a cheap target/plinking round

[andrew678122]

I need to come up with a cheap .30-30 round to take to the range. The bullets I am currently using are too expensive to just throw down the range so I was thinking of these:
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00051203
They'll work out to 6 cents a bullet as opposed to 29 cents for the 160gr Hornady FTX .308. That's a savings of 23 cents per round or $4.60 per box of twenty. Do you think they'll be workable? The listing says that they're .309 diameter, do thay have to be resized? Are they going to lead my barrel?

I'm trying to lower costs so I can shoot more. If I can get a box of twenty down to $3-4.00 I will be shooting more. I don't want something that's not reasonably accurate, that would take all the fun out of it, but it does have to be cheap. Any suggestions?

 

[nitesite]

I'd certainly try it, but only for short range (<100-yards) because without a gas-check base those bullets should be kept to pistol velocities <1400-fps. There doesn't look like there is much lube in the single lube groove. I think they might only cause leading if a) the bullet to bore fit is not matched because the bullet is undersized or b) they get driven too fast and run out of lube.

I'd consider spending $7 more dollars for a 500-ct box of these for the longer bullet and lots more lube.

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/i ... u=00051207

Jacketed bullets usually run .308" dia and cast lead usually go an extra thousandth bigger so I don't believe they should be re-sized. Going to run 'em single loading only?

That bullet would probably work well with Trailboss powder for a good plinking round.

http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Trail%20Boss ... %20R&P.pdf

 

[andrew678122]

Ok nitesite, I'll get some of the cast bullets and I'll also try the TrailBoss powder. The Trail Boss sounds like could be used in anything...

None of my shooting is greater than 100 yards and most is just at 50. Anything greater takes me too long to walk down to the target and back... I figure I can just multiply my 50 yard groups by 2 to get 100 yard groups

I'm perfectly happy doing the single loading, I was at the range yesterday for a couple of hours and that was all I did. It forces me to go slower and think about things...

 

[nitesite]

Ok nitesite, I'll get some of the cast bullets and I'll also try the TrailBoss powder. The Trail Boss sounds like could be used in anything...

Here's why TrailBoss powder is so safe for reduced loads in any cartridge... It's mostly air because it's shaped like little flattened donuts or Cheerios. So while it fills a cartridge case it isn't dense so it provides a greatly reduced "push" when it ignites!

When I took this photo I used large primers for scale. I think the pic came out pretty well.

Trailboss is absolutely fantastic in almost any cartridge that originally used black powder, plus many other modern cartridges! And the cool thing is that it meters extremely precisely using almost any method of measuring, and has almost zero weight variance from charge to charge.

And it burns cool so it doesn't melt the base of lead bullets and streak your barrel!

 

[LAZY EYED SNIPER]

Awesome photo and excellent info as always nitesite!

 

[andrew678122]

That really is a good photo nitesite, how did you shoot it so close? It's nice and sharp and pretty good depth of field, which is always difficult in extreme close-ups. And I agree with LAZY EYED SNIPER, excellent info...