IMR 4895 and 155 A Max Bullets

[musketjon]

Good evening everyone.
I tried the search function but didn't find exactly what I was seeking so please forgive me if this has been asked and answered before. I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to all things computer related.
I want to use IMR 4895 and Hornady 155 A Max bullets--only because I load them for my M1 rifles and have a plethora of both on hand. My Lyman 47th edition only gives 30-40 loads for the Ruger No. 3 rifle. OK, so the BIG question is: What are the minimum and maximum loads for the 30-40 Krag using IMR 4895 and 155 grain A Max bullets?
Thanks to all for your assistance in this crucial matter.
Respectfully,
Jon "musketjon" Turner
By the way, the rifle in question is an unmolested 1898 U.S. Krag rifle.
Thanks
jt

[E Scott]

IMR lists 36 grains as max with a 150 grain bullet and Hornady lists the 150 spire point and the 155 A-MAX data as interchangeable.

[Kerz]

Jon
The Hornady Edition 9 manual does list 150-155 bullets for 30-40 but not 4895 powder. They used a Model 1896 surprisingly enough.
Just FYI 3031 @ 34.0 2200 FPS - 36.4 grs @ 2400 FPS. 4064 37.8 grs @ 2300 FPS - 41.2 @ 2500 FPS

Vic

[musketjon]

Thank you, Sirs.
Jon

[KWK]

With the 48th edition, Lyman is using a SAAMI pressure barrel. For the 150 gn Sierra SBT they start with 39.0 gn of 4895 for 2265 fps from 24" and end with 43.5 gn at 2609 fps.

IMR's brown book (much older data) has a "Speer 150 gn Spitzer" over a max of 36.0 gn of 4895 for 2435 fps from a 25.5" barrel.

Both used 3.00" COL.

With such a discrepancy in load data, one will want to start at the lower end. The Powley Computer reckons the Lyman data is typical in the general sense, but don't bank on this.

I'd start at 35 and watch the chronograph. Using the Powley computer to extrapolate Lyman's 24" barrel data to 30", you should be around 2340 with their starting loads and 2700 with the full loads. With my 30" rolling block, I wouldn't go beyond 2400 fps. For what it's worth, Lyman's starting load for 4895 for the 180 gn spitzer was nearly spot on for me, after using the Powley to correct for barrel length.

[madsenshooter]

Nosler has some data for 4895 with 150s and 155s, developed in a 30" barrel. https://load-data.nosler.com/load-data/30-40-krag/

[KWK]

Nosler gives no pressure data, but their charge and velocity numbers for 150 and 180 gn line up well with the starting loads in Lyman's pressure barrel, so I'll assume they are staying under 32,000 psi, a reasonable approach. However, their 200 gn data looks much hotter, too hot for me.

[psteinmayer]

FWIW, I have the Lyman 49th Edition, as well as the Hornady 3rd, 9th and 10th Editions. I found that most of Lyman's data is generally on line with others... but I have found major discrepancies too! I use the Lyman for my cast bullet data, but for my standard 30-40, 30-06, 7.7x58, and most others, I stick with the Hornady.

Now there was a case recently when a gun (not a Krag) was destroyed and the shooter used Lyman data which turned out to be erroneous. I bounced the data reported against my manuals and found the same error in my Lyman manual too! (I can remember the specifics, but I seem to recall it was in a Garand, and the load published was way to high a charge... almost as if the numbers were reversed). Ever since, I use Lyman data very cautiously and consider the Hornady 9th and 10th my loading bibles!

[madsenshooter]

Data developed in the rifles would be subject to the variables present in the rifles, bore and groove diameter in particular. My .301/.310 barreled rifle isn't going to produce exactly the same pressure and velocity as my .299/.308 barreled rifle when using .308 bullets. We have no way of knowing the condition of the barrel on the 1898 that Nosler used to develop their data. Start low, work up! Also bear in mind that today's IMR powders are not produced in the same plants that they used to be, when considering older data.

[KWK]

Ever since, I use Lyman data very cautiously and consider the Hornady 9th and 10th my loading bibles!

Thanks for the recommendation; I'll look for a Hornady some place to thumb through.

I've always preferred data with pressure numbers, which suggests they were using something better than guess and by golly, so I use Hodgdon and Lyman most of the time (no such data for the Krag in the Hodgdon). I usually use QuickLoad and Powley as a sanity check on the pressure / velocity relationship,but neither will predict charge weights reliably.

Karl