Any One Have Pointy Bullet Loads for 30-30??

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Skeet 028

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Since I did a little horse trading last week or so I picked up a Winchester M-54 in that caliber. I have another Rem 788 in the caliber but haven't ever really shot it. Because of how I got it(and the 788 in 44) I consider it/them a collectible. But this old Winchester is actually in pretty good condition. It has had the top drilled and tapped for a scope. I also have an old Lyman peep for it if I want to use it. Wondering if anyone has ever loaded lighter or pointy bullets for the triente-triente, Many moons ago I tried in another bolt gun(Savage 340) using necked up 225s and got just under 300 Savage vels. Never again.....but since the 30-30 cases are so thin you can't get those pressures to work... Anybody have just regular 30-30 loads with spitzer bullets they like?. The fellow I got the rifle from gave me some loaded rounds with old Rem 150 gr Bronze points,,,but just a few. I used to like those bullets in the 270.
 
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Never had a 30/30 bolt gun . If they were mine & bores were in good shape I'd find a cast load for both . Right GC cast wouldn't give up much if anything for hunting . Added plus is you won't shoot out them old barrels either . Good results fairly easy & tons of load data out there too , even for jacketed bullets too . FWIW I didn't have good luck with the 30 cal 150 BPt , I was pushing them in an '06 . Perhaps a different bullet at more sedate velocity . All that said color me green & have fun .
 
The only pointed tip bullets that are safe for the tube feed M94
style rifles are made of soft "Poly" plastic materials.......
made by Hornady and Winchester, so far, that I know of.

Any bullet style will work as the 1st load in the chamber, however.

I did that for years to get minimum drop and energy from the first shot.........
and just hoped that I put the bullet in a good spot, since I knew that the next bullets dropped like rocks after 100 yards !

Data;
Winchester 150 gr BC .186 Fac: 2378fps 150yards 1024 ft/lbs.
150gr Ballistic tip BC .435 at 2378fps........ 150yds 1465 ft/lbs energy.
 
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I contacted Hornady several years ago about reloading their A-Max for my Contender in 30-30. Got info of 29.0-34.0 gr of IMR 4895. Also Lyman 50th has pointy bullet 30-30 data...
 
Since you're talking about bolt-action rifles with box mags, the usual pointy-bullet cautions are, ummm, pointless.

.30-30 loads for spire-point bullets are the same as those for flat-or-round-tip bullets of the same weight. For example, a load for a spire-point 150 gr. bullet would be the same as for a flat-point. The only cautions would be to use the standard protocol of starting low and working up to the max, and making sure the overall length will fit in the mag and feed through the action.
 
I have fooled with spitzer bullets and light bullets in 30/30 for years. I have 16” lever action that I like to freak out the guys that bad mouth 30/30s. I always used 150gr to hunt with. Then I got to using 30/30 as Cruz’n piece to shoot groundhogs and other varmits. I had a Savage 219 also. I found that the Speer 130gr HP was a very accurate bullet out of both 30/30s. I was running Win powder 748 and I will have to look up the charge. I wouldn’t shoot my loads in 94 Win. I would have liked a 788 for a test gun.
With that you can run 30/30 to end of its scale. I shot a bunch of pulled GI FMJs out of 219 Savage with IMR-3031. Also the 100gr plinker 1/2 jackets
and 110-115 gr bullets intended for M1 carbine. My latest I haven’t got into yet, Hornady 90gr XTPs, .309”. They should be a bomb at anything over 2000fps.
 
I loaded for my father back in the 70's for my dad's 30-30 and 30-40 Krag.

W748, BL-C, 4895, was what I had at the time, that put meat on the table with medium loads.
However, I liked the heavier 170gr over the lighter 150gr loading.

If I had to load for that rifle today I would grab a bottle of Leverevolution powder.........
that gets top fps with doable pressures with a 170 from 2145 to 2332fps, per Hornady data.

With the "Poly-tip" the case needs to be trimed to 2.030" and the OAL set at 2.55".

For practice lead bullets can be used as an option but that is another story.
 
I had a Savage 340 in 30-30, I put a 4x12 scope on it and zeroed 55 grain accelerator at 150 yards. Killed a ew groundhogs and sold the gun, Still have 50 rounds of factory Accelerators, some day I'll use then in my Savage 24 30-30/20 gauge.

