Hello from Dover, UK

[drone]

Real old boy here, retired 20 years ago.
Bought my first lee machine in the 80s, a load-all gave it to my mate a few years back. I next bought a used classic turret press and three four hole die holders, currently loading 223, 30/30 and 308win, having to buy a couple more 4 hole holders to suit 6.5x55 swede and 45 long colt but that's for my future.
Also have a lee melting pot and 30/30 170 grn mold.
As I'm nearly 80 I'm slowing down a bit and my hunting trips are getting fewer and much further between but I really enjoy range time at three clubs shooting 25 metres up to 600.
I find I'm concentrating on loading the 30/30 more than the other two.
BTW the 30/30 is a pre 64 win 94 carbine, 308 is a ruger #1 and the 223 is a ruger #3 i have a couple 22s, a 10/22 pot filler and a 1947 BSA 12/15 martini action for old times sake with 8" cut off of the barrel and fitted with a moderator, as is the 10/22.
Hope to be able to pick the brains on here, especially regarding subsonic 30/30 and 308 loads.
Hope you all have a great Holiday!

[Lar5]

Welcome aboard. As many others here I also concentrate on casting and loading for the 3030.

[RBHarter]

Welcome !

The fastest lowest pressure powder you can use to get the desired velocity and accuracy with ..... A 170 gr bullet state side is easy to get down to subsonic with Unique. The down side is that it has a long push and there's a window unfortunately right where you want it to be sub sonic that the muzzle pressure stays high. Just about the time or charge that it makes the drop from 1200 fps to 950 fps and it just doesn't like to be in there at 1050 it jumps back up to 1150 .

Change it out to Red Dot and all of the pressure rise is gone by 5-6" up the barrel and the pressure at the muzzle is way down so it's already quiet . You can also more readily move the velocity up and down to hit desired 1050 fps MV.

I don't know what that translates to in available powders for you but you want a fast rise to a moderate peak that drops of quickly. A medium fast shotgun power that will flex from 7/8 to 1-1/4 oz 1330 fps 12 ga loads .

[drone]

Unique is as common as rocking horse poo in the UK, I have hodgdon's Universal which seems to be ok. I also have 2400 and can get some of the dots but I get a bit freaked out at the difference between good and dodgy which seems to affect the fast powders. I have titegroup but quit using it due to erratic results, probably down to me. I have subsequently taken to weighing each charge on a digital scale which appears to stabilise the situation.
FWIW I'm trying for subsonics will 120 grain rnfp and speer 100 grain plinkers. I've gotten the 120 grain bullets down to 1050 using 5 grains universal at between 1050 and 1100 fps with minute of rabbit accuracy, the plinkers are in my 308, I'll cook up a load that meets my needs then transfer over to the 30/30.
Many thanks for your responses.

[GasGuzzler]

I thought 10 grains of Unique with a 150-170 grain cast bullet in .30 cals was a go to.

[RBHarter]

Yes it's said to be THE LOAD . We are fortunate to have 150 powder choices here not so much over the rest of the planet .

[drone]

When I get rolling with the 170 grain bullets I'll be using 14 grains 2400, said tobe a good reliable load.
So far I've substituted 5 grns universal for unique under a 120 grn cast and it works fine.

[mr surveyor]

I've used Unique, A2400 and AA#7 quite a bit for loading cast bullets in 30-30. Actually 14 to 14.5 gr of AA#7 has become my favorite for 150-165 gr cast bullets. Over the chrono they average1700+/- and hit the accuracy node in my Marlin. Since I haven't been able to hunt in the last 6 years or so I do all of my (weekly) shooting at the range and just perforate paper. The cast bullets with shotgun/pistol powders have been one of my mainstays.

jd

[GasGuzzler]

2400 is too hard to get and too useful in .357 for me to use it in .30-30.

[reloader762]

Welcome from North Carolina, most all my rifles are 30 cal. and they all get a steady diet of cast lead, 2400 is your friend. Alliant powders are pretty easy to get around here and still reasonably prices.