Heavy 30-30 Loads

conor_90

conor_90

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Hi guys can anyone suggest some large cast bullets in .30 cal for some fun with the 30/30. Looking for bullets suited to a tubular magazine preferably from a a Canadian supplier basically.

Sadly kind of limited in powder selection at the moment. I had a choice between 2 options and went with hogdons H414, can't remember what the other one was but it was also not so great for the 30/30. Any loads would be appreciated but I know this is unlikely.

Thanks
 
Most of the flatnose cast lead bullet will work from the mag as long as length does not exceed 2.550 +- or so
longer might work if you top feed

if you can find
Unique, 2400, 5744, imr 3031. and even W748 will work (5 top picks)
there are many powders that will work
sadly sr-4759 has been discontinued
 
Your title stated "heavy loads" for the 30-30, so if you use cast bullets of 170, or 180 grains, you can load them to full 30-30 velocities, if the bullets are gas checked.
The 30-30 was designed to shoot 170 grain bullets at about 2200 fps, and the old, at least the old CIL Dominion ammunition, did indeed develop a velocity of right around 2200fps.
If you can get 170 grain gas checked flat or round nosed bullets, you can use the same powder charge as you would use for full load jacketed bullets.
Going by Hodgdon's on net, you can use any of several different powders they show and all will be fine, but the velocity will be much lower than they quote.
However, if you really want to load the 30-30 to its intended velocity, there is one powder that will shoot them right up around the 2200 fps, at the exact load as shown in Hodgdon's on line and that powder is LVR.
 
I should clarify, I am just having some fun basically; I was hoping to load some 180-200 grain bullets in the 30/30.

Thanks for the advice on the powders I will be on the lookout for those mentioned.
 
I've used the Lyman 311299 in several .30-30's however it is a long bullet and intrudes into the case if loaded to lengths that will fit in the tubular magazine. Since it is a round nose I only ever loaded one in the mag. I used it as a sub-sonic and got good accuracy with Unique. I have. However, loaded it long for single loading in both a Handi-Rifle and several 94's.

The 311299 weighs 204 gr lubed and checked with my alloy... edited - the 311299 was 204 gr lubed and checked, the 210 gr was 311284...
 
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How heavy a bullet will a 1-12 twist stabilize at low speed? Is it a win 94 or Marlin micro-groove? I've shot 180gr jacketed........Harold
 
I have loaded the old Lyman 311284 cast bullet in 30-30, 303 Br, and 30-06 with satisfactory results. Drops from the mold around 213 gr with straight wheelweight metal.

Trapper friend of mine uses it in his Model 94 30-30 for everything! I'll see if I can find the load.

Ted
 
The load is 25 gr of Nobel 44, a powder we used to get from AmmoMart. It was very clean burning, and Tom advised using 3031 as a guide for burning rate.

Came in seven pounds bags inside heavy cardboard boxes, and I burned up quite a few bags in everything from 222 to 9.3X62 and 375 H&H. :)

Ted
 
07blackwater said:
Rusty wood trading has 200 grain gas checked lead bullets. $59 for 200. They're round nose not flat though.
Click to expand...

just take a fine file and square off the tops of the round nose bullets till they are sufficiently flat enough. You don't need a big meplet (square frontal area) and not one at all if the lead is soft , but if you wish to decrease your OAL , you could file off several thousands of an inch and get the desired meplat at the same time. Big bullets will eat up a bit of powder space unless you load long and single load them. I have a single shot .30-30 handi-rifle and I love shooting with pointy bullets.
 
sgt.rock said:
just take a fine file and square off the tops of the round nose bullets till they are sufficiently flat enough. You don't need a big meplet (square frontal area) and not one at all if the lead is soft , but if you wish to decrease your OAL , you could file off several thousands of an inch and get the desired meplat at the same time. Big bullets will eat up a bit of powder space unless you load long and single load them. I have a single shot .30-30 handi-rifle and I love shooting with pointy bullets.
Click to expand...

That's what we did with the 30-30 loads. They come out of the mold weighing 213, and looking like this:

311284.jpg


We just nipped the tip off with sharp side cutters, and gave them a few swipes with a rasp to even out the flat.

IIRC, the velocity was around 1700 fps.

Ted
 
thanks for your responses guys.

I could use a few of those 7 lb bags Ted :) Interesting to see you loaded them in the .303 and they worked well, I might have to try them in the 7.62x54r, could be a good way to use up this powder.


that bullet doesn't look much pointer than your average 35 remington. Dare I risk loading them in a tube mag? Maybe the concern is more about oal and feeding in the lever action?
 
Ted don`t tempt me, I am spending like a fool lately on all things 30 cal related.

I saw some Meister Hard Cast bullets in .309, anyone have any experience shooting these from a 30/30? Know if they, or preferably a similar Canadian product, are available in Canada/ from a site sponsor? I'm not exactly set up for smelting lead at the moment here.
 
I have loaded RN bullets in my 30-30s with no ill effect and shot hundreds from a full magazine tube. I have done some research in the past and was unable to find anyone or any articles or any record of a bullet setting off another cartridge in a tubular magazine. Not even with lead nose spritzer bullets...........however I would avoid the poly tipped ones as they may be hard enough to actually ignite a primer. I have and do still use any type of round nose bullets in my Winchesters and have ceased to worry about it, it is virtually impossible for a round nose bullet to created enough force, under recoil, to dint a primer cup, let alone exert enough force in a small enough area to crush the "pill" between the cup and the anvil of a primer and cause it to ignite.
I would use any round nose or even semi round nose bullet in any tubular magazine lever gun and not even think twice about it............and I wouldn't bother to wipe 'em flat with a file either. I firmly believe it is "an old wives tale", and until some can actually present me with evidence it has EVER happened, I will continue to shoot semi spritzers and ordinary round nose bullets in my rifles
 
^ yeah I feel pretty good about using round nose bullets, that definitely reassures me. I have seen some semi spitzer .38's loaded into the tube and basically any .35 Remington round I've seen is pretty pointy.

The real adventure will be trying to seat those big old bullets in the 30/30
 
I'm using the 31141 mould, the forerunner to the 311041. Cast of COWW, powder coated and gas checked, it comes in at 180 grs. Pushing it with 20 grs IMR4198
They will be used in a mid 60's vintage M-94 and an 1889 SR converted to 30-30.
Mike
 
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