Looking for some good loads for the 30-30 with 170gr bullets. I am going to work with 170gr Sierras and then switch over to PT's when I can get some of them. I shot the M94 today and kinda zeroed the aperature sight on the rifle. Seemed to be pretty accurate with 170gr Winchester Silvertips that I bought. Figure I will stick with 170's for the rifle. What a blast of a rifle it is though! Love the lever guns, although, the Winchester is slightly different from my Marlins since you have to depress the leven enough for the trigger to be pressed. Kinda thought I had a malfunction till I corrected myself! Scotty
30-30 loads
- Thread starter SJB358
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Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
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Have been getting good results using BL-C(2), with the 170 gr Remington RNSP bullet.
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Antelope_Sniper
Handloader
- Jan 25, 2008
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Dad always had good luck with 748.
That's where I would start.
That's where I would start.
G
Guest
Guest
I'll second the vote for Win748. I've had excellent results in my Win94 30-30 with 170gr over it.
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,857
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Just ran some 170 gr factory ammo through my .30-30 Marlin:
Temperature was 40 degrees, overcast, and with a slight north wind. The bullet launcher was my trusty iron-sighted 336 Marlin with the standard 20" microgroove barrel. The chronograph was 12' from the muzzle. The target was a row of one-gallon plastic jugs filled with water, at 25 yards.
Remington Core Lokt: Recovered from 6th jug. 132 gr, .552" dia. Muzzle velocity was 2118 fps.
Winchester Silvertip: Recovered from 6th jug. 125.6 gr, .584" dia. Muzzle velocity was 2167 fps.
Winchester Power Point: Recovered from 6th jug. 138.5 gr, .606" dia. Muzzle velocity was 2141 fps.
Unless one of these types of ammo shoots remarkably better from your rifle (and they all shot with about the same good accuracy from my Marlin), I don't know that I could recommend one of these over the other. They all have similar muzzle velocity, penetration, expansion and weight retention. The modest muzzle velocity of the .30-30, coupled with a large soft point seems to make for very good bullet performance.
I'd also note that at this same velocity level, some 300 grain .45/70 bullets I've tested were destroyed, and produced less penetration... Worth a thought.
Temperature was 40 degrees, overcast, and with a slight north wind. The bullet launcher was my trusty iron-sighted 336 Marlin with the standard 20" microgroove barrel. The chronograph was 12' from the muzzle. The target was a row of one-gallon plastic jugs filled with water, at 25 yards.
Remington Core Lokt: Recovered from 6th jug. 132 gr, .552" dia. Muzzle velocity was 2118 fps.
Winchester Silvertip: Recovered from 6th jug. 125.6 gr, .584" dia. Muzzle velocity was 2167 fps.
Winchester Power Point: Recovered from 6th jug. 138.5 gr, .606" dia. Muzzle velocity was 2141 fps.
Unless one of these types of ammo shoots remarkably better from your rifle (and they all shot with about the same good accuracy from my Marlin), I don't know that I could recommend one of these over the other. They all have similar muzzle velocity, penetration, expansion and weight retention. The modest muzzle velocity of the .30-30, coupled with a large soft point seems to make for very good bullet performance.
I'd also note that at this same velocity level, some 300 grain .45/70 bullets I've tested were destroyed, and produced less penetration... Worth a thought.
- Nov 4, 2004
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Guy
Nice performance with the factory loads.
That performance is precisely what made the 30-30 famous.
Scotty,
Keep in mind that Nosler now offers a 150 gr BST which is made specifically for the 30-30.
For plinking and hunting with te 30-30, any of the W-W or R-P bulk bullets would be perfect. :wink:
JD338
Nice performance with the factory loads.
That performance is precisely what made the 30-30 famous.
Scotty,
Keep in mind that Nosler now offers a 150 gr BST which is made specifically for the 30-30.
For plinking and hunting with te 30-30, any of the W-W or R-P bulk bullets would be perfect. :wink:
JD338
- Thread starter
- #9
Guy I really appreciate you taking the time posting that! I just zeroed the Williams peep with the 170gr Silvertips and they seemed to shoot pretty well. I can't imagine any of them not doing a great job. Those factory loads seem lime they might be tough to beat with handloads.
