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44mag & 303 starting powder weights
Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 12:44 pm
by Mike357
Can anybody give me a starting powder weight for the following -
44mag using Vectan AS and pushing 200gn RNFP through a Marlin and built to std. COAL
303 using N140 and 180gn bullets and built to std COAL
I'll start from these loads, should 0.5 gn increments be sufficient in both?
Re: 44mag & 303 starting powder weights
Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 12:47 pm
by ovenpaa
The .303 with N140 will be around 39.0 working up to 41.0 grains, I work at the bottom end of this range with my .303's
Re: 44mag & 303 starting powder weights
Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 6:52 pm
by Alpha1
The sweet spot in my .303 is 41grains of N140. I use this load in all my .303 rifles.
As ovenpaa says start at 39 grains and work up in .5 increments until your group tightens .
Dont have any experience of 44mag.
Re: 44mag & 303 starting powder weights
Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 7:45 pm
by mr smith
Mike357 wrote:Can anybody give me a starting powder weight for the following -
44mag using Vectan AS and pushing 200gn RNFP through a Marlin and built to std. COAL
I'll start from these loads, should 0.5 gn increments be sufficient in both?
Mike i use use 6.something AS in the .44,can't remember exactly what,the lee auto disk was set-up for the .44 a while back.I'm gonna use the same load with the 200 grain jobbies when i get round to it and work from there either way though i suspect i'll have to up the load a little.
Re: 44mag & 303 starting powder weights
Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 9:59 pm
by Dougan
I use 39gn of N140 for my smle at 200yds, and it's very accurate - but drops off quickly beyond 300yds.
Re: 44mag & 303 starting powder weights
Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 12:44 am
by Alpha1
I use 39gn of N140 for my smle at 200yds, and it's very accurate - but drops off quickly beyond 300yds
Dougan I regularily shoot my .303 smle at 300yds and its right on the money with 41g of N140 may be you need to experiment a bit.
Re: 44mag & 303 starting powder weights
Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 8:04 am
by ovenpaa
I use just under 40 grains to 650 yards with my 4(T)
Re: 44mag & 303 starting powder weights
Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 7:53 pm
by Dougan
Alpha1 wrote:I use 39gn of N140 for my smle at 200yds, and it's very accurate - but drops off quickly beyond 300yds
Dougan I regularily shoot my .303 smle at 300yds and its right on the money with 41g of N140 may be you need to experiment a bit.
No, I'm very happy with the load - I only shoot the smle at 200yds. I took advice from this forum (Ovenpaa I think?) that as I only shoot it at short range, then the lighter load would be 'kinder' to the rifle, and as I shoot rapid (15 per min) and snaps, I think it's wise...
Re: 44mag & 303 starting powder weights
Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 11:21 pm
by Alpha1
If you are happy with that load then thats all that counts my freind. :goodjob:
Re: 44mag & 303 starting powder weights
Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2011 8:46 pm
by Dougan
Sorry Alpha, I've just re-read my last post, and it may have come across a bit 'snotty'...
With the .303, I got good advice and was lucky enough to get the round right pretty much first time - with .357 I 'experimented' for 2 years, and ended up very close back to where I started :roll:
However, I'm about to start loading for .308 and 6.5, and I am looking forward to experimenting with that
...especially the .308 as it'll be the first time I've loaded for distance, and I can use plotting to judge the results..