30BR 11.25 twist load help

J

Jet

New member
Looking for a little help on working up some loads for a 30BR with a 11.25 twist 25" barrel. Chamber is cut with to much free bore for the 125gr custom bullets so I need to load up Sierra 155 HPBT or longer/heavier bullets.

I'm thinking Varget or RL15 have an acceptable burn rate with this twist and weight. Anyone here have a rifle configured this way?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Jet
 
If you are serious to take help for 30BR 11.25 twist load then you may o to search on Amazon, OLX and eBay.
 
Jet said:
Looking for a little help on working up some loads for a 30BR with a 11.25 twist 25" barrel. Chamber is cut with to much free bore for the 125gr custom bullets so I need to load up Sierra 155 HPBT or longer / heavier bullets. I'm thinking Varget or RL15 have an acceptable burn rate with this twist and weight. Anyone here have a rifle configured this way? Thanks in advance for the help. Jet
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If you're going to shoot the 30BR why not get the most out of it? Configure it properly with a new barrel with the correct twist, freebore, barrel length, powder, and custom bullets. Here's everything you need to know about the caliber: http://www.accurateshooter.com/cartridge-guides/30br/ Do it right and you'll enjoy the results a lot more. :)
 
Abintx

When I purchased the rifle (online purchase) I thought I was getting what you recommend. It was advertised as an 18 twist barrel. Turns out it isn't. I am working with the seller to correct the problem and am confident he will do the right thing. In the mean time I want to see how this thing shoots and was looking for help.

I will likely put a 17 or 18 twist 30BR barrel on it and have it cut with a Robinette reamer.

Jet
 
I doubt you are going to find anyone who has gone there with the 30BR. Great little cartridge and I am a fan of this round. However I think you will find it very challenged trying to shoot it with that heavy of a bullet and its small powder capacity. Your best bet if you are going to do this is develop the heavies on your own, just not going to be much advice for this relatively unchartered ground with this cartridge. Let us know how that worked for you...

Roland
 
Hombre0321 said:
I doubt you are going to find anyone who has gone there with the 30BR.
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Well stated Roland, it is just not a standard configuration

i think I have 8 or 10 30 BR barrels all 17 to 19 twist. Still if I had the rifle in question I would try something like 125 tnt's with around 34.5 gr H4198, if it won't shoot that it won't shoot !
 
What you reallyhave is a 308 X 1.5 inch. Very close. assra shoots that with a 150 and up with cast bullets.
as for the twist we have been playing for a while and haveing fun. my friend Don shoots a 30 Br with a 12 twist{pretty close}
he has been shooting bullets from 130 to 135 gr with 34.5 gr of H 4198 . lit up with a fed or wolf small rifle mag primer.
iT shoots dots at 100 yds and not too shabby at 200 either. try the Sierra 135 mtch bullet
 
Gerry,

GerryM said:
What you reallyhave is a 308 X 1.5 inch. Very close. assra shoots that with a 150 and up with cast bullets.
as for the twist we have been playing for a while and haveing fun. my friend Don shoots a 30 Br with a 12 twist{pretty close}
he has been shooting bullets from 130 to 135 gr with 34.5 gr of H 4198 . lit up with a fed or wolf small rifle mag primer.
iT shoots dots at 100 yds and not too shabby at 200 either. try the Sierra 135 mtch bullet
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you are assuming that the cast bullet paradigm will transfer to the jacketed one. Damn little similarity when it comes to the Benchrest game. They are both too specialized these days. As was well stated above, chuck out the 11.25 twist barrel and get a properly chambered 17 or 18 twist barrel.
 
nd I'm shooting a 16 and it shoots really well 1oos at times and very consistant, also my very good friend is shooting a 12 twist both are shot with my bullets ranging from 125 to 135 gr weight on a Sierra match jacket.
don't assume a 12 won't shoot very very well. One member of our club is shooting a 14 twist also and he won several small groups and an agg in our winter league.
groups consistant in the 100s and 200s are had very very often. a small group in the zers was also shot with the 14 twist.

