Hunting bullet for 30-30 pistol?

[rockhound78]

I have a 30-30 pistol 10" bbl, that I am thinking about using this year for deer hunting (if one gets close enough!!) and was wondering what bullet you might recommend? I have some 125sst, 125 BT and I might have some single shot pistol bullets somewhere. Thinking of 2400 or 4759. What say you?

 

[rickiesrevenge]

125bt would be good. 110 and 120 barnes tac-tx would be good too.

 

[TC260]

If you already have 125 BT’s on hand I’d load those and rock on.

 

[snert]

135 ssp

 

[H2OBUG]

SST is too hard. If you can find some 130 Hornady SSPBs that is the ticket. If not this would be my choice too to bottom
Hornady 125 CX
Nolser 125 BT
Barnes 110 Tac x the BO bullet

 

[TC260]

Hornady 125 CX

Have you used those? I haven't been keeping up with newer bullets handgun hunters are using but I saw some pics Bobby Tomek posted recently of the Barnes 110 on a big hog and it was very impressive. Has me wanting to start trying mono bullets in the future.

 

[H2OBUG]

Have you used those? I haven't been keeping up with newer bullets handgun hunters are using but I saw some pics Bobby Tomek posted recently of the Barnes 110 on a big hog and it was very impressive. Has me wanting to start trying mono bullets in the future.

I shot them in my 30-30 carbine. They did really well. However I went back and looked I thought I did the 125 and 110 but it looks like the 125 is no more. I may be mistaken on the 125. The Barnes does just as well. I really like solid copper bullets. The 160 TTSX is a hammer in my 338 federal

 

[nakneker]

125 gr accubond or ballistic tip
125 gr Sierra tipped game king, TGK

 

[Dead Eye]

I thought I read the Sierra TGK were harder bullets. What has been your experience with the 125 gr?

 

[WV Hitman]

I used the Sierra TGK in my 6.5/.284 XP-100 handgun on several deer. Smaller exits, less internal damage that Nos. BTs, even Nos. ABs. My #1 bullet on most game is ABs. They actually created more damage than BTs in my .375/.284 XP, .325 WSM XP,6.5/.284XP handguns than BTs.

 

[JSH]

As far as 30-30 goes I used factory stuff for quite a while just because I had it on hand.
When Sierra and Hornady dropped their pistol labeling on bullets, a fair number of folks went to the rifle varmint bullet with good success.
Heck I have shot a pile of deer with 10&14” Contenders over the years with cast bullets. The are not that hard to put down, poke a hole in the right spot is key.

 

[rr2030]

150 grain TSX in my 10" 30-30 Contender. Deadly on White tail. FWIW, optics are red dot.

 

[Jack O'Connor]

I've had good luck with Sierra's 125 grain bullet. Jack

 

[MClark]

The Speer 150 gr Gold Dot for the Blackout works well.

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[Bob R]

Speer 130 SPFN Hot Core Bullets for all angle shots.
The Hornady 125 SST should be another any Angle Bullet that should work well.
The Hornady 135FTX should work well also for broad side shots through the ribs.
The Speer 130 HP Varmint does well for behind the shoulder shots through the ribs.

For Powder RL7, N130, CFE 223, Lever Revolution, IMR 3031, and AA2520 should all work.

I reload for my brothers 30-30 AI Super 14. This is about as good as it gets in a Contender Deer Cartridge good to a couple hundred yards.

Bob R

 

[rockhound78]

Have both the 130 hcfp, the 130 HP and 135 FTX bullets also available. RE7 or possibly sr4759

 

[Hammertime1]

I have shot a lot of deer with my 30 Herett, very similar to your 30-30. I first tried a Sierra 125 gr pistol bullet. Hit a buck at 50 yds, it ran then stopped and I shot again. First shot didn't make it through the ribs but luckily the second one did. I then switched to Nosler Ballistic Tip and never had a problem. From this experience and that of other calibers, I would error on the side of a tougher bullet.

 

[GotRDid]

I have used the Hornady and Sierra SSP bullets with great success. Likewise good experiences with Lehigh 145 gr Controlled Chaos bullets
I am considering working with the new 175 gr Hornady Sub-X in both my 10” and 14” .30-30 Contenders.
Both produce good velocities with factory 150/170 gr bullets/ammo, although those bullets are intended for higher speeds. The Sub-X should be effective in my barrels; we shall see.

175s on right.

 

[Springer2]

In our 10" Contender 125 Sierra SP with IMR-3031 or IMR-4198 worked well. In production class silhouette, same powders with a 150 SP and not brand specific.