Marlin 336 30-30 need a good reload for white tail deer

[unclefish]

Need a good starting point. Just want to shoot some deer with it. Never reloaded for a lever action gun so any tips will help.
Need a good proven deer dropping bullet recommendation grain and type
Is there a better choice of powder to use also.
Have some different powders here so if you give me some options would be one thing less to track down.
Thanks for help.

 

[Tommie]

I’ll start it.
For 150 grain bullets use 3031 or something at that burn range.
Full length size the brass (as opposed to neck sizing.)
1.5 MOA 3-shot groups will definitely suffice.

 

[AckleymanII]

Some years ago, I found that the 170g gave great penetration, 150g often did not exit on quartering shots.

IMR 3031 and Win 748 were excellent for me.

Centerfire central is a place where shooters report the loads they shoot, always compare load against a reloading manual due to typo's and mistakes in memory

Reload Data Search Results

 

[Bill K]

Cross reference your loading manual for the powders you have on hand and listed for lever action rifles and start with the start load and work up an accurate load in your rifle. A good 170 grain bullet would be a good choice for deer.

 

[lb-ft]

Sierra 2020 part number bullet. It’s a HP of 125 gr IIRC. Works wonders at these velocities. H322 is my favorite but there are 8 or 10 powders that will do well.

the marlins can be tricky with their micro-groove barrels. If this rifle is used, pull the bolt and scrub it until it’s absolutely squeaky clean. They will shoot marvelously and without warning, accuracy falls off a clif and bullets fail to stabilize. But if you keep them clean and rust free, they will reward you with trouble-free operation and excellent hunting precision.

 

[Loudenboomer]

Hodgdon LVR is excellent! I like the 150 corelokt
Go to the Hodgdon data center. They have the data to get you going.

 

[joshb]

I found a good load using H335.

 

[JSH]

In all honesty it is pretty hard to find a real bad load for a 30-30. I also favor a 170 when using jacketed.
The comment on the Marlins micro groove out of the literally dozen or so, the only one that causes me grief is a Ballard cut 44 mag.

 

[JFrank]

125 or 150 gr soft point drops white tail or black bear no problem.

 

[mikeinct]

Classic Chevy vs Ford Vs Dodge argument. That said: 125 gr. ?? {JimisAbigGirl.com] 150 vs 165 170 grain pick your poison. I saved my 170 factory loads for deer hunting. Swatted "Woodchucks" up here in New England with whatever Gr.Wt. ammo I could get when I was a kid. mikeinct

 

[unclefish]

Can't believe it's even that hard to find a round nose bullet to shoot in this gun right now. I have 4064 and RE7 and winchester 760 imr 4350 so I have some powder to try.Have 70 bullets speer 150gr hot cor round nose. Have plenty of Hornaday 3031 interlocks I guess I could use 1 in camber and 1 in the tube if worse comes to worse..if I can't get 1 deer with 2 shots I guess I need to go back to school. And the only reason I had those round nose was it was the only thing I could find during the last ammo crunch.
Never got a deer with a lever action just on my bucket list.
Thanks for everyone's input.

 

[CaptainMal]

All of my 30-30's like the 160 gr Hornady FTX with 35 gr. of LeverRevolution behind them. Took two deer with one this year at 160 and 220 yards. Both were DRT (dead right there). The one at 220 yards never even kicked.

Seems that load works well in both my 20" bels and the 24" one I have - all Marlin levers.

 

[Randall D]

Probably doesn't need to be said... but make sure you crimp!

 

[unclefish]

Probably doesn't need to be said... but make sure you crimp!

Thank you for that. Normally I don't do my bolt action ammo. But I can see why with the ammo in a tube nose to tail and with recoil after 1st shot correct. Or are 30 30 cases with long neck just prone for not a good press fit.

Thanks for tip. Probably something I might have missed.

 

[Randall D]

My concern is the bullet sliding into the case under recoil.

 

[CaptainMal]

My concern is the bullet sliding into the case under recoil.

What recoil?

A 30-30 is such a mild cartridge that recoil is not much of a factor. Out of curiosity I seated some bullets in different 30-30 brand cases with no thought to neck thickness and never crimped. Then I pushed those bullets down into the cases on a scale - well at lest I tried.

Hard to remember but it took from 20 - 30 lbs of pressure to even move some. Others I could not hold in my hand as weights on the scale went up to 50 or so lbs. No lever 30-30 with say .002 - .005" neck tension is going to move a bullet in normal weight lever 30-30's like Marlins, Winchester or Henry rifle magazine tubes.

Small children and little women easily handle 30-30's in that configuration. Now it might be an issue in those little child single shot rifles but who cares? There is no magazine holding cartridges anyhow.

 

[brokeasajoke]

150 sierra prohunter settin' on 4064. I have some 180rn prohunters but I have not tried them yet. Hornady lever evolution with the tipped bullet has performed extremly well for factory ammo in my Marlin 336.

 

[joshb]

150 sierra prohunter settin' on 4064. I have some 180rn prohunters but I have not tried them yet. Hornady lever evolution with the tipped bullet has performed extremly well for factory ammo in my Marlin 336.

You shoot factory ammo?!?!?

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I shoot the 160 FTX (there is 2 get #30395) I don't crimp them.

 

[brokeasajoke]

You shoot factory ammo?!?!?

Shhhh don't tell any one. I still have some factory ammo I think I gave $12 or so for. Federal fusion maybe?. Those Hornady flex tip bullets do the job in a 30-30.