AZ shooter nailed it. Sometimes there simply isn't any published data, so you have start puzzling it out.
30-30 is a good one to learn for example. Think about it, most full house jacketed loads stay in the 2000-ish fps range at a modest pressure.
Those numbers should sound a bit familiar in the cast world right?
I was just loading up some 32 specials with this powder. I was loading 30gn under a 170gn bullet. For the 30/30 lyman shows 30.5 as being max with a jacketed, 27.0 as starting.
Because jbullet data is always a good starting point for boolits, and there is tons more of it,
and it is very useful for staying in the correct pressure range.
Another issue is that many sources for cast boolit data do not even attempt to go beyond
1400-1700 fps with anything, probably because they don't know how to do it and can't
even imagine driving boolits at 2000 fps or more.
Bill
If it was easy, anybody could do it.
Your right on that one. It's not like it has not been around for a little while. thats why I'm asking the question about 4064 and this one. I have all of the Unique I need to last a few years and was thinking of a rifle powder for it and found it odd that 4064 which is used in a bunch shows little data for it with cast.
Sorry if I offended anyone with my comments. We are all here to help each other out
I Am Descended From Men Who Would Not Be Ruled
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No offense taken. 4064 is a wonderful powder. But... It is best suited for a bit larger case than 30-30 for optimum results. I love it in 30-06 & 308, none better (for me anyway). For 30-30 Win though, 4895, 3031, 4198, and even the lowly 2400 will give better results.
I saw both 3031 and 4064 online in 8lb jugs the other day and it got me to thinking about it.
I Am Descended From Men Who Would Not Be Ruled
Fiat Justitia, Ruat Caelum
IMR 3031 covers a lot of loading and though not the best for many, will provide for more than "adequate performance" in many.
Amendments
The Second there to protect the First!
I happen to agree with jnop. Snarky? Hardly! Way too many times (even though they think they are helpful) fellers will answer questions not asked and just clog up, and often times steer the thread away from the original question/intent. jnop asked about 4064 and cast bullets in 30-30. At least 4 other powders and jacketed bullets were answers for a 4064 with cast question. How many answers really addresses that question?
My Anchor is holding fast!
And even the cast bullet "expert" publications aren't consistent. The Lyman cast bullet manual I have limits some perfectly capable cartridges to <1700 fps loads primarily with pistol powders and then lists data for a few other cartridges at near 2500 fps with rifle powders, seemingly with no rhyme or reason. For example, the 358 Winchester is one of the most ideal cast boolet cartridges ever invented and yet Lyman lists only fast powders and not a single load over 2000 fps.
I didn't think the OP was being snarky in his reply, but I also don't blame the other posters for a little bit of thread drift. When you're venturing into uncharted territory you shouldn't be surprised when people keep pointing you back to the boundaries of the known map. "Here be dragons" doesn't really apply in this particular case, but I think everyone involved is earnestly trying to be helpful.
NRA Endowment Member
Armed people don't march into gas chambers.
Yes. This. ^^^^^
<
I have cast boolit manuals that list nothing but small charges of shotgun or pistol powders in big rifle cases. Most loads show velocities well under 2000 fps. While I'll admit that they sometimes work OK my results with such loads were usually dismal.
<
It was Richard Lee's writings in the first edition of Modern Reloading that taught me how to use medium speed rifle powders with cast for not only higher velocities but much better accuracy than I ever got with a few grains of pistol powder in bottleneck cases. He doesn't so much give you loads for cast but rather explains how to figure them out using the jacketed data. It's only a couple of pages but the information there was worth the cost of the book. I recommend it highly.
<
As stated above, I doubt you could get too much 4064 in a .30-30 case from a pressure standpoint. I would expect you'd get better results from 3031 but if 4064 is what you have to work with you need to use enough to insure good ignition and clean burning. I suspect you'll find a case at least 3/4 full or more will give the best results. I'd start at 25 grs. and adjust according to accuracy. If your boolits are hard enough, fit well and wear gas checks I think you'll find a case full of 4064 works well.
<
Uncle R.
To answer your question as you asked it, I started with the Lee 150 fp gas checked over 30 grains of IMR 4064. Settled at 32.2 grains in my 336 with Ballard rifling. 3/4" groups at 50 yards. Maybe that will help you.
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311407 copy from a Lee group buy mold, Sears M52 (Win '94) with issue sights...:
30.0 IMR4064 = 1960fps.....1.45" 5 shot group @ 50yds.
Lee C310-160-SP....same gun:
31.0 IMR4064, no chrono data....1.60" 5 shot group @ 50.
32.0 IMR4064 = 2018fps......2.58" 5 shots @ 50.
33.0 IMR4064 = 2110fps......2.675" 5 shots @ 50.
3 months later....Win'94, Marbles tang sight, Lyman globe front.
Lee C310-160-SP.
30.0 IMR4064, no chrono data.....2.225" 5 shots @ 100yds.
That last combo does ~3MOA out to 300yds.
Jerry
Buzzard's luck!! Can't kill nothin', nothin'll die!!
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |