Pointed bullets in a 30-30

thatmikeguy

thatmikeguy

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I would like to experiment with pointed bullets in my marlin 336. I don't have money for a .308 yet so i would like to experiment with what i have. Do you have any suggestions? Have you discovered any loads that work well?
 
When I had my Savage 24, I used 150gr Speer Grand Slams with 30.0gr of IMR3031. Accuracy was decent, but I never had a chance to try them on game.
 
The Marlin has the cartridge tube feeding system.
Pointed bullets can hit the primer of the cartridge ahead of it causing the round to go off in the tube. NOT a good thing.

I am not sure if the Marlin has the tubular magazine that is slightly twisted to offset the primer.

I will let others with more knowledge on lever actions give their opinions but IMO avoid pointed bullets in a tubular magazine .
 
The pointed bullet you are using should not be FMJs. If the bullet tips are either plastic or lead, you can use caution. FMJs are dangerous if loaded more than one in the mag. They can detonate the entire mag load. Loaded single in the mag and one in action is the safe route.
 
Most reloading manuals have loads listed for the 30-30 with a spitzer or pointed bullet. These are intended for bolt rifles and single shots and do give the old cartridge some better performance. You could use these loads in your marlin but you would be limited to two rounds. One in the magazine and one in the chamber. Overall cartridge length would be a factor to cycle the second round. You could try the new Leverevoution cartridges that are designed specifily for tubular magazines. There should be someone out there that has tried them? How about it Guys...
 
Have you ever seen one of those old Rem pumps with the spiral tube mag? Like in .30 Rem. The spiraled mag keeps the point of the bullet off the primer and on the rim. I've always wondered why lever actions never came out with this design. Maybe it's not reliable or something but it would be cool to try on a Marlin or Win. The new soft points are a great idea but if they don't shoot you're pretty limited on variety. I hope they start making a broad range of weights and calibers.
 
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blasted_saber said:
Leverevolution bullets by Hornady. They have a soft pointed tip so are OK in tubular magazines.

Their performance is excellant in my opinion.
Click to expand...



X2 on this I have used these bullets and find them very good preformers and this year you can now buy just the bullets from hornady and work up your own loads. Looking forward to this.
 
I tried to get 130Gr Barnes triple shock to shoot out of my uncles bolt action savage. They would not stabilize. Had to move in to 25 yards to get on the paper to find a keyhole. Not sure what the problem is.
 
Hornady is now 2009 offering their 160gr Lever Evolution bullet for the 30/30 to the reloader!!!! I have also tried 150gr Nosler Ballistic Tips in my Marlin , SINGLE loaded ONLY and one in the tube but use only the Hornady now.
 
Hornady

Yes, give the Hornady Leverevolution ammo a try! Its a great product at a great price, I was regularly hitting water jugs at 200yrds with my Winchester 94 with open sights.

I dont know what the performance is like on big game but it is your "SAFE" answer to the pointed bullet question.
 
I have shot a lot of 150gr pointed bullets in my M94 Winchester. Shot just fine.

But, they are made for 308 velocity and might not have good expansion at 30-30 velocity. Don't know. Never tried.

Before trying the "One up the spout, one in the mag" trick, make absolutly sure the OAL is OK. With a tubular magazine, you can easily shove any length in, but if it is too long, it won't cycle and won't come out. The ogive on a pointed bullet might not allow you to seat the bullet deep enough.

I had a lot of ex-military FMJ to plink with, so plinked them single shot, or loaded them upside down, to make a short eange wad cutter. Worked just fine using a start load.
 
Hornady evolution work well out of my 336 worked excellent on my deer this year. Will be available in most of the evolution calibers this year. Cant wait for that time.
 
i'm well aware of the pointed bullet/tube mag dilema. i'v tried the lever rev ammo but only 15 shots. i figured maybe i could make my own for cheaper and fire one at a time. if the 130gr don't stabilize then i'm just not sure if it's worth while. The blue box federals always shot well in my gun. might stick with those for plinking and use lever rev's for hunting.
 
For ranges under 100 yards which the 30-30 is designed, I think the round nose bullets are more than adequate and don't justify the cost of the leverevolution bullets. Beyond that point I would suggest the leverevolutions, but I wouldn't want to take anything beyond 200 yards with it.

I have a friend who hunts with an old 94. He loads a spitzer as his first round and then round nose bullets behind it. He knows the point of aim is slightly different but doesn't usually need that second shot.

The 30-30 is a fine old cartridge if you accept its strengths but also its weaknesses.

I would keep the old girl as she is, and then pick up a nice bolt action for pushing anything past 100 yards. In the bush though, the lever and 30-30 are still king. For me its just another excuse to buy another firearm.
 
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