[Old Grumpy]

I'm looking for some good starting loads for the .30-30 Winchester. I reload a lot of handgun rounds and a very few selected rifle rounds. I want to load up some "range loads" for my Winchester Model 94 in .30-30 Winchester.

Most of my pistol loads use cast bullets and I'd like to use cast bullets in the .30-30 if possible. That being said I don't enjoy scrubbing tons of lead from my barrels. So if i need to shoot jacketed bullets I'll use them.

What are some good powders to use in the .30-30? :confused:

What are some nice accurate cast bullets that work great in the .30-30? :confused:

Does anyone have any pet loads they'd like to pass along? :)

Please remember I'm not trying to win the nationals nor will I be going after any grizzlies, just paper targets.

[Badlander]

I'm loading 170gr hornady jfp with 31.7gr IMR4895. Shoots great in All 3 of my 30-30Marlins. I found one load that works well in mutiple rifles and am sticking with it!

[rcmodel]

Buy a Lyman # 49 reloading manual and have at it.
http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/217655/lyman-reloading-handbook-49th-edition-reloading-manual-softcover

Best source of cast bullet loads for any caliber to be had, anywhere.
Other then the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook.
http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/796528/lyman-cast-bullet-handbook-3rd-edition-book

If you plan to shoot lead bullets in anything, you need to buy one, or the other, or both.

If you don't cast your own?
I'd start looking for bullets here:
http://www.missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=102&category=6&secondary=&keywords=

rc

[Old Grumpy]

rcmodel, I've all ready got Lyman's 49th and I've got their cast guide on order. I've heard the .30-30 is a fairly simple round to load but I thought I'd ask for the opinions of those who have loaded for it.

Lyman's 49th lists loads for both Unique and 2400. I've used both of them in my pistol reloads but I have no idea if they work that great in the rifle, not every powder listed always works the best.

[rule303]

I have been loading 170gr .309 cast gaschecked roundnose from red river bullets, over 7gr of Trailboss. Very accurate, no recoil, and very clean shooting.

[popper]

Check http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/index.php?topic=43865.0. Yes it's Marlin, but same rules apply for CB.

[GooseGestapo]

Try a Sierra 150gr RN over 36.0gr of RL15. This is my "go to" load for the .30/30. 34.0 with a 170gr bullet. I prefer the Remington Corlokts but the Sierra's are now less expensive and more consistently accurate. The Hornady's are good too. I've had poor experience with the Speer's being too hard for the .30/30 velocities. (ditto the Sierra 170 also) but they are good if your deer are on the larger end of 200lbs.

Another excellent "classic" load for the .30/30 is 30.0gr of IMR3031 and a 150gr bullet. Again I recommed the Remington for smaller deer.

To duplicate the Winchester factory load, use 36.0gr of Win748(same as Hod.BLC2). This gets 2,275fps from my 20"bbl. I pulled down a round of Win.150gr Open Point (Hollow Point) and the charge was 35.7gr of a powder that looks identical to Win748. I'm told that Winchester uses a non-cannister version of Win748 for the .30/30.

Primers aren't critical. I use either Fed210 or Winchester Large Rifle (non-magnum) interchangeably.

Do segregate your brass by mfg., and trim them before initial reloading. They vary greatly in length between mfg and lot#. I do crimp mine to the crimp groove as I use them in a tubular magazine.

For a plinking load, 7.5gr of Unique under a 150-170gr cast bullet is tremendous fun.

[bigedp51]

Hogdon's website has free loading data
http://www.hodgdon.com/

Reduced loads with H4895
http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/H4895%20Reduced%20Rifle%20Loads.pdf

I have been using W748 with magnum primers and the Hornady 150 grain RN for over 25 years in my 30-30 Trapper model with a 16 1/2 inch barrel. For shooting the Speer .308 100 grain plinker and heavier bullets you can also use Trail Boss or SR4759 for reduced loads.

[.45Guy]

My pet load is a bit anemic, 32 grains of IMR 4895 underneath a Sierra 150 grain RN, with a CCI 200 stoking the fire. Keeps things nice and simple when I switch over to .30 Remington for the model 8.

[Old Grumpy]

Has anyone used Alliant 2400 in the .30-30?

[rcmodel]

2400 is one of the old goto powders with lead cast bullet 30-30 loads.

I would not recommend it with jacketed bullets though.

rc

[Old Grumpy]

Thanks rcmodel, Lyman's 49th still lists 2400 for cast loads and I do have some experience using it. I've used it for pistol (.357 mag and .44 mag) and for rifle (.458 Win Mag). It might not be the best choice but it does work.

