.30-30 Reloading

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Harriw

Harriw

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The "Pick your favorite rifle bullet manufacturer poll" thread started up some interesting side conversations. One of them concerned bullet choices for reloading .30-30. In order to avoid de-railing the poll thread too badly I'd like to move the .30-30 discussion here.

I don't have a particular direction in mind for the thread - it's just that I'm just now adding .30-30 to the list of calibers I reload for, and thought I'd pick some brains a bit. Here's the side conversation from the Poll thread:

Harriw said:
Not to pull the thread off on a tangent, but would you mind expanding on your Speer .30-30 comment? I just added .30-30 to my list of calibers I reload for, and would love to know which bullet you like. I ordered some 150 gr. Hornady round noses (#3035) to start with, but would like to try others as well. Thanks!
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GeoDudeFlorida said:
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Sure but you also might want to start a new thread. For varmints I like the 110gr JHP bullet. It’s real easy out of a big lever gun like the Marlin 336 but also shoots good in the short T/C Contenders barrel. For hogs I go with the 150gr HotCor. Not much to say but it gets the job done. Nothing wrong with the 130gr HotCor but my Stevens and Marlin both do better with the 150. Hope that helps
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GeoDudeFlorida said:
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You made me check what I have left on the shelf with that question: I got most of a box of a hundred box of the 130gr. HotCors I tried out that the Marlin liked but the Stevens didn't. Those will probably get loaded up for the Contender. I also got most of a hundred box of 170gr. HotCors both rifles like fine to the best of my recollection but for some reason I never loaded up for the field. I need to check my notes on that batch to see what wasn't working. I got about 500+/- 150gr. HotCors and several boxes loaded with 3031 and a few loaded with LeveRevolution in the ammo cabinet. Everything else .30-30 was either the 100gr. JHP's loaded with 2400 or lead. So, Speer 150gr. HotCor JSP is definitely my goto bullet for .30-30.
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Just to status where I'm at, I have a few boxes of Hornady's 150 grain InterLock RN (#3035) that I'm going to be loading up tonight in a test ladder. I have some Winchester Large Rifle Primers and some H335 to use. I understand H335 may not be the BEST choice, but I have quite a bit of it on hand for 55 Gr. .223 loads. So it's what I have. I'm curious if others have used it in .30-30? What sort of down-sides should I expect to see? Dirty cases? Heavy Recoil? It looks like it's a bit faster-burning that most of the powders listed in the Hornady manual for that bullet, but it's not the fastest... This will be used in a lever gun with a 20" barrel.

Any other bullets that people suggest trying besides what GeoDudeFlorida mentioned above? I like the idea of a 110 grain bullet for light, cheap plinking loads. Particularly because I'd like to pick up an M1 Carbine some day, and it would be handy to be able to use the same bullet for both .30-30 and .30 Carbine loads.

Thanks in advance!
 
The 110 M1 Carbine bullet for plinking is just fine. Moving even further down that line, the Hornady 86 grs 30 Mauser bullet over TB is super-plinky and does good work on close-in varmints. For long range hunting duty it is hard to beat the Hornady 160 grs FTX over 34 grs Levervolution.
 
DocRock said:
The 110 M1 Carbine bullet for plinking is just fine. Moving even further down that line, the Hornady 86 grs 30 Mauser bullet over TB is super-plinky and does good work on close-in varmints. For long range hunting duty it is hard to beat the Hornady 160 grs FTX over 34 grs Levervolution.
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Awesome - I'll look into the 86 Grain as well. I've seen the 160 grain FTX and the 140 grain MonoFlex as well and I see their appeal for sure. But I'm not really a hunter, so I don't really have a need to go there. I suspect (but haven't confirmed yet) that those are a fair bit more expensive than your typical round-nose bullets? I figure in a pinch if I do go sit in a deer stand for a while, the 150 grain will certainly work just fine inside 100 yards or so (and I have no business shooting at live game any further than that with iron sights anyway). On the other hand, those FTX and MonoFlex are what I seem to see most available so maybe I ought to work up loads for them just to have that data.