velocity with the 130 gr were 3100 plus and shooting small groups in both the 12 twist and the 16 twist. My fiend don also has shot 135 gr bullets that i made in his 12 with very very good results at 200 yds and groups at 100 that are equal to the gnroups shot with the 125 qand 130 bullets. the cast bullet loads that i mentioned are some what brisk at times and with heavy bullets.
They shoot upwards to 2800 +fps and by the way with one favorite powder H 4198, they have come a long way.
I know you fellows like the 18 twist and some even a 20 in the south but it doesn't really work well in some temperature sensative areas.
Believe me we are finding some things out that just are different.
If your afraid to try something new you won't learn very much, it's not always money see monkey do or follow the heard.
Try the sierras 125 and135 gr bullets with 33.5 to 34.5 grs of H 4198
 
Jet said:
Abintx

When I purchased the rifle (online purchase) I thought I was getting what you recommend. It was advertised as an 18 twist barrel. Turns out it isn't. I am working with the seller to correct the problem and am confident he will do the right thing. In the mean time I want to see how this thing shoots and was looking for help.

I will likely put a 17 or 18 twist 30BR barrel on it and have it cut with a Robinette reamer.

Jet
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good plan. Don't be shy to give Randy [Robinett] a call once in awhile. He's always willing to help. You'll be doing a lot more listening than talking, so just be patient between questions. :D
 
Thanks all. I will try heavier bullets with H4198 and will pass on the results. If that doesn't work, I'll rebarrel it.

Jet
 
Jet, don't be afraid to try the 117-125's in that barrel. I know of several instances where 'conventional' 30BR's (ie: 17-18 twist and freebore from '0' to .025-ish) have shot small groups when the bullets were really 'jumped'...like in the .040+ range.

I'd grab some 125 TNT's, seat 'em so that the base of the bullet is about 1/3 down the neck, use .003-.004 neck tension, put 33.0 of H4198 in and start tuning it with the powder charge by going up in .5 gr. increments. You might be surprised. :)

Good shootin'. -Al
 
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Al

In this rifle, 118gr .925 8 ogive bullets have a .2 jump to get to the lands when seated just inside the case mouth. Yes you read that correctly, .2 A fellow forum member sent me some Sierra 125 FB that may work. They have a .010 jump. I'll give them a try this weeked if time permits and report back.

Jet
 
Sierra load table

Here is a copy of the Sierra load table for the 30BR. They used a 1:10 twist for their load development and used up to the 168SMK. My favorite part is the comment at the bottom of the introduction, "The 30 BR is a good example of a cartridge in search of a niche. There are virtually no tasks it can perform better than a number of existing factory cartridges." I think they missed that one....

Hope it helps. Luck, Tim
 

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Thanks Tim. I shot up the 125FBs another forum member sent me and I couldn't get consistant grouping due to the long throat. Sie 175 HPBTs couldn't get within .1 of the lands. Had local gunsmith (Steve Kostanich) remove barrel. Previous owner is buying the barrel back. I ordered and received a 1:18 Krieger and will have that cut with a Robinette Reamer.

Thanks all for your help on this.

Jet
 
I gotta ask a question on the 1-18 twist barrels. Last year I bought a used Borden with a Hart 1-18 barrel. It came with dies and was set up for use with GerryM's custom 115 g bullets. Using 35.0 g of H4198 it shoots dots. Problem is that Gerry is no longer making 115g bullets and with all the shortages it is hard if not impossible to find any one who has 30 cal bullets for sale. Up to what bullet weight will a 1-18 shoot? Gerry is telling me that I should have never bought a 30BR with that slow a twist, yet everything that I have read says that is one of the better twist rates to get.

Ed
 
ehkempf said:
I gotta ask a question on the 1-18 twist barrels. Last year I bought a used Borden with a Hart 1-18 barrel. It came with dies and was set up for use with GerryM's custom 115 g bullets. Using 35.0 g of H4198 it shoots dots. Problem is that Gerry is no longer making 115g bullets and with all the shortages it is hard if not impossible to find any one who has 30 cal bullets for sale. Up to what bullet weight will a 1-18 shoot? Gerry is telling me that I should have never bought a 30BR with that slow a twist, yet everything that I have read says that is one of the better twist rates to get.

Ed
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Weight is a factor, but the biggest factor is the length of the bullet. The 118-10ogive BIBs are right on the edge for an 18-twist. They measure about 1.010 inches long in finsihed form.

