30-30

Status
Not open for further replies.

kestak

Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2007
Messages
1,345
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
 
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 $.
 
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).
 
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.
 
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.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top