30-30 and Pistol Powder

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HB

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Good evening all,

Despite a 30-30 being my first centerfire... it is the last one that I am learning to reload. I have about 300 cases primed and trimmed ready to roll.

I have 100 plated bullets from Graf's. Any ideas on using Bullseye, Power Pistol, Clays, or HP-38 for plinking loads?

I also have some Hornady 170s that will go over a charge of BLC-2. But mostly looking to do a little experimenting with the plated bullets to practice snap shooting at cans.

-HB
 
What's the weight on the bullets?
I would try power pistol for high subsonic heavy loads.
Also if you have a Marin it's a 1:10 twist barrel it will shoot up to 220 or 230 grain subs.
A winchester with 1:12 will only do 190 to 200 subsonic.
 
Not on your list, but my go-to cast and plated powder is IMR4227. Just loaded a ton of 170 grs GC Lyman 311291 over 16.5 grs IMR4227. 1720 fps from a Savage 340. Works great in my Marlin 336 as well.
 
I use .31 round balls loaded in 30-30, 308, 30-06 and 30-40 to plink at close ranges and pop bunnies and vermin up close.

A LITTLE unique and a round ball just more than halfway in and they load fine in most. The Krag gets fussy and I have to single load her.

Jeezus they're quiet and no recoil. They're cheap and its fun to see a little kid light up at the range.
 
The standard reduced load pistol powders are TrailBoss, Unique, 2400, and IMR4227 (technically a pistol powder.) Of those, I have experience with IMR4227 with the .30-30, it works really well for loads in the 1200-1500fps category with cast bullets, I've never loaded plated bullets in the .30-30... and that might be a factor, I would NOT want a plated bullet to stick in the bore with a reduced charge. Because of that, I would not go any faster than 2400/IMR4227, and I would probably just go to IMR4198 and be done with it.

Loading a 170grn cast bullet, I get ~1600fps with 17.8grn IMR4227, ~1700fps with 19.8grn IMR4198... which sounds like a lot of velocity, but it's not with properly sized bullets. You can reduce IMR4227 down to about 15grn and get ~1300-1400fps.

As far as the Hornady 170's and BL-C2, you will probably have reasonable luck with it; I would list IMR3031 as a backup if things don't work out.

EDIT: changes to original post in italics.
 
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I use .31 round balls loaded in 30-30, 308, 30-06 and 30-40 to plink at close ranges and pop bunnies and vermin up close.

A LITTLE unique and a round ball just more than halfway in and they load fine in most. The Krag gets fussy and I have to single load her.

Jeezus they're quiet and no recoil. They're cheap and its fun to see a little kid light up at the range.

Good thinking! When mine were little, it was the 86grs short jacket 30 Mauser bullet and Trail Boss. Total softy and at 30 yards plinking, they felt like they were shooting properly without getting the stuffing knocked out of them or getting their bell rung by percussion.
 
I’ve used Blue Dot with 110gr Carbine bullets as well as with 165gr lead bullets. It works well. OP didn’t say what weight bullet he was looking to load.
 
I've used Power pistol in .308 and .30-06 with 100-110 gr jacketed bullets. I will not quote my loads as they were off book. I referenced Unique cast bullet data as published in Lyman's 48th. A similar policy for 30-30 might yield you useful loads but strictly at your own risk.

In the 30-06, using a charge in the mid-range of unique data, I got very clean, very effective plinking loads for my M1 Garand and the wife's bolt action.
 
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They’ll be 150gr plated.

I shot a ladder test with BL-C(2) and 170gr Hornady Interlocks with good results. I forgot how much the old steel buttplate kicks off the bench. Looking forward to trying some plinkers!!
 
another vote for trailboss and those plated bullets. bullseye will work but you have to do some googling for them. I've used 6 gr with 150 gr. cast bullets for gallery loads both in my bolt and lever rifles (308 bolt, 30-30 bolt and 30-30 lever) but I'd still say do your own research on this.

I've stopped going with pistol powders and stick with trailboss almost exclusively. it works great with cast, plated (I use berrys alot) and jacketed plinking loads. I still have some loads I do with unique and cast bullets but that is about it.
 
Loaded up 5 with 7gr and 5 with 8gr. They made it out the barrel with authority but light recoil and pistol like-report. Reminded me of the 357 loads I whip up with 6gr of Universal and 158gr SWC.

I honestly don't think I will do further development. They shot a fist sized group out at about 30y offhand. Likely go on to cast 150s or 130s... as this is by far the best use of a steel butt-plated peep sighted 3030!


-HB
 
They’ll be 150gr plated.

Sounds like a great reason to get a 9mm carbine.

I understand though, I too have played with rifle calibers like 308 with lighter cast an coated bullets at sub/low super velocity’s, Trailboss is a good safe choice.

Doesn’t take very long and it starts seeming silly. Kind of like making subsonic .223 instead of just shooting standard velocity .22 LR.
 
No input on the powders you listed. But I enjoy blue dot and titewad for my semi reduced and very reduced load.
 
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