Favorite 30-30 loadings

[38SPL HV]

Love the 30-30, provided some great venison.

Although I hunted with factory loadings (Remington 170 gr Core Lokt SP) I loaded both the Rem 170 gr Core Lokt and Hornady 170 gr FP with IMR 3031 (29 grs, old IMR data). IMR 3031 and 30-30 are a match made in heaven! H4895 (33.5 grs) good also with 150 gr bullets (Hornady RN).

 

[Calliope]

My 30-30 Handi rifle is my plinker and pest gun with a 110 grain JSP over 21 grains of H4198. 30 carbine ballistics with high accuracy.

 

[Mike in Reedley]

Hodgdon Leverevolution, meters well, safely adds 100 FPS to the 30-30. I've found it very accurate.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I have only been loading .30-30 for about 40 years or so, so please disregard my ignorance.

Lee C309-170F cast of 50% wheel weights and 50% new linotype metal (BHN about 18), sized .309" on NRA formula Alox lube, Hornady crimp-on gas check, loaded in full-length sized cases with 30 grains H335, standard large rifle primer. Usually about 2100FPS from a 20" carbine barrel.

Absolutely deadly on deer to 150 yards or so (about as far as the .30-30 can reasonably be used). Dozens of deer taken in multiple states with this load over the years. Pretty much duplicates the factory 170-grain load.

The grandkids haven't figured out that .30-30 ammo can be purchased in stores. They just send their fired brass back to Grampa's house, and I make a big production run every year to keep them all supplied.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Dad has a nice 1952 '94 in 30-30, But that is his baby and won't share.

My only 30-30 is the top barrel of a Savage 24. I usually load my Flat Point Gas Checked 117 grain bullet at about 1200 fps for small game! I just use the .314's I size up for the 32-20 revolver.

Never under estimate a lead bullet 2 aspirin in the head of a ground-hog!

Ivan

Ivan

 

[cowboy4evr]

My favorite 30-30 load is the Lyman 311041 , 173 gr FP Gc'd cast bullet sitting on top of 25 grs of IMR 3031 sized .311 in my Marlin 336 or sized .309 in my Winchester 94 Centennial model ( octagon barrel , brass coated frame ) for about 1750- 1800fps . For my sister I drop it down to 23 grs in her Marlin 336 , still just as accurate and a little less recoil .

 

[Skeet 028]

I also load lead in the 30-30 but I'm still using the old(1937) can of Hi Vel #2 for Jacketed bullets in both the 30-30 and my 32 Special... Both early 50's Winchester 64's. For lead bullets I use 11.5 grains Unique. Both 170 gr flat nosed gas check bullets 311 041 in the 30-30 same bullet in 32(don't remember the mold number). The 32 is a lot of fun to shoot just cause it's different

 

[Nevada Ed]

The 30-30 can really be helped out by reloading to get the most out of it.
New bullets and powders for the old rifle can up the performance, big time.

Being a .30 caliber, it does not need much to put venison on the table.........
just a good eye and steady nerves.

Plus the case is a lot smaller than my .375 Winchester
and a lot cheaper to load !!

 

[Mistered]

Been loading 100 GR Speer plinkers with 12 Gr of Unique - these chrono at about 1700 FPS at the muzzle and are deadly accurate out of my 1899 Mod 94 Sporting Rifle.

 

[TomkinsSP]

The grandkids haven't figured out that .30-30 ammo can be purchased in stores. They just send their fired brass back to Grampa's house, and I make a big production run every year to keep them all supplied.

Sometimes just a bit of ignorance can be a beautiful thing.

 

[Service Rifleman1]

Gifted my late father in law a 94 Carbine and loaded alot of cast and jacketed slugs for it. Remington and Speer 150 flat points and also Hornady 170 flat points are solid game getters with this old scabbard gun. Seen big Mule bucks drop at close range with little more than starting loads of IMR 3031. WIN 748 is also a good one to use if top velocities are warranted. Both IMR and H-4895 are accurate in the old 30WCF. I have a Canadian Pacific Mountain Rangers 94 Carbine that the Militia on the Coast was issued in WW11. Sweet shooter even though it shows wear and tear and the Salt air corrosion from being on the boat for decades. Good luck in your load development.

