.30 caliber bullets for "plinking"?

[GoBoilers!]

Ok, here's the deal. I have been reloading straight-walled handgun ammo for a few years, and now I want to try some .30 caliber rifle. I have both .308 Win and 30-06 rifles, and I am just getting my feet wet with these. Since I am just learning the trade, I am not interested in high-tech bullets, just some generic bullets - probably 150 grain? I am not a sniper or long range shooter. Eventually I may work up some loads to go deer hunting, but for now I just want to try it out with some "practice" rounds to get to know the reloading part and break in my rifle skills.

Any suggestions on some bullet brands / sources for these practice rounds? I already have brass and dies, powder and primers, but if you have any pet loads that are inexpensive and good for starters, feel free to share you recipe.

Thanks!

 

[jason867]

Find some cheap 147gr fmj pulls at a gun show or something.

 

[BigMoose]

If you just want to mess around with a 308 track down some German 7.62 plastic training round ammo. Cheap to fire.

500 Round Pack - 7.62x51 German Low Recoil Short Range Training Ammo - 10 Grain PLASTIC BULLET | SGAmmo.com

500 Round Pack - 7.62x51 German Short Range Training Ammo - 10 Grain PLASTIC BULLET German military Surplus short range training ammo. This ammo has a plastic bullet and case and fires a 10 grain bullet at a high velocity. The bullet as an accurate range of about 150 yards.

www.sgammo.com

 

[42769vette]

Hard to beat hornady eld bullets for the price to performance ratio

 

[edwea]

Pulls from a reputable source could be found for cheap and would be good for plinking. American Reloading comes to mind. In case you're thinking about the factory seconds or blems that are offered on some reloading sites, proceed with caution. I have purchased factory seconds from many of the online retailers with good results but have also found some bullets larger than bore diameter by up to .005". I only discovered this when the round wouldn't chamber. I went back and micced the remaining rounds from that batch and discovered around 12 or 15 that were too large in diameter to chamber. The pulls have never given me the same problem.

 

[JTKelly]

Get a 30 cal bullet mold.

 

[DadSmith]

Ok, here's the deal. I have been reloading straight-walled handgun ammo for a few years, and now I want to try some .30 caliber rifle. I have both .308 Win and 30-06 rifles, and I am just getting my feet wet with these. Since I am just learning the trade, I am not interested in high-tech bullets, just some generic bullets - probably 150 grain? I am not a sniper or long range shooter. Eventually I may work up some loads to go deer hunting, but for now I just want to try it out with some "practice" rounds to get to know the reloading part and break in my rifle skills.

Any suggestions on some bullet brands / sources for these practice rounds? I already have brass and dies, powder and primers, but if you have any pet loads that are inexpensive and good for starters, feel free to share you recipe.

Thanks!

308 147gr M80 FMJ BLEMS - 500ct - American Reloading

Blemished Projectiles - Magnetic jacket - May contain: Mixed Lots, Discolored Finish and/or Minor Deformities *Any specific blemishes will be noted and pictured

americanreloading.com

$63 for 500 shipped

 

[Hawkeye7br]

Not trying to hijack this thread...does a bulk bullet in 30 cal with a steel core shoot as well as a lead core? Is there more barrel wear than with a lead core? Thanks in advance.

 

[jason867]

Not trying to hijack this thread...does a bulk bullet in 30 cal with a steel core shoot as well as a lead core? Is there more barrel wear than with a lead core? Thanks in advance.

you probably won't see a difference.

Barrel wear shouldn't be an issue.

Just dont get .310" or larger projectiles meant for aks/sks'/mosins and such.

 

[Creedmoor]

Pulls from a reputable source could be found for cheap and would be good for plinking. American Reloading comes to mind. In case you're thinking about the factory seconds or blems that are offered on some reloading sites, proceed with caution. I have purchased factory seconds from many of the online retailers with good results but have also found some bullets larger than bore diameter by up to .005". I only discovered this when the round wouldn't chamber. I went back and micced the remaining rounds from that batch and discovered around 12 or 15 that were too large in diameter to chamber. The pulls have never given me the same problem.