Ivan
 
Pisgah said:
Since you're talking about bolt-action rifles with box mags, the usual pointy-bullet cautions are, ummm, pointless.

.30-30 loads for spire-point bullets are the same as those for flat-or-round-tip bullets of the same weight. For example, a load for a spire-point 150 gr. bullet would be the same as for a flat-point. The only cautions would be to use the standard protocol of starting low and working up to the max, and making sure the overall length will fit in the mag and feed through the action.
Click to expand...

My dad and I have loaded the Ballistic Tip in single shot feed with good results.
 
I’ve had success with 30.5 gr of BL-C(2) powder, CCI primers and 150 Winchester Spire Point bullets - 0.8”, 3 shot groups at 100 yards. Also, 33.0 gr of BL-C(2) powder, CCI primers and 130 gr Hornady Spire Point bullets.
 
Typical Spitzer (“pointed) type bullets are not made for slower 30-30 velocities. They are also not for tubular magazine 30-30s (Win 94, Marlin 336) due to possible ignition concerns. I would stick with time proven bullets made for the 30-30 and its velocities. However, Hornady should have a ballistically superior bullet “FTX” made specifically for 30-30 velocities...suggest you try that one.
 
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I used to load for 30-30 in a Rem 788. I liked the idea of improved ballistics from better retained velocity, but it never really worked out. If you load to fit the magazine, powder capacity is reduced and the pointy bullets have a long jump to the rifling. The only thing I have in that caliber now is a Contender pistol. I've had good accuracy using spitzer bullets in it, but they were seated too long to use in the bolt gun.
 
I've got lead bullet loads for the cartridge. Will dust a deer at under a 100 yds. I had a Contender 30-30 many years ago and it shot 130 gr HPs just fine and some 110 gr flat point HPs...probably have a few left here somewhere. Lost all the data I used in a move I guess. I do know when I loaded for the Savage 340...I pushed the envelope with that bolt action....just a bit...One locking lug. I have more than adequate powders here..Even LeveRevolution. . Got to try other loads. I would prefer to not shorten cases for FTX bullets..No worries with a box mag. I tried some a friend gave me in my Winchester 64 and a new age Winchester long bbl'd 94. Not all that impressive...at least to me. Not a huge fan of the 30-30 but neat to have an old Winchester Bolt gun in the caliber again.. I did find about a box of old Hornady? 130 gr spitzers in the vault downstairs. Weren't in the original box. And a box of 50 150 gr Silvertips too(30-06 style)
 
I've loaded the Hornady 150 gr. Interlock for my Contender, using 27.5 gr. Reloder 7. Good accuracy, and no high-pressure signs.

My favorite for the Contender is the Speer 130 gr. HP w/ 29 gr. Reloder 7. I imagine that would be good in a bolt-action as well.

Tomorrow I'm going to try out a reduced velocity lead bullet in that pistol. It shot well in my 94, so I'm expecting good results.
 
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the only objection i have to pointy hard nosed 30-30's is the possibility they find their way into the hands of someone who doesn't understand how dangerous they can be in a tubular magazine. quite a few years ago a fella put some pointed .348 Winchester ammo in his model 71 and it cost him his life.
 
Skeet 028 said:
Since I did a little horse trading last week or so I picked up a Winchester M-54 in that caliber. I have another Rem 788 in the caliber but haven't ever really shot it. Because of how I got it(and the 788 in 44) I consider it/them a collectible. But this old Winchester is actually in pretty good condition. It has had the top drilled and tapped for a scope. I also have an old Lyman peep for it if I want to use it. Wondering if anyone has ever loaded lighter or pointy bullets for the triente-triente, Many moons ago I tried in another bolt gun(Savage 340) using necked up 225s and got just under 300 Savage vels. Never again.....but since the 30-30 cases are so thin you can't get those pressures to work... Anybody have just regular 30-30 loads with spitzer bullets they like?. The fellow I got the rifle from gave me some loaded rounds with old Rem 150 gr Bronze points,,,but just a few. I used to like those bullets in the 270.
Click to expand...

Speer makes a 150 gr Gold Dot bullet made to expand at 300 Blk Out velocities. I load mine with 33.5 gr/ H4895 and a standard primer. I have tried LVR and can't get the accuracy I want. The velocity of this load is 2350 fps thru the chrono and it averages about an inch at 100 yds. I shoot these in an Encore pro hunter with a MGM 26" barrel.
 
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