I knew that was a requirement for the 45-70 and the 450 Marlin, but I had never heard this about the 30-30. I have loaded the 160 gr. FTX in regular length RP cases with no issue in my Marlin 336 RC.
Primers / powder and bullets for 30-30
- Thread starter dearslayer
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I knew that was a requirement for the 45-70 and the 450 Marlin, but I had never heard this about the 30-30. I have loaded the 160 gr. FTX in regular length RP cases with no issue in my Marlin 336 RC.
dearslayer
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I currently use Lee dies for 9mm/.40s&w and .45acp but then again I don't have the experience with anything else. Haven't been doing it long enough, but if the lee 30-30 dies are available through Higginson's Ill be ordering them.
I can second that recommendation. You can either load to full potential, which give you very impressive velocities ( for a .30-30), or you can use a starting load, which gives "normal" velocities at lower pressure... the strategy I use in my older 94.
I use 170 gr flat nose bullets exclusively, whichever brand I happen to have on hand. I the distances I shoot, I don't see an advantage for lighter weight or high-tech bullets.
dearslayer
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So I ordered the 30-30 Ultimate Rifle die set from Higginson yesterday morning as well as the case length gauge & shell holder. Looks like I will have to go to the range soon to do some shooting to get the empty cases to reload. Hope you guys don't mind coaching me along on this process because I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions. I will also need to find out who has the Leverevolution powder near me. As for bullets there seems to be a lot I have to learn...so many options that I'm confused. Is FTX the brand or type of bullet... please forgive my ignorance.
Brutus
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If you desire to utilize it's full potential I highly recommend you change out the front factory bead for Williams Firesite firstly. It's a full third smaller and also highly visible with that optical bead that catches the ambient light so well.
Secondly, install a Williams brand Foolproof rear peep site.
Thirdly, remove that factory rear sight on the barrel. Maybe even put a sight blank over that dovetail.
Ken Waters, whom wrote Pet Loads, had one interesting 30-30 handload for the 110 grain Speer Varminter.
27.2 grains IMR 4198. Low recoil, very accurate 100 yards. Nice load for younger folk and wives that are novices in the shooting world.
dearslayer
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Interesting. Are these sights model specific? Would you be able to provide a link to the ones you are referring?
dearslayer
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Checking online for large rifle primers and don't see any at any of the major stores such as Select/ Tenda/Bullseye/Al's/ etc. Could I use large pistol magnum instead maybe?
Brutus
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FP-94/36 Firesight set with ramped bead. Listed as product #: 63331
This is for Winchester 94 or Marlin 336.
This from the Williams Gun Sight Company website, under Gun sights, Long Guns sights.
Call thier number see if they ship to Canada.
Otherwise see if Ellwood Epps, Calgary Shooting Centre, Western Gun Parts or Gobles carries them regular stock these are just a few better choices in Canada.
If not you would have to pay a company to import them from Williams in the USA, (extra fees) such as Irunguns or Prophet River.
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- Western Manitoba
Time passes, so might be "out of date" - I bought a Williams Firesight set for Ruger 10-22 in Aug 2018 from Tillsonburg Gun Shop in Ontario. In Sep-2017 I bought a Williams 5D-94 aperture sight from Brownells in USA - no troubles or special arrangements to receive it - they had the export permits, etc., then. For some reason, hanging on a peg, there is a "Truglo" brand package with a .450" front sight - green fibre optic - I have it marked to go with the 5D-94/36 but have never installed it yet, so front sight height might be a thing if you install a rear aperture.
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- Western Manitoba
FTX is a model of bullet made by Hornady, at least in my Hornady 9th manual. Has a boat tail, has a cannula, and has a flexible "pointy" tip - idea is that soft tip can not discharge a primer within the mag tube, yet provides an aerodynamic effect. Is hard to understand how that boat tail and tip make any amount of difference at 30-30 ranges - but there it is - was listed as 140 grain "Monoflex" for 30-30 Win, and as 160 grain FTX (30-30) The manual lists 10 powders - LEVERevolution is shown at 2,300 fps MAX which is 200 fps faster than any other powder listed for that bullet.