American Reloading tends to use the word "Mixed Lots" in most of the specs of the pulls they have for sale.

 

[DadSmith]

If you just want to mess around with a 308 track down some German 7.62 plastic training round ammo. Cheap to fire.

500 Round Pack - 7.62x51 German Low Recoil Short Range Training Ammo - 10 Grain PLASTIC BULLET | SGAmmo.com

500 Round Pack - 7.62x51 German Short Range Training Ammo - 10 Grain PLASTIC BULLET German military Surplus short range training ammo. This ammo has a plastic bullet and case and fires a 10 grain bullet at a high velocity. The bullet as an accurate range of about 150 yards.

www.sgammo.com

Says it's still deadly. I wonder if a coyote would think that or just get a bruise.
I'd like to get some just to test for velocity, and get a 1x4 to see if it would actually penetrate it.

 

[natdscott]

Hard to beat hornady eld bullets for the price to performance ratio

I gotta say, I like you brother, but I chuckled on this one.. .

Almost nothing in those red boxes is for "plinking" by the common person's definition.

And this is spoken by a guy who kinda looks down his nose at many Hornady products, when it comes to precision use, until they can prove their worth. (Hornady: One free miss in every box!)

But plonking at cans is for gun show pulls, 147 machine gun ammo, "copper washed" bullets, casting, and name brand "seconds", for when you might need to bet a Fiver on something.

 

[led4thehed2]

I really like Hornady item #3037. It's a .308 bullet, 150 grains, FMJ-BT. I use it in my old CMP surplus rifles with 47.4 grains of IMR 4064 for ~2700 fps. The load is much more accurate than I am at 100 yards.

Pulls, seconds, etc. can be had for less, so I guess it depends on how much you're looking to spend. Those Hornady bullets were ~20 cents a piece when bought online in bulk. They will be a bit more than that presently, but waiting for a sale could probably get you close to that price. Maybe 23 cents.

 

[jason867]

Says it's still deadly. I wonder if a coyote would think that or just get a bruise.
I'd like to get some just to test for velocity, and get a 1x4 to see if it would actually penetrate it.

They are deadly, within range. I remember hearing they'll punch clean through a sheet of plywood.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Get a 30 cal bullet mold.

And the gas check swaging tool. I use my cast all the time for casual shooting of .308 and 300blk.

 

[42769vette]

I gotta say, I like you brother, but I chuckled on this one.. .

Almost nothing in those red boxes is for "plinking" by the common person's definition.

And this is spoken by a guy who kinda looks down his nose at many Hornady products, when it comes to precision use, until they can prove their worth. (Hornady: One free miss in every box!)

But plonking at cans is for gun show pulls, 147 machine gun ammo, "copper washed" bullets, casting, and name brand "seconds", for when you might need to bet a Fiver on something.

Its cheaper in the long run because you don't have to develop 5 different loads, and re zero for 5 different purposes, and re zero each time

Plinking, your paying an extra 20 cents per round, but but anything else, you take the ammo you already have loaded, and go to work.

In my mind, not re zeroing, and spending more time reloading, having ? different loads I have to keep inventory on, etc is saving me money.

 

[BigMoose]

Says it's still deadly. I wonder if a coyote would think that or just get a bruise.
I'd like to get some just to test for velocity, and get a 1x4 to see if it would actually penetrate it.

Its like 10 grains of plastic at 4000/4500+ fps. Looses energy quick. Good for close fun plinking. and FIREBALLS... the ammo makes good fireballs out of a 24 inch barrel.

If you have a G3/91 or clone there is a special bolt for this ammo that allows it to cycle.

 

[DadSmith]

Its like 10 grains of plastic at 4000/4500+ fps. Looses energy quick. Good for close fun plinking. and FIREBALLS... the ammo makes good fireballs out of a 24 inch barrel.

If you have a G3/91 or clone there is a special bolt for this ammo that allows it to cycle.

I would use it in my bolt action rifle. I didn't think they had that much velocity.

 

[BigMoose]

I would use it in my bolt action rifle. I didn't think they had that much velocity.

 

[two70]

They are deadly, within range. I remember hearing they'll punch clean through a sheet of plywood.