Jim I may change my option up to the 150 gr BST. Just depends on what I can get as seconds first. The 30-30 won't hav a hard hunting life. Probably use it when I am just hunting with younger folks and want something light and handy. Those bullets all seemed to do really well. 6 jugs is nothing to sneeze at. Scotty
Jim I may change my option up to the 150 gr BST. Just depends on what I can get as seconds first. The 30-30 won't hav a hard hunting life. Probably use it when I am just hunting with younger folks and want something light and handy. Those bullets all seemed to do really well. 6 jugs is nothing to sneeze at. Scotty
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,857
- 6,403
Scotty - no problem - I wanted to hit the range today, and had been putting off this .30-30 test for quite a while. Killed a mess of plastic jugs this morning!
Agree - it might be difficult to build a truly superior deer & black bear load than basic 170 grain factory ammo. It seems Remington and Winchester have sure got it figured out. I suspect Federal does as well, but I didn't have any of their .30-30 ammo on hand.
You're right about six jugs being good penetration. Six jugs is farther than some .375 H&H and .45/70 loads I've tested...
My 336 Marlin relies on a Williams peep sight as well. Sure is fun to shoot. My handloads have all used the 170 gr Remington bullet so far. Shoots well, and the performance is good.
Guy
Agree - it might be difficult to build a truly superior deer & black bear load than basic 170 grain factory ammo. It seems Remington and Winchester have sure got it figured out. I suspect Federal does as well, but I didn't have any of their .30-30 ammo on hand.
You're right about six jugs being good penetration. Six jugs is farther than some .375 H&H and .45/70 loads I've tested...
My 336 Marlin relies on a Williams peep sight as well. Sure is fun to shoot. My handloads have all used the 170 gr Remington bullet so far. Shoots well, and the performance is good.
Guy
- Thread starter
- #11
I think I am going to put the same Williams on the Marlin also. I seem to shoot them okay and they are my close range rifles, so I am not too worried about having to actually put meat on the table with them. More of a novelty than a strict hunting rifle.
I have some 170gr Sierras on the bench right now, so I may just start with those and see where it goes.
You are right about factory ammo. It sounds as fast or faster than most published load data and that 170gr Silver Tip is a very cool looking bullet. I wonder if they can be bought as components? Either way, it will be fun working with the 30-30 and 35 Rem. Both are pretty classic deer/bear rounds where I come from. Scotty
I have some 170gr Sierras on the bench right now, so I may just start with those and see where it goes.
You are right about factory ammo. It sounds as fast or faster than most published load data and that 170gr Silver Tip is a very cool looking bullet. I wonder if they can be bought as components? Either way, it will be fun working with the 30-30 and 35 Rem. Both are pretty classic deer/bear rounds where I come from. Scotty
It's been forever since I loaded any .30-30, but I seem to remember using IMR3031. No recollection of results, other than they went bang, and blew up pop cans and clay pigeons nicely.
Scotty, do you mind posting a picture of your receiver sight setup? Thanks, buddy!
Scotty, do you mind posting a picture of your receiver sight setup? Thanks, buddy!
- Nov 4, 2004
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BK":2tawneod said:
BK,
I helped a friend many years back get set up for reloading his 30-30.
It seems to me the powder choice was IMR3031 and the results were the same as yours.
JD338
cloverleaf
Handloader
- Sep 10, 2006
- 4,432
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You been drinkin a lot of milk lately Guy. 
That's the trouble with a Marlin 30-30, it kills stuff (ncluding milk jugs) with boring regularity. Nice pics, thanks for posting. I gotta do that with my 250 some day. Right now it would be inches of penetration in ice. :x Its gotta warm up soon. CL
That's the trouble with a Marlin 30-30, it kills stuff (ncluding milk jugs) with boring regularity. Nice pics, thanks for posting. I gotta do that with my 250 some day. Right now it would be inches of penetration in ice. :x Its gotta warm up soon. CLGm weatherby man
Handloader
- Dec 19, 2010
- 287
- 5
Wish I could be of help but I only load pointed bullets in my 340 savage in 30-30 usually, played a bit with the 165 tsx and r-15 , I believe it was 32.5 grs @ 2275 fps out of a 22 " tube, very accurate , un practical but fun.P.s. Also did some seirra round nose with 35.5 grns r-15 @ 2350 fps, killed my first elk with that one. 8)
- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,420
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Win 748.
Also do not discount the 160 grain FTX. Fun bullet. 8)
Also do not discount the 160 grain FTX. Fun bullet. 8)
