Cowboy Silhouette loads

[ppkny]

I would appreciate some help from members on loading advice for Cowboy Silhouette calibers 30-30, 357 & 38 spl. After spending my kids inheritence fund last year on ammo I've decided that I need to start reloading if I'm going to shoot this game. I've got all the equipment and just need some formulas. Please help.
Thanks, ppkny

[Jason]

All of these are 30/30 loads using Winchester once-fired and then neck-sized brass and Federal 210M primers. Accuracy was tested using a 20x scope off the bench. Conditions for testing, approx 45 degrees (F) and 400ft elevation, but most testing was done before I had a chronograph. All sizing and seating was done with a Lee Deluxe Die Set (possibly not as precise as the top-end micrometer stuff I use for highpower rifle but great for cowboy) and then crimped using a Lee factory crimp die.

Chickens: They're small and close, no point in breaking the feet off and burying them in the berm.
100gr Speer Plinker (part number 1805)
38.0gr H4350
2.485 COL
Notes: Cheap bullet, accuracy of 1" for five shots at 50m plenty for chickens. Velocity averaging 2150fps. Great load for chickens.

110gr Speer Hollowpoint (part number 1835)
34.5gr Varget
2.395 COL
Notes: The 110 gr Speer can sometimes to get caught at an angle on the seater during seating and collapse the neck of the brass, so have to be very gentle with getting the bullets started into the brass when seating. Velocities around 2300fps but only shot a few as I was short of time.

Pigs, Turkeys
130gr Speer Flat Soft Point (part number 2007)
34.0gr Varget
COL too smudged to read and don't have any loaded to measure right now
Notes: Best ballistic coefficient I could find on a 130gr bullet back when I was searching for good striking energy and less wind drift without the recoil of a 150gr load. Excellent accuracy, but tested them before I had a chrony so no velocity numbers to show. These were cheap way back when, but not as cheap anymore.

Rams, Hunting
150gr Winchester Powerpoint (or Speer Flat Soft Point, pn 2011, even better)
34.0gr Varget
2.550 COL for Win PP bullet
Notes: Good accuracy and haven't lost a ram with this load, but I also haven't shot all that many matches with it. The Speer bullet has a better ballistic coefficient but they aren't cheap. I've used this load with the 150gr Remington bulk bullets, too. My 20" carbine 30-30 liked the Winchester and Speer bullets better. Accuracy testing was done before I had a chrony so I don't have velocity numbers for this load.

[ppkny]

Jason, Great info and I appreciate it. Any others ? Please keep them coming.
ppkny

[Another Dang 9]

Right now I'm load testing the speer 110's and also 110 RN from the 30 carbine, there super cheep, $10-14 per 100. I use a redding set die and lee crimp die. the seater works OK with the speers but you do have to keep your eye on it. The 30 carbs load like a charm. Its 6 deg today so it may be awhile before I get to try them. I'll let you know how they perfom when my cold dead hand can let go of the gun.

[glen ring]

PPKNY
For my wife's 30-30
I use an RCBS bullet mould and make 150 grain bullets from wheel weights. These cast bullets are coated with Lee bullet lube , unsized and no gas check. I use a load of Unique Powder listed in the Lyman reloading manual and these are VERY cheap rounds to shoot. The accuracy is about 1.5 to 2 inches at 100 yards out of my wife's microgroove Marlin . I know she may lose a few 200 yard Rams with this load, but she is a B class shooter and the very mild recoil is worth it to her.

My wife shoots a Marlin 1894M in .22 magnum, Cheap ,very accurate. and plenty of power for Pistol cartridge.

I shoot a marlin 357 and the most accurate load I've found is Hornady XTP 158s being puched by Unique.
I'm trying to work up a cast bullet load as we speak and I'll send you the results.

I load My 38-55 with a cast bullet pushed by Unique Powder also.
Cast bullets and a Powder like Unique give you a lot of Bang for the buck. All rounds are loaded on a 30 year old RCBS Rockchucker. [/b]

[ppkny]

Thanks Glenn
ppkny

[44 mag]

for chickens,pigs,turkeys I use a sierre 125 with 26 grns of reloader7 on rams a 170 sierra with 32 grns of varget all with cci 200 primers for a 30-30.you have my old 357 i shot 125grn rem bulk bullets with 12 grn of 4227 or 7 grn of unique.both shot good.

