Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Bullet change out

I have a bunch of Perfecta ammo in 308 win that came with a147 gr fmj bullet. Is there a problem pulling those and replacing with the Speer 130 gr flatnose intended for the 30-30? I would want to also reload it with the same powder minus 2 or 3 gr less to lower the velocity. This would be for my smaller framed grandson in a Ruger American rifle.

Do your grandson a favor and buy some ready made reduced .30-30 loads. Both Remington and Hornady manufacture reduced recoil ammo. The bullets and powder are balanced for better performance.

In theory you can do what you want to do, but the results will probably be less than satisfactory because the powder and charge will be balanced for full power 150gr loads. My youngest daughter shot her first deer with a 150gr bullet over a reduced charge of H4895, a powder well suited for reduced loads.

Shoot the ammo, then reload with your bullet of choice and real data, not redneck hope-and-pray guestimate data. You have no idea what that powder is, and while the medium burners commonly used in .308 ammo might not be dangerous when reduced, there's a good chance the results won't be satifactory.

Or, just spring for a couple boxes of the low-recoil stuff. It's your grandson; give him a break.

Personally, I think it's a bad idea to switch bullets and monkey around with powder charges in any load. Especially one your grandson is going to shoot. If you're going to reload for him, do it right. Start with a starting load from a manual and work up to a safe load. That way you will know for sure what is in it and you can record the results and repeat it later. Grandkids are too precious to do it any other way.

I have a couple lbs h4895. Looked at my Hornady manual and it shows a starting load of 37.2 for around 2300. I have 2 boxes of 150 gr interlocks so surely can get a load worked up. Thanks

Excellent choices. Good luck to you and the boy. My grandson's still got a couple years to go.

Pappy, I make a point to always read your posts. They remind me of my grandpa. Thanks for being on the fire keeping good memories alive.

I'd have no problem doing it. A few years back we did the same for Bart's boy out at the ranch. We pull 100gr bullets from 6mm factory ammo and seated some 85gr Barnes bullets with the factory powder charge still in place.

The lad flamed a nice 8 point a day or so later with the loads.

Thanks, I think. Reminding someone with grandchildren of their grandpa is probably a danger sign of some sort!😱

Ya, not a good idea. Use them for practice and then reload em.

It's the way you write. Reminds me how grandpa used to talk. Chances are I'm older than you.😉

Well, I'm exactly 50 years younger, to the day, than Jack O'Connor, if that's any clue.

I'd just pick up a bag of new 308 brass, and keep the fmj for a SHTF event . There was someone selling new IMI match brass here on the campfire for a very reasonable price. Also the sierra 125gr sp, or the Nosler 125gr bt would be my choice for reduced recoil .308 deer load . Both will kill deer just fine at normal speeds, so finding a load the rifle likes down in the 2600- 2700 fps range would get the job done and be easier on the shoulder than a 150gr bullet would. I've shot my .308 a bunch this yr with 125's,130's and 150's and 155's. You can really notice the difference between the two weights at the bench. The 150's recoil starts " biting " your shoulder much faster than the lighter balls. My .02

I have frequently pulled a bullet from Factory ammo, uniform the charge in all of them ( one at a time)..
and seated a more desireable bullet, the same weight or lighter...

never an issue...

the powder I uniform them from is out of a box of 20, one is sacrificed for the powder to make the other
19 the same charge...

do it for guys more than kids...

if you want to just reload the brass or new brass...

for kids, 25 to 30 grains of 4198, or Rl 7

Go with the H4895, it's made for reduced loads. You can go 60% of max. Started granddaughter off like that. She was killing deer and pigs at 10. She didn't weigh 80 lbs then. Increased ten per cent each year. She shoots full power 6.5 Creedmoor loads now at 14. She probably weighs a 100 lbs now.

The 60% load would punch right through a deer. We were using a 90 gr ballistic tip.

Might be an opportunity to introduce the young lad to the fun of reloading. I wish I had started before I was in my 40's.

I agree with how this thread has gone. I don't like using mystery powder, especially when a kid is going to be putting his face near the receiver.

I raised 2 boys into fine deer hunters with H4895 and reduced loads. Their steps were as follows

Mooseboy:

3 years with a Marlin 30-30 and gradually working up from a 70% of MAX load and 150 grain bullets
5 years with an M1 Garand and working up from an 80% of MAX load and 150 grainers
He's in his mid 20's and shoots a WIN 70 in 30-06 and a 95% of MAX load with 150 grainers

Angus
2 years with the Marin 30-30 and 95% of MAX loads and 150 grainers
7 years with a Savage 110 in 30-06 with lots of extra weight added to the stock to reduce recoil. 95% of MAX loads and 150 Grainers
He's 19 and shoots a WIN 70 in 30-06 and 95% of MAX loads with 150 grainers.