Seeking hog load in .30-06 or .308

[Thumbcocker]

Mrs.Thumbcocker is going to Missouri to shoot a hog in January. She is really liking the #1 in .30-06. The rifle can be quite accurate at sub 2000 fps velocity. Going 2000 fps or higher is not working out.

Tried the Ranch Dog 165 fp with 32, 33, and 34 grains of 4895. 33 grains would put 3 in a 1 1/2 inch group with the other 2 pushing it out to 3" or so. The rifle seems to like 311291 better so we will repeat with that boolit.

Rifle 2 is a Tikka. 308 with 1:11 twist. Tests with surplus ball powder that is to use H335 data have been promising with the 165 grain boolit. I plan on trying both boolits with 4895.

Powders available are 3031, 4198, 4895, 4831, the ball powder (842 I think), 4227, and a little reloader 7.

Input appreciated. I would like to load up a batch and let her plink to her hearts content prior to January.

 

[Ian]

My deer getter load for a long time was a M70 '06 with the Lee 312-185 cast of wheelweights plus a pinch of tin, Hornady checks, Lyman Alox, CCI 200, and 39.5 grains of IMR 4350. Solid 1.5" grouper in any weather, any day of the year. 1950 fps load that put a lot of meat on the table for me.

If you powder coat I have a load for each chambering which may interest you, otherwise I'd use the Reloder 7 with Lyman #49 data and a bullet close to that data in weight and length.

 

[fiver]

long time no see.


the 0-6 does do better with something slower than 4895, i have good luck with 4064.
it just burns slower enough to fill the case better [like a couple of grains] without having to use a filler.

otherwise i have recommended 4895 with some dryer lint or a dacron filler at about 28-29-30grs. this still gives you the 1900+/- your looking for, but the filler is needed to take out those flyers your fighting.
the problem is your fighting powder ignition inconsistencies.

4831 will work in the 308, but your speeds are gonna be more like 2400 fps. before it starts settling down.
3031 is better than 4895 in not needing a filler, but your getting right on that edge where one will help before starting to push the pressures and velocities too far with the long nose guided bullets in the throat area.

 

[richhodg66]

I'd personally use the Ranchdog over the 311291. The 311291 is a good bullet, but that WFN design of the Ranchdog should give better terminal performance.

 

[Thumbcocker]

I don't powder coat. I would be over the moon if I could get 2400 fps. With decent accuracy. Not mandatory though.

She really likes the #1 and it fits her well.

I will look around and see if I can score some 4350 but powder is unobtanium here lately.

The biggest problem is load data for regular rifle powders and boolits. I got the Ranch Dog mold (regular lube grooves) for use as a go to boolit in .30 cals. It is 5 cavity and casts very consistent boolits so far it has not impressed me except in a 1917 .30-06 where it shined with 34 grains of 4895. Rifles are fickle.

 

[RKJ]

Thumbcocker, what area are you going? Just curious as my wife's cousin runs a game ranch in Cook Station (central MO) and they have a lot of hogs.

 

[Thumbcocker]

Thumbcocker, what area are you going? Just curious as my wife's cousin runs a game ranch in Cook Station (central MO) and they have a lot of hogs.

That is where we are going. She wants to get the practice and some freezer meat. I went there years ago and got a hog. It is neat to see all the critters they have there. They even had an Asian Buffalo when I was there.

I would like for her to get her hog with a boolit. I guess I could get some fa.. fac.. fac... that ammunition made by ot... other people but oh the humiliation. Neither rifle has had that stuff since they left their mother ships.

 

[popper]

I use 335 & 4895 (only 40 gr) all the time for 308W in AR10 with 168gr GC cast. Works fine. Rl7 or 2400 should work too. Data from GRT for 170gr Lee from 16" 1:10 twist. fp is very close to my chrony numbers. Recoil is stout (8 ft-# for 15# gun) but manageable. Actually grouped well @ 200 yds. I have 2400 and Rl7 but never tried it.
mass load pmax v0 E0 burnt
grain % psi ft/s ft-lb %
H4895 40.72 90.9 48757 2352.3 2088 96.0
H335 41.04 87.4 48771 2293.4 1985 92.9
2400 26.30 67.0 51252 2109.7 1680 100.0
Reloder 7 35.34 85.5 49969 2276.4 1956 100.0

 

[MW65]

I've had great success with reloder 7 in 300sav and others. Still messing around with garand cast loads with 4895 and heavy 200gr.

If the #1, fits her best... stick with it... I would try messing around with rel 7, and find a happy load, that is accurate and gets you close to the velocity you need.

Here's from one if the lyman manuals... rel7 and 3031 are on the list... enjoy!!

 

[Brad]

Of only you had a 30-30, then 2100-2200 with the RD bullet would be simple.

 

[richhodg66]

The original ranchdog bullet cast of 50/50 COWW to pure with 2% tin added worked well for me in a .308 a few years ago. It was a relatively light load and though penetration was good, it didn't show indications of much expansion and didn't leave much blood on the ground, but the deer didn't go far.

 

[Thumbcocker]

I've had great success with reloder 7 in 300sav and others. Still messing around with garand cast loads with 4895 and heavy 200gr.

If the #1, fits her best... stick with it... I would try messing around with rel 7, and find a happy load, that is accurate and gets you close to the velocity you need.

Here's from one if the lyman manuals... rel7 and 3031 are on the list... enjoy!!

The Garand that lives here loves 314299 sized .311 over 34 grains of 4895. That mold dropped undersized at .313 but has a .304 or so nose. Perfect function.

 

[Thumbcocker]

Of only you had a 30-30, then 2100-2200 with the RD bullet would be simple.

Have .30-30 in Marlin flavor. Tried R D with 26 to 28 of 3031. No good at all.

 

[Brad]

Wow, that kind of amazes me.

Try sizing to .313? Mine shoots that bullet really well. I used a full case of RE15 with the RD bullet on a deer. Deer was not happy.

 

[Ian]

Yeah, that bullet in my 336 grouped really, really well with enough Reloder 7 for 2150 fps.

 

[Thumbcocker]

Sized to .311

 

[Brad]

Try those loads sized bigger. Marlin microgroove barrels tend towards needing a fatter bullet. I would try .312 and .313

 

[popper]

I size my 185gr 311 for the marlin, leverE pushed it good. Shot a dead hog in the gut (10 ft) with soft alloy, good penetration. Same in shoulder and none. Shot a running one with 40sw 165gr hard and great penetration. That is what got me studying the ballistic program. I hit it @ 20 yds, then tried to hit it again about 45 with hold over, missed twice, too high, side shot. So @ 950 fps still shooting pretty flat.

 

[fiver]

just a thought on the RD bullet.
it might like a different seating depth, or some modified neck tension.
i'd be a lot happier with a harder bullet if that's what it took to get things coming around too.
something in the 2-4 or 3-3 zone would shure shore things up in the transition area.
it'd make a longer jump easier to take too.
the main reason i say that is i'd opt for a less optimum flat nose over a mediocre or slightly more accurate small meplat every single time.

 

[Ian]

I found that at lower impact velocities (below 2000 fps) the wide, flat nosed Ranch Dog bullets don't expand but will travel in a straight line through big bones and keep on trucking. They may not make big holes, but they make two holes and work a lot better than RFN style bullets.