30-06 blank ammo

Medicine Hat · Post by **Medicine Hat** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 1:10 am

New here. (for posting at least) Been reading for a while though.
I could use some help on loading 30-06 blank ammo. I've been tasked with the care and feeding of our local American Legion ceremonial arms.
Krags, Sprg. '03s, 1917 Enfields, Garands, and even a Trapdoor Springfield. Cleaning years of gunk takes some time, but I need some reload info for blanks. Their current stock is flat faced, card wad, roll crimp. It doesn't feed at all well. I have a star crimp die, but am curious about load, filler?, etc.
Thanks in advance.

Post by **Bullseye** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 11:22 am

Welcome to Guntalk-online!

I wish I had saved an article I wrote many years back on making ceremonial blanks. In any case here's another very good article on making blank cartridges:
http://bobshellsblog.blogspot.com/2008/ ... -ammo.html

The author cites 700X or Red Dot powders as good substitutes for blank powder. Here's a powder burn rate chart to see where these two powder rate in burn speeds. Powder burn rate chart:
http://www.reloadbench.com/burn.html

The government used to make M1909 (30-06) blanks out of SR 4990 powder but that went obsolete many years back. A similar burn rate powder is 700X, which is a large flake pistol powder. The flaked powder is better for use in star crimped blanks and will not be as easily susceptible to leakage. The government's M1909 load data for 4990 was 14.1 grains, this is a good number to center around for use for making your ceremonial blanks with 700X. I expect you'll end up between 12-14 grains of 700X for your DIY salute rounds.

Hope this helps.

R,
Bullseye

Medicine Hat · Post by **Medicine Hat** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 11:50 pm

Thanks Bullseye, That helps.
I've been reloading for a number of years, lots of different calibers for several diciplines, but this is my first time with blanks.
Not sure where you are, but I live in SE Washington State. It's a long way to knowledgeable folk from here. Appreciate your input and time taken to help out.
Threeddog

Post by **Bullseye** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 1:15 am

I sometimes visit out that way, well sort of, when I go to Seattle to visit my daughter. Not much in the SE area of Washington but lots of good folks in the Puget Sound area.

R,
Bullseye

Medicine Hat · Post by **Medicine Hat** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 3:50 am

Thanks again, it helps.
My youngest daughter lives in Maple Falls, WA, way up about 6-7 miles from Canada. I try to not drive in Seattle any more than absolutely necessary. (Better than L.A. though)
Medicine Hat

Post by **Bullseye** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 9:16 am

I have to agree with you there, that Seattle traffic is nuts. Too many transplanted Californians and crazy drivers. At least they've completed most of the highway work on I-5 because that made it even more hazardous.

R,
Bullseye