Those lite loads of 3031 should be filled with dacron to keep the powder in the botton of the case. I load a 450 BPE which is once and a half the size of the 45-70 case and use between 12 and 14 gr of dacron stuffed between powder charge and bullet. You get a little "snow" when fired but it goes bang every time. Bob J
I actually started reloading for the 30-06 in 1977 using what was then DuPont 3031. I used a load of 47 gr and a 150 gr Sierra. It worked OK, but I found better performing powders. I still use some 3031 for the 35 Remington, but even there I've gotten away from it and went to H4895 and AA2520. The IMR powders just don't meter well. I use H-4350 for the 30-06 now.
I had a guy tell me to use it in my 444, but I think it's much too slow for that application. I use H-4198 in the 444. If you still have some, use it. I just wouldn't replace it when it's gone.
I have probably ran about 300rds through a 45070 with fairly stout load of 3031. Never failed to go bang fully and like two fairly nice bulls with it. I'd agree it was the light load, as I used no filler
If God wanted you to walk and carry things on your back, He would not have invented stirrups and pack saddles
Bet you'd find differently with a charge of 50 to 53 grains of 3031, as listed in some really older load manuals, long before the attention of the legal field as a way to make a fast buck at the firearm industry's expense...
"Minus the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the Country" Marion Barry, Mayor of Wash DC
“Owning guns is not a right. If it were a right, it would be in the Constitution.” ~Alexandria Ocasio Cortez
I just stumbled on this thread. I'm using IMR3031 in several .30 cal and 7mm cartridges, some for 20 years. Loads are very accurate and deer die. Don't know or particularly care about FPS or optimal burn rates as I'm too busy vacuum-packing venison. <grin>
My '06 load is 46 grains of IMR3031, CCI200 primer, Hornady 150gr Interlock SP #3031. I also use it in my 308 and 7mm-08, my son's 30/30 and a "loaner" .243. All have consistently shot <1" at 100 yards except the 30/30, which shoots 1 1/2" every time. I don't think either my sons or I have killed a deer in the last 20 years with any other powder.
I found 3031 nearly ideal for near max loads in the 45-70; Elmer Kieth's favorite 53gr. 3031 & 405gr. bullet. Excellent for .308 and 30-30. If it works in your 30-06 then I would use it.
The first time I tried using 3031 it was in a 45-70 cartridge. I started with a light load and took the first three cartridges loaded out to try (about 2 weeks ago). First one went POP. Primer detonated but NOT the powder. I cleared the bore and tried again. POP. SAME RESULT! Only primer - no powder ignition. This is from a case about half full of 3031 (no filler). I pulled the last bullet and dumped the charge. I touched a match to it to test whether I had a bad can of powder (just bought new and sealed). The load burned just like I would expect it to. BUt I am not going to rely on a powder that wont ignite with a standard large rifle primer two out of two tries. I have used hundreds of other primers from this lot and not had a single misfire.
update - apparently a half case of 3031 is not the way to do it in 45-70. But 36 grains behind a 405 grain plain base cast lead bullet makes a nice white tail load, and 46 grains makes a moose killing 45-70 load
Beyond that I have had good results with 3031 in 7.62x39. In fact I just bought more 3031 today.
"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37, verse 4.
"The lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt." Proverbs 12:27
I load a few cartridges where 3031 would be a fine powder, but I like to load straight from a powder measure and 3031 is like little Lincoln Logs. For my applications I like the shorter cut extruded powders like 4895, 4320, Varget, RL15 and N140.
Since the time of that post I have done a bunch of loading with 3031 straight from the powder measure into 308 Winchester cases. I got over worrying about crunchiness through the measure when I got small groups over and over again.
This post reappeared yesterday as I was out at the range with two .308 rifles. I was comparing loads with Varget (I have a little left) and 4064. 5 shot groups were ho-hum, on the order of an inch and a half, adequate for deer hunting this fall.
I had some loads with 3031 that I was going to just practice with off-hand. I decided to try them at the bench with one rifle. 5 shots went into .7 inch, center to center. Hmmm,I thought, I had better try the other rifle. 5 shots went into .8 inches. 3031 just became my powder of choice.
I was at Sportsman's Warehouse yesterday and there were three 8 pound jugs of IMR3031 on the shelf. Probably should have bought one. Paul B.
Our forefathers did not politely protest the British.They did not vote them out of office, nor did they impeach the king,march on the capitol or ask permission for their rights. ----------------They just shot them. MOLON LABE
3031 has always loaded great in the 308 Win. IME too. These days I usually load Varget in it, but 3031 still loads as good as it ever did.
Back when I was a kid, when I was more of a hunter than a shooter, and before we worried so much about bbl twist rates & bullet BCs, I used to load 3031 in my 270 Winchesters under 90gr Sierra HPs for hunting coyotes.
Fast, flat and devastating on those songdogs, Talk about DRT.........
There is nothing wrong with 3031 Powder ! Mike Walker,Head of the Remington custom shop for many years, inventor of the .222 Rem & .222Rem Mag as well as Multi champion Bench Rest Shooter, told me "the accuracy test load for the 22-250 Rem Cartridge was 33 Grains of 3031." I have used it in many cartridges, but the load which I find the most impressive is 53 Grains under a 400 gr Speer Flat point,for well over 2000 fps in my Straight Grip Marlin 45/70 ! That is energy !! Some guys at the Gun club ask to shoot it, but they never want to shoot it twice !
Rich
"Only Accurate Rifles are Interesting" (Colonel Townsend Whelen)
Probably should have bought one.
