Berry's 30-30 Copper Plated Bullets

[Jimbo357mag]

Does anyone shoot Barry's copper plated bullets for plinking or shooting at targets with a 30-30? I shoot a lot of copper plated bullets in handguns and pistol caliber rifles. I see they cost about half the price of other commercial 30-30 rifle bullets. I also see that they want you to limit the speed to 1700 fps. I can't find any powders with a start load that slow. What powder would you use?

I'm starting to think this isn't such a good idea. Maybe I will just stay with the commercial rifle bullets and a start load of H4895. That seems to work pretty good for plinking.

...and yes I know I could cast some bullets but if I don't want to do it for my handguns why would I want to do it for my rifle? I would rather not start casting now. Thank You. 8) 8)

...Jimbo

 

[tomisu]

I use Sierra 150's with 28.0 gr H4895 for plinking with a 30-30. Nice light recoil and still accurate enough for shooting whatever. I do not recall what manual I got that as a start load from, but it was on older one from the '70's or '80's and I have been using it for 15 years (Hodgdon recommends 30.5 gr H4895 as a start load). Hodgdon does have on their web site a list of reduced loads using H4895 that are lower than their start load for 125's and 130's - look those up!

 

[44shootist]

I have been wondering about those bullet myself for my 30-30 rifles since there is no cantilure for crimping and under 1700 fsp. I can't find any data either.
Your right a bad idea here.

 

[twobisquit]

Check these out Jimbo.
http://gardnerscache.com/30_155_lfp_g_c.html

I've been using them with Unique or 2400. 5744 is a great powder for reduced 30-30 loads too.

Here is a interesting article on using round balls in a 30-30.
http://www.castbullet.com/shooting/rb30.htm

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

Jimbo, do you have--or have access to--either the "Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook" or Lee's "Modern Reloading?"

The Lyman book has a lot of "pop gun" grade loads, similar to the Unique load twobiscuit mentions. I've used some of them in other calibers, and they're nice plinkers. 50-75 yds is about right for most I've tried, though a few will stretch out to 100 before having to call in a mortar team to calculate trajectory!

Lee's book has a formula for "reducing" jacketed bullet loads for use w/ cast bullets. I've used that one for putting together a .30-30 load w/ 170 gr cast bullets over 748 powder. I haven't chrono'd 'em yet, but calculated 'em for about 1600-1700 fps "on paper." They work well to 100 yds, and can be stretched to 150 for "fun in the desert" use.

As for the crimp thing w/ non-cannelured plated bullets: I use the Lee Factory Crimp die, set for a fairly minimal crimp, when loading plated bullets for handgun use. They're soft enough you can get good "purchase" w/o crimping so hard to worry about peeling the copper off on firing. A similar approach oughta work ok w/ your rifle. Might take a couple of tries to get it right...

Good luck!

Rick C

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Thanks for the info guys.
tomisu, I didn't know you could go that low (28.0) with H4895. I have been shooting 31.0gr with 150gr bullets. I will check into that. Thanks.

Rick and others, I will look into some of that good info also. I do have the Lee book and now remember that section on reduced loads. Guess I need to brush-up a little.

...Jimbo

 

[jakeb]

Pardon me for chiming in...

Try the 165gn Ranch Dog:

http://www.carolinacastbullets.com/Ranch_Dog_Outdoors.html

Carolina Cast Bullets casts them to your chosen diameter, gas checks them, and mule snots them.

Ranch Dog Outdoors offers load data too...or the mold if you cast.

 

[SoundDude]

I shoot those all the time. I use IMR 4759 and it turns my Marlin 336 into a nice plinker. Sorry, I don't have the exact load data in front of me and don't want to guess.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

More good info, thank you. 8)

...Jimbo

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I shoot those all the time. I use IMR 4759 and it turns my Marlin 336 into a nice plinker. Sorry, I don't have the exact load data in front of me and don't want to guess.

I did some more looking online and in some other books and found 'start loads' for 160gr lead bullets as low as 17.5gr with H4895 for 1351fps and a Max of 21.0gr for 1562fps. Also for Trail Boss as well as that IMR 4795 powder. Now those are some really slow velocities for a 30-30 and that gives me lots of options now. Because I have H4895 I will probably be using that powder in my reduced loads. I always like to find something in print before I use a powder outside of what is customary. 8) 8)

...Jimbo

 

[twobisquit]

Jimbo-
Those Trail boss loads are accurate at 50yds and if you want to play with Blackhorn it is very accurate.