Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Anybody use much 3031?

I was at Sportsman's in Nampa Id yesterday and perusing the powder shelf, dreaming about finding a jug of H1000 for the 7 STW when I spied 8 lb of IMR 3031 for considerably less cost than any other powder on display.

Now it has been almost 24 hrs, and forgive if I am not accurate here. I think it was less than $200 for 8 lbs. But I do know it was the cheapest powder by far on display.

I used to use 3031 exclusively in my 22-250. (34,3 gr with a 60 gr Hornady SP). And in the '06 when loading for Mom's Rem 742. But I do not have any use for it today.

Perhaps if you need it, it is available in a store in your area.

I use it for .30-30 and .35 Whelen (180 and 200 gr)

I have used it in the past in 303 Brit and 243 and had good accuracy. At the time I thought it was kind of a sleeper powder for 243. Don't hear much about it, but it shot pretty good in whatever rifle I was loading for at the time.

3031 is very good for 150 and 165/168 grain loads in the 308 if you're looking for small groups more than top velocity. If your 308 doesn't do well with 39 to 39.5 grains of 3031 under a 168 grain match bullet then there's a problem and it probably isn't the load. Trying it in over a dozen rifles has me convinced.

I use it in my CZ 527 .223 loads. 25.0 grains with a Remington 7-1/2 primer pushing a 50 gr. Nosler ballistic tip at about 3200 fps. It's a very accurate load and I've used it to kill several hogs and feral mouflon sheep.

My .30-30 LOVES the 3031/170 grain Hornady combo.

I had a preference for 748 until I tried 3031.

If I change the bullets, either weight or brand, groups will open up a little. If I change the powder, groups will open up a little.

Not a lot, but with 3031 and a Hornady 170 FP, the warm-n-fuzzies are there.

30-30 gets 30grs of 3031 and a 170 Hornady

358 win gets 47.5grs 3031 and a 220 Speer - 2437fps

I have used it since the late 70's.

Loaded it first in the 223 then went from there.
250 sav and the 35 Whelen and to many to remember.

Might not have been the fastest or the easiest to get through the measure but it will work in most anything.

7-30 Waters (Contender with 120 grain BTs)
375-284 (270 Horn RN)

Started using a Ken Waters Pet Load in my .35 Whelen that uses IMR 3031 with 200gr. bullets, it yielded exceptionally fine accuracy. Using a Hornady Inter-lok 200gr. RN I took a whitetail buck last season. a raking shot @ 100yds. produced a perfectly mushroomed bullet that retained 66% of its original weight. Needless to say this has become my go to Whelen load for whitetails.

I use it with light for caliber bullets. One that comes to mind is a 75gr Vmax in a 25-06. IIRC got 3600 with very good accuracy

Certainly one of my main usage powders....

I rely a lot on 4064, IMR 4895, RL 15, and 3031 for a lot of my uses....

223 for the last year or so, has been Benchmark...its working well and is $23 a pound at Bi Mart, and continues to be..
right now on sale at $21 a pound... I picked up another 3 lbs the other night...stocking up...

Folks complain about having too much powder... I'm the opposite...

I use 3031 in my 45-70 and 300 Savage. works well. Picked up some powder at Bi-Mart on sale too, Seafire. Kinda the secret place to pick up components here. Good prices.

Benchmark is the jam for all my .223 needs. Fast and accurate!!

I've found IMR3031 to be very versatile. It might not give the top velocity but I always seem to get good results accuracy-wise.

I load it in ,243 with 95 gr BT's, there is no recoil and accuracy is great .

358win