Thread: Light or squib loads

Thought I'd post this here.
I think it was @grandpamac mentioned them recently.

I've been using light loads for years in my 223 and 30.06.
If you look for it there is plenty of load data out there.


https://www.24hourcampfire.com/reduced-rifle-loads/

Thanks @Oldbloke,
I had found those loads from John Barsness for the two Hornets and the .223 in an article in Handloader from 2014 but the wider scope of the campfire post will be useful. Since 2014 Hodgdon has tested both IMR4895 and H4895 (AR2206H) and found the latter gives better results and it is what I will be using anyway. Thinking back I did some reduced loads for my old .223 for shooting hares that my son used for a bit. They shot well enough but adjusting a non dial up type scope proved to be a pain. I likely used either AR2206 or IMR4227 but don't have the data any more. I think I used 45 grain projectiles. I still have my data for just about every rifle I have ever loaded for just not that one.
Regards Grandpamac.

I'm Using AS50n. Although there was no data there was plenty using powders with burn rates a little faster and slower so i just guessed a start load and worked from that.

In reality I think you would be able to use any powder similar to or faster than AR2206H.

They are fun and do have limited use in .223 the trackside wallaby being my use.

Here is some more using Blue dot and 800x

Originally Posted by Oldbloke

I'm Using AS50n. Although there was no data there was plenty using powders with burn rates a little faster and slower so i just guessed a start load and worked from that.

In reality I think you would be able to use any powder similar to or faster than AR2206H.

So it's possible that I might be able to use theAS50n in my hornet

I use AP70N for low powered rabbit loads in the .223, with 55 grain bullet going 2000fps -turning it into a .22 Magnum. I also have low powered load for the .308 too, 14 grains with a 147 grain FMJ for 1600 fps. (They shoot to a different point of impact, but you can generally use the lower bit of the reticle where it goes from big to thinner as a form of a post sight, and it wont be too far off at 50 metres.)

The great Townsend Whelen was a proponent of small game loads for all his main rifles using low powered charges. He was a different kind of hunter, he wasnt a trophy hunter, or a meat hunter, he liked to do long trips into the back country for weeks and months at a time, and live off the land. He spent months at a time each year in Canada, shooting deer with his .30/06 but also living day to day with the same rifle on small game using reduced loads.

Originally Posted by SmokeyJason

So it's possible that I might be able to use theAS50n in my hornet

I use AP70 and 22mag projectiles in my Hornet and it works a treat.
Was talking to Richard Wilhelm the other day and he still has some 22mag projectiles left for sale.

Originally Posted by SmokeyJason

So it's possible that I might be able to use theAS50n in my hornet

Most likely, but as a reduced load.

Greetings All,
It is nice to see that it is not just me interested in reduced loads. Although somewhat new to them in the ,223 I have been using them in my .30 and .303 calibre rifles for some time. Around 12 years ago I started using a reduced load of 40 grains of AR2206H with the 150 grain projectile in my .308 for 100 metre NZDA target shooting. This was based on the Hodgdon website data and shot quite well if somewhat low. This was later reduced to 38 grains which chronographed around 2,350 fps. Later after a .303 entered the cabinet 32 grains of AR2206H with the 170 grain and 34 grain with the 150 grain projectiles for 1,900 fps and 2,050 fps respectively. All shot well, some very well but did burn a bit dirty. None of those loads needed FL sizing the brass which is a big plus with the .303. Case life should be good.
Regards Grandpamac.

Greetings again,
Back to the .223 reduced loads. Looking through my old notes I found that I had chronographed 23 grains of AR2206 with the 55 grain in my VSSF about 20 years ago at 2,885 fps. This was listed as a mid load load in a Nick Harvey manual at the time supposedly delivering around 3,000 plus fps. Bad data. In Brian Pearce's Pet loads report in Handloader he listed 23 grains of H4895 (AR2206H) for around 2,800 fps and 23 grains of IMR8208XBR (BM8208) for around 2,900 fps in my T3. AR2206 was the improved version of AR2201 that was brought out around 1984 and a slightly slowed version
marketed as H4895 in the US from around 1992. This slower powder became AR2206H in Australia in just after 2,000. Some test loads of AR2206 sound like a good place to start.
GPM.

Greetings,
After dithering around for a couple of weeks after the above post and having done nothing to get some test loads assembled I was thumbing through my old Speer No 9 load manual when it fell open at a page I had forgotten existed. Grandpa brain is certainly at work here. The loads were for the .22 calibre cartridges designed to produce about 2,600 to 2,800 fps with 55 grain FMJ projectiles. Only a few IMR powders were listed including IMR3031. This powder is close to the old AR2206 that I still have some of. 20 grains of IMR3031 is listed producing 2,671 fps or around Hornet velocity. Will keep you posted.
GPM.

24.5grns 2206h has been my everything load in .223 for last twenty years. I'm contemplating trying single ball of buckshot in 7.62x39mm there is a few threads on it being done....and I have a lot of buckshot I won't ever use otherwise.... If I can get say four inch or better at 25 yards with a just above subsonic or even subsonic I would be well happy..... It's another reason to buy another x39mm......shouldn't have sold the last one.

I've heard of some drilling out the primer pocket to take a shotgun primer, (more priming compound) then loading an appropriate round ball or slug gun pellet. IIRC result was subsonic load for plinking or rats, birds etc.

Some use normal primer add just say,,,3-5grains of shotgun powder. Result is similar to 22lr. Can't say I've tried it tho.

I've seen shotgun primer in .223 case with a air rifle pellet...went pop,slug exited and hit with authority.