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win 30-30 loads

cheek9075

I've always like lever rifles, but never have I owned one. My son ask for a 30-30 for Christmas, not my pick for a lever rifle, would have rather had a 45lc, but that's what he wanted.
So my question is, what is a go to bullet, primer, and powder for this? Marlin 16inch barrel. I purchased 40 rounds of Nosler ammo, priced below what the brass would have cost, to get started.
Ideas and suggestions please!
 
I always loaded a 150 round nose. Can’t remember powder or load, as it’s been a while. Fun little round. For some reason, 3031 rings a bell. I still have my Granfather’s Winchester 55.
 
IMR 4895 Any primer. 150 gr bullet made for a 30-30. Or the Hornady. Brass should be fl sized and trimmed all to the same length, to get a good crimp . The crimp is needed for a tube feed rifle.
 
243winxb said:
IMR 4895 Any primer. 150 gr bullet made for a 30-30. Or the Hornady. Brass should be fl sized and trimmed all to the same length, to get a good crimp . The crimp is needed for a tube feed rifle.
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Good note on the crinp. Looking forward to trying out. Saw a nice 45LC lever today along with a 45Lc revolver, may see if Santa will come late.
 
Depends on what you will be using the rifle for. If deer or hogs or black bear are in the picture at under 150 or so yards then here is what I suggest. Get some H322 powder because is works really well with both 150 and 170 gr bullets. I would run a CCI 250 mag primer because of the ball powder especially if you will be using it in cold weather. If deer under 200 lbs is the game I would choose the 150 gr Sierra or Hornady round nose that are made just for the 30-30 Win. If larger deer or for hogs or black bear I would go with 170 gr Sierra or Hornady round nose made for the 30-30 Win. If you want to just choose one bullet I would go with one of the 170s. Stick with manufacture load data do not try to push the 30-30 hard especially in a leaver gun. Most leaver guns are not bug hole shooters but are well accurate enough to get the job done on thin skin big game out to 150 yards easy. Loading the 30-30 for a leaver rifle is not exactly rocket science. Full length size the case so it will function. Cartridge over all length is pretty much set by what length will function through the action and is built in by where the channel in the bullet is located that you crimp into. These bullets are designed to operate at the velocities that the 30-30 win operates at for proper expansion and are round or flattened point to use with tubular magazine to keep from setting off a primer during recoil. Check out Sierra's loading data and their suggested target or hunting load which uses H322. RL7, IMR 3031 and IMR 4198 are also good powders. If you want to shoot a more aerodynamic bullet single shot or using the rifle as a two shot repeater for deer then get some Nosler 125 gr Ballistic Tips. These are awesome deer killers at the 2600ish fps velocity you can get with the 30-30 Win out to 150 or so yards. I have shot this bullet in my T/C Contender 14" barrel pistol in 30-30AI at 2670 fps muzzle velocity for years and have killed a BUNCH of deer with it. With the rifle you can load one in the chamber and then put one in the magazine for a follow up shot if needed but do not load more than one in the magazine because the pointed tip can set off the round in front of it under recoil which would ruin your day. Good luck and have fun. The thuddy thuddy is a fun woods rifle and is far superior to any of the pistol bullet rounds.
 
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Speer 130gr FP. I load leverevolution powder, but I have a 24" barrel, not too sure how it would do in the short barrel. Friend of mine has killed many a deer with this bullet The 125gr Nosler BT would be good, but only one in the chamber and one in the mag tube.
 
Hornady had a 140 bullet. Sierra has a 125 hp bullet. All new to me. Guessing any round nose bullet will work with multiple in the tube? 16 inch barrel will determine powder, kinda still out on that. Looking forward to playing with it.

Son just came in on way to bed said dad, I need a leather sling and a leather thingy to go on butt stock to hold ammo. After all it's a cowboy rifle, got to look like one.

I'm excited!
 
I have had good luck with H4895 ,CCI 200 , Sierra 170 gr FP. Very accurate and doesn't recoil bad. Look on Sierra's website to get data for it. Lots of newer powders and Bullets since I loaded for it too. Easy to load for and plenty enough accurate.
 
I've been loading this round for close to 40 years now. My "go to" load has been 30.0 grains of IMR3031 with a Remington 150 grain RNSP lit with a CCI LRP. One important step with this cartridge is getting a consistent roll crimp. Trim all cases to plus (+) or minus (-) .003" of your target length, and apply the crimp as a separate step from bullet seating. Bullets with a canelure for jacketed or with a crimp groove for cast should be used for this cartridge unless you are single loading. In a tube magazine rifle, recoil and magazine spring pressure will shove the bullets back into the case without a positive crimp. Overly long cases and to heavy of a crimp will cause the cases to buckle/bulge below the applied crimp.
 
Find one of the 150 grain bullets that shoot best in the rifle you buy him, then develop a load with a powder for it, that is accurate for a hunting load. work with a couple of powders in a good reloading book. Then for a plinking load, with the same bullet, use Trail boss and let him have fun.
 
Bill K said:
Find one of the 150 grain bullets that shoot best in the rifle you buy him, then develop a load with a powder for it, that is accurate for a hunting load. work with a couple of powders in a good reloading book. Then for a plinking load, with the same bullet, use Trail boss and let him have fun.
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Wise words.
Yep, for a youngin do the load development yourself to save them getting hammered at the bench especially with these short 16" rifles.
Some years back Norma made 110gr RN that would be perfect for plinking loads or even some of the 30 cal 90-110gr half jacket flat nose you used to be able to get.
 
I have a friend that guides hog hunts on occasion, for JR outfitters in Indiantown FL. He had a customer shoot a hog at close to 200yds and was skeptical. Hog was DRT exit wound was impressive. He asked customer what ammo, Hornaday leverloution He believes it makes a 30/30 a 200yd rifle.
 
ebb said:
I have a friend that guides hog hunts on occasion, for JR outfitters in Indiantown FL. He had a customer shoot a hog at close to 200yds and was skeptical. Hog was DRT exit wound was impressive. He asked customer what ammo, Hornaday leverloution He believes it makes a 30/30 a 200yd rifle.
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The 30-30 catches more undeserved grief than just about any other cartridge. It’s always been a killer on medium sized game at 200 yards. The real numbers don’t lie. What amazes me is how the 300 BLK supposedly performs like Thor’s Hammer and nobody bats an eye at that claim.
 
I was brought up in Southern Illinois (50's-60's), the 30-30 was the go to cartridge. It wasn't legal then for deer, only rifled slugs. I personally saw a 30-30 do what is considered impossible by most modern day shooters, for the cartridge many times. I don't remember the bullet, but IMR 3031 was the powder of choice. I still have a bolt action Stevens/Savage with the surplus machine gun nut. I also got a few deer in Missouri with the 30-30. A great short range (<200 yards) round. The men of the 50's-60's that were putting meat on the table, used either a .22 LR or the 30-30.
 
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Everything being said, if he’s old enough to carry a rifle and hunt he’s old enough to teach how to reload.
Nothing more satisfying than killing your deer with a round you rolled yourself.
 
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