Brutus
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Yes it's kind of hard to justify the added cost of a modern spitzer bullet in this cartridge. Mostly this iron sighted package has been harvesting deer and various pests since 1895. And with various weights of rounded nose bullets.
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The FTX bullets and Leverevolution powder was sort of a joint project with Marlin. Marlin made a series of rifles they called the XLR (extra long range) with 24" barrels. The FTX bullets, leverevolution powder and ammo were all designed to maximize the performance of those rifles.
Jim
dearslayer
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Can I use CCI large rifle primers for the 30-30 or does it have to be Winchester large rifle primers? The
- Location
- Near Coldwater, Ont
- Location
- Western Manitoba
There are for sure Large Rifle, Large Rifle Bench Rest, Large Rifle Match and Large Rifle Magnum - likely more. And then companies like Remington and others use different names than do other makers like CCI or Federal. There is supposed to be difference in amount of heat or flame produced among them - so if you worked up a load with one type, do not want to just swap out another without reducing powder and re-working. Some specific powders - like the Winchester ball powders - do or did recommend to use with the Large Rifle Magnum type primers, regardless what cartridge that powder was used in.
Is a thing about the loading manual recipes - they tell you what primer, what case, how much of what kind of powder and what kind of bullet that they used - and show when they hit maximum pressure or whatever their limit might be (some companies do not go past 100% full - do not use "compressed" powder loads - some companies do). If you change primer, case, bullet, you are not copying their test - so their test results do not likely apply to what you assemble - kind of makes you out on your own. Has been done many, many times, but makes significant point to start your load with Start level powder loads, and work up small steps - like 0.5 grains per step. I am older - I no longer enjoy surprises - I would rather feel the bolt get a bit more difficult to open on each step, then to jump in at the high end and can not open the bolt at all...
For "standard" size cases - from say 22-250 through to 30-06 size - I used many cases of Federal 210. With W-W Ball powders, cold weather, cases any much larger than 30-06, I used Federal 215. I can not always get them, so was picking up some CCI BR-2 and Federal Match when I could find them. I have not used Winchester primers for many years - have never used Remington or other brands, so know next to nothing about them.
Some or most of these still being made? Each could be used to work up a load in a 30-30, but not likely interchangeable for a specific load:
Is a thing about the loading manual recipes - they tell you what primer, what case, how much of what kind of powder and what kind of bullet that they used - and show when they hit maximum pressure or whatever their limit might be (some companies do not go past 100% full - do not use "compressed" powder loads - some companies do). If you change primer, case, bullet, you are not copying their test - so their test results do not likely apply to what you assemble - kind of makes you out on your own. Has been done many, many times, but makes significant point to start your load with Start level powder loads, and work up small steps - like 0.5 grains per step. I am older - I no longer enjoy surprises - I would rather feel the bolt get a bit more difficult to open on each step, then to jump in at the high end and can not open the bolt at all...
For "standard" size cases - from say 22-250 through to 30-06 size - I used many cases of Federal 210. With W-W Ball powders, cold weather, cases any much larger than 30-06, I used Federal 215. I can not always get them, so was picking up some CCI BR-2 and Federal Match when I could find them. I have not used Winchester primers for many years - have never used Remington or other brands, so know next to nothing about them.
Some or most of these still being made? Each could be used to work up a load in a 30-30, but not likely interchangeable for a specific load:
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dearslayer
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Seems primers are definitely in short supply everywhere.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Seen this coming six months ago. Stacked deep.
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- Near Coldwater, Ont
Me too, they were still around $60/1000 at EPPS when other places were already getting ridiculous.
dearslayer
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Found some CCI at the store near me. I was shocked to find out they were $89.95 before tax. Holy crap!!!
dearslayer
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