released on the market in years past as surplus powder, at attractive prices. I suspect that the surplus 4895 is long gone. However, it is so versatile that when I use the last of that eight-pound jug, I'll start shopping around and buy another 8-pound jug from somewhere. I trust 4895. It's a wonderful powder that's overlooked by lots of shooters.
This eight pound jug was purchased in March, 2006. There is probably two pounds of powder left in that jug. Every bottlenecked rifle caliber I load for has a recipe that uses 4895. From the .223 to the .45-70, I've worked up a load for that powder. Listed at #89 on the Hodgdon Burn Rate Chart, it's a medium fast rifle powder.
IMR 4895 is an old powder. It's been around forever, and newer powders have eclipsed it in many ways. In the reloading hobby, as in all of man's endeavors, newer is better and we tend to try the latest and greatest. Still, IMR 4895 is one of my go-to powders, simply because it is a well known commodity. It's still superb in the .30-06, but I find it especially useful in reduced charges for cast bullet work, both in the .30-30 and the .45-70, some of my favorite loads feature 4895.
The jug in the picture above is from a military surplus seller. Lots of 4895 was released on the market in years past as surplus powder, at attractive prices. I suspect that the surplus 4895 is long gone. However, it is so versatile that when I use the last of that eight-pound jug, I'll start shopping around and buy another 8-pound jug from somewhere. I trust 4895. It's a wonderful powder that's overlooked by lots of shooters.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
On the bench
I was piddling around on the computer this morning, and found this page, from the Hodgdon site, which talks about youth loads.
Imagine my surprise when they talked about Hodgdon 4895 as an ideal powder for youth or reduced loads. IMR 4895 was originally designed for the .30-06 rifle. After WWII, Bruce Hodgdon went into the reloading components business and some of the first surplus powder he bought was IMR 4985, which he repackaged and sold to the shooting public. IMR 4895 was designed and sold as a powder for the .30-06 Springfield cartridge.
Readers here know my fondness for 4895, in whatever guise it appears. I think it is probably the most versatile powder currently manufactured. The two companies that make it are now both owned by Bruce Hodgdon. You'll find small differences in the loading tables, but basically 4895 is generally the same, regardless of manufacture. Cautious reloaders know that powder changes with each lot manufactured, and the powder made in 1955 isn't the same powder made in 1995. They're different and safe loading practices take care of those differences.
As I use the cartridge more, I'm becoming more fond of the venerable .30-06 Springfield. I once asked a veteran reloader what load I should use for the .30-06 and was told: "50 grains of 4895 and anybody's 150 bullet will do you just fine." I've found that he was right. My basic hunting load for the cartridge is 51 grains of my surplus 4895 with one of Mr. Hornady's 150 grain bullets. It's an accurate, dependable load.
However, I have a qualification coming up and I want to shoot my Remington 760 at the qualification. It's a .30-06 and the thought of pumping out 40 rounds of my hunting load just didn't appeal to me. So, after I read Hodgdon's page on youth loads, I got a piece of .30-06 brass and seated a cast 311041 bullet in it. The dummy cartridge chambered just fine in my 760.
So, I looked at the dipper chart for 4895 and saw that the 2.2cc dipper would give me 30.2 grains of 4895. So, I weighed a couple of dippers and with my technique, my dippers and my 4895, that 2.2 dipper weighed the powder at 29.7 grains. Still, that is awfully close to the 60 percent rule that Hodgdon recommends for his 4895 powder in youth and reduced loads.
That picture shows the Lyman 311041 bullet loaded in the case over 29.7 grains of my S4895. They're getting the Lee Factory Crimp before being stored. I'll get out one day this week and see how they shoot.
Imagine my surprise when they talked about Hodgdon 4895 as an ideal powder for youth or reduced loads. IMR 4895 was originally designed for the .30-06 rifle. After WWII, Bruce Hodgdon went into the reloading components business and some of the first surplus powder he bought was IMR 4985, which he repackaged and sold to the shooting public. IMR 4895 was designed and sold as a powder for the .30-06 Springfield cartridge.
Readers here know my fondness for 4895, in whatever guise it appears. I think it is probably the most versatile powder currently manufactured. The two companies that make it are now both owned by Bruce Hodgdon. You'll find small differences in the loading tables, but basically 4895 is generally the same, regardless of manufacture. Cautious reloaders know that powder changes with each lot manufactured, and the powder made in 1955 isn't the same powder made in 1995. They're different and safe loading practices take care of those differences.
As I use the cartridge more, I'm becoming more fond of the venerable .30-06 Springfield. I once asked a veteran reloader what load I should use for the .30-06 and was told: "50 grains of 4895 and anybody's 150 bullet will do you just fine." I've found that he was right. My basic hunting load for the cartridge is 51 grains of my surplus 4895 with one of Mr. Hornady's 150 grain bullets. It's an accurate, dependable load.
However, I have a qualification coming up and I want to shoot my Remington 760 at the qualification. It's a .30-06 and the thought of pumping out 40 rounds of my hunting load just didn't appeal to me. So, after I read Hodgdon's page on youth loads, I got a piece of .30-06 brass and seated a cast 311041 bullet in it. The dummy cartridge chambered just fine in my 760.
So, I looked at the dipper chart for 4895 and saw that the 2.2cc dipper would give me 30.2 grains of 4895. So, I weighed a couple of dippers and with my technique, my dippers and my 4895, that 2.2 dipper weighed the powder at 29.7 grains. Still, that is awfully close to the 60 percent rule that Hodgdon recommends for his 4895 powder in youth and reduced loads.
By taking the maximum charges listed in our Annual Manual with any given cartridge and multiplying it by 60%, the shooter can create a 1500 to 2100 fps load, depending on the bullet weight shown. This works only where H4895 is listed. Do not use H4895 in a cartridge where it has not been shown.Hey, Hey. I've got powder and a bullet.
That picture shows the Lyman 311041 bullet loaded in the case over 29.7 grains of my S4895. They're getting the Lee Factory Crimp before being stored. I'll get out one day this week and see how they shoot.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Surplus 4895
There are a couple of powders that reloaders like to have on their bench. These powders are univerally recognized as having a wide range of applications in various cartridges.
Unique, manufactured by Alliant, is one of those powders. It has a wide range of applications in pistol calibers, and is also one of the standbys of cast bullet loads. Most data in the Lyman Cast Bullet handbook includes a load that uses Unique.
These powders may not be the best, the most efficient, the fastest, or the designer powder for a particular cartridge, but they are effective in a wide range of calibers, giving good performance with each load.
Last spring I bought a jug of surplus 4895. The jug came labeled as IMR 4895 with the understanding that it was surplus, not canister grade powder. I started using it for cast bullet loads in the .30-30 Win and found that it gave good accuracy. Particularly, that 27 grains of that powder launches the Lyman 311041 bullet at an average 1927 fps with no leading. The load shoots into the bead of my front sight, which covers just under 3 inches at 50 yards. The group at that distance is just about an inch and a half. This is excellent hunting accuracy. My ballistic calculator shows that sighted 2 inches high at 50 yards, it will be on target at 125 yards and down two inches at 150 yards. At 150 yards it will still carry 843 foot pounds of energy.
Stepping up to the .35 Remington cartridge, I learned today that the same 4895, 34 grains, drives a 200 grain Remington Core-Lokt bullet at about 1850 fps. This load prints on the target at 1.1 inches at 50 yards. This is also excellent hunting accuracy. It has the trajectory of the .30-30 load above. Sighted an inch and a half high at 50 yards, it is down two inches at 150 yards and carries 863 fpe. No deer sized animal could tell the difference between the .35 Remington load and the .30-30 load. 90% of all deer are shot at ranges under 100 yards, so these two loads will take care of most of the hunting I do.
Well, okay, you say. How about a real cartridge? One that can reach out and touch something. How about the .30-06? With a 150 grain Hornady SST bullet over 52 grains of that same surplus 4895, the bullet leaves the barrel at 2925 fps. Sighted in to be a little over an inch high at 100 yards, it is close to target center at 175 and only 4 inches down at 250 yards. At that same 250 yards, it is carrying over 1700 lbs of energy. Did I mention that particular load gives great accuracy from my rifle, putting 4 shots into 0.75 of an inch at 100 yards.
These figures come from actual shooting, by the way. The velocity figures are out of my guns. I used a ballistics calculator to give the long range figures because I have no where to shoot past 100 yards.
