[John in CA.]

Im new to this powder, and am going to try it in the .308 with 150 gr. Speer psp's.

Thumbing thru the books, I see 3031 is also a listed powder for the .222 , so maybe an added bonus.

Anything I need to know or stay away from with this powder? Any particular characteristics, i.e. preference of primers?

 

[Jim in Idaho]

John, it is really great with the deuce-mag, but probably a bit slow for the deuce, unless you're shooting fairly heavy bullets.

 

[WayneShaw]

I had an XP100 in .223 that loved it. The only down side is it doesn't measure as well as other powders, if you use a measure. If you weigh each, no problem.

 

[John in CA.]

Thanks Jim.

I see the velocity with 40's is not that impressive, but seems to be among the leaders with bullets in the 50-52-55 gr. weight class.

Currently I have no real good 50 or 52 grain load for the Sako 222, but will work one up soon.

--------------

Wayne, I noticed that 308 and the 223 cases tend to like similar powders. Thanks for the info.

 

[30378]

As far as 308s go, IMR-3031 works great with 37gr and 168s or 38gr with 155 match bullets. Not real fast but ragged dot accuarcy. Never saw a 308 that did not shoot those loads really well.

 

[Rocky Raab]

Amen to that. I love the numerical coincidence of IMR3031 and the Hornady #3031 bullet in the .308. That pairing just HAS to be good -- and it is!

In the .30-30, top loads of 3031 are (!) 30 to 31 grains. Much mojo there, too.

(hmmm, in my Savage 340 bolt .30-30, I could load 30-31 grains of 3031 AND use the Hornady #3031. Triple whammy!)

 

[Carl Porter]

Imr-3031

By conventional wisdom 3031 should work better with lighter bullets in the .308/.243 win cases. I was surprised to find out that it works better with 80gr Ballistic Tips than either 4350 or 4831 in my .243 and that 4350 works better with the 70gr BT. I'm using the Fed 210M primer and it seems to be working fine. I have the WLR and CCI 250 magnum primer too. Supposedly the Fed 215 will give more consistent results, less ES and SD but I haven't tried t yet.

 

[Rocky Raab]

Uh huh. IMR3031 is one of those powders that seems to "slide" around the burn rate chart, almost adapting itself to the cartridge/bullet in use. Most charts put it just slightly slower than H322, but in some uses it seems to burn almost as slow as 4895/4064/Varget. Very odd, but also very useful!

I'd say that magnum primers with 3031 would be counterintuitive in my mind. It is neither hard to light nor so densely packing that standard primers would be needed. But that might be yet another surprise that 3031 has in store for me. I use standard primers in my .30-30, .308 and .25-308 with all powders. No complaints.

 

[Hogchaser]

I use it in my 250-3000 with the 75gr V-Max and the accuracy is great.
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[John in CA.]

Some results....

Initial loads show very good velocity in the 308. Only had time to test for speed (2 at ea. level)... but did fire two shots onto paper at 100 yds, and they landed .417" apart. I know that doesnt tell much, but now with the speed question out of the way, we can go forward, and shoot the round-robin.

This is with 150 gr. Speer Spitzer SP. #2023, in a factory 1972 Winchester M70 push-feed 22 1/4" barrel.

1. 42.0gr.= 2704 & 2736
2. 42.5gr.= 2743 & 2769
3. 43.0gr.= 2770 & 2834
4. 44.0gr.= 2866 & 2875
5. 45.0gr.= 3063 & 3132 (1 gr. over listed max load)

No pressure signs, but the primers are starting to show "warm" at 45.0.

The two shots on paper were at the #5 level.

 

[Mike in Fresno]

That looks good John. A friend of mine uses it in his 25-06 and gets high velocities.

 

[Rocky Raab]

John, 3100 fps with a 150-grainer in a .308 scares me. That load has to be seriously, greatly and dangerously overmax. No matter what "pressure signs" you aren't seeing. No loading manual or ballistic lab I've seen gets more than 2800 or just above it with that weight bullet.

 

[John in CA.]

Rocky, I looked at a few sites, and books, most list either 43-44-45 grains as maximum with this bullet. Velocity can vary +or- 5% pretty easily with so many variables.

Today at the range, at 59 degrees, my speeds working in the 42.7 to 44.4 grain zone were more moderate, with velocity in the hi-2700's to around 2840.

I believe Quickload is pretty accurate in calculating pressures, and these loads are below saami max. They are at the upper levels, but are NOT over the advised pressure limits.

I appreciate the concern for safety, however, and it is advice well taken.

 

[Jim n Iowa]

I think IMR 3031 is to fast for the 308. Its almost to fast for the 243. A Imr 4831 would or the equal work a lot better IMHO.
Jim

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Actually, if you fill the case with IMR 4831, with a 150 seated 1 caliber deep, so that you have a 10% compressed load in John's chamber size, you can only reach about 2,500fps. You can't get enough of it in the case to reach the velocities that you get with 3031. 3031 is a very appropriate powder for that cartridge. John's accuracy load, which I suspect will be about 44.1 grains is a modest 6% compressed load, that burns 100% before bullet exit. Both of those characteristics are good for consistent accuracy. It is a load that is very close, or just a tiny bit over, the SAAMI max pressure.`

 

[Rocky Raab]

Jim, you have it bass ackwards. IMR3031 is a titch fast for the .308; acceptable for 150s but getting near too fast for 165s and up.

But it is way, way too fast for the low expansion ratio of the .243, except possibly with the very lightest of bullets, and even then it's dicey.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

I was speaking of the .308, and 150 grain bullets, which is what John is using. For that purpose it is very appropriate. I haven't looked into it for anything else, though Dan Newberry claims it is very good with some bullet weights in the .243.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Furthermore...I think you should use this link to do some reading on the 3031 in the .243. It may be you have it bassackwards! The loads in this chart are the ones Dan says will work well in any rifle with barrel lengths from about 21 to 26" http://home.earthlink.net/~dannewberry/dannewberrysoptimalchargeweightloaddevelopment/id6.html

 

[Rocky Raab]

Thanks, Jim. I did.

His loads are (as I mentioned) for light bullets ONLY in the .243, and are very mild as well. Which seems to reinforce what I said about IMR3031 being too fast for the .243.

Still, I don't own a .243, so I will bow to those who do.

Crisp salute, my friend.

 

[Mike in Fresno]

that was a nice gentlemans arguement, thk you