Hi fellas
Who is shooting cast and what is your whitetail medicine. Father inlaw gave my grandson his turdy turdy 336w micro groove, I just worked up a light practice with unique and a Lyman 311041 and Lee 170 yet to be tested. He is five so I have a few years for load development. Thanks Boon
8.5 Unique, give or take .5 for accuracy in your rifle and you won't be able to cast and load fast enough to keep the boy in ammo! Light loads of Bullseye are good too - haven't used it awhile so I don't recall the charge weight. The Unique load seems to shoot in every .30-30 I've tried it in and is excellent for a starting shooter, maybe starting with the no recoil, no noise load using Bullseye first couple times out. I wouldn't waste the gas check until your young shooter is better than 2" at 50 yds. Moving up in velocity 14.5 IMR4227 shoots well in most. My deer load is 311290 from 50/50 lead/WW alloy(long obsolete and not 291 but the base is like 291 and 041 with a longer heavier nose) and H335 loaded to 1850 FPS. RCBS 30-180FN will do the same thing. Never found a bullet, no excessive meat loss, neck shots result in deer that drop where hit. I had an extra Marlin stock cut to 11 3/4 with a decelerator pad and slimmed down that has started a bunch of kids. Sent it out to a friend who's still using it. Just like us, stuff has to fit to shoot well and comfortably. My boys are grown and all know alot more than me
I miss shooting with the young ones. Posted a pic below-group on left is 8.5 Unique, Saeco 316 no gas check, on right is 311291 with nose bumped flat. Typical 50 yd groups with no fuss loads from one of my microgroove 336's. My older pre-microgroove shoots no better but is less critical on being sized to .312. Good luck!