Surplus 4895 is an extremely versatile powder, one that should be on every reloaders bench. Unfortunately, the supply seems to have dried up. When I burn through the eight pounds I have on hand, I might have to buy the canister grade 4895, either from IMR or from Hogdgon. IMR has a lot of data on 4895 in a wide range of cartridge sizes. I've only used it in the above three cartridges, each with a particular niche. 4895 has proved to be very useful in each of them.
As an aside, I'm told that Alliant Reloder 22 is singularly versatile in magnum cartridges. I have no experience with it, but I know one reloader who won't use anything else in .270 Win and .300 Win Mag. He's sold on Reloder 22 for large cases.
Unique, manufactured by Alliant, is one of those powders. It has a wide range of applications in pistol calibers, and is also one of the standbys of cast bullet loads. Most data in the Lyman Cast Bullet handbook includes a load that uses Unique.
These powders may not be the best, the most efficient, the fastest, or the designer powder for a particular cartridge, but they are effective in a wide range of calibers, giving good performance with each load.
Last spring I bought a jug of surplus 4895. The jug came labeled as IMR 4895 with the understanding that it was surplus, not canister grade powder. I started using it for cast bullet loads in the .30-30 Win and found that it gave good accuracy. Particularly, that 27 grains of that powder launches the Lyman 311041 bullet at an average 1927 fps with no leading. The load shoots into the bead of my front sight, which covers just under 3 inches at 50 yards. The group at that distance is just about an inch and a half. This is excellent hunting accuracy. My ballistic calculator shows that sighted 2 inches high at 50 yards, it will be on target at 125 yards and down two inches at 150 yards. At 150 yards it will still carry 843 foot pounds of energy.
Stepping up to the .35 Remington cartridge, I learned today that the same 4895, 34 grains, drives a 200 grain Remington Core-Lokt bullet at about 1850 fps. This load prints on the target at 1.1 inches at 50 yards. This is also excellent hunting accuracy. It has the trajectory of the .30-30 load above. Sighted an inch and a half high at 50 yards, it is down two inches at 150 yards and carries 863 fpe. No deer sized animal could tell the difference between the .35 Remington load and the .30-30 load. 90% of all deer are shot at ranges under 100 yards, so these two loads will take care of most of the hunting I do.
Well, okay, you say. How about a real cartridge? One that can reach out and touch something. How about the .30-06? With a 150 grain Hornady SST bullet over 52 grains of that same surplus 4895, the bullet leaves the barrel at 2925 fps. Sighted in to be a little over an inch high at 100 yards, it is close to target center at 175 and only 4 inches down at 250 yards. At that same 250 yards, it is carrying over 1700 lbs of energy. Did I mention that particular load gives great accuracy from my rifle, putting 4 shots into 0.75 of an inch at 100 yards.
These figures come from actual shooting, by the way. The velocity figures are out of my guns. I used a ballistics calculator to give the long range figures because I have no where to shoot past 100 yards.
Surplus 4895 is an extremely versatile powder, one that should be on every reloaders bench. Unfortunately, the supply seems to have dried up. When I burn through the eight pounds I have on hand, I might have to buy the canister grade 4895, either from IMR or from Hogdgon. IMR has a lot of data on 4895 in a wide range of cartridge sizes. I've only used it in the above three cartridges, each with a particular niche. 4895 has proved to be very useful in each of them.
As an aside, I'm told that Alliant Reloder 22 is singularly versatile in magnum cartridges. I have no experience with it, but I know one reloader who won't use anything else in .270 Win and .300 Win Mag. He's sold on Reloder 22 for large cases.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Reduced Loads
Regular readers to my siite know about my fondness for IMR 4895, which I consider one of the most versatile rifle powders for medium rifle cartridges. You can scroll down thru this link and see the various uses I've put it to over the years. When I start piddling with a new cartridge, one of the very first things I do is to find a 4895 recipe. Like Unique in pistol calibers, IMR 4895 is useful in lots of rifle cartridges, I one time counted the calibers and came up with over 40 in which the powder is very useful. For myself, I've found it useful in .223, .243, .30-30, .30-06, and .45-70. IMR 4895 is also a great cast-bullet powder, with lots of calibers.
Eaton Rapids Joe puts it to the test in reduced loads for the .308 Winchester, and tells us that it's a daisy in that cartridge as well. I don't know that I've ever used it in the .308, preferring other powders in that caliber, but I have to admit that a 150 grain bullet traveling at 2200 fps is going to leave a mark when it hits something. The .30-30 Winchester ballistics almost mimic that level of performance, and has proven since 1895 that it is a whiz-bang deer caliber.
A youngster in the field can do a lot worse than a 150 grain bullet going 2200 fps. Anything within 150 yards is their meat if they put the bullet where it matters. In this day of ultra-flat, whiz-bang magnums, a whole lot of adults would be surprised at just how much venison they could gather using those same ballistics.
Eaton Rapids Joe puts it to the test in reduced loads for the .308 Winchester, and tells us that it's a daisy in that cartridge as well. I don't know that I've ever used it in the .308, preferring other powders in that caliber, but I have to admit that a 150 grain bullet traveling at 2200 fps is going to leave a mark when it hits something. The .30-30 Winchester ballistics almost mimic that level of performance, and has proven since 1895 that it is a whiz-bang deer caliber.
A youngster in the field can do a lot worse than a 150 grain bullet going 2200 fps. Anything within 150 yards is their meat if they put the bullet where it matters. In this day of ultra-flat, whiz-bang magnums, a whole lot of adults would be surprised at just how much venison they could gather using those same ballistics.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Powder weights
Commenter JPG asks:
Dippers measure powder by volume and scales measure powder by weight. A single granule of powder may weigh more or less in humid Louisiana than in parched Arizona simply because of humidity issues. Powder is hygroscopic. However, a cc is the same everywhere, even in Texas.
I use both means of measuring powder. I've got the dippers and I've got a couple of scales. I use dippers where it's convenient and scales where it's convenient. I've even been known to weigh the charges I'm dipping, just as a double-check.
The short answer to your question is that the 2.5cc dipper throws a charge of 34.3 grains of IMR 4895. The longer answer is that using a dipper is contingent on consistency in how you use the dipper and consistency in how you strike off the excess powder. I've done some experimenting and depending on how I scoop the powder and how I strike off the excess, dipper weights can vary as much as 2 grains.
Lee's site gives us the proper method of using a powder measure:
I've even been known to make my own dippers for specific tasks. I've got one that throws exactly 27.5 grains of IMR 4895, which is a favored cast-bullet load for the .30-30. It's a simple matter to cut down a piece of cartridge brass and solder a handle on it. It may look rough, but when I want to reload some of that ammo, it takes a lot of the work out of handling the powder.
Thanks for reading. I hope I was able to answer your question.
I realize how convenient it is to use a dipper for loading, but not having a full set of Lee dippers, I can't relate to "2.5 cc of IMR 4895." Can you say what grain weight that volume equals?Sure, JPG, lets talk about that. Hopefully, the information might be useful to other folks too.
Dippers measure powder by volume and scales measure powder by weight. A single granule of powder may weigh more or less in humid Louisiana than in parched Arizona simply because of humidity issues. Powder is hygroscopic. However, a cc is the same everywhere, even in Texas.
I use both means of measuring powder. I've got the dippers and I've got a couple of scales. I use dippers where it's convenient and scales where it's convenient. I've even been known to weigh the charges I'm dipping, just as a double-check.
The short answer to your question is that the 2.5cc dipper throws a charge of 34.3 grains of IMR 4895. The longer answer is that using a dipper is contingent on consistency in how you use the dipper and consistency in how you strike off the excess powder. I've done some experimenting and depending on how I scoop the powder and how I strike off the excess, dipper weights can vary as much as 2 grains.
Lee's site gives us the proper method of using a powder measure:
With the dipper in hand, push it backwards into a powder reservoir such as a cup and let the powder fall into it from the top. Removing the dipper from the cup should yield a heaping dipper full of powder. With a business card, scrape off the excess so the measure is level.Mr. Lee is kind enough to publish online a lot of information about his products, including a handy .pdf file of the most current dipper capacities. Powders change over time and having the latest chart is a big help sometimes. The link is here.
I've even been known to make my own dippers for specific tasks. I've got one that throws exactly 27.5 grains of IMR 4895, which is a favored cast-bullet load for the .30-30. It's a simple matter to cut down a piece of cartridge brass and solder a handle on it. It may look rough, but when I want to reload some of that ammo, it takes a lot of the work out of handling the powder.
Thanks for reading. I hope I was able to answer your question.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Layaway
I put a rifle on layaway yesterday. Another Handi-Rifle. I've watched this one sitting in the shelves for the past several months and decided yesterday to lock it down.
