3030 and 125gn pills

[mjcmichigan]

I have a marlin 336, a pretty gun, actually won it at a safari club meeting(drawing).
Unfortunately, i have not figured out how to get it shooting better than 1.5-2” at 100.
I’ve tried 170’s and 150’s. I think marginally the 150’s shoot a little better. The CTBT RN 150 for 3030, shoot poorly from it.

I noticed I can get a 125 Sierra prohunter and I think Speer has a hot core at 130gn doe 3030. I’d bet I could get 2500fps with a 125/130 using lever..

Anyone have experience with these lighter hunting bullets? (Not the varmint rounds)

 

[SJB358]

I haven't done much with the light bullets with the 30-30.

Have you tried any other powders MJ?

 

[mjcmichigan]

Hi Scottie, a few.
Lever at 37.5. Hornady IL for 3030 1.5”
IMR 4895 28.0 NCTBT RN 3”
Varget 32.5 Sierra ProHunter FN 150gm about 1”
At 34.5 Varget opened to 2”
I did repeat the Varget at 32.5 and got about 1” again.
TAC -31.0 SPH 150 0.9”
TAC - 33.0 SPH 150 1”
(32.0 was 2”)
Big Game 36.0 SPH FN 150 -0.5”
(Actual 35.0 and 37.0 were also under 1”

Maybe I answered my own question.
I could go back and test the HIL RN and NCTBT Rn with Big Game. V should be around 2200 fps with 36 grains.

In summary, three powders did produce
SubMOA in my 336XLR
TAC, Varget, and Big Game.
I don’t think I tested any RL or Winchester powders.

More after some test loads made.

I’d really like to hunt this rifle.

Just have too many good 30 Cals to accept anything less than a respectable 3030 load.
The 300 WSM really belongs to my son,
The 3006, I fantasize about converting to a 35 Whelan. 300 WM is going no where..

And the. 3006, the gun I’ve owned the longest that’s killed the most critters still shoots great…I like to plink with it, just so I don’t mind the mags.

Maybe I should just by a 35 Whelan and live with a bunch of 30’s… but I’d like to have a 7mm something…

For now, I’ll rerun the big game and TAC and maybe try some of the other pills that under performed with other powders… really want to use the NCTBT 150 RN.

 

[RL338]

At one time I loaded some Hornady 125gr SST for my brother with CFE223. They were for his 325 Savage. Don’t remember the data anymore.

 

[Lazy Bushman]

never shot that light. My preferred powders are Benchmark 2 and 2206H. The table below is the comparison between those two powders and others. The '06H I use with 160gn FTX projectiles (what a lot of mucking around that was) and I use the BM2 with Hornady 150gn RN's. More specifically I use 31.1gn's of BM2 and a WLR primer with the 150gn round nose, and 29.8gn's of '06H with the `160gn Hornady FTX's under a WLR primer.

I actually found my Marlin (one of the last of the Remlin's) to be very easy to load for. I think I'm getting sub inch leaning off a post but I'd need to go back and find my targets to be sure. Whatever it is I get, I know I'm very happy with it and I don't muck around with the loads any more

 

[michsteve]

I know the nosler Partition 170 grain round nose shoot great out of my 30/06. Bullet was made for 30/30. IMR 3031 is supposed to be a good powder for 30/30

 

[mjcmichigan]

Hi Scottie, a few.
Lever at 37.5. Hornady IL for 3030 1.5”
IMR 4895 28.0 NCTBT RN 3”
Varget 32.5 Sierra ProHunter FN 150gm about 1”
At 34.5 Varget opened to 2”
I did repeat the Varget at 32.5 and got about 1” again.
TAC -31.0 SPH 150 0.9”
TAC - 33.0 SPH 150 1”
(32.0 was 2”)
Big Game 36.0 SPH FN 150 -0.5”
(Actual 35.0 and 37.0 were also under 1”

Maybe I answered my own question.
I could go back and test the HIL RN and NCTBT Rn with Big Game. V should be around 2200 fps with 36 grains.



I ran out of Varget… but looks like a reason to get it again.

 

[Lazy Bushman]

@mjcmichigan why not just shoot more TAC or Big Game? for me if I get to an inch or better quickly then I stop messing about with loads as I can never produce off hand in the bush what I can off a bench. I have a few rifles that are shooting half inch but that was just arse. I just managed to jag a good combo early. I just load up 10 different loads, head to the range, pick the best sub inch group and that's my load....done. If I don't get to an inch I will do more work but I've managed to jag it for whatever reason.

 

[wingnut]

I noticed I can get a 125 Sierra prohunter and I think Speer has a hot core at 130gn doe 3030. I’d bet I could get 2500fps with a 125/130 using lever..

Anyone have experience with these lighter hunting bullets? (Not the varmint rounds)

Well, if you want to try...

30-30 W
Speer Hot-core 130g HCFN #2007
RL-10X 30.5g
CCI 200
OAL 2.540
1/2 crimp with LFC die
20 in bbl Henry for a mild 2300 fps

Good luck!

 

[mjcmichigan]

I know the nosler Partition 170 grain round nose shoot great out of my 30/06. Bullet was made for 30/30. IMR 3031 is supposed to be a good powder for 30/30

Sounds like a bullet I’d like. Tough and expanding good…I’ll look for it!

