.30-30 Reduced Load- Expectations Exceeded!

[RobertJ.]

A while back I got 600 .30 caliber 165 grain hard cast lead flat points from Rim Rock Bullets in Montana. These were to be loaded as plinking ammo for my two 94's and my Contender.

I loaded 100 of them with eight grains of Unique. Starting was 7 grains, and max was 10, using Oregon Trail data, so I went with 8, for roughly 1200 fps. Today was the first time I was able to test them. I had a limited amount of time, so I only took one rifle, equipped with a Williams Foolproof receiver sight. When I have more time I'll go back out with all three.

I couldn't be happier with the results! The larger of the two groups (1.540") was what they were averaging, and the smaller group was the best of the session. This was from 50 yards, and on top of sandbags. The smaller group shows where I splattered one of the push-pins holding the paper plate.

If you've ever considered a reduced, lead bullet load for your .30-30, I highly recommend trying it.

 

[rwsmith]

GREAT!

I love reduced loads and my wife appreciates them even more. I have a fair amount of Unique and 4759 and 4895 reduces 30% no problem.

My friend was having trouble with his shoulder using a Mini 14 and l loaded some down and they worked just great. I was thinking I could try reducing them a tad more.

 

[shocker]

It's possible to download cartridges far more than one might imagine, using fast pistol or shotgun powders.
I've done some gallery loads with 180gr cast in a 30-06. 7 gr of AA2 I have a poor man's silenced and recoilless rifle.

Cowboy loads for many rifle calibers listed at
Lever Gun Performance Studies

 

[Engineer1911]

From personal experience, that mild load in your Model 94 lever gun will be a real handful in the Contender. I have a Lee mold that casts 130 grain gas checked bullet that is very accurate and fun to shoot. The 165 grain cast bullets not so much.

 

[Patrick L]

I routinely shoot Lyman 311041 170 grain bullets (mine is actually a plain base from a custom mold I acquired) over a very light load of Green Dot. I can't recall if my load is 8 or 10 grains, but it's definitely way down there. Is is a pleasant *****cat, but even at 100 yds it is very accurate. I have an old pre Micro Groove 336.

The 30-30 and cast bullets are truly a match made in heaven.

 

[Patrick L]

Wow, I can't believe the filter blocked out what I typed. That word isn't even questionable!

 

[gwpercle]

SWEET !!!
And some people wonder why Unique is still around...
Heck, it just Works ... that's one nice group...One Ragged Hole !
I Love It , Way to Go,
Gary

 

[Peak53]

I also have had great success shooting Unique and Trail Boss in a 1965ish marlin lever 30-30. I have further tamed the load with 115 grain round nose lead bullets from MBC designed for the M-1 carbine. It's like shooting .22 rimfire and a great introduction for new or young shooters to centerfire. Accurate to the limits of open sights and virtually no recoil.

 

[mtgianni]

I have had good luck with the Lee 113 gr cast at low loads of BE in a contender, as well as 32 Long pistol bullets. Recoil is very different in a 10" contender vs a 14".

 

[Drm50]

I’ve got a couple pages of 30/30 loads from 77g cast up to 150gr jackets. I never thought it necessary to go heavier than 150gr for 150yd practical range of 30/30. That for deer and black bear. The 130g Speer Hp is my light load in rifles. I had a 14” TC once and only thing I shot was Speer 110gr HPs, deadly on squirrel never shot a deer.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Always nice to find a X-Lite load for a weapon to plink with or to
let the kids have fun with light recoil, if needed.

For a .308 Cal. weapon, another great little bullet for light shooting is the
Hornady #3005, 100 gr. SJ, pointed lead tip bullet, if you can find them.
They make great little 50 yard practice loads.

 

[Warren Sear]

Cast bullets and 10 grains of Unique works great in just about any 7mm to 8mm caliber rifle, including the .308 Winchester and .30-'06 especially.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I use a modern version of the Ideal 3118, that has a gas check. With a gas check they weigh 117 grain. I use a Forrester case trimmer with the hollow point attachment to make them about 90 grains and load them with 6.5 grains of Unique and a cork card over the powder for about 1000 fp. I don't have a lever gun in 30-30, I have a Savage 24 in 30-30/20 gauge (26" Barrel!). I got it on paper with the iron sights (as set from factory) and never used it beyond 50 yards. But on varmints (raccoons, opossums, & ground hogs) in the gardens, it has been devastating! The corpses either go in the compost pile, or blackberry patch!

 

[The Norseman]

A very Special Gun Powder

Thank you for sharing your Range Report and Success.

I like Unique Gun Powder and I like reading other Reloaders Experiences.

Handloader Ammunition Reloading Journal, June 2019, No. 320,
Unique Utility, page 54, has a very good Article detailing Unique
Powder.

History, Uses, and Reloads are written. Very informative interesting
reading.

The Best to you and your Endeavors.

 

[max503]

I load 150 grain plain-base bullets for my 94 and Contender 30-30's. They do well. For me, Red Dot seems to give a slight edge over Unique. I recently cast-up some .314 wadcutters, meant for 32 caliber revolvers. I haven't loaded those up yet.
But yes, 30-30's seem to like reduced loads. Wish I had a bolt action Savage 340.

 

[Engineer1911]

Always nice to find a X-Lite load for a weapon to plink with or to
let the kids have fun with light recoil, if needed.

For a .308 Cal. weapon, another great little bullet for light shooting is the
Hornady #3005, 100 gr. SJ, pointed lead tip bullet, if you can find them.
They make great little 50 yard practice loads.

Those baby bullets are absolutely devastating on prairie dogs in 308 or 30-06 while being easy on the shooter.

 

[Qc Pistolero]

Accurate 31-155D topping 5.5gr Titegroup will give you beautiful accuracy from 10*F to 90*F.No need for a filler or magnum primer.The thing goes out with the same bang everytime and should be doing aprox 1000fps(haven't had time to chrono it yet).My wife eats the rounds faster than I can reload them.
Unsized and Alox lubed,they are no fuss to make yet give between 1 1/4 to 1 3/4''5 shot group at 75yds.

 

[Squarebutt]

I've been working up plinking loads for my .35 Remington Marlin 336 using .357 pistol bullets, mostly with fast rifle powders. Looks like I should try some Unique. Anyone else loading this caliber down?

 

[RobertJ.]

I've been working up plinking loads for my .35 Remington Marlin 336 using .357 pistol bullets, mostly with fast rifle powders. Looks like I should try some Unique. Anyone else loading this caliber down?

Thirty years ago, when I lived in Idaho, I had both a 336 and a 14" Contender in .35 Remington. I remember trying the Speer 158 gr. JSP, but they didn't shoot as well as the Hornady 200 gr. SP, in either gun. But, I wasn't trying to load them down. That was back when I was trying to wring out as much horsepower as I could, in everything I shot. Today would be a different story. If I were you, I'd try a hard cast bullet with Unique, based on my recent experience.

 

[shocker]

As long as we are discussing reduced loads, here's a recipe for something in between mouse loads and full power.
The powder is AA 5744, a single base powder that's on the order of 4227 in burn rate. I've used in 30-06, 300 mag, 223. It's easy to ignite and position insensitive so it's suited for reduced charges.
Take a case, fill it with 5744 to where the base of a bullet would be (or the bottom of the neck), dump the charge and weigh it. Take 40% of that weight as the starting load. It should produce about 2/3 of the velocity of full power. Generally, it's possible to work in increments up to 60%. IIRC, the start load for 30-06 is 28 gr, max 42 gr using that recipe.