Some things to note about the loading data on this page;
- I am only relating my personal experience with the firearms and equipment that I own and that I am not making any loading recommendations. If you use the loading data here, you do so at your own risk.
- I never use Large Pistol Primers in place of Large Rifle primers for a variety of safety and practical concerns.
- I have never found it necessary to use fillers such as cream of wheat, polyfill or toilet paper to position the powder against the flash hole in a cartridge case.
- Unless stated otherwise, muzzle velocities listed on this page are from my own test data.
Alliant 2400
| 30-06 Springfield | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.308" dia. 187 grain LRNGC Lee C309-180-R |
| Powder | 21.0 grains Alliant 2400 |
| Primer | CCI 200 |
| Firearm | Remington Model 700 |
| Barrel Length | 24 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1794 feet per second |
| Standard Dev. | 10.9 feet per second |
| 7.62 x 51 mm NATO | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.308" dia. 187 grain LRNGC Lee C309-180-R |
| Powder | 18.0 grains Alliant 2400 |
| Primer | Remington 9 1/2 |
| Firearm | FR7 Spanish Mauser |
| Barrel Length | 21 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1696 feet per second |
| 303 British | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.311" dia. 156 grain Lead Spire Point Gas Check, LEE C312-155-2R |
| Powder | 18.0 grains Alliant 2400 |
| Primer | Remington 9 1/2 |
| Firearm | Lee Enfield Rifle No.4 Mark 1 |
| Barrel Length | 25.2 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1760 feet per second |
| 7.5 x 55 Swiss | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.309" dia. 156 grain Lead Spire Point Gas Check, LEE C312-155-2R |
| Powder | 18.0 grains Alliant 2400 |
| Primer | Federal 210M |
| Firearm | Swiss K31 |
| Barrel Length | 25.2 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1750 feet per second |
Very accurate.
| 7.5 x 55 Swiss | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.309" dia. 187 grain LRNGC Lee C309-180-R |
| Powder | 18.0 grains Alliant 2400 |
| Primer | Federal 210M |
| Firearm | Swiss K31 |
| Barrel Length | 25.2 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1649 feet per second |
When this bullet is seated to the crimp groove, it just touches the lands in my K31.
| 30-30 Winchester | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.309" dia. 161 grain Lead round nose with gas check |
| Powder | 17.5 grains Alliant 2400 |
| Primer | Alcan Maxfire Large Rifle |
| Firearm | Marlin Model 30TK |
| Barrel Length | 18.0 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1849 feet per second |
Lee C309-120-R Bullet Mold
When supplies of inexpensive loaded ammunition for 7.62 x 39 Russian dried up and bullet prices started going through the roof, I started loading for that cartridge. In 2008, I ordered a Lee mold designed for the 30 Carbine cartridge, the C309-120-R to use in 7.62 x 39. Since then I found this bullet to be useful for a number of other cartridges as well. As cast, the bullet weighs 120 grains, 122 grains with a hornady gas check attached.
| 7.62 x 39 mm Russian | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.311" dia. 122 grain LRNGC, LEE C309-120-R |
| Powder | 15.0 grains Alliant 2400 |
| Primer | Winchester LR |
| Firearm | PRC TYPE 56 Carbine (SKS) |
| Barrel Length | 20.5 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1859 feet per second |
Sized to 0.311". Cast of somewhat hard alloy with seated gascheck, cartridges using this bullet feed well from the magazine of my SKS. I found that 14.5 grains of 2400 with a standard large rifle primer is sufficient to operate the action with this bullet when the rifle is clean. I do however use 15.0 grains of Alliant 2400 with large rifle primer just to be sure. The Alliant powder guide lists 15.3 grains of 2400 as the maximum load for the same weight jacketed bullet in 7.62 x 39.
