Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles reduced cast lead loads--25-35 and 32-40

Anyone out there know where a person can find load data for reduced lead bullet loads for the .25-35 and the .32-40? The bullets I have are 85-grain cast rn-no gc (25-35) and 115-grain rn-no gc (32-40). Since they are not gas checked, I need to keep vel to around 1600. I have looked in most of the major manuals for the last 20 to 30 years and there seems to be plenty of data for jacketed bullets but, at least in these two calibers, very little for cast loads. I'll be using them in Savage 99's, win. 94's and contenders. Thanks. Steve95

No personal experience to draw from but I'm thinking an older Lyman book may have what you are looking for.

Cartridges of the World suggests 14 grains of H4198 with 165gr lead bullets in the .32-40, for 1340 fps.

My copy of Ken Waters Pet Loads is hiding somewhere, but I'm betting he'd show some for both cartridges.

Hodgdon has loads online for both cartridges, but they may not be exactly the bullets you want.

My oldest Lyman is #46 and only has one load for the .32-40 and it is a 117g jacketed bullet. I have never seen the .25-35 treated in any Lyman book.

Thanks, Tex. I haven't looked in that ref. but some of the other books I have looked in do have loads for larger lead bullets. Mr. Waters must have had something against the .25-35 because he never says a thing about it in his book or any of the supplements. He does have some loads for the .32-40 but almost all jacketed and begin at 175g. I am thinking of using 25-20 data for the 25-35 and 32-20 data for the 32-40. The problem with this is, I believe, the chance of an overpressure resulting from a severly reduced load. I have looked at Hodgdon's online loads, but there are none for those smaller lead bullets.

Hodgdon has the Trail Boss loads for a 90 grain lead bullet in the .25-35. It is a very bulky powder and designed for reduced loads.

Good Luck!

Thanks. The Trail Boss loads are pretty much the course I've figured to take. Didn't really want to though--I've got around 200 pounds of powder and not a grain of TB--didn't really want to buy more go-flakes.