 

[DWalt]

My only foray into using cast bullets in the .30-30 did not work out too well. I bought a box of 500 170 grain lead bullets from Missouri Bullet Co., and tried out about every powder and loading from the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. I never could get anything approaching a respectable group from my Model 94 (with receiver peep sight). Typically > 6" at 100 yards. Including some much worse groups.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

My only foray into using cast bullets in the .30-30 did not work out too well. I bought a box of 500 170 grain lead bullets from Missouri Bullet Co., and tried out about every powder and loading from the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. I never could get anything approaching a respectable group from my Model 94 (with receiver peep sight). Typically > 6" at 100 yards. Including some much worse groups.

Are you able to shoot better groups with jacketed bullets?

 

[Bob L]

While I have a few 30-30's, the only one that I have reloaded for is my TC Contender. Deadly on Michigan Whitetails and rams at 200 meters. My rifles have always used factory ammo for hunting but even that has been a while. Might be something to play with though.

 

[Skeet 028]

I've loaded for a bunch of 30-30s.. Have an old Winchester 54 bolt gun and a Rem 788 30-30s. reworked 225 Win brass to load 50,000 PSI 30 30 rounds. Actually got about 300 Sav vels. Another waste of time but it was fun doing it... and used pointy bullets

 

[Frank46]

I have a couple winchester 94's in 30-30.My favorite ammo for them is the winchester power point 170 grain loading. I recently got a 1894 Canadian Centennial rifle with the 26" lomg barrel. Globe front target type site for up forward and either steel Lyman 57 back aft. Pristine bore on this one so this rifle most likely will get the treatment with castbullets. Md model 27 Finnish reworked Moisin Nagant I've been shooting castbullets through and it is a joy to shoot. Same standard receipe I've been using these last 20 odd years.
100 Hansen cases
1927 Finnish reworked Moisin Nagant
Lyman 314299 sized to .314 and gas checked and lubed with Javelina lube. Powder charge is 20.0 grains IMR 4759 and estimated velocity is between 1600 to 1800 feet per second. Winchester Large Primer to set it all off. made up a mini neck sizing die so it will only size about .003. So far no case trimming needed.Frank

 

[2152hq]

When I still had a 30-30, a MArlin 93, I loaded most all with 3031. I did make some light cast bullet loads up with bullseye and I think red-dot. The rifle is long gone down the road.
I do load 30Remington for Model 8 semi auto. The charge weights are just about identicle between the 30-30 and the 30Rem,as they are betw the 32WCF and the 32Rem.
I use both 3031 and more recently H4595 in the 30Rem. Both work nicely with even the starting loads operating the action. Accuracy is what I expect from these old autoloaders the ballistics mirror their WCF counterpart cartridges.
One thing about the 30 and 32 Rem bores is that they are supposed to be about a .000 or 2 under standard groove dia (.306/7 as opposed to .308 and .319/20 as opposed to .321 in the 32Rem. I've never slugged them to verify on my rifles and never had any problems with either factory jacketed or cast.

 

[mtgianni]

I have never shot a jacketed load in 30-30. My 94 likes the RCBS 180 fp and a fp Ranch dog mold in 165 gr. 14" contender likes the RD mold and 311440. A light load is 3118 and 6-8.5 gr. Herco.

 

[Eagle223usa]

I just started casting and loading for 30-30 in a 1941 M94 20". I am using my cast bullet, Lyman .311041 cast from 50/50 WW and Lino and sized to .309. I am using 3031. I got decent 50 yard accuracy but some oblong holes. I loaded the next batch with bullets sized to .311, we will see how it works.

 

[DWalt]

I just started casting and loading for 30-30 in a 1941 M94 20". I am using my cast bullet, Lyman .311041 cast from 50/50 WW and Lino and sized to .309. I am using 3031. I got decent 50 yard accuracy but some oblong holes. I loaded the next batch with bullets sized to .311, we will see how it works.

If you are getting keyholing (really yawing, evidenced by oblong holes in the target), it generally means that the bullets are too long to stabilize properly at the gun's rifling twist, at least at that MV. I doubt increasing the bullet diameter will cure that, but it's worth a try. I have fired 220 grain RNFMJ .308 bullets in my .30-30 and they also tend to keyhole a bit. Even so, they don't group too badly at 50 yards. It would probably produce much worse groups at 100 yards or more, but I have not tried shooting them at longer distances.