looking for a proven recipe for 30-30 out of a super 14" contender barrel. i would like to shoot a 125-150 gr ballistic tip using imr 3031 or imr 4064.
Best advice I can offer is to go to the Hodgdon website, data.hodgdon.com, and check out their pistol load section for 30-30 data for 130gr bullets. It'll at least give you a starting place for both powders.
For the 150s, just use the standing start charges for the 150gr flat-nosed stuff. The BT will have less bearing surface, so it'll produce lower pressures, but you can work up carefully and be alright.
Cartridge : .30-30 Win. (CIP)
Bullet : .308, 125, Nosler BalTip 30125
Useable Case Capaci: 34.977 grain H2O = 2.271 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.550 inch = 64.77 mm
Barrel Length : 14.0 inch = 355.6 mm
Powder : IMR 3031
Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !
Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms
Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba 109 33.00 2461 1681 50203 9940 97.6 0.791 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba 109 33.00 2100 1224 33630 8612 80.0 0.950
Cartridge : .30-30 Win. (CIP)
Bullet : .308, 150, Nosler BalTip 30150
Useable Case Capaci: 30.815 grain H2O = 2.001 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.550 inch = 64.77 mm
Barrel Length : 14.0 inch = 355.6 mm
Powder : IMR 3031
Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !
Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms
You have the proper barrel length for a 30-30 Win pistol. The first Contender I ever had was a 10" barrel 30-30 Win. It shot great but much slower than a 14" barrel. As for loads forget IMR 4064 powder it is way too slow burning for the 14" barrel.
As for IMR 3031 It is usable but will be around 200 fps slower with 125 gr bullets and around 100 fps slower with 150s than IMR 4198. IMR 4198 is my go to powder for the 30-30 and 30-30AI in a pistol. Back in the late 1970 I did a lot of reading of stuff that Bob Milek and Steve Herrett wrote about loading for the Contenders and they chose IMR 4198 as their go to powder for the 30-30 Win. I have found that these loads that come right out of the 4th Ed Sierra Pistol loading manual as far as the powder charge goes are right on the money.
These are MAX loads so work up to them in your pistol.
125 gr bullets, 30.0 grs IMR 4198
150 gr bullets, 28.1 grs IMR 4198
The 125 Nosler ballistic tip is really a GREAT deer bullet and you can get it going 2300 fps with the above load. I use this bullet in my 30-30AI with 33 grs IMR 4198 and it averages 2670 fps and really hammers deer.
Good luck and good shooting.
1Shot has posted up some awesome kills with his 30-30.. Here is QL to go along with it..
Cartridge : .30-30 Win. (SAAMI)
Bullet : .308, 125, Nosler BalTip 30125
Useable Case Capaci: 33.984 grain H2O = 2.207 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.550 inch = 64.77 mm
Barrel Length : 14.0 inch = 355.6 mm
Powder : IMR 4198
Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !
Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms
Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba 96 27.00 2333 1510 48923 8184 99.4 0.804 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba 96 27.00 2088 1210 35098 7680 88.5 0.931
Cartridge : .30-30 Win. (SAAMI)
Bullet : .308, 150, Nosler BalTip 30150
Useable Case Capaci: 29.826 grain H2O = 1.937 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.550 inch = 64.77 mm
Barrel Length : 14.0 inch = 355.6 mm
Powder : IMR 4198
Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !
Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms
Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba 97 24.00 2122 1500 51232 7244 99.9 0.863 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba 97 24.00 1914 1221 36712 7046 91.3 0.998 ! Near Maximum !
You may be able to run a little warmer in your Contender, vs a lever gun, so work up carefully..
thanks that really helps. i ordered hornady 125 sst"s got 100 for under $30. i did shoot some of my rifle stuff thru it and i love that gun. ready to start loading and shopping for a scope. thanks again Kirk
I have a T/C Arms brochure from the late 1970s that I acquired with the T/C stuff I owned at the time, including a Super 14 .30 Herrett.
The booklet included loads for all of the cartridges offered by T/C at the time, including the 30-30.
Speer 110grRN H4227 24.5gr Rem 9-1/2 = 2090fps with 10" barrel
Sierra 125gr Spitzer H4198 29.0gr Rem 9-1/2 = 2050fps
Sierra 125gr Spitzer Norma N200 33.0gr Rem 9-1/2 = 2227fps
Sierra 150gr Spitzer Norma N200 31.0gr Rem 9-1/2 = 2020fps
There are other Dupont powder loads shown as well if anyone wants them, that lists pressures and velocities for both 10" and 14" barrels. There's about a 150fps difference between the 10" and 14" barrels.
SJB358 may be right about pressures. The brochure lists pressures for the .30 Herrett (made from shortened 30-30 cases) as being in the 45,000 CUP range while the 30-30 loads see a max of 37,000CUP. I suppose it's in consideration of the lever carbines out there. BT