I was very tempted by a 30-30 Contender at Cabelas. It had the 14" barrel and would have made a great supplement to my Blackhawk for longer range pistol shooting. I don't know how well it would work, but I've always wanted to try a single shot 30-30 and some pointed 125 grain bullets. Show a 300 BO what can really be done with that weight.
Advice on reduced 30-30 loads
- Thread starter Woodbridge
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The data for H335 and the cast bullet weights I'm using says it can be double charged too for the charges I'm using. However, 33 grains of H335 is not over max charge, though it would undoubtedly push a coated lead bullet fast enough to spackle the barrel with lead.
You might be surprised. I've run coated 180 bullets at full velocity in a 35 Whelen. Accuracy was still on par with my jacketed loads.
What kind of pressure does that generate? I sorta subscribe to the notion that excess pressure and improper fit cause the problems. These Acme bullets are 0.3095”. I might be able to push some a little faster at 0.311”. The book pressure for the loads I’m testing are similar to that of heavy 38 Special loads.
I'm not sure what the pressure was. I completely agree that size and pressure are the culprits.
My bullets were 18 bhn coated and .001 over bore diameter. With a slow twist barrel. It all stacked together to make a nice shooting load.
I've noticed 30 caliber barrels seem more fickle than 35 caliber ones for cast shooting.
Be ready for some recoil. I enjoy my handi rifle. But I wish it was an P17 Enfield like my 300 WM.
AJC1
Member
I agree, any case larger than 308 I want rifle weight. It may suck in the field but I'm not into pain.
N555
Member
H335 wouldn't be my first choice for reduced 30-30.
I would be looking at RE7 or H322.
I would be looking at RE7 or H322.
Seedy Character
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I load 125 gr powder coated bullets in .30-30 to 2400 fps and in .30-06 to 2600 fps.
1" accuracy, neglible recoil and clean barrel.
1" accuracy, neglible recoil and clean barrel.
P Flados
Member
With my powder coated cast bullets, all of my 7 TCU, my 10" 30 Herrett and the 14" 30-30s barrels have had zero leading no matter how hard I pushed them with lots of different loads. My 14" 30 Herrett barrel on the other hand shoots good for about 10 rounds and then accuracy starts to go away even though visible lead residue is minimal.
However, for each barrel and bullet combination my guns were subject to going from OK accuracy to minute of barn door over a certain speed. This transition was always obvious when it occurred and was "close enough" to full power so as to not be a disappointment.
With 30-30, I choose to be careful / conservative when approaching maximum pressures. Although some will argue to the contrary, the aggregate of all I read over the decades indicates that the TC Contender is not strong enough to handle hot ammo based on the 30-30. I stay below my estimated max given that generally I do not have an exact match for the components as listen in pressure tested published load data. Also, do not forget that 30-30 has a rated pressure below where primer appearance or brass expansion are adequate for detecting a problem. For me, the extra velocity from being what I think is 100% vs. 95% is not worth the risk.
However, for each barrel and bullet combination my guns were subject to going from OK accuracy to minute of barn door over a certain speed. This transition was always obvious when it occurred and was "close enough" to full power so as to not be a disappointment.
With 30-30, I choose to be careful / conservative when approaching maximum pressures. Although some will argue to the contrary, the aggregate of all I read over the decades indicates that the TC Contender is not strong enough to handle hot ammo based on the 30-30. I stay below my estimated max given that generally I do not have an exact match for the components as listen in pressure tested published load data. Also, do not forget that 30-30 has a rated pressure below where primer appearance or brass expansion are adequate for detecting a problem. For me, the extra velocity from being what I think is 100% vs. 95% is not worth the risk.
As is often the case, the lowest charge shot the best. 16 grains of H335 put three shots in about 3/4” at 50 yards and then dropped in low about an inch and a half. I kinda feel like I pulled that one. The groups just kept getting bigger from there. Velocity is higher than the W231 loads, or at least the point of impact is higher.
I’ll have to do another test batch of 5 or so and see if it really was me pulling the shot. I shot three rifles today and none had scopes so I can’t rule out eye fatigue. If that was a pulled shot then this load shoots better than the W231 load and has higher velocity (maybe).
H335 wasn’t my first choice but I had quite a bit left. All the loads tested today had a dusting of unburned powder I think. It looked like powder anyway. That isn’t some thing I want so I may go back to the W232 load and just call it good.
I’ll have to do another test batch of 5 or so and see if it really was me pulling the shot. I shot three rifles today and none had scopes so I can’t rule out eye fatigue. If that was a pulled shot then this load shoots better than the W231 load and has higher velocity (maybe).
H335 wasn’t my first choice but I had quite a bit left. All the loads tested today had a dusting of unburned powder I think. It looked like powder anyway. That isn’t some thing I want so I may go back to the W232 load and just call it good.
That wouldn't surprise me. I tried using slow burning powders with cast and always had unburned kernels and a random dropped bullet.
Since then I've switched to powders that give me near 30,000 psi and my problems went away.
I just change powder based on my velocity goal and try to keep the pressure the same.
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