I am using the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook Third Edition. My question concerns the use of IMR 3031 powder using a cast lead bullet of 150gr producing a velocity of 1600 fps and a pressure of 18300 cups. This is the starter load. I have a number of .308 jacketed 150gr bullets with Serria spire points with boat tail base. I would like to use the spire points as single shot target loads in one of my 30-30s using the same load in a jacketed bullet of the same weight. Would this create a pressure problem? Would appreciate your thoughts.

No will work ok but I would start in middle with Jacketed bullet. I have done extensive fooling around with 30/30. I have shot pulled military FMJs
From 30/06, 30 car, 30/40 and 308. To be honest don’t shoot any of these out of 94 Wins. Used Marlin 336 and Savage 219 & 340s. Most accurate loads were Speer 130 HP/ IMR-3031. Not for tube mag, single shot in lever.

Loaded MANY 150 spire point bullets for .30-30 starting with bottom end data and never had to go past that. Shooting a spire point bullet can really show you the potential of your rifle!

Also do not discount light bullets such as .30 110 grain RN and the 100 grain Speer 'Plinkers' I load both with 10 grains of Unique and get scary accuracy with them and quiet, mild recoil as well.

I was recently given about 150, 160 grain flex tips and a bunch of 130 grain HP bullets so I have plenty of options for a while!

IMR 3031, is a very old and by nature, a very accurate! The old custom shop at Remington, included a test target to show what the custom rifle would do and ALL of these targets were with IMR 3031!

I have never gone that heavy or that high in 30-30 pressure, but IMR 3031 can easily exceed the 94 action's strength. So show lots of restraint in your experiments!

Ivan

With cast bullets,IMR 4198 is the best in 3 of my 4 30-30.
But with jacket,3031 is the champion for accuracy/velocity combo.
Like mentionned above,you probably will be surprised at the good performance of the 126years old round!

For yrs I have cast the Lyman 311041 (173 gr) cast/ gas checked bullet in my 30-30's . I have found that 25 grs of IMR 3031 was an excellent load in a marlin 336 and 1894 winchester . Regards Paul

Actually, with a lever action, tube feed rifle..............

you can load two rounds and with one in the chamber the second round in the tube is safe from a primer strike.

Spitzer tip, boat tail bullets will be ok but it just depends if your rifle will like them.

+1;
on using a medium load with the copper jacket bullets for
safety and expansion. You don't need maximum loads but, who knows.

Have fun.

Lee's clone of that Lyman bullet C309-170F has proven accurate in a lot of .30 caliber guns. In My Model 94 I push it with 28.5 grains IMR 4895. It was the first load I tried with the old Lee Loader, and shot very well. Even after getting fancier rifles and fancier reloading gear, this has remained my .30-30 cast bullet hunting load.

Sometimes the 30/30 loaded with Spitzer bullets has OAL to much for lever action and can be for BA magazines.