Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .30 Picra with .309 | 120gr | LEE Mold C309-120-R bullet and 42 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star, ReloadSwiss RS 14 and Hodgdon TrailBoss.
Important Notice: DO NOT go below Minimum Charge or above Maximum Charge. Since we have no control over the equipment and components used, any responsibility and liability for the results achieved is rejected.
Only powders/loads that match the current filter criteria are displayed: max pressure of a load ≤ 90% of max. standardized pressure, fill rate ≥ 60% and propellant combustion ≥ 80%. Use the sliders above the tables to adjust these thresholds.
Charge: Powder weight in grains. Start with the minimum load and work up carefully.
FR (Fill Rate): Case fill as a percentage. Values above 100% mean compressed loads.
MaxP / %: Maximum chamber pressure in bar and as a percentage of the standardized maximum for this caliber.
V(0): Muzzle velocity in feet per second (fps) at the standardized barrel length.
z (Powder Burn): Estimated propellant combustion percentage at bullet exit.
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Max Load - Barrel Length: 5"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 9*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 34,069 psi | 84% | 1430 fps | 89.6% |
| Accurate Solo 1000² | <<locked>> | 64% | 35,288 psi | 87% | 1220 fps | 100% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 68% | 36,230 psi | 89% | 1280 fps | 100% |
| Accurate TCM*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 34,069 psi | 84% | 1427 fps | 91% |
| ADI AP 100 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,752 psi | 88% | 1407 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 350² | <<locked>> | 64% | 34,606 psi | 85% | 1125 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450² | <<locked>> | 64% | 34,127 psi | 84% | 1145 fps | 100% |
| ADI AS 30² | <<locked>> | 64% | 34,055 psi | 84% | 1178 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 64% | 33,272 psi | 82% | 1230 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BLUE DOT* | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,346 psi | 87% | 1447 fps | 94.4% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 64% | 34,432 psi | 85% | 1224 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,260 psi | 89% | 1342 fps | 100% |
| Alliant POWER PISTOL² | <<locked>> | 64% | 34,127 psi | 84% | 1411 fps | 99.5% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 68% | 35,868 psi | 88% | 1214 fps | 100% |
| Alliant UNIQUE² | <<locked>> | 64% | 33,098 psi | 82% | 1302 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 64% | 34,635 psi | 85% | 1214 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,114 psi | 86% | 1227 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 76% | 36,564 psi | 90% | 1175 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 22,321 psi | 55% | 1007 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D037.2*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 34,679 psi | 85% | 1440 fps | 90% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 68% | 33,562 psi | 83% | 1240 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 2² | <<locked>> | 64% | 33,997 psi | 84% | 1237 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 64% | 33,228 psi | 82% | 1217 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 4² | <<locked>> | 64% | 35,288 psi | 87% | 1224 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 20,639 psi | 51% | 1014 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20² | <<locked>> | 64% | 33,069 psi | 81% | 1289 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 24² | <<locked>> | 68% | 36,724 psi | 90% | 1460 fps | 97.5% |
| Rottweil P 806² | <<locked>> | 68% | 33,417 psi | 82% | 1391 fps | 100% |
| Shooters World Heavy Pistol*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 34,679 psi | 85% | 1440 fps | 90% |
| SNPE Vectan A0² | <<locked>> | 68% | 34,374 psi | 85% | 1289 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan A1² | <<locked>> | 64% | 36,216 psi | 89% | 1263 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA 9² | <<locked>> | 64% | 35,723 psi | 88% | 1280 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2² | <<locked>> | 72% | 34,200 psi | 84% | 1345 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA9 1/2² | <<locked>> | 64% | 35,911 psi | 88% | 1283 fps | 100% |
| Somchem MS200² | <<locked>> | 64% | 33,823 psi | 83% | 1289 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori 3N37² | <<locked>> | 64% | 32,953 psi | 81% | 1335 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori 3N38² | <<locked>> | 76% | 33,054 psi | 81% | 1391 fps | 96.9% |
| Vihtavuori N105 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,824 psi | 86% | 1440 fps | 99.4% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star | <<locked>> | 92% | 35,027 psi | 86% | 1161 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N340² | <<locked>> | 64% | 34,301 psi | 84% | 1296 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N350² | <<locked>> | 72% | 36,492 psi | 90% | 1378 fps | 100% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 68% | 35,259 psi | 87% | 1280 fps | 100% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 5"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 9*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 29,022 psi | 71% | 1339 fps | 86.5% |
