BUILDING A HUNTING RIG CONSIDER THIS

[Bill Norris]

When comparing the vunerable 30BR to some of it's other counterparts in effective ballistics I am clearly appreciative of it's capabilities when considered as a hunting round.

The 30BR can easily obtain 3000 fps and beyond with a 125 gr. Nosler BT & AB. even with the shorter 23 and 24 inch barrels.

Considering the 260 Rem. as good as it is will not reach that speed with 120 to 125 gr. class bullets even at max. loads according to Nosler's latest manual .

Further referencing Nosler manual the .308 will only marginally get past the 3000 fps mark with the same 125 gr. BT & AB while burning app. 15 grains more of powder.

After thumbing back thru the data available one can understand the portion of that article here in 6BR.com relating to the use of the 30BR as a viable hunting rig.

 

[Fuj]

Short and efficient !!

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

It's a great round but in all fairness, I doubt you'll find "book data" for a 30BR at 3000fps. Just looked...Hodgdon shows 31.9gr of LT30 at 2,763fps with a 125 sierra bullet. Max pressure around 58,500psi. fwiw.
Nonetheless, it's an awesome little cartridge that does a lot of work with a little powder, relatively of course. Very efficient, for sure.

 

[X-Caveman]

I did it and am glad I did! Short barrel, suppressor & a LPVO. Great combo.

 

[C.E.Smith043]

I have no doubt it would be an excellent choice for a hunting rig.

Over the years I have killed a boat load of hogs, coyotes, deer, etc with the 223 round. Most will say it's too small but it's hard to beat a well placed bullet regardless of caliber.

I think in today's world more people tend to be over-gunned rather than under when it comes to hunting cartridges.

40 or 50 years ago, having a large caliber for the particular animal you were hunting was more important with the lack of bullet choices.

But in today's world, the advancement in bullets allows one to go to a smaller caliber and still be very effective.

 

[FNSafari]

It's a great round but in all fairness, I doubt you'll find "book data" for a 30BR at 3000fps. Just looked...Hodgdon shows 31.9gr of LT30 at 2,763fps with a 125 sierra bullet. Max pressure around 58,500psi. fwiw.
Nonetheless, it's an awesome little cartridge that does a lot of work with a little powder, relatively of course. Very efficient, for sure.

UR absolutely correct on finding no book data. It's a wildcat cartridge. I can get close to 3200 fps with a 118 in a 30x46 (my 30BR reamer run in to depth). If it were a SAAMI cartridge those loads and velocities would never be published imo. Too many lawyers hunkered down ready to pounce.

 

[M-61]

Accurate.

 

[joshb]

Bill! Your previous posts about your 30br hunting build was enough for me. I have my parts in the shop, waiting on a stock.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

UR absolutely correct on finding no book data. It's a wildcat cartridge. I can get close to 3200 fps with a 118 in a 30x46 (my 30BR reamer run in to depth). If it were a SAAMI cartridge those loads and velocities would never be published imo. Too many lawyers hunkered down ready to pounce.

That data in my previous post was from Hodgdon. I was surprised to find any at all, really. It'll make Bill a great hunting rifle. I've done it with a 30 Major in an AR15. Double taps on a whitetail are cool too! Lol! I had to load it down to about 2650fps with Nosler 125 BT's in an AR but it was still fun..and lethal. That bullet did great at those speeds, fwiw.

 

[nakneker]

Years ago I had a 6BR hunting rifle built on a Sako 75, feeds flawlessly but it never has been as accurate as it should be. It would make a great platform for a 30BR sporter. I’ll probably send it off to Zack, get the barrel contour duplicated and do just that. I’ve been wanting to for awhile, I’ve been watching your posts Bill, looks like fun.

 

[KMart]

UR absolutely correct on finding no book data. It's a wildcat cartridge. I can get close to 3200 fps with a 118 in a 30x46 (my 30BR reamer run in to depth). If it were a SAAMI cartridge those loads and velocities would never be published imo. Too many lawyers hunkered down ready to pounce.

