Hornady Leverevolution 30-30 Impressed

[razorback2003]

I compared 30-30 ammo today between the factory Hornady 160 grain Leverevolution ammo and the 150 grain Core Lokts out of a mid 90's Winchester 94 carbine with a low powered scope.

What a difference ammo makes.

I got between 3/4 and 1 inch at 100 yards with two different 3 shot groups with the Hornady ammo. On the second 3 shot group two of the three shots were in the same hole giving me around 3/4 inch group!

The Remington Core Lokt 150 grain soft point ammo was like a shotgun pattern at 100 yards. The three shot group was roughly three inches.

I am very impressed that the Win 94 got bolt action accuracy with Hornady ammo.

 

[Abel]

You may find that your rifle also likes 170 grain loads. Try some different 170gr ammo if you get a chance. You might get to a place one day that doesn't have any Hornady.

 

[browningguy]

I haven't shot the 30-30 but I really like the 45-70 and 44 Magnum Leverevolution.

 

[rule303]

My wifes Marlin shoots them under an inch also. The only complaint I have is that the bullet jackets seem pretty thin, I am sure so they expand at longer range. If you hit a deer at 50yds or less, be prepared for a mess.

 

[meanmrmustard]

My wifes Marlin shoots them under an inch also. The only complaint I have is that the bullet jackets seem pretty thin, I am sure so they expand at longer range. If you hit a deer at 50yds or less, be prepared for a mess.

This is true. I have used the LE, shot an old 12 pointer at a staggering 15 yards.

The shot was eerily graphic. I've made good shots, bad shots, and everything in between with many chamberings. This was horrific. Blood on trees and limbs at head height, not from the exit of the bullet, but several yards away from spray out of the wound on BOTH sides of the buck. We are talking spurts 5 feet off the ground! This went on for forty yards where I watched him pile up in a creek bottom. I've not only seen such a violent blood trail with a 30-30, I've not witnessed this type of gore from ANY round I've killed deer with. Rule303 is not far off, it is a round suited for "wet work". Oddly, the cavity was not ruptured with coagulated blood, but ribs were splintered and broke, heart and lungs destroyed, but nothing edible was hurt. Go figure.

 

[Abel]

I have noticed that these bullets do tend to act like a hollow point at close range. But at ranges over 75 yards, I have gotten good controlled expansion. I have heard of great results using 150 or 170 grain remington core lokts with the Hornady LE powder.

 

[wlewisiii]

Right now I'm working my way through a box of Hornady 170 gr FP Interlock in my .30-30 handloads. I'm thinking about trying the 160 gr Leverevolution bullets when I buy supplies again so it's interesting reading this.

 

[JEB]

i havent used the factory loading, but i do use the leverevolution bullets in all of my 30-30 reloading and they are nice. i cant really comment too much on accuracy because i do not have a scope on my 30-30, but with my skinner sights i can get a pretty good 1.5-2" group at 100 yards and i am pretty happy with that. my favorite part is that the tips dont get all mangled up from loading and unloading like my soft points used to.

and yes, up close they can be pretty brutal.