Thanks!
 
Harriw said:
Awesome - I'll look into the 86 Grain as well. I've seen the 160 grain FTX and the 140 grain MonoFlex as well and I see their appeal for sure. But I'm not really a hunter, so I don't really have a need to go there. I suspect (but haven't confirmed yet) that those are a fair bit more expensive than your typical round-nose bullets? I figure in a pinch if I do go sit in a deer stand for a while, the 150 grain will certainly work just fine inside 100 yards or so (and I have no business shooting at live game any further than that with iron sights anyway). On the other hand, those FTX and MonoFlex are what I seem to see most available so maybe I ought to work up loads for them just to have that data.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Don't forget coated lead. ALL of my .30-30's are most accurate with long, heavy, coated, hard-cast lead with gas-checks. It's cheaper and shoots VERY straight at moderate speeds out to 200 yards. For lead I load 135gr. and 165gr. MBC RNFP-GC but still use 3031. It's about the best powder for .30-30 in a rifle I've found. Way back when folks told me you can't shoot lead out of a marlin because the microgroove. Wrong. You just have to use gas checks and hard cast. Since moly-painting and powder-coating came around, lead shoots about the same as copper plate in microgroove barrels.

What are you shooting them out of?

EDIT: Never mind. I cant' find any of the MBC .30-30 RNFP's for sale anywhere. They aren't even listed on the Missouri Bullets website.
 
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GeoDudeFlorida said:
Don't forget coated lead. ALL of my .30-30's are most accurate with long, heavy, coated, hard-cast lead with gas-checks. It's cheaper and shoots VERY straight at moderate speeds out to 200 yards. For lead I load 135gr. and 165gr. MBC RNFP-GC but still use 3031. It's about the best powder for .30-30 in a rifle I've found. Way back when folks told me you can't shoot lead out of a marlin because the microgroove. Wrong. You just have to use gas checks and hard cast. Since moly-painting and powder-coating came around, lead shoots about the same as copper plate in microgroove barrels.

What are you shooting them out of?

EDIT: Never mind. I cant' find any of the MBC .30-30 RNFP's for sale anywhere. They aren't even listed on the Missouri Bullets website.
Click to expand...

Cast, of course. But we will have to disagree, intensely at my end, on hard cast and microgroove rifling. With microgroove rifling, cast lead bullets shoot fine, provided velocity is kept below 1800 fps, bullets are sized to .002" over groove diameter (so .310" in my 1968 336 Texan), bullets are gas checked, and lead is in the BHN 8 - 12 range, maximum 15. There is no utility to anything harder, and, unless perfectly sized, harder cast lead will slip and strip in microgroove rifling.
 
You know, I always thought the 2000+ fps was just too fast for lead bullets, but with all the various powder coating options available now you're right. I was actually doing some research on casting last night, and did stumble across some people casting .224 bullets and powder-coating them for .223. No reason I couldn't do the same.

Of course, good luck finding a casting pot and molds available for sale these days, lol
 
I use the 30-30 as my end of the world cartridge. I shoot it out of my "Cowboy Assault Rifle" which is a Marlin 336 with a Bushnell dot sight on it. My goal was to load up ammo for it that was easy on the shoulder, but would take on anything within reason inside 200 yards including cars, bad guys, or animals. For ammo, I grab up any used brass I can find.

My choices for the end of the world bullets are the Sierra 125 HP and the Speer 130 FP. Others will obviously work. Heavier bullets will have more recoil.

My choices for powder are a STARTING load of whatever I happen to have laying around that will work. These include IMR4198, H335, and W748. Primers are large rifle of whatever brand I have so spare. My brass is typically once fired range brass that I find wherever I find it. I don't care about the brand. Any will do.

