I recently read a post where it was stated the poster pulled 190-grain bullets from .303 Savage rounds to load in the 30-30. The post indicated this was done on a regular bases. I kind of wonder if this was an April Fool’s Joke? There is a profit to be made from scariest 303 Savage ammunition. In my first year or two I hunted with a barrowed .303 Savage loaded with 190-grain Silvertips. He also provided me with a box of 190-grain WW softpoints. This was around 1956 and the owner was stocking up on ammunition because it was already becoming difficult to find 303 Savage ammunition. He preferred Winchester Silvertips.
Every once and while he would buy a box of Remington 180-grain SPCL loads when he could find them. This were his just incase he could not get Winchester.
It is hard for me to phantom pulling the 190-grain bullets unless it was a salvage operation from old corroded loads or somebody had the ammunition without a rifle to go with it.
You can order bullet-swaging dies from Corbin
http://www.corbins.com/prices.htm I think the niche for 190-grain 30-30 bullets is so small as to be almost none existent. I suspect that if one looked at the over bullet sales for reloading and factory ammunition the 150-grain bullet far exceeds sales of 125 and 170-grain bullets.
A small operation would have to charge a premium price for 190-grain, jacketed bullets. I do not see the market for it. I think the new Hornady 160-grain flex-tip bullet will eat at the market share held by other bullets designed for the 30-30.
I have thought of loading a bullet heavier then 170-grains in the 30-30. I first looked at the Hornady 180-grain bullet because it shares the same profile as the 150-grain Hornady RN, which they recommend for the 30-30. My research shows the 180-grain Hornady rate at velocities 2400-3200 feet per second. The bullet appears to be too tough for the 30-30. The advertised velocity for the old 190-grain Silvertip out of the .303 Savage was just over 1900-feet per second. Back in the day most ammunition was rated out of a 26-inch barrel, and many 303 Savages were made with a 26-inch barrel. Those old 190-grain bullets designed for the .303 Savage must have had a thinner jacket then most of today 180-grain RN bullets.
One bullet I would explorer is the 180-grain Remington RNCL. Remington loaded a 180-grain bullet in the 30 Remington, 303 Savage, and the 300 Savage. One would have to determine first if the bullet could safely be used in a M94 and similar rifles. The next test would be for expansion at 100-yards. In the process the loader to determine if the load will reliably feed from the magazine.
After playing with the numbers using Sierra Infinity I see doubt there is an advantage to the 190-grain bullet in the 30-30 case. Over all case length is critical in the 30-30 case. A heavier bullet will intrude on the powder capacity of the case. Most loads are near capacity as is. I think the 170-grain Silvertip or 170-grain Remington CL are two of the best balance bullets for retaining velocity and energy in the 30-30 case. The Silvertip overall numbers are better.
It would be fun to make ones own bullets but I think the 190-grain bullet would be a loser on the commercial side.
In one of my older Lyman manuals it list a 193-grain cast with gas check (#311334) at a maximum velocity of 1934 f.p.s. from a 26-inch barrel. This comes close to duplicating the old Silvertip load.
I think the 190-grain load in the 303 Savage was a marketing ploy by Savage. He was looking for an edge to sell his more expensive rifle, which was in competition with the Winchester 94. To meet the competition Savage ended up chambering his rifle in 30-30 and .303 Savage. Was this marketing Smoke and Mirrors? The owner of the Savage 99 believed the 190-grain bullet was better. When he retired the .303 Savage it was with a new Winchester Model 88. He chose the 180-grain Silvertip over the faster 150-grain loads for deer.
P.S. In today’s market with a shortage of bullets you could sell 190-grain bullets designed to safely function in a Model 94.
