What is the minimum % fill you recommend?

[Bulseyetom]

I am shooting a new Browning HiWall with a 26" barrel chambered for 300 H&H and am wanting to somewhat duplicate 30-40 Krag velocities with a 200 grain bullet at 2400 fps. Using QuickLoad I find Re 25 and H4350 to be good starting points but if I reduce the %fill to the low 70's IMR 3031 and 4064 both give me the velocity I desire with 100% burn. IMR 4064 shoots lights out at 2800 fps but how will it do at 75%? Any thoughts of which powder I should try? Thanks. Tom

 

[savagedasher]

I try to never load with less then 101% full. For accurate target loads. Larry

 

[LHSmith]

I won't go below the starting load listed in the reloading manual.......unless I am using H4895 which is safe to use down to 60% of max load listed in reload manual.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I won't go below the starting load listed in the reloading manual.......

+1 on manual listed minimum load data.

Some manuals, like the one from Speer, will give you reduced power load data for some chamberings, but they are "powder specific". Would not recommend using any old powder with a lower than listed case fill unless you want to blow up your rifle. It can be just as dangerous as a round that creates excessive overpressure from being loaded well above MAX listed data

 

[CaptainMal]

Dug out some manuals from the 50's. Lowest and slowest I see are still in the 2,400 fps range. 30-40 Kraig runs around 2,100 fps.

Think high 40's grains of 4895 was the slowest I saw booked.

 

[nosualc]

Any thoughts of which powder I should try? Thanks. Tom

Trail Boss. It was designed for reduced loads.

https://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Trail-Boss-Reduced-Loads%20R_P.pdf

They have some easy steps to find a starting load.

-nosualc

 

[Bulseyetom]

I also dug out some old Speer manuals and see they have loads for 4895 and 4064 down to 2500 fps so will probably try IMR 4895. It has always worked well for me in lower end loads with good accuracy. Thanks guys. Tom

 

[Webster]

Hodgden's chart for reduced loads.

https://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/H4895%20Reduced%20Rifle%20Loads.pdf

 

[Bulseyetom]

Webster, that is very good information! I remember when I was a youngster my dad always loaded IMR 4895 for light loads for me to shoot his 30-06 as that was the only rifle we had. When I turned 11 my grandfather gave me a 7x57 Model 93 Mauser with a shortened barrel and I began a 53 year career in hunting deer. If I new then what I know now I would have never hunted with anything bigger but by the time I was 15 I had to have either a 30-06 or better. My father bought a 1903A3 for $12.50 from the DCM, paid $10 for it to be rechambered to the then fairly new 300 Win Mag, put a 2.5 Lyman on it and I was struck with magnumitis. Little did I know but I was probably struck with flinchitus at the same time! I just bought this B-78 RMEF Commemorative rifle and 300H&H is the only chambering so I am toning it down to velocities that won't bother me. Big bullets at moderate velocities served me well in 1962 so I see no reason why they wont now! Thanks for the help to all who have responded. I am going to load up some test cartridges again and see what I find that is the most accurate in the 2400-2500 fps range with 200 grain bullets. Tom

 

[Brians356]

Trail Boss. It was designed for reduced loads.

https://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Trail-Boss-Reduced-Loads%20R_P.pdf

You can turn your 22-250 into a 22 WMR!