It's an SB2 Ultra Hunter, the one with the heavy barrel and the laminated stock. The caliber is .223 Remington. I've had a long association with the .223 cartridge through the military and police work. I've been shooting it since 1973, mainly through the AR15 platform. I don't reload for the cartridge, mainly because in the AR with iron sights, off-the-shelf ammo is easy to find and accurate enough for government work. It'll be interesting to see how the little rifle shoots with the usual run of commercial and military surplus (in that group I include the vast majority of imported ammo).
At some point I'll buy a set of dies for the cartridge. I was browsing around on the Hodgdon site last night and was surprised to find that IMR 4895 is suggested as a powder for the little cartridge. It turned in good velocity numbers with a high load density. I'm a big fan of IMR 4895 and use it in just about every cartridge I reload. It's a very versatile powder. While there are better powders for some applications, very few powders match the versatility of IMR 4895.
Small rifle primers might be a problem. We've still got the regional unpleasantness in the Middle East and they're burning a lot of ammo. Still, I'm not reloading for the cartridge yet, so there's no hurry. Heck, I don't even have the rifle off layaway yet, so there's really no hurry.
It'll be interesting to see how the little rifle shoots.
It's an SB2 Ultra Hunter, the one with the heavy barrel and the laminated stock. The caliber is .223 Remington. I've had a long association with the .223 cartridge through the military and police work. I've been shooting it since 1973, mainly through the AR15 platform. I don't reload for the cartridge, mainly because in the AR with iron sights, off-the-shelf ammo is easy to find and accurate enough for government work. It'll be interesting to see how the little rifle shoots with the usual run of commercial and military surplus (in that group I include the vast majority of imported ammo).
At some point I'll buy a set of dies for the cartridge. I was browsing around on the Hodgdon site last night and was surprised to find that IMR 4895 is suggested as a powder for the little cartridge. It turned in good velocity numbers with a high load density. I'm a big fan of IMR 4895 and use it in just about every cartridge I reload. It's a very versatile powder. While there are better powders for some applications, very few powders match the versatility of IMR 4895.
Small rifle primers might be a problem. We've still got the regional unpleasantness in the Middle East and they're burning a lot of ammo. Still, I'm not reloading for the cartridge yet, so there's no hurry. Heck, I don't even have the rifle off layaway yet, so there's really no hurry.
It'll be interesting to see how the little rifle shoots.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Range Day
Today I took three hours and went out for a range day. I used the LDWF range at Woodworth.
I know that many of you notice that every rifle that the gun rags write about is capable of minute of angle accuracy. Well, that's true, most rifles built today are capable of MOA accuracy. However, most gunners are not. Accuracy is indicative of practice time. Most recreational gunners can get in the three to four minute range and stay there until they get training, then their groups start shrinking. Equipment and technique are important, but they can't take the place of regular practice. Shooting scores are very erodable. If you don't get enough trigger time and learn from each shot, your groups expand.
In short, you won't see any MOA targets here today.
The first rifle out of the bag was the Winchester 94. This rifle has a Williams FP sight with a standard bead. My ammo was my own blend of the incomparable Lyman 311041 cast bullet, lubed with Lee Liquid Alox, loaded over 27.0 grains of surplus 4895. This load is a game-getter. I decided to get off the bench and do some position work with this rifle, to replicate game shots.
I scattered them all over the page at 50 yards. Three rounds each from prone, sitting, kneeling and standing. Still, seven of the twelve are in the nine ring or better. This is the type of shooting that I need to do more often. It's time to load a bunch of these and devote an afternoon to position shooting. This ammo is cast bullet ammo, which means I make the bullets in the garage. The powder is the Surplus 4895 that I have found so versatile, and it launches those cast bullets at an average 1729 fps with no leading.
After I ran out of ammo for the .30-30, I broke out the Savage 110, in .30-06. I have made some changes to this rifle since the last report. I have added a better recoil pad and changed the way the scope was mounted.
I did forget to boresight the rifle, so the first half-dozen shots were off the paper and it took another half-dozen to get it into the target area. I wanted this ammo to shoot two inches high at 100 yards. Sighted like that, it'll be dead on at 200 yards and down just three inches at 250 yards. I didn't bring much ammo to the range, and the last three rounds gave me this target.
This load uses the same 4895 powder that I used in the .30-30 load. It's surplus powder and was originally developed for .30-06 military ammo. 4895 has been around in three guises over the years. IMR 4895 and Hogdgon 4895 are both canister powders that are available today. This surplus powder is off the market right now, but has proven very versatile in medium rifle cartridges. I use it in .30-30, .35 Remington, and .30-06.
That isn't too shabby and it shows that I haven't been getting enough trigger time. The rifle is certainly capable of better accuracy than that, and I have only myself to blame for not taking advantage of it. It's time to load some more ammo and make myself get out to the range more often. I need more trigger time.
I know that many of you notice that every rifle that the gun rags write about is capable of minute of angle accuracy. Well, that's true, most rifles built today are capable of MOA accuracy. However, most gunners are not. Accuracy is indicative of practice time. Most recreational gunners can get in the three to four minute range and stay there until they get training, then their groups start shrinking. Equipment and technique are important, but they can't take the place of regular practice. Shooting scores are very erodable. If you don't get enough trigger time and learn from each shot, your groups expand.
In short, you won't see any MOA targets here today.
The first rifle out of the bag was the Winchester 94. This rifle has a Williams FP sight with a standard bead. My ammo was my own blend of the incomparable Lyman 311041 cast bullet, lubed with Lee Liquid Alox, loaded over 27.0 grains of surplus 4895. This load is a game-getter. I decided to get off the bench and do some position work with this rifle, to replicate game shots.
I scattered them all over the page at 50 yards. Three rounds each from prone, sitting, kneeling and standing. Still, seven of the twelve are in the nine ring or better. This is the type of shooting that I need to do more often. It's time to load a bunch of these and devote an afternoon to position shooting. This ammo is cast bullet ammo, which means I make the bullets in the garage. The powder is the Surplus 4895 that I have found so versatile, and it launches those cast bullets at an average 1729 fps with no leading.
After I ran out of ammo for the .30-30, I broke out the Savage 110, in .30-06. I have made some changes to this rifle since the last report. I have added a better recoil pad and changed the way the scope was mounted.
I did forget to boresight the rifle, so the first half-dozen shots were off the paper and it took another half-dozen to get it into the target area. I wanted this ammo to shoot two inches high at 100 yards. Sighted like that, it'll be dead on at 200 yards and down just three inches at 250 yards. I didn't bring much ammo to the range, and the last three rounds gave me this target.
This load uses the same 4895 powder that I used in the .30-30 load. It's surplus powder and was originally developed for .30-06 military ammo. 4895 has been around in three guises over the years. IMR 4895 and Hogdgon 4895 are both canister powders that are available today. This surplus powder is off the market right now, but has proven very versatile in medium rifle cartridges. I use it in .30-30, .35 Remington, and .30-06.
That isn't too shabby and it shows that I haven't been getting enough trigger time. The rifle is certainly capable of better accuracy than that, and I have only myself to blame for not taking advantage of it. It's time to load some more ammo and make myself get out to the range more often. I need more trigger time.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
The .45-70
Farmist asks, in comments:
Junior and I have done some small work with the .45-70 over on the castbullet site and you can find two articles here and here. Those articles talk about loading black powder or substitutes in the .45-70, but the common ground of reloading and load development are followed.
The .45-70 is the only cartridge I'm aware of that has loading data published in three levels. The first, and mildest data is for the old, low-pressure Springfield (trapdoor) rifles of the 1800s. The second level of pressure is for the modern rifles in the caliber. The third level of power is for Ruger #1 and Marlin 1895 rifles. You can load this cartridge to levels that approach the .458 Winchester Magnum and it is capable of taking all the game on North America. Alaskan guides routinely use this cartridge as a back-up to client's rifles.
I don't load anything that heavy. The bison herds of the 19th century were wiped out by guys using black powder and that level of power has shown to be utterly effective on the game fields. In the .45-70, I like pushing a soft lead bullet at black powder velocities (about 1200 fps). I have two loads that I routinely load in that caliber. The first uses the Lee 459-500-3R bullet. This bullet is a spire point and I load it over Hodgdon 777 for my Sharps. It turns in very good accuracy in that rifle and closely approximates the load that wiped out the bison herds.
