Reloading 30-30 with soft points?
- Thread starter D_w_A
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If you use pointed bullets in a tube fed lever, make it a 2 shooter, one in the chamber, one in the mag. The reason is pointed bullets resting against the primer ahead could fire the round under the effect of recoil. Not pretty.
Republic of Alberta
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If you are going to use it for hunting be sure to use bullets especially made for the 30-30. It will say it right on the box of bullets.
Some round nose bullets are meant for higher velocity rifles like the 30-06 and will not mushroom well at the lower velocity of the 30-30.
Some round nose bullets are meant for higher velocity rifles like the 30-06 and will not mushroom well at the lower velocity of the 30-30.
^^^?? Alright, you are saying that a bullet "made" for a .30-06 will not mushroom when it drops to .30-30 velocities? Let me get this straight...
The muzzle velocity of an avg 170gn bullet from a .30-30 is 2200fps.
The velocity of an avg 165gn bullet from a .30-06 at 300yds is about 2200fps.
So, what you are saying is that a bullet loaded in a .30-06 had better be a ".30-30 bullet" or it won't expand at 400yds? Can you smell what you are shoveling? Perhaps you should let the world in on the "maximum mushroom factor" you are now bringing to light.
I guess the biggest problems I have with checking the expansion is, even at 300yds my '06 is still punching right through both lungs and it makes finding the bullet a little harder for comparison purposes.
Since I cannot debate such "facts", I will not.
However, let it be known that I used to load 165gn Hornady bullets in my father's Mod 94 .30-30. A 2-round gun is really all you need. Follow-up shots are rarely necessary. Even in my bolt actions, I rarely carry more that 3rds in my rifle.
The muzzle velocity of an avg 170gn bullet from a .30-30 is 2200fps.
The velocity of an avg 165gn bullet from a .30-06 at 300yds is about 2200fps.
So, what you are saying is that a bullet loaded in a .30-06 had better be a ".30-30 bullet" or it won't expand at 400yds? Can you smell what you are shoveling? Perhaps you should let the world in on the "maximum mushroom factor" you are now bringing to light.
I guess the biggest problems I have with checking the expansion is, even at 300yds my '06 is still punching right through both lungs and it makes finding the bullet a little harder for comparison purposes.
Since I cannot debate such "facts", I will not.
However, let it be known that I used to load 165gn Hornady bullets in my father's Mod 94 .30-30. A 2-round gun is really all you need. Follow-up shots are rarely necessary. Even in my bolt actions, I rarely carry more that 3rds in my rifle.
Republic of Alberta
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Yes, I have played around with a single shot 30-30 loading different bullets. A 180g Hornady interlock round nose will not always open up sufficiently at over 100 yards. This would be the same velocity as a 30-06 at 300 yards.
If you check the Hornady manual you will find they do not recommend the bullet at a muzzle velocity of less than 2400fps.
If you section that same bullet you will find that it has a thicker than normal jacket. This is true of many round nose bullets. Round nose bullets open easier due to the front shape, this allows a thicker jacket than normal to be used and still have expansion. That thicker jacket does retard expansion and increase penetration. This is why round nose were so popular 50 years ago.
Bottom line, stick with 30-30 bullets for your 30-30 for hunting. That way you can be 100% sure they were designed for that velocity range.
I don't know about the Remington round nose bullets. The only one I have sectioned was the 180g bullet for the 303. It had a thicker than normal jacket but much better frontal "petals" cut in for expansion. The old Remington round noses had a very good reputation at one time for penetration.
so, a bullet "built" for a .30-06 will not expand properly at 100yds if fired from a .30-30, but WILL somehow "magically" expand properly at 300yds if fired from a .30-06. Is that what you are saying? 2 bullets with the same terminal velocity (and having the exact same terminal energy) will somehow fail to expand if fired from a.30-30, but will expand if fired from a .30-06. Did I get that right?
Republic of Alberta
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No it will not expand reliably below 1700 fps that is what i am saying. Doesn't matter what gun fired it.
A 30-30 bullet made with thin copper jacket, pure lead core, flat nose and cuts in the jacket to promote initial expansion will still expand reliable down at the same velocity.
The one exception I have found so far is the Speer 170g flat point (30-30 bullet). It is built to stout and I once had it fail to expand on a whitetail. I found the bullet in the rear ham and it did not open at all. That is what got me into testing 30-30 bullets. I found it so interesting it is actually what got me into testing all different types of bullets.
Okay, I guess I can give you that. However, which bullet is traveling below 1700fps at the ranges we are discussing?
By my tables, the .30-30 150gn FN with a MV of 2300fps has a velocity of 1785 at 150yds. The .30-06 with the same bullet has velocity of 1781fps. Similar velocity but you say that they won't expand?
I'm sorry. but, I don't think I am reading this right, because it still is not making sense to me.
By my tables, the .30-30 150gn FN with a MV of 2300fps has a velocity of 1785 at 150yds. The .30-06 with the same bullet has velocity of 1781fps. Similar velocity but you say that they won't expand?
I'm sorry. but, I don't think I am reading this right, because it still is not making sense to me.
