Gentlemen,

I'm looking for a low velocity gallery load for my 7X57mm mauser that I keep behind the seat of my truck while running my trap lines. I have a supply of lead bullets from my Lyman mold, I think the weight is 168 grains, they are cast from fairly soft range scrap and lubed with Lee liquid alox. I assume I should use a fairly fast pistol powder? Maybe bullseye? What about Unique? Just looking for a very mild load for dispatching animals up close as well as shooting the occasional rabbitt, squirrel etc. As a bonus if I could get a 25 +/- yard zero with the same scope setting as my 150gr Balistic tip loads, that'd be great. Any ideas where to start??

SSB

Out of print for a good 17 years, the RCBS Cast Bullet Manual was unique in that it kept most all if it's cast bullet loads under 2000fps; many loads listed at the 1200 - 1600fps area. I rely on this book when I want gallery ammo.

RCBS also seemed to rely on faster pistols powders in small charges for much of their data...and I can testify that the loads listed work.

If you have Unique on hand, can try 13gr. for about 1540fps to 15gr. for about 1660fps.

IF you've got Red Dot on hand, can try 10gr. for about 1350fps to 12.5gr. for about 1520fps. With Red Dot, I've gone as low as 7gr. with good accuracy (and .22LR match load type speeds).

Bullseye isn't listed, but as it's burn rate is about even with Red Dot, could use the starting data. TRuthfully, Bullseye is a compact powder (hihg density) that takes up little volujme in the case, so it's more position sensitive than Red Dot (which is a lower densiity powder...fluffy if you like..and takes up more case voulum for a given weight).

*** for the zero...who knows? With a 4-plex scop, I try to fiond one that hits to the tip of the THICK part of the cross ahir at a reasonable range, and use that as my gallery sight in.
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Makes me miss an old 1920's BSA 30-06. Detachable scope mounts, Lyman apature stored in a trap dopor but plate. Kept the apature sighted in for a lead bullet gallery load, the scope sighted in for full poower jacketed loads...if the gun bug hand't bit me, probably could have hunted with that rifle for the rest of my life.

WOW, I didn't relise that the the RCBS Cast Bullet Manual has been Out of print for a good 17 years, I just got a brand new one on Ebay a few months back for I think it was around $6.00 to $8.00 including shipping.
The guy had a whole lot of them up for sale.

Michael Grace

WOW, I didn't relise that the the RCBS Cast Bullet Manual has been Out of print for a good 17 years, I just got a brand new one on Ebay a few months back for I think it was around $6.00 to $8.00 including shipping.
The guy had a whole lot of them up for sale.

Michael Grace

Can usually find a lot of older manuals by searching the "bookfinder" site...lots of older manuals for sale (including some of the 1950's Lymans)...but the RCBS manual is new enough that I've used ther loads with no ill effects.

Probably the RCB manual didn't sell well for two reasons: 1. It only lists RCBS molds (which are good, but not the biggest seller) 2. It limited top velocity to about 2100fps.

The data has worked so well for me that it's still the "go to book" for gallery loads.