I am working with loading some cast bullet loads for a .30/06 and have tried Blue Dot and H4895 but accuracy is not good. Many suggest 5744 or 4759 for reduced loads in large cases so I wondered what you guys experience has been with these two powders. I have 165 gr plain base cast bullets, supposed to be 18 BHN.

Thanks

Start with the 4759, and you probably won't have to look further. It's an excellent choice for cast bullets in the '06. I have used 5744, burns rather dirty and nothing spectacular in the accuracy dept.

Have,nt tried it with cast, but SR4759 seemed to work pretty well foolin around with light loads in .270 and 9,3x62.

RCBS 308-165-Sil 164gr sr 4759 23 grains CCI 200 1880fps

Go down to about 18 and start up to the above load I would suggest. I like Dacron Filler. Many do not.

Have had good performance with both but the 4759 fills the case a lot better and might prove to be less position sensitive. You might look at H-110, 680, 4198 and 2015. roger

Naturally I would recommend SR4959 but if you get poor results it is likley because you are shooting those bullets too hard and too fast.
You might like 12 to 15 brinnel metal with a gas check better. The bullet should be .001 to .003 over size to the rifles groove dia.

I am confused as to what is too fast for these bullets, which are pretty hard. Some say light loads with fast powder, some say reduced loads with medium powder (H4895). I tried some with 30 gr H4895 and accuracy was poor, but better than 15 grs of Blue Dot. These bullets are .309 dia. plain base.

Robert, either 4759 or 5744 would be better, as they are both in between Blue Dot and 4895 for burn rate. 4895 was always touted down to 60% fill for decent accuracy, but 70% would be even better, say 42 grains. Your 30 grain load is only about 50% of case fill.

With 5744 and your 165 gr bullet, 29 grains should give about 2200 fps, but this may be too fast for a plain based bullet. I would try from 20-25 grains and check for leading and accuracy, or get some gas-checked bullets for higher than 1600 fps loads.

quote:

Originally posted by Robert Duncan:
I am confused as to what is too fast for these bullets, which are pretty hard. Some say light loads with fast powder, some say reduced loads with medium powder (H4895). I tried some with 30 gr H4895 and accuracy was poor, but better than 15 grs of Blue Dot. These bullets are .309 dia. plain base.

Have you slugged the bore of your rifle?
If the .309 bullets are undersize and do not seal the bore they will gas cut a plate your bore with lead. Softer bullets and bullets with gas checks will seal the bore when better and much better when it is oversize.