The perfect 30-30 load for new shooters

[N555]

I loaded thsee about 20 years ago. Knew they were normal accuracy for a 30-30 lever gun.
I burned up about a hundred 30-30s loaded with 120gr bullets over 7gr of unique. They were shooting about 1 inch at 25 yards. When I have been able to find load data for unique and a small bullet like that the start load was a little bit more than 7gr. I lit off 100 of them and probably 400 more before that over the years, I bought a 500 pack of cheap pull down bullets.
You can shoot a lot of them with out burning up your barrel. I shot 20 at a time as fast as I could load them between cool downs.
I didn't want to pull the down because there was only 7gr of unique, a bullet I don't use and dirty brass and I got plenty of large rifle primers.

 

[Bfh_auto]

I loaded thsee about 20 years ago. Knew they were normal accuracy for a 30-30 lever gun.
I burned up about a hundred 30-30s loaded with 120gr bullets over 7gr of unique. They were shooting about 1 inch at 25 yards. When I have been able to find load data for unique and a small bullet like that the start load was a little bit more than 7gr. I lit off 100 of them and probably 400 more before that over the years, I bought a 500 pack of cheap pull down bullets.
You can shoot a lot of them with out burning up your barrel. I shot 20 at a time as fast as I could load them between cool downs.
I didn't want to pull the down because there was only 7gr of unique, a bullet I don't use and dirty brass and I got plenty of large rifle primers.

I love shooting loads like that.
I use 7 gr of bullseye and a 150 plated or cast bullet.
If I want a step up without going full power. I use Seafire's Bluedot method.
Proper form is extremely important using the bullseye load. It shows if you don't follow through on your shots.

The high road and I are not responsible disclaimers apply since this isn't book data.

 

[AJC1]

Is barrel wear or throat damage really a thing in 30-30. I was thinking a single base and a lead bullet load would basically last forever at a reasonable rate of fire.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

I love downloading the 30-30. Roundball at 900fps, 90 grain Lee SWC at 1050 fps, 170 gr lead at 1300fps, 110gr lead at 1500 fps....

It's a very versatile cartridge. Especially in a Bolt-gun.

Easy to download, and easy on the brass too, due to headspacing on the rim. No crazy brass distortion, as can happen with rimless loads (looking at you, 30-06...).

 

[nofendertom]

Shot many 150gr cast bullets loaded with Unique 7.5gr in my Glenfield Marlin. We used to shoot frozen old fruit (apples, oranges, etc.) at 50yds.

 

[PO2Hammer]

18 grains of H4198 under a 110 jacketed bullet is a nice light load if you don’t want to mess with pistol powders.
I used the starting load of 20 grains and worked down.
4198 burns very well at 18.
I use Varmageddon or similar in my Handi rifle, you lever gunners would use a flat point.

 

[Airborne Falcon]

And this is where and how I am going-to burn a bunch of this Unique I have. I have 10+ pds of it I need-to .... oh, errrrr, wait. 7 grns into 10 pounds ... let's see, 1000 rounds per pound at 7 grns per .... x10 = 7000 rounds.

I gotta burn through this Unique.

I don't think I have that much 30-30 brass.

Oh well, some plinking rounds here, some plinking rounds there.

I have too much Unique. (Back right)

 

[AJC1]

And this is where and how I am going-to burn a bunch of this Unique I have. I have 10+ pds of it I need-to .... oh, errrrr, wait. 7 grns into 10 pounds ... let's see, 1000 rounds per pound at 7 grns per .... x10 = 7000 rounds.

I gotta burn through this Unique.

I don't think I have that much 30-30 brass.

Oh well, some plinking rounds here, some plinking rounds there.

I have too much Unique. (Back right) View attachment 1122800

7 grain loads in a 357 are very nice and will go quickly.

 

[N555]

Is barrel wear or throat damage really a thing in 30-30. I was thinking a single base and a lead bullet load would basically last forever at a reasonable rate of fire.

In military 30-06 they would get about 1 gauge or 0.0001 of throat wear per 2,000 to 2,500 shots when they were using 03s and garands. I'm guessing the bar and the m1917 wore a bit faster. And the 30-30 running 9mm pressure takes a bit longer per gauge of wear. For comparison a 264 win mag sees 1 gauge of wear after about 7 or 8 shots.
I would say the greatest danger to a 30-30 is rust, dumb kids and politicians.

 

[nofendertom]

Airborne Falcon --- You can NEVER have too much Unique !

 

[high country]

I can second (or third, or fourth) the plinking load with unique in .30-30. I like a 8 grain load with a berry's plated 150 grain bullet.

I have been wanting to try that same charge with a MBC 150 grain cast bullet too. Anyone tried that with good results?

I get plenty good accuracy with the berry's load out of my handi rifle out to 50 yards, with essentially no recoil.

 

[Jim Watson]

I loaded some .30-30s with a 170 gr gas check and 14 gr IMR 4227, an old .32-40 load.
I never got the results I wanted out of my 788 but a friend's Winchester won him a CAS side match.

 

[AJC1]

I can second (or third, or fourth) the plinking load with unique in .30-30. I like a 8 grain load with a berry's plated 150 grain bullet.

I have been wanting to try that same charge with a MBC 150 grain cast bullet too. Anyone tried that with good results?

I get plenty good accuracy with the berry's load out of my handi rifle out to 50 yards, with essentially no recoil.

I have a box of those to shoot and that's a question I was pondering. Might build a few to test.

 

[mkl]

I had a '''tuna can" of cz 52 ammo with bad primers. 1200 rounds. I pulled a couple and the bullet measured .308 with my Starret micrometer. Pulled all the bullets with the Hornady cam lock puller and saved the powder also.

Long story short: Worked up a load using the unknown powder and the 87 grain FMJ bullet. Velocity about 2100 fps. Gun was a single shot H&R. Fun and accurate plinking load. One of these days I might try it on wild turkey (rifle legal here in Texas).

Gave 20 or so to my brother and he said they worked fine in his Marlin 336.