loading for a 30-30 lever

I don’t see me mag dumping that 6 round tube, but who knows. I don’t think I’ll get enough rounds through it unless I find a nice cast load that really shoots well for me to ever worry. Even then, cast would be down loaded with pistol powder.

I like the LEVERevolution powder but I’m saving it for my FTX bullets. I might run a test with the 150 grain round nose bullets I have. They don’t seem like they will play well with my rifle so I may not try it.

I tested some 150 grain round nose bullets driven by H335 today. Out of 6 charge weights, the best was about 3 MOA. These were fired from a 336 with Ranger Point rear peep sight and Skinner Patridge blade front sight. The test distance was 50 yards. The rifle was tested on a front rest with rear bag. Is this about the norm or should it be tighter or larger?

DMW1116 said:

I tested some 150 grain round nose bullets driven by H335 today. Out of 6 charge weights, the best was about 3 MOA. These were fired from a 336 with Ranger Point rear peep sight and Skinner Patridge blade front sight. The test distance was 50 yards. The rifle was tested on a front rest with rear bag. Is this about the norm or should it be tighter or larger?

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I dont think that's bad but 1.5-2 is not a huge reach. Some Marlins like the 170s better. I shoot both. Getting to sub moa in a lever gun is a much more arduous journey. If I want that I change weapons.

1 MOA is a bit of a stretch. However I think 2 MOA is a reasonable goal. There is always the issue of my shooting ability but I can hold 2 MOA pretty good with other rifles with similar sights. I have some FTX bullets loaded up and some 110 grain FMJ but I know the FMJ won’t do any better. I have some cast bullets to try. Maybe they can shoot a little better with some careful loading.

DMW1116 said:

I tested some 150 grain round nose bullets driven by H335 today. Out of 6 charge weights, the best was about 3 MOA. These were fired from a 336 with Ranger Point rear peep sight and Skinner Patridge blade front sight. The test distance was 50 yards. The rifle was tested on a front rest with rear bag. Is this about the norm or should it be tighter or larger?

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The biggest factor is how are your eyes?
Did you match the target shape and size to the front sight?
1.5 MOA is doable with a peep. Generally I run closer too 2.

I will probably start testing at 100 yards again. These 150s were an experiment on testing at 50 yards using a 6 o’clock hold on an 8” target. I test my A4 clone at 100 with its peep sights and with a good load and target selection I can keep 2” and under.

I have a limited supply of 150 and 170 grain factory ammo. Maybe I should move back to 100 and use them to get a base line. Particularly with factory ammo this rifle seems to prefer 170. I haven’t tried any of them since I put the peep sights on.

DMW1116 said:

I tested some 150 grain round nose bullets driven by H335 today. Out of 6 charge weights, the best was about 3 MOA. These were fired from a 336 with Ranger Point rear peep sight and Skinner Patridge blade front sight. The test distance was 50 yards. The rifle was tested on a front rest with rear bag. Is this about the norm or should it be tighter or larger?

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Here's what to shoot for -


3 shots at 50 yds, Winchester 150gn factory ammo (I know, but I had just gotten the rifle..).

Of course, this was out of a Remington 788 -


Which is cheating... sort of...

I’ve done that once with the FTX loads. When I went to try again it was not repeatable. The best performer consistently has been the Winchester 170 grain Power Point, which I have not seen for over a year. That’s probably what I should be trying to replicate. I’ll sacrifice 4 from my stash of factory ammo and see how they do. I have some Federal 150 grain round nose I could try too.

Yes of course you can shoot out the barrel of a 30-30. Many people in the past have done so. It used to be somewhat common to rebarrel a shot out 30-30 with a 35-30-30 barrel and shoot heavier bullets. Look up the 35-30-30 and you will see what I am talking about.

valleyforge.1777 said:

Yes of course you can shoot out the barrel of a 30-30. Many people in the past have done so. It used to be somewhat common to rebarrel a shot out 30-30 with a 35-30-30 barrel and shoot heavier bullets. Look up the 35-30-30 and you will see what I am talking about.

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To be fair, many of those re-barrels were the result of using corrosive priming compound.

It's not so much that the barrel was shot out, it's more that the barrel was corroded to the point it was no longer accurate. Keep in mind, a great many folks could not afford more than one rifle. Firearms were far more expensive relative to income back 100 years ago. Even 60 years ago.

Once the cheaper manufacturing methods became popular (looking at you, Bill Ruger), firearms prices, along with almost everything else, plummeted. Off-shore manufacturing accelerated the price drop.

And, the original barrels were more likely to be bored oversize to the 35-.30-30 than to be replaced. It's far less expensive to rebore than to replace.