30 Major

[txdan]

Mine was 30.4 of the old N-120. It didn’t like 30.8.

Your “old powder “ works for me @ 30.6
1997 I think? Maybe ‘98.

 

[Jeffrey Tooker]

Average of 10 was 37.7gr of water

That is very helpful. It gives me a starting place.

Thank you

Jeffrey

 

[GSPV]

Your “old powder “ works for me @ 30.6
1997 I think? Maybe ‘98.

It might have shot at 30.6 or 30.8 with Danzac coated bullets for me. But I was using HBN at first and then naked.

I’ll eventually build a 6 Grendel or something in there, but I sure miss my 30 Major. It would shoot just about anything super well.

 

[Jeffrey Tooker]

2012....

I have a jug of VV N120 I bought sealed new back about 2003. I have kept it properly, and it is still good. However every time I have tried it it always seems
too fast for the application. Can someone please explain the old VV N120 difference or problem?

Jeffrey

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I have a jug of VV N120 I bought sealed new back about 2003. I have kept it properly, and it is still good. However every time I have tried it it always seems
too fast for the application. Can someone please explain the old VV N120 difference or problem?

Jeffrey

It worked extremely well for me. It was a bit faster than h4198 in a 30 major with 110-118 gr bullets...About as close to perfect as can be. What date code is on your powder?

 

[Fire Dog]

6.5 Grendel, 284 Grendel, 30 MajorView attachment 1123513

Do I read that right? A 1:17 twist barrel? Sounds very slow...Almost like black powder twist and lead bullets.
Just asking as I know nothing about a 30 Major but have a friend shooting a 30 BR and he uses slower powder {H4895 perhaps} and faster twist {1:12} in his rifle.
Powder sounds fairly fast =H110/4227

 

[Hoodoo]

Do I read that right? A 1:17 twist barrel? Sounds very slow...Almost like black powder twist and lead bullets.
Just asking as I know nothing about a 30 Major but have a friend shooting a 30 BR and he uses slower powder {H4895 perhaps} and faster twist {1:12} in his rifle.
Powder sounds fairly fast =H110/4227

Yes, 1:17 twist barrel is correct. Most, if not all guys shooting a 30BR, 30 Major, 30 PPC etc. are shooting either a 1:17 twist or 1:18 twist for the 110-120 grain bullets. Very uncommon to see someone with a 30BR and a faster twist.

 

[Hoodoo]

It worked extremely well for me. It was a bit faster than h4198 in a 30 major with 110-118 gr bullets...About as close to perfect as can be. What date code is on your powder?

You know, I've thought about this a little Mike. I just recently got a FX120 scale, (Finally) I should measure some of those rounds I had loaded with N120 and see what they are measuring on my FX. I bet I haven't shot that gun in 6 months, to busy with 1000 yard BR and PRS shooting to even touch the gun.

I wonder if my old scale was reading different?

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I maybe missed it but why do you suspect the scale isn't right?

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Do I read that right? A 1:17 twist barrel? Sounds very slow...Almost like black powder twist and lead bullets.
Just asking as I know nothing about a 30 Major but have a friend shooting a 30 BR and he uses slower powder {H4895 perhaps} and faster twist {1:12} in his rifle.
Powder sounds fairly fast =H110/4227

Even the fastest n120 is not close to n120 or 4227. I dont recommend those powders, for that reason. They are very fast powders. N120 acts like it's about 1.5-2 grains faster than 4198...in this case.

 

[Hoodoo]

I maybe missed it but why do you suspect the scale isn't right?

Just from our previous comments about what I'm loading for grains, and what your experience has been in the past with N120. I'll measure some tonight and reconfirm.

 

[Hoodoo]

I maybe missed it but why do you suspect the scale isn't right?

Dead on 31.5

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Dead on 31.5

That's a WHOLE LOT of n120 in that case! Some newer lots aren't as fast as the older ones but still..That's almost a full grain more than I typically ran of the older stuff.
So, what is your conclusion?

 

[Hoodoo]

So, what is your conclusion?

My conclusion reconfirms what we already know. Everyone should work up your own load in your own barrel. Powder varies from lot to lot, barrels varies from barrel to barrel.

 

[GSPV]

Do I read that right? A 1:17 twist barrel? Sounds very slow...Almost like black powder twist and lead bullets.
Just asking as I know nothing about a 30 Major but have a friend shooting a 30 BR and he uses slower powder {H4895 perhaps} and faster twist {1:12} in his rifle.
Powder sounds fairly fast =H110/4227

The 17, 18 and sometimes even 19 twist barrels are completely typical of the little 30s shooting stubby little bullets. 30 Major, 30 BR, 30-47, etc.

Keep in mind that we use these things at the upper edge of stability. Not a lot of extra twist there.

 

[RGRobinett]

The 17, 18 and sometimes even 19 twist barrels are completely typical of the little 30s shooting stubby little bullets. 30 Major, 30 BR, 30-47, etc.

Keep in mind that we use these things at the upper edge of stability. Not a lot of extra twist there.

This would apply only to the 1:19" twist, and [FB] bullets in excess of 0.950" long. At sea-level, STD conditions, the "default" 1:17" twist, at 3000fps, and bullets based upon the .925" long jacket (most 110-115gr custom bullets) produces
Sg 1.9, where Sg 1.4 is minimum considered desirable by the exterior ballistics gurus: in combination with the .925 based bullets, the 1:19" twist imparts Sg 1.4. The 17" twist barrels will produce Sg 1.4 with [FB] bullets up to 1.10" long - with bullets based upon the 1.00" long jacket, and finished OAL of up to 1.010", about Sg 1.6 is the reality. With a 1:17" twist, and [FB] bullets up to 1.10" long, gyroscopic stability is never an issue - if a barrel won't "shoot", look elsewhere.

The 1:18" twist barrels, produce completely reliable Sg with [FB] bullets up to 1.050" long: STD conditions and 3K fps results in a little better than Sg 1.4. As compared to a FB bullet, the addition of a BT will increase the twist rate requirement by about 1". Since 1997, with a single exception, my 30 Cal. competition barrels have been 1:18" twist, and even during cold winter practice sessions, with 1.010" long bullets plowing through sub ZERO F air, have never observed a sign of marginal stability. Crazy as it seems now, Terry and I used to shoot year round. RG

P.S. In bench-rest competitions, as conducted by IBS, NBRSA, and probably UBR, THIS is common ground: when the 6mm and .224 calibers and light weight bullets are employed . . . those caliber/bullet combinations usually are used in conjunction with marginal twist rates, which result in Sg 1.3 and <.

 

[GSPV]

Listen to Robby. He knows what he’s talking about.

I have a bud that I made a semi-permanent loan of a pillar-bedded Savage BVSS in 6 BR with a custom 1:10 barrel.

I’d gotten tired of him talking about how accurate his factory rifles were and poo-poo-ing my customs and semi customs.

He took my recommended loads and was inspired. Gushed about how great it was.

Then, he told me that everything went south. It was spraying bullets all over the target.

It took a while, but I finally pried the issue from him. A different bud had given him some plastic tipped 105-class bullets and he’d loaded and shot them without talking to me.

You can see the problem. Bullets that need 1:8 in a 1:10 and in cold weather.