My goal here is quantity and low cost, not match quality. A starting load with whichever bullet, primer, and brass will give adequate power and accuracy for the 200 yard effective range I am working with.

I found out that if the bullet has a large exposed lead nose, like the Sierra 125, I can/t keep the magazine tube loaded for long periods of time because it will squash the tips of the bullets over time. Because of that, I now prefer the Speer 130 FP.
 
DocRock said:
Cast, of course. But we will have to disagree, intensely at my end, on hard cast and microgroove rifling. With microgroove rifling, cast lead bullets shoot fine, provided velocity is kept below 1800 fps, bullets are sized to .002" over groove diameter (so .310" in my 1968 336 Texan), bullets are gas checked, and lead is in the BHN 8 - 12 range, maximum 15. There is no utility to anything harder, and, unless perfectly sized, harder cast lead will slip and strip in microgroove rifling.
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This is what I shoot and recommended:

MISSOURI BULLET COMPANY CAST 30-30 .311 165gRNFP 4WHTL COATD 250b
Product Information
#HT-311165FP
.311 Diameter
165 Grain RNFP
Brinell 18
For Marlin Lever Guns
Hi-Tek 2-Extreme Coating from J&M Specialized Products P/L
Color may vary
Price per box of 250

That's from the Graf's & Sons site.
 
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HowieG said:
I use the 30-30 as my end of the world cartridge. I shoot it out of my "Cowboy Assault Rifle" which is a Marlin 336 with a Bushnell dot sight on it. My goal was to load up ammo for it that was easy on the shoulder, but would take on anything within reason inside 200 yards including cars, bad guys, or animals. For ammo, I grab up any used brass I can find.

My choices for the end of the world bullets are the Sierra 125 HP and the Speer 130 FP. Others will obviously work. Heavier bullets will have more recoil.

My choices for powder are a STARTING load of whatever I happen to have laying around that will work. These include IMR4198, H335, and W748. Primers are large rifle of whatever brand I have so spare. My brass is typically once fired range brass that I find wherever I find it. I don't care about the brand. Any will do.

My goal here is quantity and low cost, not match quality. A starting load with whichever bullet, primer, and brass will give adequate power and accuracy for the 200 yard effective range I am working with.

I found out that if the bullet has a large exposed lead nose, like the Sierra 125, I can/t keep the magazine tube loaded for long periods of time because it will squash the tips of the bullets over time. Because of that, I now prefer the Speer 130 FP.
Click to expand...
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For a STHF load, have you thought about some of the long, heavy 225+gr. lead bullets intended for the .300 BlackOut? Give it some thought... :):D
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
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For a STHF load, have you thought about some of the long, heavy 225+gr. lead bullets intended for the .300 BlackOut? Give it some thought... :):D
Click to expand...

Thanks, but nope. Long and heavy isn't my goal, plus I have better things to do than mess around trying to shoot 225 cast through a Marlin micro groove barrel. I have a lead bullet shooting 32-20 levergun that I use as my M1 Carbine substitute.
 
If you like your 30-30 and want more info than you know what to do with spend some time here on this site reading. Lots of 30-30 stuff and reloading information. I have three 30-30s myself and like the other poster stated its my end of the world gun. I will take it over any AR-15 style rifle. I have lots of jacketed bullets and a bullet mold and 1500 gas checks. Lots of powder and primers for it and around 1800 pieces of brass.

https://leverguns.com/articles/Default.htm

I tried some of the 30 carbine bullet loads but never got the accuracy I wanted. If I wanted a light jacketed load I would try the Sierra 125gr hollow points. I get my best accuracy with 170gr bullets.
 
I shot the Speer 170grn out of my 336 for years, it always did well enough. I got a deal on some Winchester Silvertip component bullets once, and they tightened my groups up by half! ...so I'm not such a big fan of Speer rifle bullets anymore. My last batch of JSP .30-30 bullets was the Hornady 170's they did about as well as the Winchesters. Just about 5 minutes ago, I pulled a box of Nosler 170's out of the Midway box... they had them, and yes, they were expensive.

