30-30 propellant

[zoner]

i want to two different loads for the 30-30...1 @ 150 gr hunting round(JFP) at around 2400FPS and a 150 gr cast bullet@1600FPS or so(an old man load to shoot at the range)...after looking at loading data i am leaning toward 4895 as a propellant...i hope to do both things with the same powder...am i making a good selection here?

[jhalcott]

Are you BUYING the cast or making them? I think a nice 311291 or 311041 bullet cast from wheel weight alloy will do great for BOTH jobs. A load of IMR 3031 can be used for speeds from 1600 fps to over 2000 fps in the 30-30. I haven't used 4895 with cast in the 30-30, but have used w 748 ,3031and reloader 7 with both cast and jacketed bullet in it.

[R.W.Dale]

i want to two different loads for the 30-30...1 @ 150 gr hunting round(JFP) at around 2400FPS

what length barrel? I'm here to tell ya that 2400fps from a 30-30 shooting 150grn bullets from anything shorter than a 24" tube is a pipe dream. I don't care what any manual or factory ballistics say

[zoner]

22 inch barrel(handi rifle) and the fps data was Hodgdon.....oh yeah, i'll be buying the cast bullets...i've already got enough insane projects going without bullet casting

[Graybeard]

IMR3031 it was designed specifically for the .30-30 thus it's number designation. It's all you'll ever need for the old .30-30 and the only powder I ever load in it. IMR3031 is a remarkably good powder for a lot of uses. I've never found a better choice for the .243 Winchester for the lighter weight bullets in it either and it works in the .45-70 better than anything else I've tried. It is very versatile and a powder I'd never want to be without.

[zoner]

thank you sir

[jlchucker]

Are you BUYING the cast or making them? I think a nice 311291 or 311041 bullet cast from wheel weight alloy will do great for BOTH jobs. A load of IMR 3031 can be used for speeds from 1600 fps to over 2000 fps in the 30-30. I haven't used 4895 with cast in the 30-30, but have used w 748 ,3031 and reloader 7 with both cast and jacketed bullet in it.

  Jhalcott, you and I think alike.  Those are the 3 powders that I mainly use for 30-30, with both cast and jacketed bullets.  Depending upon the bullet, a decent "old man" load can be made up with about 8 to 10 gr of Unique and a cast bullet such as the ones described (listed in the Lyman loading manuals) if there's some on available on Zoner's loading bench for other applications.  I've never tried 4895 for anything.  I've used some AA5744 with decent results, but when it's gone, it's gone. I've got plenty of uses for 3031, and as Graybeard says, it's a remarkably good powder to use eve in calibers besides 30-30.

[Larry Gibson]

zoner

4895 will not get you where you want to go with the 30-30.  Neither will 3031 or any other powder.  You need two powders because you are wanting two loads at opposite ends of the 30-30's performance spectrum.  For the 150 gr cast bullet load at 1600 fps Unique (as mentioned) will do nicely if the bullets are gas checked. If they are plain base and you want any accuracy then drop the velocity to 1400-1500 fps with Unique also.  For the jacketed 150 gr bullet at 2400 fps (doable in your 22" barrel) look in a "all new" Lyman #48 reloading manual for data with H335.  I use that data max charge in my Contender 30-30 and my newer M94 AE.  Pressure tests conducted with that load in both rifles show the pressure to be close to the SAAMI maximum average pressure but not over it.  The newer #48 manual is 4 gr less powder than from the old Lyman load with H335. Go with the new data.

Larry Gibson 

[Blowtorch53]

Zoner,

I agree that IMR 3031 is the best powder for full house .30-30 loads.  IMR 4895 is a good powder for many loads and it is very versatile.  I have gotten great accuracy in other calibers with it and, as I recall, it is a very good powder for autoloaders.  I also agree Unique is great for reduced lead bullet loads.  If you go nuts with it, you will have a big mess in your barrel to clean up.  Better make sure the lead bullets are very hard or gas checked.  H335 is a great .30-30 powder too.  3031 was used in much greater quantity in .30-30 loads in the old manuals.  Make sure you use the modern data so we can keep you around.

BT53

[CaptainJack]

I use IMR 3031 and Reloader 15 in my 30-30 XLR. For jacketed loads, IMHO Reloader 15 out performs the IMR 3031 by far. For cast loads, I use Unique. Here is a good site for data on low velocity cast loads.

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

[cwlongshot]

I don't shoot much at all for lead from my 30-30's so I'll let you choose others suggestions there.


For the jacked load, I agree 30-31 is tops. but some time ago I found that WW748 gave me the most consistently accurate load I have ever shot. I have shot this load in 5=6 different Marlin rifles,  3 contenders and two H&R's . This powder works for me!!

CW

[Bill In SC]

I have to agree with CW...   IMR 3031 is a good powder, but for 150 grain loads WW 748 has become my standard for both a Winchester 94 and in a 14" Contender.

[OLDHandgunner]

I agree that IMR 3031 is probably the best powder for the 30-30 rifle. I've loaded with it for 40 yrs.
Most resently I've been using W748 for my 30-30 loads in the shorter barrel contender.