 

[mjcmichigan]

@mjcmichigan why not just shoot more TAC or Big Game? for me if I get to an inch or better quickly then I stop messing about with loads as I can never produce off hand in the bush what I can off a bench. I have a few rifles that are shooting half inch but that was just arse. I just managed to jag a good combo early. I just load up 10 different loads, head to the range, pick the best sub inch group and that's my load....done. If I don't get to an inch I will do more work but I've managed to jag it for whatever reason.

Scotties question made me go back and look at my loads and range log. I didn’t recall getting TAC and Big Game working.
I like that both those powders were well behaved. Good groups at all loads..

I’m with you, if I’m under an inch, I’m usually happy. The CTBT performing badly probably rattled me and I remembered the bad g
Test loads vs good loads. Contrasted with my model 70, 300WM, haven’t found a bad bullet/powder, and savage 3006 is super well behaved too…. I’ll get big game and TAC out and will verify with SPH150 and try some of my other 150’s.. HIL and NCTBT.

 

[Guy Miner]

Buddy of mine swore by the 130 gr Speer bullet from his 30-30 AI, a Marlin rifle.

I don't know what his load was, and he's gone now so I don't expect to get an answer from him. Seems to me he was getting about 2500 fps or so. He sure liked that rifle and load for blacktail deer in Oregon.

 

[JD338]

I have a marlin 336, a pretty gun, actually won it at a safari club meeting(drawing).
Unfortunately, i have not figured out how to get it shooting better than 1.5-2” at 100.
I’ve tried 170’s and 150’s. I think marginally the 150’s shoot a little better. The CTBT RN 150 for 3030, shoot poorly from it.

I noticed I can get a 125 Sierra prohunter and I think Speer has a hot core at 130gn doe 3030. I’d bet I could get 2500fps with a 125/130 using lever..

Anyone have experience with these lighter hunting bullets? (Not the varmint rounds)

Mark,
FWIW, I have a Marlin 1894 44 Rem Mag and it's a 2" gun at 100 yds. This has more to do with bore diameter than anything else but I'm ok with this as it's a short range swamp rifle. I have several options for more power and accuracy if desired.
Getting 1 1/2-2" groups is still sub minute of whitetail.

JD338

 

[RL338]

Getting 1 1/2-2" groups is still sub minute of whitetail.

There was a time when 1.5 MOA hunting rifle was thought highly of. Several of my Wbys were sold that way , now days everything has a “sub-MOA” guarantee. A deer at 100yds in the woods will never know the difference.

 

[cloverleaf]

Buddy of mine swore by the 130 gr Speer bullet from his 30-30 AI, a Marlin rifle.

I don't know what his load was, and he's gone now so I don't expect to get an answer from him. Seems to me he was getting about 2500 fps or so. He sure liked that rifle and load for blacktail deer in Oregon.

Do I recall correctly, did you or your friend post here about that load? I have seen some one here who posted pics of legitimate "cloverleaf" groups from there 30-30? Cant remember who... Dad used 130 Gr Boat tails (different bullet I know) exclusively. No deer ever got away. CL

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Sounds like a bullet I’d like. Tough and expanding good…I’ll look for it!

Friend of mine now passed had a combo gun 30-30 under a 16ga, European made can't remember brand but he shot the Nosler 170gr PT and it did well on whitetails. Was with him on one hunt and saw the results. This bullet will do nicely. Dan.

 

[Guy Miner]

Do I recall correctly, did you or your friend post here about that load? I have seen some one here who posted pics of legitimate "cloverleaf" groups from there 30-30? Cant remember who... Dad used 130 Gr Boat tails (different bullet I know) exclusively. No deer ever got away. CL

I don't think ol' Jim was ever on the Nosler reloading forum. He passed away in his sleep at 60 or 61. That had to be at least 10 - 12 years ago. Good man, gone too soon.

Guy

 

[cloverleaf]

I don't think ol' Jim was ever on the Nosler reloading forum. He passed away in his sleep at 60 or 61. That had to be at least 10 - 12 years ago. Good man, gone too soon.

Guy

Indeed- sorry for the loss. Must have n=been some one else. CL

 

[mjcmichigan]

Buddy of mine swore by the 130 gr Speer bullet from his 30-30 AI, a Marlin rifle.

I don't know what his load was, and he's gone now so I don't expect to get an answer from him. Seems to me he was getting about 2500 fps or so. He sure liked that rifle and load for blacktail deer in Oregon.

I’m curious enough, I’ll order either the Speers or sierras in 125 or 130. I think the added speed should generate a good wound channel and a good result.

The crop damage permits are not valid during a licensed hunt. Next two weekends have licensed hunts, I’ve been helping on is on a two week hold.. youth hunt 9/9-10 in Michigan and early antlerless on 9/16-17.(different tag). I think if I can find one of those bullets, I could have it ready for 9/23, 9/30. 10/1 marks the bow season opener.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Just got the latest issue of Handloader magazine and it has a feature article on the 30-30 includes 125,130 gr bullets. Might check it out. Dan.