I've tried that load in my Handi-rifle and it just didn't work as well in the carbine as it did in the Sharps. So, I worked up a load using IMR 4895. IMR 4895 is a great cast-bullet powder and works well in reduced loads in a number of calibers. My recipe for smokeless in the Handi uses the Lee 459-405-FP bullet cast of dead-soft lead and lubed with liquid Alox. I size them to 0.457 using a push-through sizer, then load them using a 2.5 cc dipper to measure the powder. I've weighed the dipper charges and they come out to 34.3 grains of powder using MY dipper technique and MY scales. Your technique and your scales might show something different.
Because the 4895 takes up so little space in the cartridge case, I use a tuft (tiny pinch) of pillow dacron to hold the powder down near the primer. I take a tiny pinch of dacron and roll it between my fingers, then stuff it in the case with a pencil eraser. It'll immediately swell up to fill the case, then I seat the bullet using standard reloading practices. I've figured that with primers costing 3 cents each and my bulk powder costing about 2 cents, I'm loading this particular load for a nickel each. That's cheap shooting.
It's a fairly accurate load in my Handi, averaging about two inches at 50 yards, which is the distance my front sight covers the bullseye on a reduced SR-1 target. Below is a picture of the target my son shot yesterday with that rifle and load.
I'm not afraid of recoil and enjoy the thump of a heavy rifle, but with newer cartridges available I don't see the need to push this particular combo. I've never made meat with this rifle, although I've killed deer with my muzzle-loaders using loads like this. A 405 grain bullet traveling 1200 fps is something to be reckoned with when the cover is thick and the ranges are short. I'll be using this combo next week as I'll be hunting two patches of land where 100 yards is a long shot.
Chapters in loading manuals have been devoted to loading for the .45-70 and I hope this little posting helps. The .45-70 is a very versatile cartridge, economical and a lot of fun to shoot. I'm glad I have it in my battery.
Would you consider doing a post on reloading for .45-70. I have a Marlin 1885, am a big fan of the caliber, and have been considering reloading for it.Whoa! That's a broad subject for a blog post. Let me preface this post by saying I'm no expert, but I do have some limited experience with the caliber.
Junior and I have done some small work with the .45-70 over on the castbullet site and you can find two articles here and here. Those articles talk about loading black powder or substitutes in the .45-70, but the common ground of reloading and load development are followed.
The .45-70 is the only cartridge I'm aware of that has loading data published in three levels. The first, and mildest data is for the old, low-pressure Springfield (trapdoor) rifles of the 1800s. The second level of pressure is for the modern rifles in the caliber. The third level of power is for Ruger #1 and Marlin 1895 rifles. You can load this cartridge to levels that approach the .458 Winchester Magnum and it is capable of taking all the game on North America. Alaskan guides routinely use this cartridge as a back-up to client's rifles.
I don't load anything that heavy. The bison herds of the 19th century were wiped out by guys using black powder and that level of power has shown to be utterly effective on the game fields. In the .45-70, I like pushing a soft lead bullet at black powder velocities (about 1200 fps). I have two loads that I routinely load in that caliber. The first uses the Lee 459-500-3R bullet. This bullet is a spire point and I load it over Hodgdon 777 for my Sharps. It turns in very good accuracy in that rifle and closely approximates the load that wiped out the bison herds.
I've tried that load in my Handi-rifle and it just didn't work as well in the carbine as it did in the Sharps. So, I worked up a load using IMR 4895. IMR 4895 is a great cast-bullet powder and works well in reduced loads in a number of calibers. My recipe for smokeless in the Handi uses the Lee 459-405-FP bullet cast of dead-soft lead and lubed with liquid Alox. I size them to 0.457 using a push-through sizer, then load them using a 2.5 cc dipper to measure the powder. I've weighed the dipper charges and they come out to 34.3 grains of powder using MY dipper technique and MY scales. Your technique and your scales might show something different.
Because the 4895 takes up so little space in the cartridge case, I use a tuft (tiny pinch) of pillow dacron to hold the powder down near the primer. I take a tiny pinch of dacron and roll it between my fingers, then stuff it in the case with a pencil eraser. It'll immediately swell up to fill the case, then I seat the bullet using standard reloading practices. I've figured that with primers costing 3 cents each and my bulk powder costing about 2 cents, I'm loading this particular load for a nickel each. That's cheap shooting.
It's a fairly accurate load in my Handi, averaging about two inches at 50 yards, which is the distance my front sight covers the bullseye on a reduced SR-1 target. Below is a picture of the target my son shot yesterday with that rifle and load.
I'm not afraid of recoil and enjoy the thump of a heavy rifle, but with newer cartridges available I don't see the need to push this particular combo. I've never made meat with this rifle, although I've killed deer with my muzzle-loaders using loads like this. A 405 grain bullet traveling 1200 fps is something to be reckoned with when the cover is thick and the ranges are short. I'll be using this combo next week as I'll be hunting two patches of land where 100 yards is a long shot.
Chapters in loading manuals have been devoted to loading for the .45-70 and I hope this little posting helps. The .45-70 is a very versatile cartridge, economical and a lot of fun to shoot. I'm glad I have it in my battery.
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Range report
I went out and shot the 311041 bullets through the Winchester 94 today. Results were fairly disappointing, yet illuminating. The bullets were all treated alike, lubed with Lee Liquid Alox, gas checked, sized to 0.309, then lubed again. The brass was prepped by neck-sizing, trimming, flaring and cleaning primer pockets. I primed the brass with Winchester large rifle primers and loaded them with surplus IMR 4895 powder. I was shooting off the bench, with iron sights at 50 yards. The results are below.
I included a 4 shot and a 5 shot measurement to take flyers into consideration. The two groups where I gave a 4 shot measurement, the flyer was obviously outside the group. With the other targets, they were uniform in distribution. Flyers will make a good man cuss.
It looks like with my alloy, the 311041 likes 27.0 grains of 4895. This is a load I can count on. The sights on the Winchester subtend about 4 inches at that distance, so it is shooting into the front sight.
I finished the day by shooting my service pistol, a Kimber custom. It still shoots reliable into 3 inches at 25 yards. Not great by any means, but not shabby, either. I burned 150 rounds of ammunition, the last hundred by cranking off seven shots as quickly as I could. I was able to keep all the shots on an 8.5 X 11 piece of paper at 25 yards. That is okay for service accuracy and will help my score when we qualify next month. Now I have to reload all that brass.
Y'all have a great weekend.
Update: Junior is my editor and found some nomenclature problems. They've been resolved. Thanks, Junior!
| 311041 results- Win 94- 05/13/06 | ||
| Surplus IMR 4895 | 5 shot | 4 shot |
| 25.0 grs | 3.7" | n/a |
| 25.5 grs | 3.1" | n/a |
| 26.0 grs | 4.0" | n/a |
| 26.5 grs | 3.4" | 2.2" |
| 27.0 grs | 2.4" | 1.6" |
| 27.5 grs | 5.0" | n/a |
I included a 4 shot and a 5 shot measurement to take flyers into consideration. The two groups where I gave a 4 shot measurement, the flyer was obviously outside the group. With the other targets, they were uniform in distribution. Flyers will make a good man cuss.
It looks like with my alloy, the 311041 likes 27.0 grains of 4895. This is a load I can count on. The sights on the Winchester subtend about 4 inches at that distance, so it is shooting into the front sight.
I finished the day by shooting my service pistol, a Kimber custom. It still shoots reliable into 3 inches at 25 yards. Not great by any means, but not shabby, either. I burned 150 rounds of ammunition, the last hundred by cranking off seven shots as quickly as I could. I was able to keep all the shots on an 8.5 X 11 piece of paper at 25 yards. That is okay for service accuracy and will help my score when we qualify next month. Now I have to reload all that brass.
Y'all have a great weekend.
Update: Junior is my editor and found some nomenclature problems. They've been resolved. Thanks, Junior!
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Evening reloading
For those of you who have been reading this little blog, you know I recently cast some 311041 bullets with a new mold. You also know that I recently purchased some surplus IMR 4895 powder.
IMR 4895 is a good powder for cast bullet loads in the venerable .30-30 Winchester. I did my research and found that a charge of 25.0 grains of 4895 ought to give me about 1500-1600 fps with that 311041 bullet. My goal is to approach 1700 fps with no leading. So, I started low, and I'll work up as I learn how the load reacts in my gun.
Anybody can buy .30-30 ammo anywhere, for almost a pittance. That factory ammo will produce 2200 fps any day of the week. Folks want to know why anyone would purposely reload ammo that is of lesser performance than the factory fodder. Well, it turns out there are some pretty good reasons.