| Accurate Solo 1000² | <<locked>> | 60% | 31,401 psi | 77% | 1168 fps | 100% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 60% | 28,601 psi | 70% | 1178 fps | 100% |
| Accurate TCM*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 29,530 psi | 73% | 1345 fps | 88.3% |
| ADI AP 100*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 20,291 psi | 50% | 1122 fps | 94.9% |
| ADI APS 350² | <<locked>> | 60% | 31,415 psi | 77% | 1086 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450² | <<locked>> | 60% | 30,414 psi | 75% | 1096 fps | 100% |
| ADI AS 30² | <<locked>> | 60% | 30,908 psi | 76% | 1135 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 60% | 29,921 psi | 74% | 1184 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BLUE DOT*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 21,654 psi | 53% | 1178 fps | 85.3% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 60% | 31,357 psi | 77% | 1181 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco² | <<locked>> | 60% | 21,393 psi | 53% | 1106 fps | 100% |
| Alliant POWER PISTOL² | <<locked>> | 60% | 30,182 psi | 74% | 1345 fps | 98.7% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 60% | 30,240 psi | 74% | 1142 fps | 100% |
| Alliant UNIQUE² | <<locked>> | 60% | 29,573 psi | 73% | 1250 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 30,792 psi | 76% | 1168 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 20,494 psi | 50% | 1014 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 60% | 25,773 psi | 63% | 1030 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss² | 4 gr | 60% | 9,732 psi | 24% | 741 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D037.2*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 30,081 psi | 74% | 1358 fps | 87.2% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 60% | 27,238 psi | 67% | 1155 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 30,240 psi | 74% | 1188 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 60% | 30,240 psi | 74% | 1175 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 4² | <<locked>> | 60% | 32,140 psi | 79% | 1184 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14² | 4.1 gr | 60% | 9,108 psi | 22% | 741 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20² | <<locked>> | 60% | 28,819 psi | 71% | 1227 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 24*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 27,572 psi | 68% | 1299 fps | 93.5% |
| Rottweil P 806² | <<locked>> | 60% | 24,845 psi | 61% | 1243 fps | 99.4% |
| Shooters World Heavy Pistol*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 30,081 psi | 74% | 1358 fps | 87.2% |
| SNPE Vectan A0² | <<locked>> | 60% | 27,601 psi | 68% | 1194 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan A1² | <<locked>> | 60% | 32,721 psi | 81% | 1220 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA 9² | <<locked>> | 60% | 32,198 psi | 79% | 1234 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 24,192 psi | 60% | 1181 fps | 99.8% |
| SNPE Vectan BA9 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 31,488 psi | 78% | 1224 fps | 100% |
| Somchem MS200² | <<locked>> | 60% | 30,269 psi | 75% | 1240 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori 3N37² | <<locked>> | 60% | 29,051 psi | 72% | 1276 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori 3N38*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 19,725 psi | 49% | 1125 fps | 88.4% |
| Vihtavuori N105*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 17,216 psi | 42% | 1089 fps | 89.1% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star² | 5.5 gr | 60% | 17,419 psi | 43% | 906 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N340² | <<locked>> | 60% | 30,603 psi | 75% | 1247 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N350² | <<locked>> | 60% | 25,193 psi | 62% | 1207 fps | 100% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 60% | 28,195 psi | 69% | 1184 fps | 100% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
* not dangerous but load has suboptimal powder burnt with possible characteristics such as extensive muzzle flash or inaccurate loads.
² fill rate low - you might want to consider using a filler to ensure proper ignition.
ᴾ possible press load - work up slowly to this load while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
This overview compares 42 powders for .30 Picra loaded with the .309 | 120gr | LEE Mold C309-120-R. ReloadSwiss RS 24 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 1,460 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,007 fps to 1,460 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 8 of the 42 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (280 MPa), the top charges use 51–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14 reach 100 % fill or more at maximum charge, so these are compressed loads: they need a long drop tube to seat cleanly and react sensitively to the case capacity of your own brass lot. Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star, ReloadSwiss RS 14, Hodgdon TrailBoss rank at the top here: for .30 Picra with the .309 | 120gr | LEE Mold C309-120-R they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Accurate No. 9, Accurate TCM, Alliant BLUE DOT burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. ADI AP 100, ADI APS 350, ADI APS 450 stay subsonic at start load. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.