Reduced power practice loads for short distance.

[mark5pt56]

Part of my 2014 plan is to focus my firearms training on platforms I most often use. Another is to develop some recipes for some of these and be done with it(yeah right)

Since hunting would involve positional shooting, I wanted to come up with a reduced power load to practice positions I would most likely use in the field and shoot as much as I want with zero recoil effects. Part of this would also be to make it easier for me to get on a range since the long ranges aren't always available, a 25 or 50 yard range always is. Of course I would use a smaller target to keep it challenging. One other was to allow my daughter to shoot more as well(I already made her a light hunting load in .308) Of course I still hit the longer ranges to check zero, etc with the actual loads. lastly, was for the practice load to be as close as possible to my 100 yard hunting load zero so I don't have to change anything.

I used H4895 and TrailBoss. H4895 is the only rifle powder that you can use for reduced loads as followed from Hodgdon's site. Hornady #3037(150 FMJBT) once fired FC and WLR primer. Prone at 50-chilly-15-20degrees, burrrr

PLEASE FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON HODGDONS SITE FOR USING H4895 AT REDUCED LOADS.

Fired 3 each, couple have 4 with a call on one, nothing special on accuracy. Although both are MOA with hunting loads, they are not considered "Precision Rifles"

Anyhow, worked well I believe. Just wanted to share in case anyone else had a similar idea--or not!

Mark

Ruger GSR, 16" with Leupold 2-7
Winchester 70 Featherweight Compact with Leupold VX6 1-6(daughter's rifle)

Winchester on left, GSR on right. Top row is H4895, 29, 30, 31 with top center at 32. Bottom row is TrailBoss, 12, 13, 14. I fired the first of H4895 and TB at the center since I had no idea where they would go.

32 grains of H4895 and TB with 12 is the closest overall for my purpose. Recoil was almost amusing.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/mark5pt56/003_zps45bf72c1.jpg

[joshrunkle35]

I would suggest that while working up a new, lighter load is amusing and fun, it's impractical. You forget what the real recoil is, so your follow up shots are different, your dope on the gun is different, etc.

There are so many better ways to mitigate perceived recoil. Proper training will cut out about 50% of the felt recoil. I'm average size and with proper technique, standing, the gun really shouldn't rise much, if at all. A muzzle break/suppressor combo will cut that 50% down to about 10% of initial felt recoil.

[mark5pt56]

Yeah, I do need to seek out some more training. It's something I never really looked into and am severely lacking in.

I did pattern two shotguns afterwards with Turkey loads and cried all day, wife gave me some chicken soup and aspirin before tucking me in.

[joshrunkle35]

You may have lots more training than me, I have no idea whether you're being sarcastic or not. My only point was that there are better ways to mitigate recoil.

[T2C]

I have been loading 12.0g of Trail Boss with 173 FMJ projectiles and 9.0g Trail Boss with 170g lead projectiles for my reduced 30-06 loads. Recoil is very light and the loads are reasonably accurate out to 100 meters.

I have not loaded H4895 any lighter than 38.0 grains. Accuracy is best between 38.0 grains and 40.5 grains.

I do not use H4895 for lead reloads, but I have heard from others that it works well with gas check bullets.

These loads should work for .308 as well.

[okie john]

I've used H4895 with Hodgdon youth data for reduced-recoil loads in 30-30, 308, and 30/06. I like them for training new shooters, but they're still potent enough for game inside of 150 yards or so.

That said, I've largely stopped using them just to simplify the supply chain. It's a hassle to keep track of different types of ammo and stock the components that I need.

I'd rather spend my time making (and shooting) full-power loads, but there's definitely a sweet spot where reduced-power loads shine.


Okie John

[M4C]

Find a lighter weight bullet with same or similar ballistic coefficient as your regular ammo, load it to same velocity, and you should find trajectory/poi to be nearly identical, but with reduced recoil. Bonus points if your light bullets have a performance envelope that gives acceptable terminal effect at that velocity; that way your practice load is also a hunting load.

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

I would load some subsonic rounds, there are a lot of powders out there suitable for this, including pistol powders.

[okie john]

Bonus points if your light bullets have a performance envelope that gives acceptable terminal effect at that velocity; that way your practice load is also a hunting load.

Yep.

You can easily turn a 308 or 30/06 into a 30-30, which is still a very potent cartridge for 99% of what anyone ever does with it. As a bonus, it's also a great place to use cheap cup-and-core bullets. They're generally pretty accurate, and they penetrate like crazy at reduced velocity.


Okie John

[mark5pt56]

Already done with a 125 Sierra Pro Hunter. Some times I think I have to much time--

[T2C]

I would load some subsonic rounds, there are a lot of powders out there suitable for this, including pistol powders.

There are a lot of recipes for Red Dot powder, but I have not had any luck with them in my rifles. Unique seems to work OK with a few of my loads.

I have had a great deal of success with Trail Boss powder when loading 30-06, 7.62x54R & 8mm Mauser. Some of the loads would be suitable for hunting small game.