1) Anyone can buy factory ammo.
2) Reloading saves money in that the per-round cost is reduced over the cost of factory ammo.
3) Cast bullets are effective for a number of purposes, including but not limited to plinking, target work, practice, and teaching novice shooters.
4) Cast bullets are less expensive than jacketed bullets. I make mine out of lead scap that I scrounge at various places. The cost of a lead bullet made at home is virtually zero.
5) Cast bullets are effective for hunting within their capabilities. Virtually every game animal in the world has fallen to a lead bullet. Jacketed bullets were virtually unheard of prior to 1890.
So, tonite I went outside and loaded some home-cast bullets into .30-30 cases. It took about an hour to load a box of ammo, but during the process a buddy pulled up in the driveway and I went out to talk with him, then the neighbor kids came over on bicycles to see what was going on. It was a thoroughly enjoyable hour and I have some ammo to test this weekend.
I'll let you know how it turns out.
IMR 4895 is a good powder for cast bullet loads in the venerable .30-30 Winchester. I did my research and found that a charge of 25.0 grains of 4895 ought to give me about 1500-1600 fps with that 311041 bullet. My goal is to approach 1700 fps with no leading. So, I started low, and I'll work up as I learn how the load reacts in my gun.
Anybody can buy .30-30 ammo anywhere, for almost a pittance. That factory ammo will produce 2200 fps any day of the week. Folks want to know why anyone would purposely reload ammo that is of lesser performance than the factory fodder. Well, it turns out there are some pretty good reasons.
1) Anyone can buy factory ammo.
2) Reloading saves money in that the per-round cost is reduced over the cost of factory ammo.
3) Cast bullets are effective for a number of purposes, including but not limited to plinking, target work, practice, and teaching novice shooters.
4) Cast bullets are less expensive than jacketed bullets. I make mine out of lead scap that I scrounge at various places. The cost of a lead bullet made at home is virtually zero.
5) Cast bullets are effective for hunting within their capabilities. Virtually every game animal in the world has fallen to a lead bullet. Jacketed bullets were virtually unheard of prior to 1890.
So, tonite I went outside and loaded some home-cast bullets into .30-30 cases. It took about an hour to load a box of ammo, but during the process a buddy pulled up in the driveway and I went out to talk with him, then the neighbor kids came over on bicycles to see what was going on. It was a thoroughly enjoyable hour and I have some ammo to test this weekend.
I'll let you know how it turns out.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
More on cast loads
jpg asks in Comments:
However, 4895 is really easy to use for reduced loads, using either cast or jacketed bullets. The Hodgdon site tells us that:
The Hodgdon manual lists 46.7 grains of H4895 as the top end load for a 175 grain bullet in 30-06. 60% of that is 28 grains of powder. My 2.2 cc dipper loads really closely to that at 27.5 grains.
Using dippers instead of weighing individual charges makes sense for me on a couple of counts, not the least of which is that powder is hydroscopic, that is, it retains moisture. 28 grains of powder might be different in dry Arizona than it is in humid Louisiana, but 2.2 ccs is the same everywhere, even Texas.
Try cast bullets in your .30-06. They're generally less expensive than jacketed, they are useful as practice and plinking loads, and even as hunting loads when the hunter limits his shots to reasonable ranges. There is something satisfying about taking an animal with a bullet you cast yourself, in a cartridge you loaded yourself.
Shooters that make cast bullet loads for the .30-30 tell us that the 311041 at 1750-1800 fps does just fine when used on whitetailed deer. My cast loads with the 30-30 gives me an average 1880 fps out of my 20" carbine. That same load gives me an average 1794 out of my 22" barreled 30-06. From either rifle, it's a good load for 125 yards, which is plenty of range for the north Louisiana woods. If I need a beanfield gun, I'll take something else.
Question: Have you ever weightd the contents of that 2.2 cc dipper? I have a couple of scales but no Lee dippers. And my insulin syringes only hold a max of 1 cc ;-)Yeah, jpg, I have. The short answer is that the 2.2 dipper holds 27.5 grains of my lot of surplus 4895. Your mileage and your 4895 might be different.
However, 4895 is really easy to use for reduced loads, using either cast or jacketed bullets. The Hodgdon site tells us that:
For years, H4895 has been the top choice by cast bullet shooters. For this type shooting, loads are reduced even more than the hunting loads listed herein. To create loads of this type for target and plinking, we recommend our 60% rule with H4895. By taking the maximum charges listed in our Annual Manual with any given cartridge and multiplying it by 60%, the shooter can create a 1500 to 2100 fps load, depending on the bullet weight shown. This works only where H4895 is listed. Do not use H4895 in a cartridge where it has not been shown.I have found that this 60% rule works with my surplus 4895 as well as canister grade IMR 4895. I can't recommend this practice due to liability concerns, but I haven't gotten in trouble in practice.
The Hodgdon manual lists 46.7 grains of H4895 as the top end load for a 175 grain bullet in 30-06. 60% of that is 28 grains of powder. My 2.2 cc dipper loads really closely to that at 27.5 grains.
Using dippers instead of weighing individual charges makes sense for me on a couple of counts, not the least of which is that powder is hydroscopic, that is, it retains moisture. 28 grains of powder might be different in dry Arizona than it is in humid Louisiana, but 2.2 ccs is the same everywhere, even Texas.
Try cast bullets in your .30-06. They're generally less expensive than jacketed, they are useful as practice and plinking loads, and even as hunting loads when the hunter limits his shots to reasonable ranges. There is something satisfying about taking an animal with a bullet you cast yourself, in a cartridge you loaded yourself.
Shooters that make cast bullet loads for the .30-30 tell us that the 311041 at 1750-1800 fps does just fine when used on whitetailed deer. My cast loads with the 30-30 gives me an average 1880 fps out of my 20" carbine. That same load gives me an average 1794 out of my 22" barreled 30-06. From either rifle, it's a good load for 125 yards, which is plenty of range for the north Louisiana woods. If I need a beanfield gun, I'll take something else.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
SST
I've heard good things about the Hornady SST bullet, so the last time I ordered from Midway, I took the opportunity to buy some SST bullets. These are the 150 grain .30 caliber bullets. I loaded them for the .30-06 with surplus 4895 powder.
IMR 4895 powder was originally a miliary powder for the .30-06 cartridge. While a lot of shooters say that there are better powders, this stuff came in my door as surplus powder, at a substantial cost savings. Of course, since the powder is an unknown variable in this rifle, I started the charges on the low side.
That is 25 cartridges with 5 of each load, and they go up in one grain increments, so I have five at X grains of surplus 4895, five at X+1 grains of 4895, five at X+2 grains of 4895 and so on. I mark the individual cartridges with a felt marker, either on the primer or on the bullet with a specific color, then put a cheat sheet in the box, so when I get to the range I'll know what cartridge holds which charge. When I shoot the targets, I'll transfer chrony data onto the target, then analyze that data when I get home.
Of course, while I'm firing, I'll shoot the lowest charges first and watch the primer for signs of pressure. If, for example, the X+3 load is showing pressure signs, I'll stop shooting. When I get home I'll disassemble the unfired cartridges and separate the components. There is no sense shooting something that might be unsafe.
I hope to find a load that will be sufficiently accurate that I can quit load developement and settle on a load for this rifle. The .30-06 has a reputation of being easy to load for. I'm betting that my primer/powder/bullet combination will yeild a good round.
We'll see.
IMR 4895 powder was originally a miliary powder for the .30-06 cartridge. While a lot of shooters say that there are better powders, this stuff came in my door as surplus powder, at a substantial cost savings. Of course, since the powder is an unknown variable in this rifle, I started the charges on the low side.
That is 25 cartridges with 5 of each load, and they go up in one grain increments, so I have five at X grains of surplus 4895, five at X+1 grains of 4895, five at X+2 grains of 4895 and so on. I mark the individual cartridges with a felt marker, either on the primer or on the bullet with a specific color, then put a cheat sheet in the box, so when I get to the range I'll know what cartridge holds which charge. When I shoot the targets, I'll transfer chrony data onto the target, then analyze that data when I get home.
Of course, while I'm firing, I'll shoot the lowest charges first and watch the primer for signs of pressure. If, for example, the X+3 load is showing pressure signs, I'll stop shooting. When I get home I'll disassemble the unfired cartridges and separate the components. There is no sense shooting something that might be unsafe.
I hope to find a load that will be sufficiently accurate that I can quit load developement and settle on a load for this rifle. The .30-06 has a reputation of being easy to load for. I'm betting that my primer/powder/bullet combination will yeild a good round.
We'll see.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Range Thursday
After I hair-lipped the rose bush today, I sat down at the bench and worked another series of reloads based on Newberry's OCW method of finding a good load. I couldn't decide if the ugly rifle didn't like those Fusion bullets, or didn't like Reloder 15 under those bullets, so I looked for something different and found a box of 155 grain Matchkings that I had forgotten about. Then, I looked at four references and got an idea of what loads might be suitable for IMR 4895 powder and that bullet. I came away with six loads, starting at 41.5 grains, progressing upward in 0.9 grain increments to 46.0 grains, all under that 155 Matchking.
I went out to the Woodworth Range, and it was closed. There were six or eight cars waiting at the gate, so we all got out of our vehicles and talked. We all verified that we had checked online and the range is supposed to be open today at noon, so I whipped out my smartphone, did a quick google search, and found the number to the state office of Wildlife and Fisheries. I got someone on the phone and started raising hell. In about fifteen minutes, someone else called me back, told me where a key was located on a tree near the gate, and told me to let everyone in.
Once on the range, I got set up and started running the line, along with shooting my groups. After firing my string I looked downrange through the spotting scope and was fairly pleased. All six 3-shot strings averaged 1.26 inches, and three of those groups were under an inch! Very good. There is something that rifle likes about IMR 4805 powder and 155 grain Matchkings. Somewhere between 44.2 grains and 45.1 grains there is a sweet spot, and I'll have to find it, then start tuning loads to that rifle. After I get the load tuned, I'll run it over the chronograph and enter it into my pet load records.
Funny thing. Hodgdon shows a max load of 47.3 grains of IMR 4895 under a 150 grain bullet. I filled a case with powder and couldn't stuff but 46.4 grains to the junction of the neck and shoulder. My hottest load was 46.0 grains and it's too hot for my rifle. When I touched that load off, it blew the primer, jammed my ejector, and pushed the extractor out of the bolt. I managed to find all the parts and get the rifle running again, but I was mighty concerned for a few minutes. This comes as a caution to check your sources, make your own judgement and pay attention to what your rifle is telling you. A load that's too hot in your rifle may be okay according to the published literature. When you handload ammunition, you're on your own. Be safe.
I've done more shooting in the last two days than I have in the last three months. It feels good to get a little recoil therapy. It also feels good to see that rifle shoot like I thought it might.
I went out to the Woodworth Range, and it was closed. There were six or eight cars waiting at the gate, so we all got out of our vehicles and talked. We all verified that we had checked online and the range is supposed to be open today at noon, so I whipped out my smartphone, did a quick google search, and found the number to the state office of Wildlife and Fisheries. I got someone on the phone and started raising hell. In about fifteen minutes, someone else called me back, told me where a key was located on a tree near the gate, and told me to let everyone in.
Once on the range, I got set up and started running the line, along with shooting my groups. After firing my string I looked downrange through the spotting scope and was fairly pleased. All six 3-shot strings averaged 1.26 inches, and three of those groups were under an inch! Very good. There is something that rifle likes about IMR 4805 powder and 155 grain Matchkings. Somewhere between 44.2 grains and 45.1 grains there is a sweet spot, and I'll have to find it, then start tuning loads to that rifle. After I get the load tuned, I'll run it over the chronograph and enter it into my pet load records.
Funny thing. Hodgdon shows a max load of 47.3 grains of IMR 4895 under a 150 grain bullet. I filled a case with powder and couldn't stuff but 46.4 grains to the junction of the neck and shoulder. My hottest load was 46.0 grains and it's too hot for my rifle. When I touched that load off, it blew the primer, jammed my ejector, and pushed the extractor out of the bolt. I managed to find all the parts and get the rifle running again, but I was mighty concerned for a few minutes. This comes as a caution to check your sources, make your own judgement and pay attention to what your rifle is telling you. A load that's too hot in your rifle may be okay according to the published literature. When you handload ammunition, you're on your own. Be safe.
I've done more shooting in the last two days than I have in the last three months. It feels good to get a little recoil therapy. It also feels good to see that rifle shoot like I thought it might.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Range Day
I went out to my private range today to shoot the Handi Rifles. The .30-30 and the .308 Winchester. These were the first rounds through the .30-30, and I don't know if I was off, or the loads were wrong, or the scope is bad, but I was disappointed in my shooting today.
I was testing 125 grain Sierra spitzers in that rifle, with both IMR 4895 and IMR 3031. Oh, they'd have killed a deer, but group sizes were on the nature of 6" at 100yards. I shot about 30 rounds through the rifle, using five different loads, got disgusted and put it away
I took out the .308 Handi and tried a few loads with 125 spitzers. Same story. I had brought along a box of a load that's done well in every .308 I've tried it in. It features 43 grains of Reloder 15 and the 165 grain Sierra Pro-Hunter bullet. that particular load shoots very well in a number of rifles, and in the Handi I can count on it turning in groups of 1.5-2.0 inches. Today was no exception. It gave me a 5-shot group, 2" in diameter, centered nicely around the bullseye.
Feeling better about my ability to shoot, I posted a fresh target and got the .30-30 out again. I had some of my cast-bullet reloads. This load uses the Lyman 311041 bullet, lubed with Lee's Liquid Alox. It is loaded over 27 grains of IMR 4895. In my Winchester 94 it gives me 1850 fps out of that 18" barrel with accuracy around 4 inches. It's a good deer/hog load for the thick woods of this area.
I put five rounds through the Handi and walked down to look at the target. The group was 4 inches, about what I expected. What surprised me was the velocities on the chronograph. In the Winchester 94 this load turns in 1850 fps. In the Handi rifle, the chrony registered the velocity at something hovering around 2000 fps.
I've got some 150 grain bullets loaded for the Handi, but I ran out of time and patience this afternoon. Another day we'll see what that 150 grain load will give ne.
I was testing 125 grain Sierra spitzers in that rifle, with both IMR 4895 and IMR 3031. Oh, they'd have killed a deer, but group sizes were on the nature of 6" at 100yards. I shot about 30 rounds through the rifle, using five different loads, got disgusted and put it away
I took out the .308 Handi and tried a few loads with 125 spitzers. Same story. I had brought along a box of a load that's done well in every .308 I've tried it in. It features 43 grains of Reloder 15 and the 165 grain Sierra Pro-Hunter bullet. that particular load shoots very well in a number of rifles, and in the Handi I can count on it turning in groups of 1.5-2.0 inches. Today was no exception. It gave me a 5-shot group, 2" in diameter, centered nicely around the bullseye.
Feeling better about my ability to shoot, I posted a fresh target and got the .30-30 out again. I had some of my cast-bullet reloads. This load uses the Lyman 311041 bullet, lubed with Lee's Liquid Alox. It is loaded over 27 grains of IMR 4895. In my Winchester 94 it gives me 1850 fps out of that 18" barrel with accuracy around 4 inches. It's a good deer/hog load for the thick woods of this area.
I put five rounds through the Handi and walked down to look at the target. The group was 4 inches, about what I expected. What surprised me was the velocities on the chronograph. In the Winchester 94 this load turns in 1850 fps. In the Handi rifle, the chrony registered the velocity at something hovering around 2000 fps.
I've got some 150 grain bullets loaded for the Handi, but I ran out of time and patience this afternoon. Another day we'll see what that 150 grain load will give ne.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Iron Sights Sunday
I went to the range this afternoon with three rifles, all centerfire and all iron-sighted. First up was the Marlin 1894C, in .357 Magnum, with a handful of the Ranch Dog loads. This load consists of a standard primer, 12.0 grs of Alliant 2400 and the Ranch Dog TL-358-180-RF gas check bullet. It's potent medicine in the little carbine, and it shoots to nearly one ragged hole at 25 yards. At 50 yards it opens up a little bit, but I'm shooting into the front sight, so I really can't complain about the accuracy of that little rifle. The bullseye I use has a 6 inch bull and at 50 yards the bead on the front sight completely subtends that 6" bull.
Then, we switched to the Winchester 94 in .30-30. This rifle is one that I use as a loaner and grandkid rifle. I mounted a Willams FP sight, with a firesight front. It shoots okay, but I'm not satisfied with the load for that rifle. I've been trying to work up a 170 grain load, and the old standard, with 30 grains of IMR3031 and a Remington 170 grain round nose bullet, just doesn't shoot well in that rifle. I get groups in the neighborhood of 5 inches at 50 yards, centered on the bull. For any of these rifles, I eschewed the sandbags today, being content with resting my elbows on the bench and shooting them like I hunt. The sight on this rifle, again, completely subtends the bullseye, but I'd like to think that this load/rifle combination would do better than 5 inches, but alas. It would certainly knock a deer over, but I'm not happy with the accuracy of that rifle. More work is necessary.