I used to load those Speers over H322... I'm not sure why I picked that powder, but, as I said, it worked well enough. I'm going to guess you are going to get some muzzle blast out of that H335, however... I just ran some test loads through my M1 Garand with H335... and they were quite blasty, at least compared to IMR4895. These days, jacketed .30-30 bullets get IMR3031.

I also load cast in the .30-30... usually commercial cast (LaserCast...) 170's with no gas check... IMR4198 is my powder of choice for pretty much anything cast. I've driven my cast as fast as 1800fps, which is about all I need, without problems. Those were GC'ed Montana Bullet Works bullets, however, and they performed beautifully; the LaserCast don't like to go much over 1600fps... out of my Savage 99. I have since sold my 336 to a friend... the Noslers are for him, he wants to go piggy poking.
 
HowieG said:
My choices for the end of the world bullets are the Sierra 125 HP and the Speer 130 FP. Others will obviously work. Heavier bullets will have more recoil.
Click to expand...

I've used those 125 hollow points. I haven't reloaded for 3030 in 2 decades, but, I used to load imr 4064 was a good choice for me as it worked in all of the Cf cartridges I loaded for. I've also loaded 150, 170 rn, 130 , 150 and 165 spritzer type bullets, but only loaded 1 in the tube magazine and 1 in the chamber.
 
stillquietvoice said:
I've used those 125 hollow points. I haven't reloaded for 3030 in 2 decades, but, I used to load imr 4064 was a good choice for me as it worked in all of the Cf cartridges I loaded for. I've also loaded 150, 170 rn, 130 , 150 and 165 spritzer type bullets, but only loaded 1 in the tube magazine and 1 in the chamber.
Click to expand...

There are a bunch of powders that work in the ole Treinta Treinta. What I do is see what I have laying around that I don't use for much else and, chances are, it will work for a 30-30 load of some kind. For instance, I can load Reloader 7 in 30-30 and then double that charge and load 405 Winchester.
 
I loaded a bunch of 110 grain FMJ Hornady loads for Marlin. When I bought them they were about half the price of the 160 grain FTX, which I also bought and loaded.

The 110s are nice and surprisingly accurate. I'm using the factory sights and they'll group about 3 inches at 100 yards. I use H335 for the 110s. I intended to get a screaming load of around maybe 2600 fps, but the lowest charge was the most accurate, so they're more like 2300 to 2400. H335 burns fine, measures good out of my Lee PPM. It leaks a little though. The recoil isn't noticeably lighter than Winchester 170 grain factory loads, but those are moving pretty slow.

I use LeverEvolution powder for the 160 grain FTX bullets. Seems to work fine and meters easily with less leakage. These had the best groups near the max load, so I'm up around 2300 for the 160s. I'm waiting to shoot it more until I decide on a new sight.
 
We could easily do another thread on EOTW cartridges. Why I like the 30-30 and other levers is that they hold a decent amount of ammo, are easy to load fast, and you CAN'T lose your magazine. What I like about the 30-30 is if I need to punch holes in an elk, I can. If I need to reach out to a couple of hundred yards, I can. If I need to kill a pickup truck carrying people I don't like, I can do that too. If my 30-30 gets dirty, it still works.
 
I would be interested in a conversation and explanations of a last ditch guns but the title would need to be carefully selected and no crazy stuff could be said or it would get removed... I am setup with 357 but for hunting I could see 44 depending on game. My experience in siloette and ringing rams says my choice might not he great.
 
AJC1 said:
I would be interested in a conversation and explanations of a last ditch guns but the title would need to be carefully selected and no crazy stuff could be said or it would get removed... I am setup with 357 but for hunting I could see 44 depending on game. My experience in siloette and ringing rams says my choice might not he great.
Click to expand...

Yeah, we are way off of 30-30 reloading as interesting as this is.
 
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