The Sierra Manual VI, 3rd printing, has a full workup of loads from 110 to 200 grain bullets. Like all manuals these days, just looking at the velocities, it is not impressive. Never the less, the info is there in the rifle section. The information was there in earlier Sierra manuals but it was somewhat limited. The latest edition looks like they have completely reworked the loads.
For my own purposes, If I was going to build a deer rifle on a 30 cal wildcat, it would be a 30X47L. Longer case that will feed through any bolt action without any problems or modifications

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

The Sierra Manual VI, 3rd printing, has a full workup of loads from 110 to 200 grain bullets. Like all manuals these days, just looking at the velocities, it is not impressive. Never the less, the info is there in the rifle section. The information was there in earlier Sierra manuals but it was somewhat limited. The latest edition looks like they have completely reworked the loads.
For my own purposes, If I was going to build a deer rifle on a 30 cal wildcat, it would be a 30X47L. Longer case that will feed through any bolt action without any problems or modifications

I agree with you. The BR can be made to feed but a Grendel is a little easier and a x47 is easier still, to make feed. That little bit of length helps feeding quite a bit. All of those are great IMHO. In a bolt gun, you're not limited as much by pressure as in an AR15 and you're not limited by bolt face either. As much as I like my 30 Major, if I've got a BR bolt face in a hunting rifle, I'm probably doing a BR or the x47. In an AR, just the opposite. Both are great little rounds(all three), but you're gonna spend some bucks and time doing one on a BR folt face...or rebate rims, which would only make sense to me, if I couldn't do essentially the same thing without rebating the rims and your max pressure will top out faster on the larger case head due to bolt thrust. Just my 2 cents, though.

 

[Bill Norris]

Normally this load will give me just over 3000 fps in my Model 7 Hunter with the Speer & Nosler bullets. Never seen any signs of pressure at all. CAUTION - PLEASE WORK UP YOUR LOAD.

125 GR. SPEER TNT HBN **COATED 1.588 O M 2.234 COL T/L B S .287 B C .341
POWDER H-4198 34.0 GR. PRIMER CCI 400 .323 BU. NK. DIA .326
SEATED @ 1.583 O M 2.229 COL .005 OTL 62 DEG.
5-SHOT GP. .232 M V 3007 FPS 01/11/23

 

[Bill Norris]

Bill! You’re previous posts about your 30br hunting build was enough for me. I have my parts in the shop, waiting on a stock.

Oh yea, I realize you and a few others have followed my build and performance. I hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine. I find it to be the absolute best cartridge to hand load for and the accuracy is hard to beat.

 

[Bill Norris]

Years ago I had a 6BR hunting rifle built on a Sako 75, feeds flawlessly but it never has been as accurate as it should be. It would make a great platform for a 30BR sporter. I’ll probably send it off to Zack, get the barrel contour duplicated and do just that. I’ve been wanting to for awhile, I’ve been watching your posts Bill, looks like fun.

I think you will be very happy with your build. You definitely are sending it to the right man to get it done. Zack has shown me and a couple of my best friends here at home that he can produce top shelf rifles that shoot as good as they look. Honestly, nothing he has sent to me has been any less than a looker and a shooter. If I am counting he is now working on number 8 for me with another 2 for friends in my little circle.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I think you will be very happy with your build. You definitely are sending it to the right man to get it done. Zack has shown me and a couple of my best friends here at home that he can produce top shelf rifles that shoot as good as they look. Honestly, nothing he has sent to me has been any less than a looker and a shooter. If I am counting he is now working on number 8 for me with another 2 for friends in my little circle.

Zack is just a super guy and does great work!
You'll be very happy, I'm sure.

 

[TIMO]

Bill, & everyone.
here is some data for reference. Hope this helps some.

Tim

 

[Bill Norris]

Yea great info no doubt

 

[Hntndad]

I think you will be very happy with your build. You definitely are sending it to the right man to get it done. Zack has shown me and a couple of my best friends here at home that he can produce top shelf rifles that shoot as good as they look. Honestly, nothing he has sent to me has been any less than a looker and a shooter. If I am counting he is now working on number 8 for me with another 2 for friends in my little circle.

Your an influencer, Bill. Seems everytime I pick up a box in the shop, “thats Bill’s”, “oh, that’s Bill’s”, “Zack, did we send Bill his package?” Yup, that’s another one….
When are you going to start handing out shooting lessons?

 

[RGRobinett]

Bill, & everyone.
here is some data for reference. Hope this helps some.

Tim

If one reads far enough through the description you'll find, "a cartridge in search of a niche"! THE niche, of course, Was, AND IS, competitive bench-rest shooting!! They never did, "get it"!

Of course, anything the 30BR does beyond BR competition, is simply just more good stuff . . . RG

P.S. We've been using the homeless wonder cartridge in registered bench-rest tournaments for almost a quarter century already . . . "and now we're growin' old" . . . Thank you, Ronnie Long!