reduced loads for 30-06

[GuroChris]

I have a neighbor kid who lost his dad last Feb. He was out hunting coyotes with his dads 30-06 and his mom told me when he fired it, it gave him a pretty good jolt. He is 12 yrs old. I was thinking of making him some reduced recoil loads using trail boss and 150gr interlocks I have. I've looked at the load data. What I'm looking for here is some experiences with hunting with reduced recoil loads like that. I'd like to help the kid hunt with his dad's rifle but not at the risk of safety or taking game cleanly.

 

[wv270wsm]

I personally have never used trailboss in that big of a case . But I'm sure it would work . If you could chronograph them and get them 2200 FPS that should give you some decent expansion out to 100 yards or so . Also one of the Hodgon powders are good for reducing loads . Can't remember which one exactly I'm sure someone will chime in with the correct one in a jiffy.

 

[DUSTY NOGGIN]

h4895 . maybe use a light bullet to keep the speed up

 

[David Emerson]

To repeat H4895

 

[bomberodevil]

https://hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/h4895-reduced-rifle-loads.pdf

 

[cohunt]

If he wants to try a reduced load, try the "Hornady lite" ammo-- I think it uses 125gr sst bullets--- my 13 yo daughter loves my 6 pound 30-06 with that ammo and it just happens to be 3/4 moa in my rifle

 

[Deleted member 103481]

44-45 gr h4895 with a 150 is my garand load. 150 at 25-2600. Pretty soft shooter and plenty for deer. This is more of a low recoil load than a true reduced load

 

[HARPERC]

Drop bullet weight, and use lower end charges. The 110-130 grain bullets will kill coyotes. If he hunts deer maybe a better grade bullet.

 

[epoletna]

I don't know if they still make the Speer Plinker, a half-jacketed bullet of .110 grains, If I recall correctly, but it might be a good place to start. Better selection than a cast bullet, which would make the bore dirty pretty quickly.

 

[xsn10s]

We used Nosler 125gr BT's for lighter recoiling rounds. They work on deer too.

 

[highbrow]

When my son was 12, I loaded 34 gr 3031 with a 150 gr 30-30 bullet. Killed his largest Whitetail buck with that.

 

[del2les]

We've done a lot of these, and for the 30-06/308 class, we have used 125/130gr bullets. The Accubond has been a good one to load at 30-30 vels. Also, in the older days, we loaded a 30-30 150gr RN around 2,000-2,200fps.

My Contenders in 30-30 and 30-30AI are often loaded with similar bullets, and they perform well on deer and similar.
Numerous load data on the net and manuals on reduced vel loads, but one of my favorites is the old Lyman cast bullet loading manual.

 

[emp1953]

I have a neighbor kid who lost his dad last Feb. He was out hunting coyotes with his dads 30-06 and his mom told me when he fired it, it gave him a pretty good jolt. He is 12 yrs old. I was thinking of making him some reduced recoil loads using trail boss and 150gr interlocks I have. I've looked at the load data. What I'm looking for here is some experiences with hunting with reduced recoil loads like that. I'd like to help the kid hunt with his dad's rifle but not at the risk of safety or taking game cleanly.

I used to shoot 110 gr hollow points over 4895 out of my old -06. It was like shooting a .243 with 80grainers. It will definitely take out a coyote, recoil was a light shove. Only problem might be is the twist rate of the rifle might not stabilize the short bullet.

 

[del2les]