[LeverGunJunkie]

I use 32 gr of H4895 under Barnes TSX 150gr bullets. I get groups that meet expectations for the intended purpose of the rifle (close in/brush deer hunting). Never tried to tweak past that. It works well in both of my MDL 94s. Not sure if this qualifies as range ammo.

[JustsayMo]

For just "range loads" and inexpensive shooting I use Unique and a 170 grain Cast bullet. Works great for targets and plinking. We even shoot it long range.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E4abzmvio0

I use 2400 for Silhouette shooting mostly under a 170 grain cast bullet (usually a Lyman but others work very well in my Marlins too. I get it going about 1850 fps and that is plenty to knock down the 200 yard Rams with. Even the Unique load will roll em if you hit the top half but the 2400 is fer-sure.

Leading is not an issue if the bullet is sized properly - My 30-30s seem to prefer .311" and properly lubed. I've have very good luck with Micro-Groove barrels and cast bullets so don't let that myth stop you if you have a Marlin.

Another load that is fun, accurate and cheap is enough Red Dot to get you going 1,000 fps. Subsonic load that is impressively accurate on paper out to 200 yards and maybe farther but I've not tried beyond that as I ran out of sights.

Yet another load is a 115 grain cast bullet over 3 grains of Bullseye. Jogs out of the barrel at about 850 fps and is a great plinker and Grouse load. Quiet too with rimfire like recoil. Great for new shooters. Out to 50 yards I can use the same zero as my Hunting loads.

For Jacketed loads I've had the best luck with Varget, IMR 3031 and IMR 4895 all at or near published MAX loadings with both 150 and 170 jacketed bullets. I like the Hornady bullets the best as they seem to produce the best accuracy in all the 30-30's I've owned.

http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/Pathfinder/336familyportrait.jpg
Top to Bottom: 1970's vintage Texan, 1960's vintage Saddle Ring Texan, 336 Cowboy and a 336 SDT (now owned by another forum member)

http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/Pathfinder/336170ghrndy33varget100yardtarget.jpg
100 yards, 170 gr Hornady JSP, Max charge of Varget, Marlin 336 Texan

[GooseGestapo]

Ditto what JustsayMo said. I kinda skip over #2400 in the .30/30 as it doens't do anything that Unique does.

I jump right to the "regular" powders and they don't overdrive a cast bullet from the .30/30.

I too use a 0.311" sizing for all my .30cals with a cast bullet. My .30/06's shoot just fine and the .30/30 demands a .311" size. (Marlin/Glenfield M30 w/half magazine).

[Old Grumpy]

I ran some of my once fired .30-30 cases through the resizer die yesterday. I have loaded only straight wall cases (pistol and rifle) so I'm comfortable with a seperate expander die. The FL resize/decapper/expander die is new to me.

The fixed expander (just above the decapping pin) does not put a very big "bell" on the case. I had hoped to use cast bullets so will this be enough bell to accept a cast bullet? If not how do I increase the bell? :confused:

[NCsmitty]

The expander ball in the FL die is made to size the brass to secure a jacketed bullet with the neck tension of the brass. The inside case diameter is usually about .002" less than the bullet diameter. A slight belling of the neck of the case does make it easier to start a cast bullet and to prevent shaving the bullet.
Lee Precision does make a universal expander for just that reason, and when used properly, it will give you a slight bell which allows seating a cast bullet without shaving and still allows a good crimp without stretching the neck too much.
I won't dwell on powders and loads as it's available at www.hodgdon.com, and you can choose what level of load that will work for you.

Here's a link to the expander die.

http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/140461/lee-universal-case-expanding-die


NCsmitty

[ball3006]

Why not try several loads posted in your reloading manual and see what shoots the best in your rifle? chris3

[Cosmoline]

With jacketed bullets I found the .30-30 very easy to reload for. I used IMR 3031, IMR 4064 and several other standards with consistently good results out of various Winchester 94's (pre-1980's).

CAST bullets were another matter. Getting accurate loads was more difficult and the loads were more sensitive to variables. I also found it critical to de-copper the bore very completely before shooting cast rounds. And it's important to match the bore diameter with the slug diameter and to use the proper sizing die. It can get pretty complex:

http://www.castbullet.com/shooting/accu.htm

[mothernatureson]

I cast my own bullets, 115 grain, use gas checks and find a powder that produces the lowest pressure for desired velocity. I keep my plinking loads at about 1100 fps. They produce great accuracy in my model 94 and 336. Good luck. Mothernatureson