What is your favorite .30-30 Win. reloading recipe?
Mine is currently Hornady 150gr. Interlock slug, with 29.5 grains of IMR 3031.
Mine is currently Hornady 150gr. Interlock slug, with 29.5 grains of IMR 3031.
.30-30
- Thread starter FurTrapper
- Start date
nakneker
Gold $$ Contributor
I’ve had good luck with Leverevolution and 150 grain Hornady interlocks. 38 grains coming just over 2350 and great accuracy. I use the same load in three rifles, even the 20 inch does well. There’s a lot of good powders for it though. Half the fun is figuring what your rifle likes.
I'd say that the 30 30 and IMR 3031 go together like pizza and beer.
My 1964 Marlin Texan likes 33 gr Lever with 160 ftx at 2170 fps, my 1964 Win 94 likes 33 gr lever with 150 Hdy rn, 2125 fps, and my 94 AE likes 35 Lever with 160 ftx with a hard crimp at 2320 fps. The older guns pop open a touch with hotter loads. I've read it's receiver stretch, not sure, but there isn't much more to be gained anyway. The newer one handles everything like a champ. That Marlin is a tack driver btw. The 94's are pretty good also after I relieved the barrel bands and forearm wood and left everything a bit loose.
XL105
Silver $$ Contributor
H322 you say! I have a bunch of H322 that I need to use up, I didn’t realize that powder runs well in 30/30 lever actions.
You use it in other bullets besides 125? I’m planning doing a bunch of reloading for it and would like to have a few different bullet options loaded up.
Do you guys crimp your 30/30 rounds?
CharlieNC
Gold $$ Contributor
A few years ago there was a guy who did extremely well in BR shooting a 30-30. I remember he provided many details about the rifle and loads, you can probably google it.
CaptainMal
Silver $$ Contributor
35 gr. LeverRevolution with 160 FTX bullets. In my 20" Marlin I get 2,250 fps. In the Marlin 24" rifle I do 2400 fps. Both are shockingly accurate.
Back when I started testing I unloaded some Hornady factory cartridges. Think it was 35.5 gr and was a little bit faster. I would not go above that. For me with actually three different rifles, the lower 35 gr. worked best in all of them.
Back when I started testing I unloaded some Hornady factory cartridges. Think it was 35.5 gr and was a little bit faster. I would not go above that. For me with actually three different rifles, the lower 35 gr. worked best in all of them.
40gr of CFE223 and a 130gr Speer SSPB got 2600+fps and exceptional accuracy from my 22" H&R Handi rifle.
*Be aware this is a hot load that may not be safe in your rifle, especially given the pointy bullet*
68W40
*Be aware this is a hot load that may not be safe in your rifle, especially given the pointy bullet*
68W40
Don't see why it shouldn't work - just follow published data. Both Lyman and Sierra have published data for this powder.
Murray Brook
Silver $$ Contributor
For years I've been using IMR 4320 and the 170 gr Hornady Interlock. Velocity is just over 2000 ft/sec with good accuracy from my Win 94.
Yes I crimp my 30-30 reloads, one thing I've found is that case length is very important when crimping this cartridge. Try to hold your case lengths to plus (+) or minus (-) .003" or tighter if you can to your target length. Too short and you may not have enough crimp to hold a bullet in place because of recoil and magazine spring tension. Too long and the case will buckle/bulge right below the crimp and will not chamber. This is for using bullets with a cannelure, uncannelured bullets I only single load.
I experimented with a Savage 340 in 30-30.
Not the strongest action but adequate for 30-30.
Never be a barrel burner or a 600 yrd rifle but single loading Pointy bullets the cartridge can be very accurate on the 50-200 meter range.
A favorite for me was 34gs of Varget under a 125 Sierra sp.
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Kurz
Silver $$ Contributor
Funny as it may seem, I started shooting a T/C Contender Super 14 when I was hunting the UP for white tail. The area I hunted was thick woods with a few shots barely making it to 100 yards, most around 50 - 75 yards. The first tests I shot were using Remington and Winchester 170 gr. off the shelf ammo. I had to fix the trigger as it was nothing short of horrific!
After that the groups hovered around 1 to 1-1/2" @ 100 yards.
I worked on some handloads using VVN-130 and IMR 3031 under the same 170 grain bullets. These were satisfactory but it sure was easier to hit the LGS for a couple of boxes before leaving at that time. Now I found some Federal Fusion 170 gr. bonded FN which I want to test. I wasn't looking for it but the out of town LGS I was in had two boxes on the shelf. At checkout, the owner asked if I wanted some more. Since it was priced at a close out deal, I said yes and he fetched a nearly full case from the back. Excellent price and now plenty to use for tests and deer hunts in the thick woods!
I was searching for some other information and stumbled across this Opinion article from Ron Spomer:
https://www.ronspomeroutdoors.com/blog/30-30-winchester-is-a-joke/
I don't think you can find another writer, even these days, as worthless as Spomer but you can certainly try to waste your time looking.
After that the groups hovered around 1 to 1-1/2" @ 100 yards.I worked on some handloads using VVN-130 and IMR 3031 under the same 170 grain bullets. These were satisfactory but it sure was easier to hit the LGS for a couple of boxes before leaving at that time. Now I found some Federal Fusion 170 gr. bonded FN which I want to test. I wasn't looking for it but the out of town LGS I was in had two boxes on the shelf. At checkout, the owner asked if I wanted some more. Since it was priced at a close out deal, I said yes and he fetched a nearly full case from the back. Excellent price and now plenty to use for tests and deer hunts in the thick woods!
I was searching for some other information and stumbled across this Opinion article from Ron Spomer:
https://www.ronspomeroutdoors.com/blog/30-30-winchester-is-a-joke/
I don't think you can find another writer, even these days, as worthless as Spomer but you can certainly try to waste your time looking.
I have a Winchester 94 Trapper model with a 16 1/2 barrel. The Lyman reloading manual for the Contender pistol shows 748 giving the highest velocities with the shorter barrel. I have used 748 in my Trapper model since1982 with good results.
I first tested this rifle with IMR 3031 but had unburnt powder problems with the shorter barrel. I loved this rifle for hunting in the woods, it was light and fast handling. I have some test cartridges loaded with H335 from a Contender reloading article that have not been tested yet.
Below my trapper model with its 16 1/2 barrel with a 1950 Canadian Longbranch .303 British with a 25 inch barrel above it. The average deer in Pa was shot at 40 yards or less in the woods, so you do not need a .300 Winchester magnum.
I first tested this rifle with IMR 3031 but had unburnt powder problems with the shorter barrel. I loved this rifle for hunting in the woods, it was light and fast handling. I have some test cartridges loaded with H335 from a Contender reloading article that have not been tested yet.
Below my trapper model with its 16 1/2 barrel with a 1950 Canadian Longbranch .303 British with a 25 inch barrel above it. The average deer in Pa was shot at 40 yards or less in the woods, so you do not need a .300 Winchester magnum.
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Thank you guys for the awesome help!
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