30-30 bullets,pointed or jhp,in a bolt action savage/stevens ?

[Throckmorton]

A neighbor has a bolt action/box magazine savage/stevens 30-30,and we'd like to experiment with 'other than rnfp' bullets.

Has anyone run into any problems as far as oal's being too long with certain .. ie: pointed...bullets?

we are mostly just decimating water jugs with it,and want to see what it will do at longer ranges as well.

Thanks for looking.

Mike

ps I can post the exact make and model this afternoon if that would help .

[Kurt L]

a lot of people use the 125 nosler ballistic tip on deer loaded in the 30-30. and a lot of other bullets as well.
i do not have a bolt you have but if you give us the mag length of the gun we can check but i would say they would work
for you.some powders will let you seat the bullet deeper if needed etc.but the best is get us a magazine length on this gun
first.

[R.W.Dale]

 I've owned a couple of the rifles in question. What I've found is that all but the shortest 30 caliber spitzers are way too long to fit in the very limited magazine of these rifles without intruding into the case a good deal and in some cases placing the bullets ogive inside the case.

 Another hang up on getting more preformace from 30-30 using a Sav/Stevens bolt is due to the single locking lug and fairly springy action these rifle HATE max loads. A start load can shoot great but every max load I worked up to would spray bullets all over the target. According to my chrony 2100fps with 150grainers was about it if any modicum of accuracy was to be maintained.

 In short, I learned that if turning a 30-30 into a 300sav is your goal then the Savage Springfield bolt actions AREN'T for you. You should be looking for a Rem788 or a NEF

[Snowshoe]

It is true that you have to pick and choose your pointed bullets, but I got very good accuracy with many loads. The Winchester pointed power points in 150g work very well, and driving them at 2360 fps is no problem at all, using IMR4064. The 125g Remington psp also will work well at between 2550 and 2600 fps using H335. You can also shoot 110g bullets to 2800 fps, but I found the 125's work better. I have loaded these in a few Savage 340's and a Stevens 325, and all loads that used were under the 1 1/2". Good luck and have fun.

[R.W.Dale]

It is true that you have to pick and choose your pointed bullets, but I got very good accuracy with many loads. The Winchester pointed power points in 150g work very well, and driving them at 2360 fps is no problem at all, using IMR4064. The 125g Remington psp also will work well at between 2550 and 2600 fps using H335. You can also shoot 110g bullets to 2800 fps, but I found the 125's work better. I have loaded these in a few Savage 340's and a Stevens 325, and all loads that used were under the 1 1/2". Good luck and have fun.

I could get nowhere near those speeds from two savage bolt 30-30's using h335 and varget.

[Snowshoe]

It is true that you have to pick and choose your pointed bullets, but I got very good accuracy with many loads. The Winchester pointed power points in 150g work very well, and driving them at 2360 fps is no problem at all, using IMR4064. The 125g Remington psp also will work well at between 2550 and 2600 fps using H335. You can also shoot 110g bullets to 2800 fps, but I found the 125's work better. I have loaded these in a few Savage 340's and a Stevens 325, and all loads that used were under the 1 1/2". Good luck and have fun.

I could get nowhere near those speeds from two savage bolt 30-30's using h335 and varget

I had no problem at all getting those speeds and even more, with no sign of pressure. Packo Kelly has a good write up on loading for the .30-30, but I am too Conservative to go that far. There was also a good article in "PETERSONS RIFLE SHOOTER" in 1996 "Maximize the .30-30", by Bob Forker. They had a 150g bullet going 2600 fps out of a pressure barrel. Most .30-30's out there are not up to that, but there is no reason why you can't get 2400 fps out of a 150g bullet, after all that is what they are supposed to be doing. The 24" barreled single shot I had would send a 150g bullet out at 2450 with no problem, and a 125 at 2700 fps. We mostly shoot 170g bullets now at 2185 fps, and shots range from 20 -75 yards.

[billy_56081]

I beleave they have been discontinoed, but if you can find the Hornady 130 grain spire point, single shot pistol bullets they work great in a 30-30. My daughter has used them on Black bear and wild boear with great sucess in her stevens 325. They are made with a heavier jacket than the standad hornady 130 grain spire point and have seemed to hold together well on the 2 animals she has shot with them.

[T.R.]

I've clipped the tips off 125 grain Sierra bullets.  Doesn't affect accuracy out to about 150 yards or so.

TR