The third rifle today was the Handi-Rifle in .45-70. It likewise sports a Williams peep sight and a front Firesight. Like the other two rifles, that Firesight subtends the 6" circle at 50 yards.
With my Sharps, I'm able to keep a 500 grain bullet inside two inches at 100 yards. For some reason, the Handi-Rifle doesn't like that load combination, so I went down to the 405 grain soft lead bullet that I cast from a Lee mold. I load it over 2.5 ccs of IMR 4895 with a tuft of pillow Dacron betwixt the bullet and the powder.
I haven't put this load over the chronograph yet, but I will soon. Recoil is stiff in the little Handi-Rifle, almost punishing. I hadn't sighted the little rifle with this load, indeed, this was the first time I've tried IMR4895 in this caliber.
The more I use IMR 4895 the more I am amazed at the versatility of the powder. Originally designed as a military powder for the .30-06, it is one of those sleeper powders that you turn to when you want a versatile, reliable powder. I've used it in .30-06, .308, .243, .25.06, .30-30, .35 Remington and now in .45-70. It may not be the best powder for every application, but it is a good powder in a lot of applications. Before supplies of surplus powder ran out, I bought an eight pound jug. I've got a little over half of it left.
I should have bought five of those jugs. At any rate, I'm pleased with the .45-70 load in the Handi-Rifle and I'm through with load development for that rifle. Next time I take it to the range, I'll take the chrony so that I can get some figures, but with the little rifle shooting into 1.5 inches, I'm satisfied with it as a deep-woods rifle. Did I mention that the recoil of this load is fairly stiff?
Then, we switched to the Winchester 94 in .30-30. This rifle is one that I use as a loaner and grandkid rifle. I mounted a Willams FP sight, with a firesight front. It shoots okay, but I'm not satisfied with the load for that rifle. I've been trying to work up a 170 grain load, and the old standard, with 30 grains of IMR3031 and a Remington 170 grain round nose bullet, just doesn't shoot well in that rifle. I get groups in the neighborhood of 5 inches at 50 yards, centered on the bull. For any of these rifles, I eschewed the sandbags today, being content with resting my elbows on the bench and shooting them like I hunt. The sight on this rifle, again, completely subtends the bullseye, but I'd like to think that this load/rifle combination would do better than 5 inches, but alas. It would certainly knock a deer over, but I'm not happy with the accuracy of that rifle. More work is necessary.
The third rifle today was the Handi-Rifle in .45-70. It likewise sports a Williams peep sight and a front Firesight. Like the other two rifles, that Firesight subtends the 6" circle at 50 yards.
With my Sharps, I'm able to keep a 500 grain bullet inside two inches at 100 yards. For some reason, the Handi-Rifle doesn't like that load combination, so I went down to the 405 grain soft lead bullet that I cast from a Lee mold. I load it over 2.5 ccs of IMR 4895 with a tuft of pillow Dacron betwixt the bullet and the powder.
I haven't put this load over the chronograph yet, but I will soon. Recoil is stiff in the little Handi-Rifle, almost punishing. I hadn't sighted the little rifle with this load, indeed, this was the first time I've tried IMR4895 in this caliber.
The more I use IMR 4895 the more I am amazed at the versatility of the powder. Originally designed as a military powder for the .30-06, it is one of those sleeper powders that you turn to when you want a versatile, reliable powder. I've used it in .30-06, .308, .243, .25.06, .30-30, .35 Remington and now in .45-70. It may not be the best powder for every application, but it is a good powder in a lot of applications. Before supplies of surplus powder ran out, I bought an eight pound jug. I've got a little over half of it left.
I should have bought five of those jugs. At any rate, I'm pleased with the .45-70 load in the Handi-Rifle and I'm through with load development for that rifle. Next time I take it to the range, I'll take the chrony so that I can get some figures, but with the little rifle shooting into 1.5 inches, I'm satisfied with it as a deep-woods rifle. Did I mention that the recoil of this load is fairly stiff?
Friday, December 30, 2011
Range Friday
That Savage 10 is destined to be a grandkid rifle, so after posting yesterday I started thinking about youth loads; something simple, something fairly accurate, with enough pop to make them realize they're shooting a centerfire rifle, with enough energy to bring down one of our smallish whitetail deer.
I went outside and looked on the bench and found a box of Sierra 125 grain Pro-hunter bullets. Then I started researching loads. What I was looking for isn't necessarily in the manuals, so I was breaking untrod ground. I settled on a load starting at 41.0 grains of IMR 4895 and loaded some ammo, then increased the charge to 42.0 and 43.0 grains of powder just in case that first load didn't fly.
I got to the range and set up at the 100 yard line. Fired a couple of fouling shots into the berm. Then I got steady on the bags.
That's a one inch target dot and it was fired at 100 yards. The subsequent loads opened up quite a bit. Not surprisingly, I fired the last two rounds of my #3 load (43 grains of IMR 4895 and that Sierra Prohunter) through my Remington 700. The Remington didn't like the #1 load, but it liked the #3 load, firing it into just 0.75 inch. If that Remington becomes a grandkid rifle too, I know which kid load to build for it.
I figure that load is traveling about 2600 fps, plenty good medicine for the whitetail deer around here. Recoil is light, the load is easy on the shoulder. I think that the grandkids will like it fine.
On the way home, I recalled that I had a rifle on layaway and it was time to get it out. I went to my favorite pawn shop and dropped some change on the counter guy.
That's a Ruger 77, tang model, in 25-06. According to the serial number, the rifle was pushed out the door in 1971, the same year I started college. It came with a Bushnell Banner scope, probably made about the same time the rifle was made. The counter guy threw in a new soft gun case so I wouldn't have to carry it from the store naked.
That one is not a grandkid rifle. PawPaw has been lusting over this rifle since I was in college and this one is mine.
I went outside and looked on the bench and found a box of Sierra 125 grain Pro-hunter bullets. Then I started researching loads. What I was looking for isn't necessarily in the manuals, so I was breaking untrod ground. I settled on a load starting at 41.0 grains of IMR 4895 and loaded some ammo, then increased the charge to 42.0 and 43.0 grains of powder just in case that first load didn't fly.
I got to the range and set up at the 100 yard line. Fired a couple of fouling shots into the berm. Then I got steady on the bags.
That's a one inch target dot and it was fired at 100 yards. The subsequent loads opened up quite a bit. Not surprisingly, I fired the last two rounds of my #3 load (43 grains of IMR 4895 and that Sierra Prohunter) through my Remington 700. The Remington didn't like the #1 load, but it liked the #3 load, firing it into just 0.75 inch. If that Remington becomes a grandkid rifle too, I know which kid load to build for it.
I figure that load is traveling about 2600 fps, plenty good medicine for the whitetail deer around here. Recoil is light, the load is easy on the shoulder. I think that the grandkids will like it fine.
On the way home, I recalled that I had a rifle on layaway and it was time to get it out. I went to my favorite pawn shop and dropped some change on the counter guy.
That's a Ruger 77, tang model, in 25-06. According to the serial number, the rifle was pushed out the door in 1971, the same year I started college. It came with a Bushnell Banner scope, probably made about the same time the rifle was made. The counter guy threw in a new soft gun case so I wouldn't have to carry it from the store naked.
That one is not a grandkid rifle. PawPaw has been lusting over this rifle since I was in college and this one is mine.
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Shooting with Junior
My buddy Junior emailed me last week. He had some ammunition he wanted to try in my .30-30 Handi Rifle. This was ammo loaded for his 94 Winchester, Old Bill. The rifle had become broken when Junior whacked it with a sledge hammer.
Junior and I were concerned that cast bullets wouldn't shoot properly in the Handi Rifle because it has a 1:10 twist and it's rifling is microgroove. So, this morning I threw a couple of rifles in the truck and headed to Tullos, LA, where the Doughty mansion sits.
When I got there, Junior and I sat in the kitchen, catching up with each other. Then we moved to his gun room, where I looked at the work he's done on the Mosin and his boat rifle.
Then, with ammo and targets in hand, we went out into the front yard to set up the range. Junior has a short, front yard range. It's 73 yards from target butt to firing line.
This is a view from the firing line toward the target. That little white square in the middle of the photo is our target backing. Yeah, that's Junior's house off to the left. We'll try not to shoot the house.