Alliant Red Dot
| 30-06 Springfield | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.308" dia. 147 FMJ Boattail Pulled M-80 |
| Powder | 13.0 grains Alliant Red Dot |
| Primer | Remington 9 1/2 |
| Firearm | Remington Model 700 |
| Barrel Length | 24 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1500 feet per second |
Non magnetic Copper jacketed bullets bullets were used with this load, not copper plated steel jacketed bullets.
I believe that there is too great a danger of a stuck bullet and or excessive pressures with a fast burning powder such as Red Dot.
See "The Load is 13 Grains of Red Dot" , a well known article by C.E. Harris about reduced power rifle loads using Alliant Red Dot.
| 30-06 Springfield | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.309" dia. 198 grain Lead Truncated Cone GC, Saeco #301 |
| Powder | 13.0 grains Alliant Red Dot |
| Cartridge Case | Federal |
| Primer | CCI 200 |
| Firearm | Remington Model 700 |
| Barrel Length | 24 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1418 feet per second |
Standard deviation is 16.1 feet per second
| 7.62 x 51 mm NATO | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.308" dia. 122 grain LRNGC, LEE C309-120-R |
| Powder | 12.0 grains Alliant Red Dot |
| Primer | Remington 9 1/2 |
| Firearm | FR7 Spanish Mauser |
| Barrel Length | 21 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1864 feet per second |
| 7.5 x 55 Swiss | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.308" dia. 122 grain LRNGC, LEE C309-120-R |
| Powder | 12.0 grains Alliant Red Dot |
| Primer | Winchester LR |
| Firearm | Swiss K31 |
| Barrel Length | 25.2 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1709 feet per second |
| 30-30 Winchester | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.308" dia. 122 grain LRNGC, LEE C309-120-R |
| Powder | 11.0 grains Alliant Red Dot |
| Primer | Winchester LR |
| Firearm | Marlin Model 30TK |
| Barrel Length | 18.0 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1804 feet per second |
As a matter of practice I use 10.5 grains Red Dot with the LEE C309-120-R with gas check in 30-30 Win and I personally consider 11.0 grains of Red Dot to be the maximum charge for this cartridge bullet combination in my rifle. Firing 30/30 Win cartridges loaded with 12.0 grains of Red Dot resulted in flattened primers and somewhat hard extraction.
Blue Dot
| 303 British | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.311" dia. 122 grain LRNGC, LEE C309-120-R |
| Powder | 16.0 grains Alliant Blue Dot |
| Primer | CCI #34 |
| Firearm | Lee Enfield Rifle No.4 Mark 1 |
| Barrel Length | 25.2 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1870 feet per second |
| 7.5 x 55 Swiss | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.309" dia. 156 grain LSPGC, LEE C312-155-2R |
| Powder | 16.0 grains Alliant Blue Dot |
| Primer | CCI #34 |
| Firearm | Swiss K31 |
| Barrel Length | 25.2 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1720 feet per second |
With the sight set at 100 meters, groups at fifty yards are 4 1/2 inches to the right of the point of aim and 5 inches high.
Unique
Cast Bullet Rifle Loads with Muzzle Velocities below 1400 FPS
While shopping in the local Kmart store in late 1992, I saw a Marlin lever action 30-30 rifle behind the Gun Counter tagged for $108. I asked the sale clerk if it was a mistake since 108 dollars was considerably less than the going price for even a used lever action rifle . He said that it wasn't.
According to the clerk, the powers that be at Kmart decided to remove all firearms from the stores in California after the Riot that occurred in Los Angeles the previous Spring. As a result of that decision, the display models from the California stores were shipped to the East Coast stores to be sold at a 50% discount. Being the bargin hunter that I am, I purchased the rifle as well as a 20 gauge Remington 1100 which was also half off.