[Another Dang 9]

PPKNY
For my wife's 30-30
I use an RCBS bullet mould and make 150 grain bullets from wheel weights. These cast bullets are coated with Lee bullet lube , unsized and no gas check. I use a load of Unique Powder listed in the Lyman reloading manual and these are VERY cheap rounds to shoot. The accuracy is about 1.5 to 2 inches at 100 yards out of my wife's microgroove Marlin . I know she may lose a few 200 yard Rams with this load, but she is a B class shooter and the very mild recoil is worth it to her.

My wife shoots a Marlin 1894M in .22 magnum, Cheap ,very accurate. and plenty of power for Pistol cartridge.

I shoot a marlin 357 and the most accurate load I've found is Hornady XTP 158s being puched by Unique.
I'm trying to work up a cast bullet load as we speak and I'll send you the
I load My 38-55 with a cast bullet pushed by Unique Powder also.
Cast bullets and a Powder like Unique give you a lot of Bang for the buck. All rounds are loaded on a 30 year old RCBS Rockchucker. [/b]

Glen is your wife's score higher than yours? I bet those 220 grs bashing your shoulder 60+ times works the shoulder well.

[glen ring]

ppkny

Today I tried a very light 38 special load of Unique Powder pushing a Speer LSWC in a 357 case. At 50 yards the groups were about an inch and a half. I believe that if I would have put a scope on my Marlin, in lieu of the iron sights, the groups would have been about an inch. I'll try at 100 yard in the morning and give you the results.
The Speer 158 lswc is about $40.00 per 500 and a pound of unique with this load will produce many rounds.

I've really worked trying to get my 1894 shooting. As a 1894 with a short barrel it was a 3 or 4 inch gun at 100yards. Even after the Cowboy conversion by Marlin, it will still shoot about a three inch group at 100.

Dang 9
I shoot a 240 or 260 grain bullet in my 38-55 and with a light load of Unique it's a very mild load. I'm only getting about 1000 fps with this load in the 38-55, but it will clobber every ram it hits.

[ppkny]

Guys, Thanks for all your help. I'm going to try a variety of the suggestions. I'll be able to field test some of them as soon as the tmep's go above 0 here.
ppkny

[glen ring]

ppkny

I tested the Unique powder / speer 158 lswc at 100 yards this morning and the groups were about four inches. Back at 50 yards the groups stay at 1.5 inches. This is a 38 special load from alliant's loading data except in 357 cases. The velocity is around 750 fps and I'll use this load in Pistol cartridge for Chickens and Pigs. I also loaded a Hornady 158 jhp xtp in 357 cases with Alliants load data and this load is around 950 fps. 100 yard groups are usually at 2 inches. I'll use this load for Turkeys and rams.

I hope this saves you some time and money.

[ppkny]

Thanks Glen, all this data is a good to have.
ppkny

[Jason]

Right now I'm load testing the speer 110's and also 110 RN from the 30 carbine, there super cheep, $10-14 per 100. I use a redding set die and lee crimp die. the seater works OK with the speers but you do have to keep your eye on it. The 30 carbs load like a charm. Its 6 deg today so it may be awhile before I get to try them. I'll let you know how they perfom when my cold dead hand can let go of the gun.

AD9,

Which brand 110RN bullet are you testing? I'm thinking of using a different lightweight bullets for chickens, as I have it in my head that the lead nose of the plinker might deform during load/feeding. It hasn't happened yet, but if the 110RN bullets are the same price as the Plinkers and don't have the risk of getting deformed it might be worth it to grab a box to try for accuracy.

[Another Dang 9]

Any 110 gr 30 carb bullet from any manufacture is about the same.

[glen ring]

Has anyone used the Sierra 125grn jhp in their 30-30 for Rams. My wife's 30-30 Marlin likes an RCBS cast 150grain bullet and the Sierra 125 grain JHP. These seem accurate enough, but will the 125 grain slug take down a Ram ?