30-30 which weight load and game you use
- Thread starter bud69
- Start date
jmichelin84
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Big Land, nL
I've never used anything lighter than 170 or 180 and my dad has taken many many many moose and we've taken care of until about 2010
Personally i like the speer hotcor 170gr for the 3030 amd 32 sp. I load them for my buddies 32sp and he dropped his first bear with them. Not fancy no frills bullet that works well on big game.
His shot was a complete pass thru shot at 17 yards. I coukd keep a 2.5" group at 125 yards off bags with his gun and load. Semi buck horn sights and my bad eyes.
Im not a fan of the gummy bullets. Theyll work fine for deer.
The flat nose design of the hot cor seems to have more noticable smack on target and hold together perfectly at lever gun velocities. Plus theyre cheap to buy. I order mine thru jerry at mystic precision. Hes a sponsor of this site
His shot was a complete pass thru shot at 17 yards. I coukd keep a 2.5" group at 125 yards off bags with his gun and load. Semi buck horn sights and my bad eyes.
Im not a fan of the gummy bullets. Theyll work fine for deer.
The flat nose design of the hot cor seems to have more noticable smack on target and hold together perfectly at lever gun velocities. Plus theyre cheap to buy. I order mine thru jerry at mystic precision. Hes a sponsor of this site
Wish they still made their Deep Curl.
257Roberts
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Peterborough ON
If any cartridge has the bullet selection figured out it would be the 30-30.
There is mind boggling information on proper bullet choice that can be found on the www.
The hunters that use the 30-30 at our camp prefer the 170 grain and my dad (rip) had 4 boxes of 170gr loads when he turned his 30-30 over to me.
My self I do not use the 30 wcf, but if I were to, I would go with the 170gr. loads.
David
gunrunner8
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Kamloops, B.C.
It depends what bear.
I would consider 30-30 Win a little bit light for large bear here in BC no matter what bullet weight.
I also use 35Rem hand loads for such a task with 220 Speer bullets.
Last spring 2017 I shot 400 + lbs black bear into two lungs and he didn't go much over 15 steps in my direction before falling down.
Potential argument in the bush with grizzly bear also weight heavily in my choice of armament.
nomad 68
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
If this is an over bait hunt, you're uncle doesn't know what he is talking about in regards to .30/30 not being enough. Use the leverevolutions in 160 gr if they will shoot well in your Marlin. Otherwise, whatever 170 grainer swill shoot accurately.
The 160 FTX does do a good job of extending the range of the .30-30, however there is a trade off to it and that is a lack of holding together at close ranges. I wouldn't choose them for a moose hunt, but certainly suitable for whitetails, black bears, and similar sized critters. I just do not trust the 160 FTX to provide enough penetration on a shot of anything other than precisely broadside under 100 yards on a moose, after my experiences with them on deer up close. Extend the range a touch and they may hold together better, never bothered trying.
Moose with the .30-30 I'd like a tougher 170 grain bullet (partition or Aframe) or at least bonded. Placement trumps all though. Deer and average sized black bears I'd use whatever load my .30-30 shot well, in my case 150 grain fusions beat even my handloads. I may Look to a tougher bullet again if I was chasing a monster black bear.
Moose with the .30-30 I'd like a tougher 170 grain bullet (partition or Aframe) or at least bonded. Placement trumps all though. Deer and average sized black bears I'd use whatever load my .30-30 shot well, in my case 150 grain fusions beat even my handloads. I may Look to a tougher bullet again if I was chasing a monster black bear.
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Interesting thread. I've whacked a few whitetail with my wicked old .32 Special. Factory loads of some kind, can't recall now which ones they were. 30-30 and .32 Special 150 or 170 grain cartridges worked fine for me over the years on whitetail.
I found two boxes of 170 gr. Silvertip .322 bullets. Don't know if I can bring myself to shoot them. Such a nice old bullet!
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I found two boxes of 170 gr. Silvertip .322 bullets. Don't know if I can bring myself to shoot them. Such a nice old bullet!
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Is the deep curl not the fusion bullet of now?
