Topper 158 30-30

[Urza444]

Today, I picked up a mint condition Topper 158 in 30-30.  It's beautiful, with nice case color hardening, a gold hammer and trigger, and nice deep blueing.  I handload, and was curious if anyne had any loads and bullets that they found to work well in a similar rifle.  I'm also intrested in trying some lower velocity lead loadings for small game. Thanks for any advice.

[darkwing]

Congrats on the 158 .
In my 158 I use a 200 gr plain base Ideal bullet behind 3031 not exactly a small game load but it sure knocks down the 200 meter rams. If I hit em that is. The folks at cast boolits have lots of good  info. 

[gcrank1]

32-20 equiv. for fun & varmints, would work for small game as well as the 32-20 did; 100-115ish gr. cast bullet over 5-6gr. of Unique.
A bit more for some beans; 130gr Lyman FB over 7-8 gr. Unique
Factory load or equiv. with a 150gr. jacketed, but if you roll your own you can make spitzer bullet loads

[giddens1972]

There is a H-4198 load listed that will run a 110 grain bullet about 2800...It's hot but does well in my rifle.  I have the same gun...my dad gave it to me when I was in the 6th grade.  Mine was manufactured in 1974.  I like the new ones but they don't make em like the topper anymore!

[cjrjck]

My standard load for my 30-30 Topper is the 170 Grain Speer Flat Point using WW 748 powder. The best 30-30 big game load I have found for single shots is the 130 Gr. Barnes TTSX over RL-7. I can get around 2450 fps and it is lethal. I use this load in my regular 30-30 Handi hence the change for the Topper.

[PHATINJUN]

FWW there are very few loads that the 158 will not shoot well. Just start picking them out of a manual and match with whatever powder you have on hand. If you are not using it for targets you can not go wrong with a 30/30 158 it is maybe the best centerfire bbl H&R ever put out Kurt

[3leggedturtle]

I've always 4-8 grs of Red Dot behind a 113 and/or 170  Lee cast bullets. When you hit a squirrel with one of these, you can eat the bullet hole!!!  I just bought a topper 158 in 30/30 about a month ago, they are accurate with any load i put thru them. Todd

[thejanitor]

P.M.d you my info on the 110gr spire pt. and 130gr spire pt. Have fun.  thejanitor

[quickdtoo]

There is a H-4198 load listed that will run a 110 grain bullet about 2800...It's hot but does well in my rifle.  I have the same gun...my dad gave it to me when I was in the 6th grade.  Mine was manufactured in 1974.  I like the new ones but they don't make em like the topper anymore!

That sounds waaay too hot compared to Hodgdon H4198 data, they list the max load for the 110gr Speer FP at 2409fps at  35.9kcup, the Topper 158 has a soldered underlug and a cast iron frame, so I certainly wouldn't recommend pushing the envelope, it's not like a Handi which has welded underlugs on a heat treated, alloy steel frame. 

Tim