[kestak]

Greetings,

How does shooting 30-30 hard cast lead goes? What about leading?
I saw bullets on Midwayusa and they are less than half the price.

Thank you

[popper]

Depends on the rifle. My 336 MG Marlin loves em. The problem is finding .311 commercial (try Carolyna bullets - sponsor on CB). Lasercast is only .310 and shoot only OK in mine. Started casting my own at 1/3 the $.

[PapaG]

I've shot thousands of rounds of 30-30, 30-06, 308, 30-40, and 30MI carbine using hard cast bullets (which I cast myself). I'm keeping my eyes open for a plain based mould as the price of gas checks has gone up about 400% from when I bought my last ones.
Don't try to push them as fast as jacketed bullets, use Hornady gas checks (or even Lymans, I like the Hornadys as they crimp on tighter) and use a good lubricant (I use the old Alox/Beeswax stuff). Should be little or no leading and it can be taken out with a couple of jacketed bullets fired after a day at the range (unless it is severe, the leading).
I use mainly IMR4198 in the bigger cases, and Unique in the smaller ones.
Have a pre-64 Model 70 in 30-06 that can give me inch and a half groups with carefully prepared loads (Lyman 311291 sized to .310, linotype bullets cast, heat treated and lubed with Alox, and the proper charge of 4198 with a tuft of Kapok on top of the powder).

[ArchAngelCD]

Leading depends on a lot of different variables. Powder, bullet diameter, velocity and pressure, bullet hardness and bullet lube type are only a few things that will effect barrel leading.

I am shooting a plain base 165gr bullet with a 18 BHN from a 30-30 Carbine and I am getting no leading at all. I'm using H4895 and the velocity is between 1,400 and 1,500 fps. The rifle barrel has Ballard rifling, not micro-groove too.

You can use a bunch of different powders and get acceptable results including Unique and 2400 to name a few "older" powders. Back in the day Unique was labeled Hercules Pistol Powder and 2400 was labeled Hercules Rifle Powder. I tried 4895, IMR3031, 4198, Varget and a few others but got the best results using H4895. I didn't try and "pistol" powders.

[ssyoumans]

I tried MBC whitetails at .311 but never got great results out of my Marlin 336. I switched over to Rainier 110gr carbine bullets, $50/500 and fire them at 2,000 fps using 14.0gr of Blue dot. Much better accuracy and no leading and cheap!
Just be careful loading a pistol powder in 30-30.
Happy shooting.