Eventually I decided to reload for the rifle, so I ordered a 30-30 Win die set as well as a box of 1000 inexpensive prelubricated lead 30 caliber 150 grain flat nose bullets. Upon receiving the order, I learned a valuable lesson. Don't assume that just because a lead bullet is cast for a highpower cartridge that it will be designed to allow the installation of a gas check. The ones that I received weren't. Stuck with a large quantity of plain base bullets that could not be driven much faster that 1400 fps, a pound of Alliant Unique allowed me to put these projectiles to good use. They also worked fairly well in a manually operated SKS.
| 30-30 Winchester | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.309" dia. 150 grain Lead Flat Point |
| Powder | 8.0 grains Alliant Unique |
| Primer | Remington 9 1/2 |
| Firearm | Marlin Model 30TK |
| Barrel Length | 18.0 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1325 feet per second |
| 30-30 Winchester | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.309" dia. 120 grain Lead Round Nose Plain base , LEE C309-120-R |
| Powder | 7.0 grains Alliant Unique |
| Primer | CCI 200 |
| Firearm | Marlin Model 30TK |
| Barrel Length | 18.0 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1385 feet per second |
| Standard Dev. | 20.6 feet per second |
Herco
| 303 British | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.311" dia. 152 grain Lead Spire point plain base, LEE C312-155-2R |
| Powder | 9.0 grains Alliant Herco |
| Primer | CCI #34 |
| Firearm | Lee Enfield Rifle No.4 Mark 1 |
| Barrel Length | 25.2 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1243 feet per second |
Bullseye
308 Winchester, 7.62 NATO Plinking Load
A friend of mine gave me a 1000 or so 30 Carbine reloads that he found in the Dud bucket at a local range. They were loaded with at least three different weights of cast bullets between 110 and 135 grains, some with gas checks some without. It is likely that the rounds were discarded when the owner discovered that they would not chamber in his gun. Bullet diameters measured 0.310-0.311 " visibly bulging the cases which were mostly military brass. My suspicion is that the individual who reloaded those cartridges, worked up the loads using commercial brass. When it came time to do a large production run, he used the same bullets with military cases without taking into account the greater case wall thickness of the brass.
Using a kinetic bullet puller, I was able to disassemble the rounds in order to salvage the primers and the bullets. The primers were used to load 38 Special to be fired in a 357 Magnum revolver and the bullets were resized to 0.308 inches to use in the following 7.62 NATO plinking load. For offhand target shooting at 50 yards, I found that the 500 meter setting on the sight of my Spanish FR7 rifle will hit about an inch above the point of aim.
| 7.62 x 51 mm NATO | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.308" dia. 135 grain Lead Spire Point with Gas Check |
| Powder | 6.5 grains Alliant Bullseye |
| Primer | Norma Large Rifle |
| Firearm | FR7 Spanish Mauser |
| Barrel Length | 21 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1220 feet per second |
The flash hole on the cases used for this load were enlarged to 3/32ths of an inch with a No. 42 drill bit.
| 7.62 x 51 mm NATO | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.309" dia. 157 grain Lead Round Nose plain base |
| Powder | 6.5 grains Alliant Bullseye |
| Primer | S&W Alcan Maxfire Large Rifle |
| Firearm | FR7 Spanish Mauser |
| Barrel Length | 21 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1150 feet per second |
The flash hole on the cases used for this load were enlarged to 3/32ths of an inch with a No. 42 drill bit.
Standard deviation of Muzzle velocity is 14.5 feet per second.
Another cast bullet mold that I use without gas checks for this load is the LEE C312-155-2R sized to 0.309 inch diameter.
| 7.62 x 39 mm Russian | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.309" dia. 150 grain Lead Flat Nose with plain base |
| Powder | 5.0 grains Alliant Bullseye |
| Primer | Remington 9 1/2 |
| Firearm | PRC TYPE 56 Carbine (SKS) |
| Barrel Length | 20.5 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1049 feet per second |
30-30 Winchester gallery loads using Alliant Bullseye
The bullets for these loads are cast of an alloy soft enough to be easily scratched with a fingernail and no gas checks are used. I apply a drop or two of Lee Liquid Alox thinned with a small amount of mineral spirts to the lower lubrication groove of each bullet and turn it on its axis in order to allow the lubricant to be spread evenly in the groove. The lubricated bullets are then placed base down on wax paper to dry overnight. Generally there is enough lubricant on the side of the bullet to allow it to be run through a 0.308" bullet sizer easily. The bullet is pushed nose first into the bullet sizing die so that the gas check cannelure on the base is obturated by the sizing punch in order to create better gas seal
If winds are light then this load is accurate out to 100 yards.
