Im interested in making some reduced loads for eather of those bullets. Im not shure what powder to use and how much. Id like them to be quite as possible. I tried 150GR ruduced loads with 4198 and it was almost as load as standered loads. Thanx for your help.

ANYONE? Someone has to have done this.

I suggest using the Seafire method to get a starting load of Blue Dot.
One may be able to ratio case volumes of equal caliber also, though . . . .
THAT SHO NUFF AIN'T NO RECOMMENDATION BY ME AND
all that other legal eagle jargon.

The Speer manuals give reduced loads. Imr's SR 4759 is the standard reduced load powder to use. With many loads it's bulk eliminates the chances of double charging.

I've had really good luck with RE7 in 308, 30-06 and even 300 win mag. It's a pretty close match to I4198 in burn speed. I couldn't exactly tell what you were saying about your experience with 4198 in your original post.

Well, I will chime in, since I seem to be the only guy around here that routinely investigates reduced loads....

Actually the 308 with a 125 grain or 110 gr VMax is a darn good idea in my book.. and should actually do some surprising duty for a deer load, if the deer are in the 150lb range or less.. in my opinion....

This is all at your own risk, and work up, but these loads are safe in what I have tested....Your results may vary along the lines of safe.. and assorted other lawyer disclaimers....

Blue Dot 15 to 22.5 grains.. 22.5 grains should be the max load...

SR 4759... 15 to 25 grains... I'd stop at 25 grains... should be plenty...IMR listed 31 as max with the 110 grainers and 27.5 grains as max with the 150s...

IMR 4198 and H 4198....20 to 30 grains... 30 being max.. you can push it a little more.. but you will notice an accuracy decline in most rifles...IMR lists 35.5 as max with the 150s and 38.5 as max with the 110 grainers

IMR 4227 or H 4227.....20 to 28 grains...IMR lists the max with 110 grainers as 32 and 26 grains with the 150 grain bullets...I have found accuracy declining after 28 grains....

XMR 5744... 20 to 30 grains also...the 150s are listed as 27 grains for a pressure of 38500 CUPS....

Reloader 7... 20 to 35 grains......35 grains gives a pressure of 32200 CUPS

2400... 17 grains to 25 grains.....

Unique... 11.5 to 17 grains....

If one is concerned about double charges in the cases... charge the case and then seat the bullet one case at a time.. this should eliminate a double charge risk.......

Good luck..

cheers
seafire

Reduced loads are something that interests me as well along with cast bullet loads which are similar. Since I have been handloading since March of 1953 it's my 53 anniversary of enjoying the passion that this forum is named for.

Of the accidents that I have seen directly caused by incorrect handloads having a double charge or no charge are the most common. These accidents can blow a barrel off a gun and send parts flying.

So please look into every case after charging it. A pen light is necessary to do this on small calibers. This is crucial.

Back when I started IMR's SR 4759 had been developed for reduced loads. Since the time that I started shooting reduced loads I have never found a better powder than 4759 in terms of bulk, accuracy or safety. It's clean burning as well.

The thing about double charging with fast burning normal density powders is that sooner or later it may happen. With most double charges of 4759 such a double charge will overfill the case. Also the loading density is higher which helps accuracy.

As mentioned the Speer Manuals give reduced loads for some cartridges and bullets and 4759 is a common choice from Speer as well. There is much other published data also by Dupont and IMR before Hogdon took over the distribution of IMR. At the momemt that data seems to be lost by Hogdon.

Here is some data from the IMR handbook for the 308 Win:

"Rem. Case: 9 1/2 PR Hornady 110 SPIRE PT.
.308 Dia.; 24" BBL.; 2.600" C.O.L.

SR 4759 31.0 (grs), 2710 (fps), 51600 (psi)"

"Velocity and pressure readings represent average values obtained under controlled conditions. The values shown may vary substantialy with the components and the reloading techniques employed. We suggest the charge weights shown be reduced initially by 10% to compensate for possible variations from the published data. The loads may then be increased as pressure indications permit."

Here is the data from the same manual for:

"REM. CASE; REM 9 1/2 PR
REM. 150 GR. PTD. SPCL
.308" DIA.; 23" BBL.; 2.700" C.O.L.

SR 4759 27.5 (gr) 2325 (fps) 51550 (psi)"

One can interpolate for the 125 gr bullet.

A while back when Eisenhower was President I noticed that many of the reduced loads using SR 4759 were about half the charge weight that was used for that cartridge with full charges of the usual powders. So I adopted that ratio as my nominal data for 4759. The 50% formula thus means that if the 308 uses 44 grs of conventional powder then half that charge or 22 grs of 4759 would be my load but only for the lighter bullets in that caliber. These have worked out to be final loads that are quite accurate as well.

As for the aiming of reduced loads you can use the bottom plex on your scope if you have that reticule and if it's a conventional variiable you can sight in your reduced load using the top of that heavy section of bottom plex as a post.

Now turn the magnification on your variable up and down to raise and lower the point of impact. A higher power will raise the impact.

Another idea is to only use a particular bullet for reduced loads. Thus in the 243, for instance, I use the 58 gr VMax as the full charge load and the 55 gr BT only for reduced loads to identify the loads.

Good luck and as always be careful.

I would suggest either IMR 4227 or Unique. I've had very good results with both.

Were I to mess around with subsonic 308 loads I'd be inclined to start with lead bullets and pistol powders (unless you are running a gas gun). There is much more tested data available for loads in the mid-range velocities. What is your objective in using the light jacketed slugs at such low speeds?

I have a lot of data with 680, 2400, 4759, Blue Dot and more I will be willing to share. E mail bartsche@sbcglobal.net Much of it with the lighter bullets.


Savage 99's advice about double loads and 4759 should be heeded. He makes good sense.


Adventurous experimentation in the reduced load area is OK but the occasion will arise were you loss control, make a mistake or error in judgement.Looks like you live right around the coner from me. roger