30-30 hornady leverevolution
- Thread starter moose1987
- Start date
The FTX bullet(win case, wlr primer and max load of BLC-2) worked just fine for me. 60yrds for this 8-point in the swamp. It was the last day of the season, our camp hadn't gotten a buck yet this year.... And it was my birthday!! Haha
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I shot a buck last Sunday at about 40 yards with a hand loaded 160 FTX out of my .30-30 AI. Punched front shoulder, shredded at least one lung, sliced off a third of the heart. He went about 50 yards and piled up. I couldn't fit the tip of my ring finger in the exit hole. I figure the bullet was moving at about 2500 fps so in my estimation it held up nicely.
Nice!
I don't have any first hand experience with the 30-30, but I've seen the results from the .444 Marlin and 45-70 when guiding bear hunting. A couple guys from Hornady were actually up hunting a few years before I started and tried out the rounds on their hunt before they were on the shelves. All had the same DRT result. There were fragments from the jacket as well as tiny dirt like looking pieces of the bullet (I'm assuming) inside the cavity and against the opposite side on the skin. There was an exit hole as well on the animals. Also, we found that little red plastic piece in a couple of the animals even though the bullets exited. A little meat damage, but it is essentially a .45 caliber hollow point.
Like Yodave said, it almost seemed like a beefed up VMAX.
Like Yodave said, it almost seemed like a beefed up VMAX.
Thats why I asked if he meant the ammo but of course the next poster the 1shotwonder assumes I am being the grammar police?!
you're not an undercover Spelling Cop, are you? Now remember, you must answer truthfully!
There is a secondary capital letter in there somewhere in the group. I have some of that ammo, I looked on my shelf, but don't see it handy just now!
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Have used the Hornady Leverevolution 160 grain 30/30 round the last six years, have dropped eight deer with it from 30 yards to as far as 276 yards, all but one(ran 20 yards) dropped on the spot. Have had several bullets fragment but none failed to do the job. Its my go to round for my marlin lever.
- Location
- Cold Lake, Alberta
I recently picked up 2 boxes. One the 150 grain and another 170 grain. I had previously sighted in my 30-30 using Federal Fusion. I was expecting to shoot about 4-8 inches higher with the Hornady. So while sighting in I aimed low to insure I was on target and sure enough first round was 7 inches higher than my aim point. took 2 more shots and they were also both high but what surprised me was one was 10 inches left and the other was 3 inches right of my original shot. I thought I had hit my scope and loosened my scope mounts. I played around for over 3 hours trying to get my rifle sighted in with the Hornady rounds. By this point I was becoming frustrated. I reset my scope to pre-shot settings loaded up a federal fusion and first shat was bang on. Normally I have never had any issues with Hornady but these rounds seam to lack consistency in my books. Perhaps next year I will re try them but for $40 per box I expect better shooting rounds.
I load the 160 FTX in my 30-30s, using Hodgdon's [Hornady] Leverevolution powder for the job.
I worked up to the recommended load of 35.5 grains, and was really impressed with the accuracy in both my Winchester and my Marlin carbines.
The Marlin [scoped] was flirting with MOA, while the Winchester, using aperture was right around 1¾ MOA.
Have not taken any game with this combo yet, but will do so as soon as it can be arranged.
Regards, Dave.
I worked up to the recommended load of 35.5 grains, and was really impressed with the accuracy in both my Winchester and my Marlin carbines.
The Marlin [scoped] was flirting with MOA, while the Winchester, using aperture was right around 1¾ MOA.
Have not taken any game with this combo yet, but will do so as soon as it can be arranged.
Regards, Dave.
07blackwater
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Port Coquitlam, BC
I just handload the powder (lvr) and I gained about 150-200 fps. and my groups got tighter.
That's all I can add.
That's all I can add.
Very good accuracy with the Hornady factory FTX ammo in my 30-30s (both pre 64 Win 94s), 35 rem (Marlin model 336C), 45-70s (both Guide Guns - 1 stainless + 1 blue), 450 Marlin (BLR 81 takedown).
A 1-shot kill with the Hornady 325 grain FTX ammo on an elk last year @ 80 yards with the blue Guide Gun.
Lung shot - very little meat destruction.
Accuracy, dead on the ground with minimal meat destruction are my measuring criteria.
The FTX ammo passed.
A 1-shot kill with the Hornady 325 grain FTX ammo on an elk last year @ 80 yards with the blue Guide Gun.
Lung shot - very little meat destruction.
Accuracy, dead on the ground with minimal meat destruction are my measuring criteria.
The FTX ammo passed.
Tried them in my Marlin 30-30. Same thing, all over the place. I was actually really surprised with the performance. Spoke to many guys that have nothing but good to say about them, but I found them terrible in my lever.
Key hole 5-shot groups from my Marlin 336C in 35 Rem.
Have a Leupold 2-7x33mm scope on top.
A couple of my friends with Win and Marlin leverguns in 30-30 tell me that the factory Hornady 160 grain FTX ammo is more accurate than their hand loads.
I know I've been getting great results with the factory 200 grain FTXs in my Marlin 336C in 35 Rem.
My hunting gang in PA own mostly Win 94s and Marlin 336s and swear by the factory Hornady FTX ammo.
In fact they're the ones who coaxed me into trying some.
For $40 a box, no thanks..
I'm still shooting C.I.L Saber Tips, and very happy with them, though I am gonna load some with the LVR powder.. I still have hundreds of bulk C.I.L Sabre bullets, no sense in not utilizing them..
I'm still shooting C.I.L Saber Tips, and very happy with them, though I am gonna load some with the LVR powder.. I still have hundreds of bulk C.I.L Sabre bullets, no sense in not utilizing them..
$34 per box @ LeBarons last I looked and I can get em cheaper than that stateside.
Got 6 boxes that will do me for years.
Those CIL Sabre Tips are almost collectors items.
My dad and uncles saw a few deer and moose take their dirt naps with CIL ammo loaded in their rifles.
Everytime I see a CIL Dominion box of ammo the old memories start flooding back.
how many exactly are you planning on shooting in a year? unless your planning on shooting F-class with your old 94 Winchester.........the price per box is actually damn near in line with all of the other available over the counter hunting ammo using premium bullets........
07blackwater
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Port Coquitlam, BC
That's the truth.
I always encourage anyone that complains about the price of ammo to get into hand loading.
At the end of the day, by the time you develop a good load, though, the initial cost will exceed store prices but you will be a better shot.
Worth it? I think so.
