Daily Plinkers

[Josh]

Well we all have our daily drivers so what are everyone's "daily plinkers" I had Badgeredd build me a 30 Badger off of an old shotgun. So far it has become my favorite plinker rifle. AND it can shoot like a 22 LR so no need to go find that crap on the shelf.

Post up some pics men!!!

 

[Ian]

Edd's .30 always seemed like a neat idea to me, I've followed his threads off and on. Cool stuff, looks like a lot of fun! Have you shot light, plain-based cast bullets in it yet? I got a lee 120-2R a while back for some gallery-load plinking with my Savage 219s using pistol primers and a pinch of Red Dot.

 

[Josh]

Edd's .30 always seemed like a neat idea to me, I've followed his threads off and on. Cool stuff, looks like a lot of fun! Have you shot light, plain-based cast bullets in it yet? I got a lee 120-2R a while back for some gallery-load plinking with my Savage 219s using pistol primers and a pinch of Red Dot.

I bought a Lee 314-90-TC but the dang thing casts at .321!!! I need a .311 to .310 bullet, so not yet but i did design a small 85 gr plinker that is next to go to Tom over at accurate.

 

[Josh]

I am going to try these bullets next, just have to load up a batch.

Left: 120 gr RNGC
Right: 144 gr SPGC

 

[Brad]

A .314 mould that throws .321? With a Lee that means you end up with no lube groove after sizing.

How is case sizing for the cartridge? Is it a simple run case into full length sizer and be done?

Talk about a cartridge that screams to be used in a Marlin leveraction.

 

[Josh]

A .314 mould that throws .321? With a Lee that means you end up with no lube groove after sizing.

How is case sizing for the cartridge? Is it a simple run case into full length sizer and be done?

Talk about a cartridge that screams to be used in a Marlin leveraction.

Yeah that .314 is just a wreck, it has the slightest hint of grooves but they will not size concentric.

I take 30 Mauser dies from lee and a 38 SPC shell holder run em through (no lube) and bang they are done. I did 1350 on a lee clam shell in a few hours.

If i ever get a rossi or marlin 357 it will become this, a 120 gr bullet with 12 gr of 2400 will make 2K fps in a 21" barrel.

Case capacity is .1 gr less than modern 32-20 cases and load data can be interchanged completely

 

[Ian]

Oh heck yeah! I didn't realize it would get along like that, nor did I consider the levergun option but that would make an absolute dreamboat of a Model 92 or '73.

 

[Josh]

Oh heck yeah! I didn't realize it would get along like that, nor did I consider the levergun option but that would make an absolute dreamboat of a Model 92 or '73.

The 12 gr of 2400 is an absolute max load in a SB-1 (or shotgun) action. If running a 30 Badger in an Encore, Contender, SB-2, or ruger #1 it will make 300 Blackout numbers... quickly...

 

[freebullet]

That's a neat cartridge. I had heard of it but not read much about it. Hearing your experiences with it is great.

 

[Josh]

Little more about the rifle:

1969 H&R Topper 158
30 cal F54 contour Green Mountain barrel 1-10 twist
Contender base
Weaver rings
Bariska 4x12 airgun scope

Come on guys, any guns you just love to plink with?

 

[Ben]

I am going to try these bullets next, just have to load up a batch.

Left: 120 gr RNGC
Right: 144 gr SPGC

Who is the maker of the bullet on the Right: 144 gr SPGC ?

Thanks in advance,
Ben

 

[Brad]

My main Plinkers are all Maelin lever actions. An 1894c in 357, an 1894cl in 32-20, and most of all an 1894cb in 45 Colt. The CB is the old style with the 24 inch barrel.
The all wear a receiver sight and all shoot very well. The 45 Colt does well with anything, the 32-20 likes a 120 RNFP with 5 gr of Unique, and the 357 really only likes the MP 359640.
100 rounds of ammo in any of them isn't gonna last real long. The 32-20 is the slowest to shoot as it only has a 5 round magazine.

 

[Ben]

May not be the most accurate " plinker " bullet to be fired out of my 1894 Marlin , CBC , 38 Spec. , but I'm very pleased with this combination !

I fired 7 rounds at 50 yards into roughly a 3/4 " group ( + or - ) with the Lee 125 gr. RF bullet, sized .3575 ", using Wolf small pistol primers and a mild crimp. Powder charge was 5.5 grs. of Russian Unique ( Salute ). The 125 gr. Lee comes from one of my Lee 6 Cavity moulds. It can " rain bullets " once it is hot.

Not a bad " Plinking Load " and the 125 gr. bullet is a real lead saver :

Here they are sized .3575 ", lubed with Ben's Red and ready to load :

 

[JSH]

Started off with the thoughts of the 32-20/30-20 in a TC as a toy. Well in short time the "super slow" thoughts invaded IHMSA. Some very useful data came from that brief fad along with a fee cartridges. I still have a few select small 30's. They will never be updated so as to protect the innocent and ignorant.
I load all of my "HV" type loads so as they won't fit in the older guns. Got the Blackhawk that will chamber a 140 PB and use the full length of the cylinder.
I liked the rimmed bottle neck from the 38-357-357max necked to 30. Though a rechamber of a wildcat is a hard sell in most circles anymore. Marlin is missing the boat if they don't chamber the 327 in a lever gun. When and if they do I won't miss out on it like I did the modern 32-20!
Jeff

 

[Josh]

Who is the maker of the bullet on the Right: 144 gr SPGC ?

Thanks in advance,
Ben

I am, it is an amazing little bullet, one of my favorites.

I like your definition of "not a bad load" what can that thing really do if that one is just a plinker? Have you accurized that rifle any?

 

[Josh]

Started off with the thoughts of the 32-20/30-20 in a TC as a toy. Well in short time the "super slow" thoughts invaded IHMSA. Some very useful data came from that brief fad along with a fee cartridges. I still have a few select small 30's. They will never be updated so as to protect the innocent and ignorant.
I load all of my "HV" type loads so as they won't fit in the older guns. Got the Blackhawk that will chamber a 140 PB and use the full length of the cylinder.
I liked the rimmed bottle neck from the 38-357-357max necked to 30. Though a rechamber of a wildcat is a hard sell in most circles anymore. Marlin is missing the boat if they don't chamber the 327 in a lever gun. When and if they do I won't miss out on it like I did the modern 32-20!
Jeff

I agree that wildcats are hard to sell, this lil guy won't ever be for sale! But if it was i could always ream the chamber to a larger 30 cal round that isnt a wildcat, like a 30-30

 

[Ian]

My current favorite plinkers are both .22 rimfires, so they don't count. Tough to bead the fun of shooting subsonics in an old Model 6 takedown rifle or converted .32 rolling block.

 

[Josh]

Sure they count! Nothing says "centerfire" in the title.

 

[Rick]

Sure they count! Nothing says "centerfire" in the title.

Kinda how I look at it. Plinking is plinking, what difference does diameter or priming method make. It's still plinking, still great fun. Or would be if we could get 22 ammo.

 

[Ian]

Subsonics of various sorts (designed to operate semi-autos = heavy bullets) have been available for several years here pretty consistently at the LGS. A box of 50 typically runs $6-8, but worth it for the fun factor. No more mag dumps in the 10-22 with $8.88 wally world Federal bulk packs, glad I had my fun with that when it was affordable.

Speaking of plinking, another really fun endeavor is an afternoon by the creek with a .45 percussion Kentucky pistol. Not accurate for beans, but take a big chunk of tree bark and toss it out into the water at 15-20 feet and blast it to pieces. Even if you miss, that roundball makes a big splash.