170g hornady 3030 blew apart

It's a soft bullet and the remaining pieces aren't smooth at least they don't appear to be in the picture. You likely hit a good sized bone I'd say it worked as advertised. Once the bullet deforms enough to loosen the mechanical lock there's nothing to hold the jacket to the core as it is not bonded
170gr Hornaday and 3030 is a pretty well proven load

Fire into a line up of water jugs and check recovered bullets. If a couple more blow up than maybe you got a bad batch. If they mushroom out you'll know this was a fluke. Either way enjoy the bear meat. My arm isn't healed enough to allow me to go bear hunting this spring
 
medvedqc said:
235gr speer in the .375s are great ... look up steve bullet steve.
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You mean BC Steve’s 375cal bullet test?
Great comparison for sure.

I got them dialed back to about 2500fps.
I recovered a 235g TSX from a bear a few years ago. High sholder shot at 200ish yards.
Picture perfect expansion weighed 234.9g.
Was surprised it didn’t pass trough.
 
I just seen that Nosler makes a 170g partition. Would like to get my hands on thoes.
I use 100g partitions in my 243. Always worked great on coyote deer and bear.
 
In my experience with 30-30 the 170gr flat points usually penetrate deeper & generally hold together better than the 160 ftx, the lower velocity of the 170s probably helps them to not disintegrate, but I've seen the 160ftx bullets have some pretty explosive expansion and not penetrate well if they strike any bones.
I've had older boxes bullets that seemed softer than usual before, recently used up an old box of 165gr interlocks in a 300sav that acted more like varmint bullets while the interlocks usually hold together well at 300 savage speeds. Could just be an anomaly that the 170 came apart.
 
regulate34 said:
I just seen that Nosler makes a 170g partition. Would like to get my hands on thoes.
I use 100g partitions in my 243. Always worked great on coyote deer and bear.
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Ive shot a bunch of deer with the nosler in my 30-30, couple critters with the barnes as well....never found a bullet of either...I have had great luck with the 170 hornady as well.
 
regulate34 said:
I just seen that Nosler makes a 170g partition. Would like to get my hands on thoes.
I use 100g partitions in my 243. Always worked great on coyote deer and bear.
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Maybe some years ago an American gun writer wrote a superb article regarding the Nosler 30-30 RN 170 grain Partition handloaded in other modern cartridges. Meaning the .307 Winchester and .300 Savage.
Could be a wise one upmanship in terminal effects.
 
I generally prefer more gun and more bullet than some folks. An exit would always makes me happy, but all that found in the same spot under the off side shoulder hide sounds like pretty good penetration to me. The 30-30 won't shoot through anything much more substantial than a milk jug, so this performance doesn't offend me in the slightest.
 
Typical cup and core bullet performance. Stopped using them for hunting many years ago. Seen them come apart way too many times.

Use the 170gr partition or 150gr TSX designed for the 30-30. You might lose the front core on the Partition but it will still penetrate well.
 
jbmauser said:
Typical cup and core bullet performance. Stopped using them for hunting many years ago. Seen them come apart way too many times.

Use the 170gr partition or 150gr TSX designed for the 30-30. You might lose the front core on the Partition but it will still penetrate well.
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I have used the TSX in other guns. Definitely preform well.
 
Ive shot one deer (a large doe) with 3030 Hornady 160gr FTX and she dropped on the spot. Shot was quartering towards and about 75m . Bullet entered in front of her left shoulder and came to rest just behind her right shoulder. I never actually recovered the bullet, it got lost somewhere in the process, just followed the wound channel.

My father in law shot a good sized buck at about 60m with 44mag FTXs. I cant remember if they were the 225gr or 240gr, but they looked similar to yours. It also dropped on the spot. I cant say they stay together well, but they certainly expend a lot of energy in the critter.
 
I shot my first moose with 170gr Imperials as I recall.

He died about 15yards from where he was when I shot him.

I may have got a little exited as I shot him from both sides after he turned.

1 bullet fully penetrated and exited, the other was just under the skin on the far side.
 
blasted_saber said:
My father in law shot a good sized buck at about 60m with 44mag FTXs. I cant remember if they were the 225gr or 240gr, but they looked similar to yours. It also dropped on the spot. I cant say they stay together well, but they certainly expend a lot of energy in the critter.
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I’ve used 225’s. I fully agree.
 
I am going to get some 130g TSX to play with in the 30-30.
Running numbers trough a calculator. They should be strong to 300 yds and still holding 1800fps and 1000ftlbs.
I’m pretty sure 1800fps is what Barnes recommends for expansion
 
I've used the Hornady Interlock as my go to 30-30 bullet for decades. It's taken many many deer, and it's rare to recover a bullet. Same for bear. I took a 2yr old bull moose with it a few years back. I figure 18" of penetration ending in the off side front shoulder. Just missed the spine, shot from a ridge above.

Nothing wrong with the bullet or the cartridge as far as I'm concerned. I don't hot rod it, I stay near factory velocities.
 
regulate34 said:
I am going to get some 130g TSX to play with in the 30-30.
Running numbers trough a calculator. They should be strong to 300 yds and still holding 1800fps and 1000ftlbs.
I’m pretty sure 1800fps is what Barnes recommends for expansion
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1934144_15382555515_7805_n.jpg


The 130 TSX needs to be seated a bit deep in the 30-30 to get proper neck tension. L-R is a 30-30 cast bullet, RN, 130 TSX and 130 TSX with the 30-30 case trimmed down to get the bullet seated "normally"

I used a Remington 788 bolt action and got over 2500 FPS from the 130 TSX. I think it's a perfect weight copper bullet for a 30-30, too bad Barnes doesn't make a 130 grain designed for lever actions.
 
Gatehouse said:
1934144_15382555515_7805_n.jpg


The 130 TSX needs to be seated a bit deep in the 30-30 to get proper neck tension. L-R is a 30-30 cast bullet, RN, 130 TSX and 130 TSX with the 30-30 case trimmed down to get the bullet seated "normally"

I used a Remington 788 bolt action and got over 2500 FPS from the 130 TSX. I think it's a perfect weight copper bullet for a 30-30, too bad Barnes doesn't make a 130 grain designed for lever actions.
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I am going to my H&R reamed into a 30-30AI.
So the neck will be shorter. Think this would give me issues with neck tension?
Would a custom die be able to give more neck tension?
I would need to get a new set for the AI version anyway.

I’ve always seated TSX long. In other cartridges. .020-.040 off the lands. Great accuracy
But never gave any thought to neck tension
 
regulate34 said:
I am going to my H&R reamed into a 30-30AI.
So the neck will be shorter. Think this would give me issues with neck tension?
Would a custom die be able to give more neck tension?
I would need to get a new set for the AI version anyway.

I’ve always seated TSX long. In other cartridges. .020-.040 off the lands. Great accuracy
But never gave any thought to neck tension
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I don't think you will have a problem. That rifle was along time ago but I'm thinking now I also had to deal with magazine length restrictions, which you won't need to.

But you should be able to run the 130's at 2500+/- depending on barrel length.
 
Gatehouse said:
I don't think you will have a problem. That rifle was along time ago but I'm thinking now I also had to deal with magazine length restrictions, which you won't need to.

But you should be able to run the 130's at 2500+/- depending on barrel length.
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Really hoping to break 2600 out of a 20” bbl.
Leverevoluton and mag primers. With a long string tied to the trigger.
 
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