A few practical questions re: loading .30-30 for a Savage 340 bolt

[TheCoachZed]

Hi guys,

While I have kicked around the idea of reloading .30-30 for years, I have never bought any of the gear necessary until now. I purchased a Lee Loader -- crude, I know, but if I don't use it much, then I'm not out much money. And given that I'm using a bolt action (a CIL 830, a.k.a. a Savage 340), I think it should work nicely. I have a friend with full .30-30 reloading setup who can full-length resize them when that time comes.

Now, I want to know what components I should be looking at for when I have time to use this.

The rifle seems to shoot 150 grain or 170 grain Winchester Powerpoints much better than their 170 grain Powermax Bonded hollowpoints, and that's all I know. I was thinking of starting off either buying some bulk Powerpoints or Core-Lokts, but was also tempted to try something more pointy, as I'm using a box mag, not a tube mag, and could therefore retain more down-range energy (not planning to really boost velocity, just want to shoot flatter). The ultimate goal is hunting, not paper punching, so bullets must be capable of decent expansion.

Question 1: What bullets should I look at? Something simple like Powerpoints, or maybe something tricky like FTX or Speer spire points?

Question 2: I also have no sweet clue what powder/primers to buy. Can anyone make any suggestions?

Question 3: Should I look for a basic reloading scale, and if so, which one?

Question 4: Reloading manuals -- for the .30-30, would any old classic manual do, or should I buy the latest?

 

[Ganderite]

30-30 bullets are made to be the correct seated depth and to expand properly at 30-30 velocities. They are also round nose and flat base, which should give max accuracy in a ordinary barrel.

Any medium speed powder would work. A ball powder would meter/throw the most accurately. e.g. 748, H335, BLC2.

If you buy a stick powder, 4895, 4064, RL15 or Varget.

primers should match the powder. magnum for ball powder, standard for stick powder.

If this is your entry into reloading, a modern manual will not only give you load data, but the educational section would be good to read.

 

[TheCoachZed]

30-30 bullets are made to be the correct seated depth and to expand properly at 30-30 velocities. They are also round nose and flat base, which should give max accuracy in a ordinary barrel.

Any medium speed powder would work. A ball powder would meter/throw the most accurately. e.g. 748, H335, BLC2.

If you buy a stick powder, 4895, 4064, RL15 or Varget.

primers should match the powder. magnum for ball powder, standard for stick powder.

If this is your entry into reloading, a modern manual will not only give you load data, but the educational section would be good to read.

Sounds like a plan.

 

[Ganderite]

When you look at bullets, you will find many, many 308 bullets. The ones made for 30-30 are a bit different than the pointy ones used in 30-06, 308, etc. They are round nose and usually have a crimping groove in the right place.

In a bolt rifle the point bullet will work, but it would be designed to expand at higher velocities. Once you get some loading experience, you can try them. But for starters, get the bullets intended for 30-30. Less variables to deal with.

 

[LUTNIT]

When I was doing load development for my dads Savage 340 I tried some regular .308 bullets and they actually wouldn't chamber. The throat on my dads rifle was cut to only fit short .30-30 style bullets. Put a regular bullet meant for a .308/.30-06/etc. in there, seat to the cannalure, and it wouldn't chamber.

I don't know if your rifle is cut the same way as my dads, but food for thought.

For .30-30 the Hornady FTX shoot quite a bit flatter than most others and Leverevolution powder seems to give the best velocity within .30-30 pressure limits. Data for that combo can be found on the Hodgdon data website but any major brand reloading manual will have good introduction sections for a new reloader (even if it doesn't have that bullet/powder combo in it's data).