Lyman reloading manual has a section for contenders and encore reloading info.
Encore pistol with 30-06 barrel.
- Thread starter Goose71
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Savage16Hunter
Active Member
I have a 7-30 Super 14 that I am just working up loads for. What were your favorite loads? I got some old Sierra 130 gr SP "Single Shot Pistol" bullets with the purchase, which were supposedly a great bullet for the gun, but those have been discontinued. I have some 120 Nosler BTs and Hornady just introduced the 120 gr. Flex-tip that they are loading in their 7-30 Water LeveRevolution rounds that I thought about trying.
Thanks. I have a lyman a buddy has it to read.
rl15 and 120 nosbt awesome groups.
Savage16Hunter
Active Member
I've got some RL 15 - but have not used it. What primers and powder weight worked for your gun?
Keith1
Well-Known Member
In my 7-30 14 inch barrel 748 works very good with 120 grain BTs.
Savage16Hunter
Active Member
That was my first load attempt: Fed 210M, Winchester brass, 38.5 gr 748, 120 gr Nosler BT, right at 2400 fps and about 1.25" groups with 6x scope @ 100 yds. I could have probably done better with a higher magnification scope. What load worked well for you and group size? Any problems with the BTs if you hunted with them? Some guys in my hunt club have had bad results with bullet breakup and lost deer in a rifle (not in 7-30 Waters, though).
For the 30-06 in pistols I have been looking at my loading manuals that give data for 14 to 15" barrel pistols. There is not much difference in top velocity between slower powders like 4895 up through 4350.
In my experience with 30 cal. rifles and pistols for white tail deer it is hard to beat the 125 gr Nosler BT as long as you keep the impact velocity under 3000 fps. That makes it fall right into it's wheel house out of a 30-06 pistol. Manuals show between 2800ish to 2900ish fps with most powders. I have killed well over 50 deer with this bullet in various firearms and it is a killer. At about 2750 fps impact velocity it will usually penetrate through both shoulders and exit out of the average deer. Out of my 15" barrel Contender 30-30AI it does 2670 fps average and I have never recovered a bullet because they all have exited and I have killed somewhere between 25 and 30 deer with it out to a touch over 200 yards. With 165 gr bullets the manuals say you can get between 2500 and 2600 fps with most any powder between 4895 and 4350 burn rate. Good luck and have fun.
In my experience with 30 cal. rifles and pistols for white tail deer it is hard to beat the 125 gr Nosler BT as long as you keep the impact velocity under 3000 fps. That makes it fall right into it's wheel house out of a 30-06 pistol. Manuals show between 2800ish to 2900ish fps with most powders. I have killed well over 50 deer with this bullet in various firearms and it is a killer. At about 2750 fps impact velocity it will usually penetrate through both shoulders and exit out of the average deer. Out of my 15" barrel Contender 30-30AI it does 2670 fps average and I have never recovered a bullet because they all have exited and I have killed somewhere between 25 and 30 deer with it out to a touch over 200 yards. With 165 gr bullets the manuals say you can get between 2500 and 2600 fps with most any powder between 4895 and 4350 burn rate. Good luck and have fun.
Keith1
Well-Known Member
I took the load right out of an old Lyman manual, 39.5 grains 748 and 120 BT. The only thing that I have killed with this is pdogs and some long range rocks.
I was out at the range Saturday with three different loads. Rl15 125 gr nosbt 51g/51.5 and h4895 125 no's bt. 51.5 4shot coevered by a quarter. The h4895 was covered by a dime. All shot at 50 yards. Next outing will be 100 yards. 2-6 power scope objects on other end are small not used to that. Will post results after next outing
Ernie
SPONSOR
Thanks for the update.
Pistol scopes take some time to get used to them.
Pistol scopes take some time to get used to them.
muledeer01
Well-Known Member
My encore with the 15" 30/06 barrel loved IMR 4064, and a 150 gr. Sierra pro hunter, took quite a few deer with it and a lot of ground hogs
muledeer01
Well-Known Member
My encore wore a 3x12 Burris
