30-30 loads for fur-bearing animals

[azmark]

Can anyone give me some insight on how to load a 30-30 for coyotes, etc. to minimize hide damage?

[John Traveler]

For fur-bearing targets where you want to minimize bullet damage to the pelt you should avoid the thinner jacketed soft nose and hollowpoint bullets.  This would include the factory 125, 150, and 170 loads sold for deer and black bear hunting.

Heavier jacketed SP bullets intended for .30-06 and larger cartridges such as the 180 grain RN would work well at .30-30 velocities.

I use 110 grain FMJ bullets intended for the US M1 .30 Carbine and load to approximately 2000 fps. 

This gives a reasonably flat-shooting load out to 150-200 yards for coyote and bobcats.

This bullet requires care when used in lever-action carbines.  DO NOT load more than one cartridge in the tubular magazine.  The FMJ has been known to detonate the primer of the cartridge in front.

HTH
John

[Lloyd Smale]

What i would try is to find some hardcast 32mag bullets and load them to about 1800 fps. Youd have near the same trajectory as factory ammo and do very little pelt dammage. Or take Johns excellent advise.

Can anyone give me some insight on how to load a 30-30 for coyotes, etc. to minimize hide damage?

[wcf3030]

Oregon trail 165gr pb cast with 9.5gr of Unique.
.310 hole.
Works great!!!!!

[SHOOTALL]

jt do you use a crimp die ? the ones that make a crimp on bullets that do not have one , or do you single load them ?
I have been looking at the crimp die but not sure it works ?

[John Traveler]

No crimp is needed on these 110 FMJ 2000 fps loads.  You normally single-load one in the chamber, and one in the magazine.  Recoil is so light that I've never had a bullet move during recoil or feeding.

Crimping not usually possible since the 110 FMJ lacks a crimping groove.  You rely on a firm case neck/bullet fit to hold.

 

[SHOOTALL]

Thank's
I was reading about a crimping die that put a grove in a bullet and have been asking if anyone had tried one , not sure if it would be a good idea .

[billy_56081]

I,ve used a LEE Factory crimp die on my hornet and like it. Let me caution you about ricochet with non varmint type bullets. Where I LIve on the open plaines of Souther MN ricochet is allways a concern.

[Warthog]

Speaking on pure speculation here, (I've never shot a coyote with my 30-30) I believe the Federal cartridge with the Nosler Partition would work extremely well.  It's a tougher bullet and I don't think it would open much (if any) on something like a coyote.  That should be a good option, albeit an expensive one, if you don't reload.