I'd say anything made on the J-4 .925 jacket would be good. Believe that includes Cheek & I'm sure others I don't know about. R.G. Robinett isn't making any more .30s until he catches up on orders.

You might repost as a separate topic & get more replies...
 
I -slightly - diaagree . . .

Charles E said:
Weight is a factor, but the biggest factor is the length of the bullet. The 118-10ogive BIBs are right on the edge for an 18-twist. They measure about 1.010 inches long in finsihed form.

I'd say anything made on the J-4 .925 jacket would be good. Believe that includes Cheek & I'm sure others I don't know about. R.G. Robinett isn't making any more .30s until he catches up on orders.

You might repost as a separate topic & get more replies...
Click to expand...

"I gotta ask a question on the 1-18 twist barrels. Last year I bought a used Borden with a Hart 1-18 barrel. It came with dies and was set up for use with GerryM's custom 115 g bullets. Using 35.0 g of H4198 it shoots dots. Problem is that Gerry is no longer making 115g bullets and with all the shortages it is hard if not impossible to find any one who has 30 cal bullets for sale. Up to what bullet weight will a 1-18 shoot? Gerry is telling me that I should have never bought a 30BR with that slow a twist, yet everything that I have read says that is one of the better twist rates to get."
Ed

The issue with the Hart (1:18") barrels is that they are closer to 1:18.5, which in COLD weather, can result in Sg issues. Since 1997, with one exception (a Kostyshyn 1:17"), I have used 1:18" twist barrels (mostly PacNor 5-groove barrels), on both Hunter Class rigs, and VfS rifles, with very favorable results: the 18" twist is fine for bullets of up to 1.050" long. That is, with a FB bullet, of that length, and Std conditions, the 1:18" twist, and 3000 FPS should produce Sg of 1.4. Being of somewhat slower twist, the Hart barrels are better suited to bullets based on the .925" length - for these bullets, a twist as slow as 1:20" produces 1.4 Sg. The "ideal" tywist rate for the .925" based bullets would be 1:19" (1,5 Sg), therefore, any thing faster is more than adequate. Regarding weight, Charles is correct - it's [mostly] just along for the ride.

With the .925" jacketed bullets, at 3000 FPS, and Std. conditions, the 1:17" twist produces 1.9 Sg - hypothetically, the most you'd want for precision work. The current jacket/bullet issues have nothing to do with caliber and/or twist rates, so Gerry's admonishment is off the mark. :eek:;) By the way, a 1:17" twist rate, with a FB bullets of up to 1.10" long, is pefectly adequate, producing 1.4 Sg.

Keep 'em ON the X! RG
 
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30br 11.25 twist

FWIW The 18 have a problem shooting in the colder temps here in Central NY. I know that some people have even tried 20 inch twist barrels with good results down south
The bullets I made Ed were on the .925 jacket which is very scarce these days. The current jacket I use are 1.020 match and work out pretty well with 17 and 16 inch twist rates.
Thanks on the insight to Hart 18 twist barrels I'll have to ask Jack Sutton about that . I gave one away because , when the temperatures dropped to fall weather here,
the rifle would not shoot even with the .925 jackets.. I believe that the 18 is marginal as stability, it locks you in to a specific weight,
In my earlier post I wrote about different twist rates that we used and different bullet weights. 5 shot groups in the low 100.s are nothing to sneer at.
 
I would of course defer to Randy on what jacket lengths work.

You guys really have to get off this notion that weight is the key. I'd bet, given sufficient inducement, R.G. could make some 115s that would not stabilize in your barrel, and some 120s that would, just by using different length jackets.

He might even be able to go further. I know (or think I know) you do need the lead all the way up to where the ogive begins & maybe a bit more. But from there on, with good jackets, you can go a long way farther and still have an excellent (& heavy) bullet.

IIRC, R.G..made up some 73+ grain 6mms on the .825 jacket, usually those are made into a 66 to 68 grain weight. If I remember the story aright, Randy's customer was so happy with these heavies he ordered 10,000 more...

BTW, I'm shooting 118-10s in a .30-PPC. It is a 17-twist (long story), but I'm liking that .30 PPC more each day.
 
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