Junior drove his pickup truck to the firing line and put a board across the bed to use as a benchrest. So, with targets posted, a suitable rest, and rifle and ammo, we were ready to begin shooting. I let Junior shoot, because I wanted to take pictures.
How'd the rifle shoot? Quite well. Using properly prepped .30-30 brass with the Lyman 311041 bullet and 1.9 cc of IMR 4895, Junior managed to keep them all inside an inch at 73 yards (the limit of his range). I'm going to have to duplicate that load.
I had a load I wanted to try. It's the .30-30 using the Speer 130 grain bullet and 33.5 grains of Reloder 15 powder. I estimate the velocity at something over 2300 fps, which is fine for the .30-30 cartridge. The little rifle fired it into just under an inch, which is again fine for the cartridge and the rifle. As a matter of fact, I'm quite pleased. This little single shot, with well under $400.00 in the rifle and scope, is turning in near MOA accuracy with two loads. I've got nothing to complain about at all.
All in all, it was a very good morning with a very good friend. We'll have to do this more often.
**Correction** Junior emailed me and told me that the cast-bullet .30-30 ammo was loaded with Varget, not IMR 4895. I read the wrong label.
Junior and I were concerned that cast bullets wouldn't shoot properly in the Handi Rifle because it has a 1:10 twist and it's rifling is microgroove. So, this morning I threw a couple of rifles in the truck and headed to Tullos, LA, where the Doughty mansion sits.
When I got there, Junior and I sat in the kitchen, catching up with each other. Then we moved to his gun room, where I looked at the work he's done on the Mosin and his boat rifle.
Then, with ammo and targets in hand, we went out into the front yard to set up the range. Junior has a short, front yard range. It's 73 yards from target butt to firing line.
This is a view from the firing line toward the target. That little white square in the middle of the photo is our target backing. Yeah, that's Junior's house off to the left. We'll try not to shoot the house.
Junior drove his pickup truck to the firing line and put a board across the bed to use as a benchrest. So, with targets posted, a suitable rest, and rifle and ammo, we were ready to begin shooting. I let Junior shoot, because I wanted to take pictures.
How'd the rifle shoot? Quite well. Using properly prepped .30-30 brass with the Lyman 311041 bullet and 1.9 cc of IMR 4895, Junior managed to keep them all inside an inch at 73 yards (the limit of his range). I'm going to have to duplicate that load.
I had a load I wanted to try. It's the .30-30 using the Speer 130 grain bullet and 33.5 grains of Reloder 15 powder. I estimate the velocity at something over 2300 fps, which is fine for the .30-30 cartridge. The little rifle fired it into just under an inch, which is again fine for the cartridge and the rifle. As a matter of fact, I'm quite pleased. This little single shot, with well under $400.00 in the rifle and scope, is turning in near MOA accuracy with two loads. I've got nothing to complain about at all.
All in all, it was a very good morning with a very good friend. We'll have to do this more often.
**Correction** Junior emailed me and told me that the cast-bullet .30-30 ammo was loaded with Varget, not IMR 4895. I read the wrong label.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Friday Range
I went to the range this morning and had the rifle line all to myself. I spent a couple of hours working with the Handi in .30-30 Winchester and the .223 Handi.
That .223 doesn't like any factory ammo I feed it. I guess I'll have to start reloading for that caliber if I want to find a load for that little rifle. Factory ammo is shooting into about four inches and I'm not satisfied with that.
I had done a ladder test last week with the .30-30 Handi, using three powders, IMR 4895, IMR 3031, and Reloder 15. The 4895 and RL15 showed me some interesting targets, so I had loaded some rounds with the recipes that showed me the most consistency.
I used the Hornady A-Mas 155 grain bullet as a test bed. This bullet shows good accuracy in most .30 caliber rifles I've used it in, and I keep a supply on my bench.
That target was shot at 100 yards with a cold barrel. I haven't put it over the chronograph yet, but the manuals tell me that it should be running somewhere between 2200-2300 fps. I'll do that next week, while I adjust the scope to the load.
It's not MOA, but this is a a 7.8 pound single shot hunting rifle. I'm very pleased with this load in this rifle.
The range I'm using has a gong at the 200 yard line, a 1-foot square piece of metal dangling from a sawhorse. I took the last two rounds of this load and shot that going, hitting it two times.
It'll be interesting to see what the chronograph says.
That .223 doesn't like any factory ammo I feed it. I guess I'll have to start reloading for that caliber if I want to find a load for that little rifle. Factory ammo is shooting into about four inches and I'm not satisfied with that.
I had done a ladder test last week with the .30-30 Handi, using three powders, IMR 4895, IMR 3031, and Reloder 15. The 4895 and RL15 showed me some interesting targets, so I had loaded some rounds with the recipes that showed me the most consistency.
I used the Hornady A-Mas 155 grain bullet as a test bed. This bullet shows good accuracy in most .30 caliber rifles I've used it in, and I keep a supply on my bench.
That target was shot at 100 yards with a cold barrel. I haven't put it over the chronograph yet, but the manuals tell me that it should be running somewhere between 2200-2300 fps. I'll do that next week, while I adjust the scope to the load.
It's not MOA, but this is a a 7.8 pound single shot hunting rifle. I'm very pleased with this load in this rifle.
The range I'm using has a gong at the 200 yard line, a 1-foot square piece of metal dangling from a sawhorse. I took the last two rounds of this load and shot that going, hitting it two times.
It'll be interesting to see what the chronograph says.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Savage 110, 30-06
I got to shoot the new Savage 110 today, a total of nine rounds. I loaded ten rounds to get the rifle on paper, with a fairly light load of 47.0 grains of surplus 4895. I used the Hornady 150 grain SST bullet, along with Remington brass and CCI 200 primers.
When you use canister grade powder, you generally know what you are getting. When using surplus, you know you are in the ballpark, but individual lots are apt to vary in burn rate. Variable burn rates make the powder an unknown variable. For example, the IMR reloaders guide says that with a 150 grain Nosler bullet, we should start at 49 grains of 4895 and expect a velocity somewhere close to 2856 fps. The IMR tables say that the max load is at 53.0 grains of powder.
The newest Lee manual says that with a 150 grain jacketed bullet, we should start at 45.4 grains of 4895 and reach max velocities of 2880 fps with 49 grains of powder.
Based on those manuals, I built a starting load of 47.0 grains to give me a load that should put the rifle on paper with a velocity somewhere about 2750 fps. I was shooting this morning in varying light, as clouds were scudding aross the sun. The chrony gave me as many error readings as good velocities, but I was able to get enough readings to know that the 47.0 grain load was giving me an average 2781 fps with a Sd of 34.
The target from 100 yards looks like this.
Those are shots #7, 8, and 9 out of the new rifle. I expected about 2750 and the readings out of the chrony were 2781. That is very close to published data. The Sd was larger than I like for jacketed bullets, but a high Sd is often influenced by loading density. I think that when I start increasing the load in one grain increments, I'll find one where the Sd goes down. That particular load will be an accurate one.
And, it looks like the jug of 4895 I bought is real close to canister grade. That puts my mind at rest about using it for loads approaching max.
When you use canister grade powder, you generally know what you are getting. When using surplus, you know you are in the ballpark, but individual lots are apt to vary in burn rate. Variable burn rates make the powder an unknown variable. For example, the IMR reloaders guide says that with a 150 grain Nosler bullet, we should start at 49 grains of 4895 and expect a velocity somewhere close to 2856 fps. The IMR tables say that the max load is at 53.0 grains of powder.
The newest Lee manual says that with a 150 grain jacketed bullet, we should start at 45.4 grains of 4895 and reach max velocities of 2880 fps with 49 grains of powder.
Based on those manuals, I built a starting load of 47.0 grains to give me a load that should put the rifle on paper with a velocity somewhere about 2750 fps. I was shooting this morning in varying light, as clouds were scudding aross the sun. The chrony gave me as many error readings as good velocities, but I was able to get enough readings to know that the 47.0 grain load was giving me an average 2781 fps with a Sd of 34.
The target from 100 yards looks like this.
Those are shots #7, 8, and 9 out of the new rifle. I expected about 2750 and the readings out of the chrony were 2781. That is very close to published data. The Sd was larger than I like for jacketed bullets, but a high Sd is often influenced by loading density. I think that when I start increasing the load in one grain increments, I'll find one where the Sd goes down. That particular load will be an accurate one.
And, it looks like the jug of 4895 I bought is real close to canister grade. That puts my mind at rest about using it for loads approaching max.
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