30-30 150 or 170gr?

[dak0ta]

Hi,

I've been shooting 170gr in my Marlin 336 and found them to be decent. In your experiences, do you prefer the higher velocity of the 150gr bullet or the heavier weight of the 170gr on game? Is there a preference in which the microgroove rifling of Marlins prefer?

 

[Charlie98]

I've found my 336 prefers the 170grn bullet... but you won't know what your particular rifle likes until you try it.

 

[troy fairweather]

i prefer the 170s.

 

[dak0ta]

Oh and I am talking about jacketed bullets, not cast.

I'm thinking of either the Hornady Interlock or Sierra bullets.

 

[Charlie98]

Either or. I've had good luck with Hornady bullets, and, of course the Sierra MatchKings, but I've never loaded Sierras for the .30-30.

My go-to jacketed load for the .30-30 is IMR3031 with the Hornady 170grn bullet.

 

[dak0ta]

I'm shooting a 20" Marlin. I've only shot factory Rem 170 gr Core-Lokts and Winchester Super-X 170gr. The Core-Lokts grouped better. I'm mainly just loading to be a range plinker and dense timber gun in the Pacific Northwest on blacktail deer. Shots within 150m proposition. I've just read that 170gr shoot better in Marlins and the extra weight and SD help penetrate game better. Should I be expecting a 1.5-2MOA at 100yards with a scope accuracy using handloads?

 

[Charlie98]

I'm shooting a 20" Marlin. I've only shot factory Rem 170 gr Core-Lokts and Winchester Super-X 170gr. The Core-Lokts grouped better. I'm mainly just loading to be a range plinker and dense timber gun in the Pacific Northwest on blacktail deer. Shots within 150m proposition. I've just read that 170gr shoot better in Marlins and the extra weight and SD help penetrate game better. Should I be expecting a 1.5-2MOA at 100yards with a scope accuracy using handloads?

I scoped my 336 just for load testing.. to eliminate problems using open sights. Bullet selection made a BIG difference. When I first started loading, I used the Speer 170grn bullet... I got 2-3" groups at 100yds. I switched to the Winchester 170grn Silvertip, which was available as a component bullet at the time, all else being equal... and my groups shrunk by half. I think your expectation of 1.5-2" groups is realistic... but if you are not getting them, I would switch bullets first, before doing anything drastic.

 

[dak0ta]

I can live with anything less than <2 MOA. I have found that once the barrel heats up, it throws flyers several inches off.

 

[Walkalong]

The 150 Gr Core-Lokt kills deer dead as a hammer every time. I have never fooled with 170s, although I know some people prefer them. I started with 150s, they worked, and I never experimented. I no longer have a .30-30, as I gave it to my younger son. As far as I know, he is still using 150s.

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

IMO the 30-30 benefits more from a lighter bullet going slightly faster, so my choice would be the 150's but for me the best of the bunch is the Speer 130 FNSP. That bullet will go faster than both and fly flatter the the 150 or 170.

 

[Slamfire]

this is a composite 15 shot group of factory 150 gr Remington at 200 yards, the values for the last five shots are showing.

Measured velocity of seven rounds from my rifle was 2253 fps.




Best accuracy with 170's is around 2100 fps with 2150 fps being the velocity goal I load my rounds for.






















I only looked up the ballistics of the 170 FP bullets:

30-30 Winchester Ballistics

Ballistic Coefficient Hornady  Interlock 170 gr FP  : 0.189

Distance in yards   Velocity

0                           2150
100                         1752
200                         1415
300                         1161

In my rifle the accuracy at distance is equivalent for 150 grain bullets and 170 grain bullets. Velocities are not that impressive for either one of them, this round is not in the same class as a 308 or 30-06. But out to 100 yards I doubt any animal will tell the difference. I consider 200 yards the extreme range for this cartridge. The bullet is barely breaking the sound barrier at 300 yards. I have read 30-30 bullets are softer and designed to expand at these low velocities, and that is all to the good. Personally, I believe the 170 grain bullet will have more lead to expand, so maybe it will make bigger through hole. When I researched 170 gr Speer Deep Curls, (I purchased 1000 of them from RMR), hunters report good expansion and penetration. That's what you want, a big through hole. These videos in ballistic gel are interesting and either bullet weight should perform just fine

 

[dak0ta]

Thanks Slamfire for sharing this, very informative!