Good question but don't have the answer. I experimented with H110 in 44 mag when I started reloading. I got below 18gr with 240gr bullet and wierd things happened. Like POI changed 6" and wierd ignition. Velocity spreads went to over 200fps. That was over a decade ago, and now understand H110 is not a powder to playing with reduced loads cause pressure drops significantly below 15% max. It really depends on the powder to be honest. RL22 likes to be ignited at high pressures, and they say its pressure curve drops off quickly on reduced loads.

And there in, lies the rub. I see no reason for reduced velocities for any reason. This is a hunting forum....I see no utility in fiddling with reduced loads. There are warning notations in every manual I have on reduced loads....what's the point??? regards, Rick.
[quote]ORIGINAL: charlie brown

Like he said, for the persuit of the need to know.

Simple. I do most of my shooting at 100 yards. You don't need to have a bullet flying at 3000 fps to hit things at 100 yards. By the same token, you don't need to burn much powder, and powder is expensive. I can load 4x as many rounds with reduced loads, and there is no recoil to speakof. If I wanted to, I could put 500 rounds through my hunting rifle in one sitting with cast lead bullets, it will about as accurate as with jacketed bullets, will do almost no wear to my rifle, and would cost less than someone else putting 40 rounds of factory loads through their rifle in one sitting. Its also a good way to get wives and kids shooting rifles larger than .22s if they ae afraid of recoil.

If you read a little more, I asked the question just as a want to know basis. What is needed to push bullets down the bore? I do see no point in pushing bullets in absolute minimum velocities, but it is just one of those interesting things that get people to thinking. Its how great things were done in the firearm world, asking questions, finding out what can be done, experimenting to see what happens when certain components are put to certain tests. Its called science, something that interests a lot of people, you obviously don't seem to be one of those. In my other thread, I am asking about reduced loads, NOT absolute minimums.

My reasoning is this. I like to know my rifle, how it shoots, how it handles, how to carry it in the field under certain conditions, see how it points and shoots in certain positions, but I don't want to spend tons of money popping jackrabbits and coyotes. I am talking pushing a cheap bullet in the neighborhood of like 1700 fps or so. I can shoot cheap, and get all the practice in the world in one summer, and not go broke doing it. Also, the lower recoil loads of PROVEN safe loads are easier to shoot and help in getting a feel for the rifle without developing a flinch.

Most of the time depending,on the powder,bullets,ect.You come to the attitude of creating to much pressure with a lower powder charge.It can become dangerous. I love to experiment but doing that would become approaching being dangerous with the pressure problems i mentioned.If you like to shoot neat plinking loads in your 06,try using speer 100gr plinkers.They are the half jacketed bullets for the mi carbine and cheap. vangunsmith

I forgot about those Speer Plinkers, I may try them out too. I just never thought they would be too accurate because they are so light. Thanks for that thought.


P.S. - I hope this post isn't getting people to believe I am just going out, putting powder in a case and seeing what happens. I have yet to do anyload that I could not find in a reloading manual, its just that things interest me, and get me to thinking of what is possible. Thanks for the replies and inputs so far.

About 800-900 FPS will clear most rifle barrels. Lead can get down to the 500 FPS range.

You are missing a lot, IMO and IME. I have found reduced loads handy for many purposes: hunting small game, practice loads (low velocity loads willl definately make you work on your follow thru!), plinking, teaching tools.

Of course there are. All manuals I have also have warnings on overloads. Does this mean I don't load maximum loads? Of course not. I think if you will check your load books, the warnings about reduced loads have to do with reducing slower burning powders below certain levels, which is a BIG no-no. Reduced loads with faster burning powders are perfectly safe, given appropriate bullets and charges.

I think the major factors would be barrel length and bullet weight. a 223 in a 16 inch barrel MIGHT(dont try it to see) clear w/ just a primer(a buddy of mine says most pistols will clear w/ just primers, but do stick sometimes w/ just primers to). while a 338 w/ a 26" barrel would almost certainly NOT clear. I really dont see the use in reduceing loads much below the manuals minimum loads. These are already pretty weak loads, so they should be quite mild.