In very light loads such as the ones below, I like to enlarge the primer flash hole of the brass that I am using to 3/32ths of an inch with a No. 42 drill bit in order to ensure uniform powder ignition. These altered cases are kept separate from my other brass and are used only for low power loads. Before seating the bullet, The case mouth is flared to prevent damage to the projectile. The bullet is seated deep enough to barely crimp the case mouth in the second lubrication groove to ensure that the cartridge will chamber.
| 30-30 Winchester | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.308" dia. 120 grain Soft Lead Round Nose Plain base, LEE C309-120-R |
| Powder | 4.0 grains Alliant Bullseye |
| Primer | Winchester LR |
| Firearm | Marlin Model 30TK |
| Barrel Length | 18.0 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1051 feet per second |
| Standard Dev. | 9.1 feet per second |
| 30-30 Winchester | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.308" dia. 120 grain Soft Lead Round Nose Plain base , LEE C309-120-R |
| Powder | 5.0 grains Alliant Bullseye |
| Primer | Winchester LR |
| Firearm | Marlin Model 30TK |
| Barrel Length | 18.0 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 1174 feet per second |
| Standard Dev. | 15.3 feet per second |
Cellar Load using Buckshot
Occasionally referred to as the Bullseye Buckshot Load, I first came across this load in "Kuhloff on Guns" by Pete Kuhloff although it apparently is also described in the old Lyman Handbooks as the "Cellar and Small Game Load". The idea is to use an expended 22 long rifle shell casing as a powder measure by soldering a piece of wire to its base to create a dipper. One scoop of either Alliant Bullseye or Alliant Red Dot is put into a primed 30 caliber rifle case and a single lubricated 30 caliber ball (#1 buckshot) is pressed half way into the case mouth. The powder measure that I use is made from a Remington 22LR case although a Lee .3 CC dipper will serve just as well. This measure will hold about 3.0 grains of Bullseye or about 2.7 grains of Red Dot. The buckshot that I use are cast from the Lee 31 caliber round ball mold, MOLD_DC_311_BALL . The projectile is coated with liquid alox and when it has dried, it is seated in the case neck, sprue up. I have used this load successfully for 308 Winchester, 303 British, and 30-30 Winchester. Accuracy is good out to about 25-30 yards.
| 30-30 Winchester | |
|---|---|
| Bullet | 0.311" dia. 46 grain Round Ball, Lee MOLD_DC_311_BALL |
| Powder | 3.0 grains Alliant Bullseye |
| Primer | Remington 9 1/2 |
| Firearm | Marlin Model 30TK |
| Barrel Length | 18.0 inches |
| Avg Muzzle Velocity | 909 feet per second |
I came across an interesting idea in an article by Holt Bodinson called "Hunting Downloads" which is quoted below.
Here is one refinement I've made to the above load that I like to call "Bodinson's Bullseye Buckshot Load." I take a size "00" buck, place it in a .30 caliber gas check, run it through a .308 sizing die, and lube it with Lee Alox or graphite. The result is an appealing little bullet that shoots well with 3.0 grs. Of Bullseye and doesn't lead the barrel.
If I ever get my hands on some double ought buck, I will give it a try.
Holt Bodinson "Hunting Downloads". Guns Magazine. FindArticles.com. 30 Dec, 2009.
<http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_19_46/ai_65017381/>
Kuhloff, Pete "Kuhloff on Guns" Winchester Press New York 1970 P. 26