Reduced velocity cast bullet loads are an excellent practice alternative in the older military surplus rifles. Cheap, low recoil and quiet, shoot to the sights, more forgiving of wear etc...on 100 year old barrels.
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For anyone who owns old bolt action military rifles, the article written by C.E. Harris has good information on cast bullet loads for Mausers, Springfields, etc. An internet search will easily find a link to the article.
There is good information on low velocity loads on this site as well. http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm I've chronographed loads for 30-06, 45-70 and others and found the data for each powder was accurate in my rifles.
Yup. Read that back in 1994? I've shot dozens of Pounds of Red Dot loads behind cast bullets in Milsurp rifles since then. I've even got a couple of Low Number 03's (Hysteria over blown anyway) that I shoot all the time- no worries with such tame loads....Although, they are not as tame as you might think. I've killed many hogs with cast bullet loads out of the old rifles and never lost one.
I have probably a half a dozen .50 cal cans full of .30-06 loaded to "The Load" specs. I bought a crap ton of once fired CMP Garand test fire brass several years ago and reloaded it all with cast and Red Dot. Shoot it in the Garands, 03's, 1917's, Johnson '41, Norwegian Mauser and the Madsen.
Man, that's nice you did that for your father! It's sad seeing what was done to some of these great old military rifles, back in the 50's and 60's.
There is nothing better than gripping iron and wood and hitting targets at 600 yards. Every rifleman should own at least one 1903 Springfield and one M1 Garand.