170 or 150 grain 30-30 ammo - what is your preference?

[Ridge Runner]

What does your marlin shoot better with for hunting - 170 or 150?

[Rangr44]

I like the 170gr better in the .30-30.   YMMV, since (admittedly) there's not much difference in the loads - except for low recoil & light magnum types (if they're even made in .30-30).

[Mannlicher]

I seem to have better accuracy with the 170 grain Speer FP loaded over IMR4320 powder.

[bilmac]

Now there are 130's to consider too. 130 grain 30-30 loads would be the ballistic equivalant to a 7.62x39 would it not. I just don't have a lot of experience with the 30-30 but I am finding it to be a lucky caliber for me, seems like I kill way more nice critters with it  even though I carry a 270 or 6mm a lot more. When I just grab the ole 30-30 to go dink around for an afternoon is when I bring home a 4 pointer.

I've mostly used 150's and have taken a few critters with 31141 cast bullets. They get the job done , but seldom drop a critter in it's tracks like a 270. Now that I'm considering taking the 30-30 more seriously, I to wonder if I could do better than 150's. I've been thinking that since there probably isn't any real difference in trajectories maybe I should be using 170's because they would be more likely to leave a good blood trail.

Then there is the whole leveroution thing, but I can't take them seriously at too many dollars per box. When I can load them myself maybe I'll play around with them too.   

[john keyes]

I have always shot the 170 speer flat point.  why the heck I can't buy the rem corelokt or win stuff in 170 is beyond me.

[Cottonwood]

Have used the 170-gr JSP in the past but have switched over to a 165-gr RNFP cast bullet by Rim Rock Bullets.

[petemi]

I shoot the old 170 gr. Winchester Silvertips in mine, with the best results.  I found they do much better on whitetails than the Corelokt.  The Corelokt seemed to just punch a pencil hole through a deer.  The Silvertips seem to dump them better.  Just my experience.  I can shoot long distance here, but 90% of my shots at deer are less than 100 yards.  If I had to shoot longer distance, I'd try the 150s or the Hornady LEs, or better yet.......use my .308.

[Dee]

I have been shooting reloaded 150 grainers in my 51 year old Winchester, since it was brand new in 1957. They are all I have ever used except for some 170 grain gas checked bullets I have cast in the past. Now it is all I load. Bib deer, hogs, or elk for that matter, all have ribs that aren't that hard to punch thru.

[Timmer]

tried 170's but went back to 150's. 1/2" 3 shot groups with 150's at 100 yards form the bench.

[Lloyd Smale]

either will work but ive found most of my 3030s shoot 170s a tad better. Its tough to be 170 rem corelocks in a 3030

[rbergum95]

170s hands down. ran core-lokt 170s siince i started hunting 20 years ago and thjey are hard to beat. but now im handloading 170 sierras mainly for the sake of keeping costs down so i can shoot it more often.

[Redhawk1]

My old Marlin 30-30 shoot my reloaded 170 gr. bullets the best.

[Echo4Lima]

I was shooting 150s for a long time for the "flatter" shot.  Then I tried some 170s and they performed a lot better. Much tighter group at the range and I seem to hit what I'm aiming at consistantly everywhere else.

I havent tried any cast's yet.