30-30 Loads

[Wondermutt]

Has anyone used the LVR Powder or a ballistic tip bullet with a lever action rifle?

What powder/bullets do you use?

Thanks,

WM

 

[FOTIS]

I have had great accuracy with the factory in the 30-30. I never reloaded to 160 tipped in it though.

I have in my 32 Win special though with 170 gr Flat points and Lever evolution powder.

I easily got 2200 fps well under max and we were shooting paper plates with peep sites at 200 meters!

This might help you.

http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/SuperLever.pdf

http://www.hornady.com/assets/files/ftx ... in_ftx.pdf

 

[FOTIS]

I looked through my database and looks like I had great luck in the past with H335 H332....

 

[DrMike]

I used it in my .307 Win, but it hasn't impressed me greatly to this point.

 

[jason miller]

On your other post, you mentioned ranges being 125 yards and less. If you are absolutely sure that the longest shot you are going to be presented with is 125 yards, as in that's the furthest you can see from a stand you're in, then it doesn't really matter. Any factory loaded 30-30 ammo is going to have very little drop at that range and bullet performance should be great on deer. I would just pick one of the old standby bullets and powders, find an accurate load, and put it to work.

 

[PJGunner]

I used to use IMR3031 for the 30-30 but now go with W748. I only shoot cast bullets in my 30-30 rifles loaded at or near full power. They kill deer just fine. My favorite load shoots a 190 gr. bullet in my(RCBS #30-180-FN) alloy to 1950 FPS which duplicates the old .303 Savage. The load is a killer on deer. Now that I live in more wide open country, my 30-30s just see range time.
Paul B.

 

[Wondermutt]

Yeah, on a good day where we deer hunt, a 100 yard shot is a long one. Lots of brush, big timber, steep hillsides etc.. Normally, 20 - 50 yards is typical, hence the majority of my hunting is done during archery season. We spot and stalk, and have not shot from a tree stand in over 20 years, but that may change in the years to come.

Thanks for the input guys. I have had this 30-30 for years and only shot it with ammo labeled "cowboy rounds" at paper plates. So there is no telling what they actually are. But I saw a family member shoot this round and never had any issues.

Its a shame to see this gun turned into a safe queen, but its looking more like its destiny.

On your other post, you mentioned ranges being 125 yards and less. If you are absolutely sure that the longest shot you are going to be presented with is 125 yards, as in that's the furthest you can see from a stand you're in, then it doesn't really matter. Any factory loaded 30-30 ammo is going to have very little drop at that range and bullet performance should be great on deer. I would just pick one of the old standby bullets and powders, find an accurate load, and put it to work.

 

[kraky1]

FWIW here is a 5 shot 100 yard .88" group out of my marlin using some non coated nosler 30-30 ballistic tip bullets I picked up at shooters proshop.
The powder was 34.0 h4895 and it clocks 2320 out of a 20" barrel.
Needless to say my load developement is done with that gun.
The gun has a 2-7 burris ballistic plex on it. I have it zeroed 1.75" high at 100 which gives me an ez point blank to about 170 yds.
The first crosshatch on the scope is dead on at 200
2nd is dead on at 250yds.
3rd is dead on at 300 yds.
The day I shot this I swung over and easily hit the 300 yds gong at the range without touching a thing...just using the 3 hashmark which is where quicktarget thought things would be.
Also...I ran a water jug test with the bullets at 1400 fps which would mirror a 300 yd hit and they bullet appeared to have opened just fine. It left a 1"x1" hole in the plywood on the other side of my jug. Not sure if deer lungs are a match to water jugs and plywood but if they are it looks potent enough at 300 yds. NOt that I'm using the 30-30 for power line hunting but I'm kinda looking to get back to the range and see if I can "wow" some 3006 shooters with the old girl vrs their groups.

 

[dlove]

a 3 shot group over the chrono came in at 2446, 2428, 2455 with LVR and 160gr flex tips loaded to book max. this is a 2-3" group with iron sites at 100.

 

[jhuener]

After being impressed with 130 grain E-tips in my .270, I decided to try some Hornady 140 Monoflex bullets in my .30/30. After getting some of the bullets I decided to pair them with the new LVR powder. I had read somewhere (I think on the Marlin site) that a charge of 35.5 grains was the top end for this bullet.

I worked up a series from 30.0 to 35.5 grains and all shot with no pressure signs. I was shooting RP cases with CCI 200 primers out of a Marlin with the 2 3/4X Redfield scope. The bottom end of the run was nothing to write home about, but from 33 grains on up things ranged from 0.64-1.89 inches on centers at 100 yards. I'm sure some of this variation was due to the limitations of the optics (and perhaps the shooter). I don't have a chrono, so don't know how fast they are going. I was happy with the reslts, though, and I've loaded up some of the 35.5 loads and will have to decide between the .30/30 and the .270 come deer season.

Joel

 

[SJB358]

I use the LVR powder with the 170 grain Speer Deep Curl in the 30-30. Runs right at 2300 out of my little M94. I also use LVR with the 35 Rem and 200 grain CLRN.

It has been very accurate and pretty speedy for me. I have some 150 BT's for the 30-30, just haven't gotten around to loading any yet.