Ok. That’s good to know. I’m looking for something in the 1100 to 1500 range. $20/100 is cheaper than jacketed by a little so that’s perhaps a good way to go. I’ve also seen reference to a “Miniature” and “Short-Range” 30-3” load on the Marlin Owners Forum.
IMR 4064 and 30-30
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GeoDudeFlorida
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Keep in mind I’ve never been an economy hand loader. I’ve always made my own ammo and never scrimped or cut corners on my supplies. I hand load because I want to and don’t really like factory ammo. So my advice comes with the caveat that it’s not going to be cheap but what I recommend will be worth the cost - IMHO. I think the Quality Cast bullets are pretty darned good, especially for the price.
Let me recommend before trying cast bullets, measure the distance a bullet has to travel before it hits the rifling. I wish I did that with my JM 336. Only after shooting 500 rounds in load development did I find out, the bullet has to traverse a half inch before it touches the rifling! The maximum cartridge OAL is 2.550". Any longer and you can't eject the round, it is too long for the ejection port.
Cast bullets will never shoot well with a half inch jump. My cast bullet loads won't stay on a 8.5 X 11 sheet of paper at 100 yards. Jacketed bullets are the only recourse.
The best ten shot group I got was 2 inches with N135.
IMR 4064 shot sub 3 MOA, which is good for my rifle.
My loads are all much more than book, because my chamber was reamed with a bratwurst. It is huge!
IMR 3031 did well, I think it is the all around powder in the 30-30
My rifle liked AA4064
My goal with a 170 was 2150 to 2200 fps. Based on testing factory 150 grain, push a 150 to 2250 fps and no more.
These rifles are as rigid as a trampoline. More or less, they shoot best at factory velocities. In every instance where I pushed the bullet, or had over pressure conditions, the groups were abysmal.After testing a bunch of powders with 170 grain bullets, I came to the conclusion that velocity variations caused huge dispersions on target. The best powders were those with low extreme spreads. IMR 3031 is a good place to start.
If the bullet has to jump a long distance to the lands, just walk away from cast bullets, they will never shoot well. And, the rifle will never be MOA or sub MOA. But so what, the things will take deer out to 200 yards and that is about eight times as far as the typical shot in the woods.
Cast bullets will never shoot well with a half inch jump. My cast bullet loads won't stay on a 8.5 X 11 sheet of paper at 100 yards. Jacketed bullets are the only recourse.
The best ten shot group I got was 2 inches with N135.
IMR 4064 shot sub 3 MOA, which is good for my rifle.
My loads are all much more than book, because my chamber was reamed with a bratwurst. It is huge!
IMR 3031 did well, I think it is the all around powder in the 30-30
My rifle liked AA4064
My goal with a 170 was 2150 to 2200 fps. Based on testing factory 150 grain, push a 150 to 2250 fps and no more.
These rifles are as rigid as a trampoline. More or less, they shoot best at factory velocities. In every instance where I pushed the bullet, or had over pressure conditions, the groups were abysmal.After testing a bunch of powders with 170 grain bullets, I came to the conclusion that velocity variations caused huge dispersions on target. The best powders were those with low extreme spreads. IMR 3031 is a good place to start.
If the bullet has to jump a long distance to the lands, just walk away from cast bullets, they will never shoot well. And, the rifle will never be MOA or sub MOA. But so what, the things will take deer out to 200 yards and that is about eight times as far as the typical shot in the woods.
GeoDudeFlorida
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Did you ever try IMR 4227 in Das Bratwurst Marlin? I use it with heavy cast for 50yd white tails. Accurate enough for freezer filling.
Seedy Character
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I have loaded .30-30 with 120 gr powder coated and 150 gr JSP using 4064. Up to 2500 fps.
Haven't tried 3031 with the PC bullets.
Haven't tried 3031 with the PC bullets.
No, I used IMR 4227 in magnum pistol cartridges, I consider it too fast for the 30-30. I did try AA5744 and was unable to reach my velocity goals before over pressure indications revealed themselves. And I tried IMR 4350, and that was clearly too slow. I think the best powder will be found somewhere between IMR 3031 and IMR 4064. My lot of AA4064 is actually a little faster than IMR 4064.
My primary testing was with jacketed bullets. If your rifle shoots cast, and you are getting good results with IMR 4227, that is good.
Charlie98
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I used to think IMR4895 was the Unique of rifle powders, and I still do to some extent, but I've found that IMR3031 is pretty darn versatile. If it wasn't for the M1 Garand, I wouldn't even have IMR4895 on the bench.
IMR4227 and AA5744/IMR4198 are great for lower velocity .30's, and particularly cast, but if you want hunting velocity, particularly in smaller capacity cases like the .30-30, IMR3031 is your answer. You are correct, the faster powders will peg the pressure before you can reach the same velocity IMR3031 can reach with ease.
Swampman
Old Fart
By definition, brass is an alloy of copper and zinc and the gilding metal used for the vast majority of rifle bullet jackets is a type of brass.
American manufacturers tend to avoid using the term "brass" to describe the alloy used in their bullet jackets, instead using "copper alloy" or "gilding metal". Sierra uses both to describe their jackets.
Even Barnes, (sorry PDF) who historically used pure copper for their jackets and monometal bullets, now uses a "copper alloy" containing up to 36% zinc and 3% lead.
Lapua (being furriners
) are very open about their bullets having brass jackets, but some American retailers like Graf's, will still claim that they're copper jacketed.Short version, don't worry about it, chances are that you're already shooting brass jacketed bullets. .
GooseGestapo
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3031 is quite good in the .30/30, but my favorite is BLC2, H4895, and LVR.
4320 also gives marvelous accuracy, as does Reloader15.
4320 also gives marvelous accuracy, as does Reloader15.
Seedy Character
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I shoot powder coated bullets 90% of the time.
I have never had leading or PC smearing, up to 2600 fps. Main thing is to make sure your bullet diameter fits your bore. I got .310 bullets for .308 (.30 Carbine, .30-30, .30-06)
.358 for use in .357
.411 bullets for .41
.431 to use in .429
.454 for the .45s.
My buddy has loaded his to 2800 fps, with no problems. I will BS mine a little harder. .30-30 120 gr @2800 should be awesome, if the accuracy maintains.
I have never had leading or PC smearing, up to 2600 fps. Main thing is to make sure your bullet diameter fits your bore. I got .310 bullets for .308 (.30 Carbine, .30-30, .30-06)
.358 for use in .357
.411 bullets for .41
.431 to use in .429
.454 for the .45s.
My buddy has loaded his to 2800 fps, with no problems. I will BS mine a little harder. .30-30 120 gr @2800 should be awesome, if the accuracy maintains.
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