Reduced load for 30-30

[spinafish]

Looking for a reduced power load for the 30-30.  A friend has a 10 year old son who is extremely recoil sensitive..have some 125 HP on hand..any suggestions would be appreciated..

[Syncerus]

It sounds to me as though he needs more time at the range with a .22.
If the .30/30 bothers him, it might be the rifle rather than the load. Does the rifle have a recoil pad and does it fit him correctly? I hate to say it, but I doubt dowloading the rifle will solve the problem.

That said, something like this load:
http://www.reloadersnest.com/detail.asp?CaliberID=51&BulletWeight=125&LoadID=8683

might work decently if you back it off 10%.

Syncerus

[rickt300]

I have hada lot of fun shoting 10 grains of unique under Speers 100 grain plinker and 110 varminter. The 125 would work just fine pushed by 22-25 grains of IMR 4198. The light carbines can hurt a bit if they aren't held right. Sort of stretch the rifle between both hands and this will insure the gun not bucking too high when it goes off.

[spinafish]

I haven't met the son yet, I don't think he has even fired the rifle yet, just watched his father shoot it and that seemed to be enough for him!  I offered to load something lighter.I found some loads at the Hodgon webiste using H-4895..I could be wrong, he may have fired it..I personally think the 94 Winchester kicks pretty smartly with 170 factory loads..

[PaulS]

I would agree that the light weight carbines are the worst offenders of recoil. A good recoil pad will help but a light load works even better with a recoil pad added.
I would try 24.4 grains of H4895 behind a 125 or 130 grain bullet and a standard large rifle primer.  That should give between 1600 and 1800 fps. That shouldn't be too bad for a beginning shooter and if you want less to start with 23 grains of H4895 behind a 100 grain Speer Plinker(lead round nose with a half-jacket)

That should be a lot like shooting a 22 in a light single shot rifle rim fire.

[Questor]

I recall seeing some reduced loads for 30-30 in the Speer #13 manual. I wonder if the particular gun has one of those narrow butt plates that's really hard on the shoulder? If so, a slip-on wider recoil pad is probably a good thing to try.

Also, I wonder if he's recoil shy or blast and noise shy. Does he have superior ear protection? If not, $25 to $30 will get him the best that money can buy. I have Peltor 29dB reduction and wouldn't want anything less. Is there a lot of muzzle flash with the loads he has been using?

[Questor]

I believe Limb Saver recoil pads are very popular and highly praised today.

Another option is to have a mercury insert installed in the stock.

Eventually he'll have to stop using varmint bullets and go to the 170s. Perhaps he can use the Barnes copper 150s as substitutes for the 170s because they don't lose weight like conventional bullets do.

Then there's the possibility of adding weight to the gun by taping a pound of lead to some suitable places on the gun.

Bottom line is that I don't think reduced loads are the total answer to the problem.

[cwlongshot]

I agree with your assessment of the recoil from the win '94 in 30-30. It can be uncomfortable to shoot because of the stock design and light weight.

Is there any way to get him into a different rifle? Even a Marlin in same caliber will NOT have the perceived recoil because of the better stock. A Handi would also fit the bill nicely.

Some more time with smaller calibers will also help as has been previously suggested....

Good luck and kudos to you for helping out a young shooter!!

 CW

[rickt300]

The unique load I listed gives M1 carbine ballistics and barely kicks. Any child should be able to tolerate it and enjoy shooting it. Get him used to the rifle with the light load and switch to 150 grain loads for deer hunting, He will never know the difference.

[spinafish]

I appreciate all the responses..I will print these and present them to the father.  I have a T/C Contender barrel in 6.8 that has almost no recoil when loaded with the 90 Speer HP.  Might try that one with him!