30-30 Load for 14" contender
- Thread starter Trenton
- Start date
Thebear_78
Handloader
- Sep 30, 2004
- 3,090
- 836
My dad had really good luck with the 125gr Nosler Ballistic tip for whitetails out of his 10" contender barrel. It worked for a couple of michigan whitetails.
- Thread starter
- #3
Larry in SD
Handloader
- Nov 8, 2004
- 426
- 1
I've always had the best results in a Super 14 .30-30 Winchester using 125gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip loaded with Accurate Arms #2230. Velocity in several different barrels was 1" at 100 yards for 5 shots. The average muzzle velocity in several different barrels was between 2375 FPS and 2410 FPS.
Never did get to shoot a deer with the above load. However I did shoot a nice Whitetail Buck last year with the 125gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip in a Super 14 .30-30 Ackley Improved at a muzzle velocity of 2683 FPS. The Buck was 286 yards distant and one shot was all it took. My Daughter used the same Contender and Load last year to take a nice medium sized Whitetail Doe at 126 yards, and again one shot was all that was needed.
I am sure out of a .30-30 Winchester Contender the performance would be quite similar, just different range limitations due to the different muzzle velocities. Actually at the velocities possible out of 14" Handguns I think the 125gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip is an excellent choice for a proper balance of bullet expansion and penetration.
Larry
Never did get to shoot a deer with the above load. However I did shoot a nice Whitetail Buck last year with the 125gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip in a Super 14 .30-30 Ackley Improved at a muzzle velocity of 2683 FPS. The Buck was 286 yards distant and one shot was all it took. My Daughter used the same Contender and Load last year to take a nice medium sized Whitetail Doe at 126 yards, and again one shot was all that was needed.
I am sure out of a .30-30 Winchester Contender the performance would be quite similar, just different range limitations due to the different muzzle velocities. Actually at the velocities possible out of 14" Handguns I think the 125gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip is an excellent choice for a proper balance of bullet expansion and penetration.
Larry
Haven't used the 30-30 but some years ago I used a 7-30 Waters and 7-30 JDJ in 14 inch Contender barrels to kill between 30-40 deer both in season and on crop damage permits. The usual bullet was the 140gr Ballistic Tip. I don't think the bullet had been on the market long at that time and may have changed some since but it had a tendency to blow a huge hole if the range was short. At the same time I carried a handful of catridges loaded with 140 Partitions that I used if the deer was right off the muzzle and that resulted in less blood shot meat. I have a friend that has used the 30-30 with Ballistic Tips and he has never complained of excessive meat damage.
