30-30 loads

[kingj]

I have a 1996 handi,so I am limited to low pressure rounds.
Anyone have any load suggestions for 30-30 with 150 grain spitzer type bullets?
I have a goodly supply of Reloader 7.

[quickdtoo]

Take a look in your manuals, most have data for spitzer bullets in the TC handgun section.

Tim

[Fazak]

I had a quantity of H322 on hand during my last 30-30 loading endeavor, so I decided to see if I could find some load data for it with 150 grain bullets.

For H322 in the 30-30 with 150 grain bullets, the Speer reloading manual lists a starting load of 27 grains and a maximum load of 31 grains.

I settled on a charge of 30 grains of H322 with 150 grain Remington RN bullets and got very good accuracy out of my Marlin 336 with a velocity (according to the manual) that should be somewhere between 2100 and 2150 fps.

The original designation "30-30" came from the fact that the cartridge was 30 caliber and used 30 grains of black powder.

Instead of black powder, I use 30 grains of H322 in mine, but it seems very proper to me that my loads are once again a true "30-30".

[quickdtoo]

I've had pretty good accuracy with BL-C2 and 150gr Nosler partition molys, but still not as good as plain jane Rem 150gr Core-lokt factory ammo.

Just a point of interest, the .30-30 WCF (Winchester Center Fire) or .30 Winchester Smokeless, was originally developed to use 30gr of early smokeless powder, it was never a blackpowder cartridge, but the practice of the second pair of numbers carried over, so it is commonly mistaken as being an original blackpowder cartridge.

Tim

http://shootersforum.com/showthread.htm?t=7806&page=1&pp=15

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/3030history.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.30-30_Winchester

Although the original name is .30 WCF, the -30 in the designation was added to the name by Marlin, who did not want to put the name of rival Winchester on their rifles when they were chambered for the cartridge soon after its introduction. The -30 stands for the standard load of 30 grains of early smokeless powder, which was on par with IMR/DuPont's 3031. Over time Marlin's variation on the name stuck, though ".30 WCF" is also proper.

[Fazak]

oh,...okay,..

That makes it even more interesting.

Considering that the original 30-30 loads used 30 grains of "smokeless" powder, I would have to assume that the original powder had a burning rate fairly similar to the H322 that I'm using in mine.

In any event,..it's a good load and the charge is easy to remember,.. so I expect to be using it on a regular basis.

[tony212]

I also have an older model 158 in .30-30. I have had fairly good luck using 30.5 grains of IMR 3031 and 150 grain Nosler ballistic tips with a federal 210 primer.  I'm getting about 2200 FPS and accuracy is not bad.
Tony212

[PeterCartwright]

I've had the same experience as Tim with the Remington bullets.  Nothing against Noslers, but that Remington 150 gr. Core-lokt (the one designed for .30-30s) is a really wonderful game bullet...and (happy days!) relative to many other bullets, it's cheap!  Ain't it great that such a cheap, accurate, effective bullet works so well in our Handi!

[Bob A]

I use a lot of  Reloader 7 with my 30-30. Prob the best loads are with Sierra 125 HP and Speer 130 FP. I have also had good success with the Rem 150 CL. Always very good accuracy with Reloader 7.
I am currently working up a 170 FP load. I've worked my way down to Varget and Reloader 7. Both give good accuracy but I think the Varget will give me the accuracy with better velocity. BLC-2 was good but Varget seems to have a wider "sweet spot" with good accuracy across a wider range of loads.

I think Reloader 7 may be the best choice out there for good, low pressure 30-30 loads.
Alliant has limited data on their website for 30-30 loads with Reloader 7. I think they have data for the Sierra 125 and 150 and the hornady 170. You will see that velocity with Reloader 7 is very good with the lighter bullets and not so great with the 170.

Bob A

[Bob A]

I guess I should have mentioned that my 30-30 is a Marlin 336, not a handi, which is why I am loading flat point bullets.
I know that the Nosler 125 BT and the Hornady 130 SP have pretty good terminal performance at 30-30 velocities. Not sure about a 150 spitzer. Be carefull to pick something that will open well at the velocities you can get with low pressure 30-30 loads. You might be better off staying with the traditional 30-30 bullets. If you want 150 grains, the Rem Corelokt with Reloader 7 would be a good place to start.

Bob A (again)

[Joel45acp]

My little boy has been shooting the 7.62x39 Lee cast bullet with great success.  He is consistently printing 1/2"groups at 50yds.  I load them with 7grs. of Unique.  I'm not sure on the velocity, but I would assume it's about 1200fps.  Later.

[Winter Hawk]

Quick,

I believe the second 30 in the designation stands for an equivalent to 30 grains of black powder, rather than 30 grains of smokeless.  It was indeed the first sporting cartridge designed for smokeless powder.

-WH-

[quickdtoo]

Nope, it never was a blackpowder cartridge, the naming practice is the only relationship to blackpowder cartridges. 

Tim

The name .30-30 followed the prevailing practice of that period where the first number designated the caliber in inches and the second number the powder charge in grains, however, in this case, the second number denoted the charge in grains of smokeless powder used rather than black powder as with such cartridges as the .32-40, .38-55, .45-70, .45-90, etc.
http://www.leverguns.com/articles/3030history.htm

Although the original name is .30 WCF, the -30 in the designation was added to the name by Marlin, who did not want to put the name of rival Winchester on their rifles when they were chambered for the cartridge soon after its introduction. The -30 stands for the standard load of 30 grains of early smokeless powder, which was on par with IMR/DuPont's 3031. Over time Marlin's variation on the name stuck, though ".30 WCF" is also proper.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.30-30_Winchester