whats with this poor shootin'

mikeystew

mikeystew

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my marlin 336 in 30-30 throws fed 170 factory rounds inside 1" at 50m with iron sights... since i've started reloading my 50m group opened up to 3". @ 100m its more like 6-7" off the bench...

is it possable that using a 150 grain bullet could cause that much difference in accuracy? my gun has never liked 150's much but not to this extent. these speer hot cor bullets do not seat to the same depth from bullet to bullet either, so i've been slowly working each one down little by little until it reaches the correct depth.

im also within 1 grain of a max load now, each one weighed out individually... could it be the reloder 15 powder? im befuddled

id love to hear if anyone else has had this kind of variation between different combonations of reloading components. im getting really frustrated throwing so much money downrange with no positive results
thanks
 
my last marlin 30 30 was excelent with h170's. switch to speers or 150 grn and groups were twice as big. after a while i only shot h170. the gun deceides not us reloaders.
 
chappy said:
my last marlin 30 30 was excelent with h170's. switch to speers or 150 grn and groups were twice as big. after a while i only shot h170. the gun deceides not us reloaders.
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forgive my newness to this, im assuming h170 means hornady? im thinking this may be the case with this gun also. i know it is an older ballard style bbl, and i think it has a 1:12 twist
 
The 30-30 and 170 grain bullets go together like apple pie and ice cream.
Like others have said, I would use 170 grain bullets.
Also, don't get hung up about being only one grain under "maximun." That word, "maximum," in your reloading book, simply means you are one grain short of what is considered the factory loading for the 30-30! Are you that concerned about shooting a factory loaded 30-30 cartridge in your Marlin? It will be loaded to about the same pressure as will the load in your book called, maximum.
 
i dont care if it's a 120grain hollow point reduced load if it shoots straight. but i think you are right h4831, the 170 grain is gonna be my next load... i've been trying to find some to no avail as of late. going to have to order and wait i guess.
 
hmmm....I thought about going to 150's in my 336 as well, but after reading this thread I think I might re-consider....mikeystew, thanks for asking the question. I truly enjoy reading H4831's little pearls....
 
The opportunity to experiment is a large part of the attraction to reloading. Often it means a neccessity to experiment as its the rare gun that will shoot well with any load you happen to grab out of the book.

See if you can find some other people who reload the same calibres and talk them out of a couple handfulls of different bullets or go buy a few different styles and weights. Load 5 or so with 3 or 4 different amounts of powder and see what works then start honing in on the most promising one. The combinations are endless but something will work if you keep at it.
 
brnolvr said:
I think RL 15 is a little too slow for 30-30, maybe try something in the 3031 range and see what happens.
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im on it! after some research it seems to be the consensus of many that 3031 is the go to powder for accuracy, i've reserved some that i'll be picking up on monday
 
You just found out that factory loads are a lot better than they used to be. They are harder for the handloader to beat.
The 30-30 in particular, has been around so long, that the factories have perfected their loads, as close as mass production will allow.
 
I tell ya whut!

factory fed 170s... i could shoot 4" clays @ 100m using a post for support with iron sights, 8 out of 10.

handloads (so far) i tried and couldnt hit one from the bench at 100m out of 10 shots, took me 7 shots to hit one at 75m.

making swiss cheeze of my 50m targets... looks like a 20m 15 pellet buck shot.

i guess you could say ammo companies have damn near perfected the 30-30 alright.
 
Every gun is different. Even ones with consecutive serial numbers.

Some will shoot almost everything quite well. Others are very fussy - may not shoot factory ammo well, and take a lot of tinkering to find the right load.

I once bought a 22 Hornet (a nice Brno) real cheap because "It can't hit the barn from inside!" He was right, it grouped 6" at 100 yards. I am stuborn and almost wore out the barrel trying every powder and bullet combination.

One day I made a 5 grain mistake with my balance beam scales. I loaded a box of ammo 5 grains light - about 3 grains under the Start Load. Shot a bug hole group. Turned out that the rifle had a tight throat and barrel and needed a much lighter load.

I tried both 223 and 224 bullets. It preferred a light powder charge and 224 bullets.

Your rifle is talking to you. I am sure it said "I like 170. I puke on 150." Don't argue with it.
 
30-30 has a split personality.
German armorers often chamber it in ornate Ruger no.1 actions with fancy stocks. In that kind of tight action, it is a tack driver.
It is a nice round to reload; seating a bullet straight isn't a great challenge with that long neck. If it only had slightly thicker brass, it would be perfect.
PP.
 
Federal once made ".30 American" brass, which was .30-30 brass made to match tolerances and with a small primer pocket. It was intended for benchrest rifles chambered for the .30-30.
 
Bassmaster said:
hmmm....I thought about going to 150's in my 336 as well, but after reading this thread I think I might re-consider....mikeystew, thanks for asking the question. I truly enjoy reading H4831's little pearls....
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Thank you very much for your remarks, Bassmaster.
I'm trying to figure out from your location given, if you are in Ontario or Saskatchewan.
 
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