Winchester 30-30 with Missouri Bullet Company Hi-Tek Bullets

[tgtmaster]

I own a Glenfield Model 30 that I am thinking about loading for. I found a fair amount of 30-30 Winchester load data using lead bullets and Unique (I almost exclusively use Unique with my handgun loads). I was curious if anyone would share with me their thoughts and load data using the following Missouri Bullet Company bullets with this powder:

#3 Whitetail - Hi-Tek
.311 Diameter
135 Grain RNFP
Brinell 18
For Marlin Lever Guns
Hi-Tek 2-Extreme Coating

#4 Whitetail - Hi-Tek
.311 Diameter
165 Grain RNFP
Brinell 18
For Marlin Lever Guns
Hi-Tek 2-Extreme Coating

My objective is to have a round that is pleasant to shoot, adequate open sight accuracy and be used on Whitetail Deer out to 100 yards. I may go to a peep sight if the round turns out to be a keeper.

Thank you, tgtmaster

 

[stubbicatt]

I haven't experimented with plain based bullets, nor Unique powder in the 30WCF, however, I have obtained pleasant results with 15 grains of IMR4227 and a 180 grain RCBS gas checked bullet. -I haven't choreographed the loads yet so I don't have any velocity data.

I believe the load range with Unique to be about 7.5 to 11 grains for a Lyman 150 GC grain bullet. I got this data from the One Book/One Caliber booklet I have on the 30-30, the section copied from the Lyman reloading book.

I wonder whether the coating will allow that bullet to maintain accuracy at a velocity higher than a non coated bullet? I'll be interested in your results. Too, I believe the Glenfield has the micro-groove rifling, and I have read elsewhere that such rifles prefer a little fatter bullet, so the .311 might be the cat's meow.

 

[Havok7416]

I haven't experimented with plain based bullets, nor Unique powder in the 30WCF, however, I have obtained pleasant results with 15 grains of IMR4227 and a 180 grain RCBS gas checked bullet. -I haven't choreographed the loads yet so I don't have any velocity data.

I believe the load range with Unique to be about 7.5 to 11 grains for a Lyman 150 GC grain bullet. I got this data from the One Book/One Caliber booklet I have on the 30-30, the section copied from the Lyman reloading book.

I wonder whether the coating will allow that bullet to maintain accuracy at a velocity higher than a non coated bullet? I'll be interested in your results. Too, I believe the Glenfield has the micro-groove rifling, and I have read elsewhere that such rifles prefer a little fatter bullet, so the .311 might be the cat's meow.

The coating will not effect accuracy in and of itself, but coated bullets have been successfully tested up to 2,600 fps. That may have increased but I haven't checked in awhile.

 

[tgtmaster]

Thank you for your constructive input. I am unsubscribing myself from Cast Boolits. Since I am not an expert on that forum, I received much less helpful input on this same post content.

 

[mdi]

Nearly all the loads I use for my PCed and Hi-Tek bullets is lead bullet data. For my .30 cal. rifles I have used upper cast lead loads, but often just the same as lead bullet loads. I have loaded 30-30 cast bullets (sans PC) with data right out of my Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook and would not worry about same loads with a PCed bullet...

 

[jaysouth]

tgtmaster:

Welcome to THR.

A 130-150 lead bullet, coated or lubed, is a joy to shoot over 7-10 grs. Unique. Somewhere in that range of loads, is the sweet spot for your rifle for accuracy.

The .311 diameter bullet would be a good place to start. However I question whether you can get enough velocity/energy from that range of Unique powder to make an ethical deer load.

I would start with the 165 gr. bullet over 15 grs 2400 for a hundred yard deer load. Save the unique for the joys of range work and plinking. Unfortunately for us here in TN, you cannot legally use a center fire rifle for small game.

Go to this site: http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

Go down the left margin to .30-30 and click on the line that says 170 gr bullet. Going down that link will get you the data for Unique. In the range of pressures discussed in this thread, you can safely substitute 170 gr. data for 165 gr. bullets.

Sorry for the lack of responses you got at castboolits. Some of the regulars there look down on 'newbie' questions. And not all are as knowledgable as they would like you to think.

Where do you shoot?

 

[stubbicatt]

Correction: When I read your original posting initially, I thought it said 135 grain bullets, which is why I offered the data for 150s. For their 169 grain bullet Lyman offer 7.0 to 10.6 grains max of Unique. This from the same source as the data I offered originally.

Wait a minute... you were seeking data for two different bullets. Oh, geez! I was half right, twice!

ETA: After thinking on this a little bit, for hunting I really do think I would drop down to the local sporting goods store and buy a box of 20 170 grain Winchester Silvertips, if they are still available. A box like that could last you several years. Save your cast boolit loads for plinking or maybe lever action silhouette shooting. A lot of bullet performance on game using small diameter (30 bore) bullets is obtained by velocity. There's more room with bigger diameter slow cast bullets to vary nose shape and get really good terminal performance (i.e. .375" or .458" bullets) that just isn't there for the 30 bore.

My $.02

 

[tgtmaster]

Thanks for everyone's input. I am going to ditch the idea of using Unique. Although a fun target load, I really couldn't use it for even short distances on Deer. There really isn't a good reason for me to have a target only round.

It was fun diving into this with all of you. I really enjoy the forum.