I was loading some 30-30 that are necked down to 7mm and will be fire-formed in my Contender to 7-30 Waters this weekend. In reading the manual, I made a slight error and used the load for H4895 instead of IMR-4895. According to the Sierra load data you have to get up to 170 grain bullet before the starting charge of IMR-4895 drops under 30 grains. According to the Hornady data, 28.4 is the starting load for H4895 with a 139 grain bullet. I am using the 139 grain Hornady bullet.

I only loaded 20 so pulling them and reloading is not a big deal but I was curious what the result of shooting the 28.4 grain loads would be? It should be more than enough to push the bullet down range and it fills the case over 2/3 so a detonation instead of burn should be highly unlikely. Other than low velocity, what should it do?

EDIT: 30.8 grains of IMR-4895 is the starting load for 140 grain bullet according to the Sierra data.

Really, no one wants to speculate on the internet???

I am 99% set on pulling them and reloading but I am curious because I see the discussions about subsonic rounds and think many of those are below published starting charges. However I am sure starting charges exist for a reason.

I would pull them just to not waste the components.

Have you read here?

http://www.shootersforum.com/handloading-procedures-practices/40679-30-30-7-30-waters.html

I think you will be OK, but fire-forming is yet one more adventure I have yet to try, So,for what it is worth, the recommendations above seem to make sense.

Sage advice from dryflash-3.



It would be interesting to fire one of the IMR4895s at 28.4 gn since you already have it loaded, and compare it to the 19 reloaded to 30.0 or 30.8gn just to see if there is an effect.

QuickLoad 3.5 shows a 10% peak pressure reduction going from H to I at 28.4 gn for the 139 gn FP and Waters 7-30.

I figured Dryflash had to own a Contender...

I went ahead and pulled them all then loaded back to 31 grains. I have to think it would not have been an issue but as I have frequently said, "I am a pilot, not a test pilot."

Just a little update... I loaded them all back to 31 grains of IMR-4895 with the 139 grain Hornady Interlock. They were all seated a bit long at 2.80 - 2.85 OAL (I think. Length from memory). This was just at the lands in this particular barrel.

All the cases formed perfectly. They all went boom and grouped about 1.5 inches at 50 yards with a 4 power scope. My other barrel has 2 loads that will shoot 1 inch at 100 so I will have to try these next.

After firing these 20, I put the 223 barrel on and fired some old loads I had for that specific barrel. 5 rounds in 1/2 inch at 50 yards. That made me smile as I packed-up and left the range.