Author Topic: 30/30 at 200 yds....what do you think.... (Read 8994 times)

Duke0313 · « **Reply #30 on:** January 05, 2010, 11:54:10 PM »

Think any of those "gun mag authors" would be willing to stand off at 200yds and let someone fire off a few rounds at them with a 30-30?

Couldn't hurt 'em, right?

jlchucker · « **Reply #31 on:** January 06, 2010, 03:17:42 AM »

Quote from: Duke0313 on January 05, 2010, 11:54:10 PM

Think any of those "gun mag authors" would be willing to stand off at 200yds and let someone fire off a few rounds at them with a 30-30? Couldn't hurt 'em, right?

Some of those boneheads have such thick skulls that the bullet would probably bounce right off LOL.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #32 on:** January 06, 2010, 03:56:58 AM »

Bet the ones who tested leverrevolution ammo worldn't , the claimes it turned a 30-30 into a 300 win mag.

jlchucker · « **Reply #33 on:** January 06, 2010, 06:54:38 AM »

Quote from: SHOOTALL on January 06, 2010, 03:56:58 AM

Bet the ones who tested leverrevolution ammo worldn't , the claimes it turned a 30-30 into a 300 win mag.

I'm just a poor ol' retired country boy who can't find it in my budget to buy exotic component bullets like leverrevolution. I pretty much try to get by with Corelocts and my home-cast 311041's. I wonder...nah, I wouldn't want to try it. After all, I only use a 30-30 Winchester, and I might miss entirely, or my bullets would maybe fall on the ground before they got there. Now what, besides a possible need to get me new bifocals, would any of this prove?

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #34 on:** January 06, 2010, 06:59:48 AM »

I just ordered some 165 gr lead bullets for the 30-30 . Any load suggestions ?

jlchucker · « **Reply #35 on:** January 06, 2010, 11:10:34 AM »

You might want to check out the "cast boolets" website. Lots of cast bullet expertise over there. 165 grains is only 5 grains less than 170. Did the bullet manufacturer include any loading data? If you try 170 or173 grain published data, at the low end of the spectrum and work up, you'd be on your own--but probably could come up with a decent, safe load. Don't hotrod 30-30 loads. It'll get you nothing worthwhile. Go for accuracy first. Cast bullets at modest velocities penetrate a lot deeper than what you would think they would. The Lyman reloading manual might be a good place to start. Also the Lee loading manual may have some data that you could try. The last place I'd consider would be some "expert" who went out on a limb with his own rifle and loads, and is still lucky to have his gun, eyesight and fingers.

Swampman · « **Reply #36 on:** January 06, 2010, 12:38:49 PM »

I wouldn't lap the barrel of any rifle. The .30-30 is plenty. I'd recommend a 2-7X32 scope.

Get a box of Remington Core-Lots......you'll be glad.

Spanky · « **Reply #37 on:** January 06, 2010, 12:55:29 PM »

Quote from: Swampman on January 06, 2010, 12:38:49 PM

I wouldn't lap the barrel of any rifle. The .30-30 is plenty. I'd recommend a 2-7X32 scope.
Get a box of Remington Core-Lots......you'll be glad.

Right on the money Swampy.
I shoot 150gr. Core Lokt's out of my Glenfield 30. Kills 'em dead every time.

Spanky

JonD. · « **Reply #38 on:** January 06, 2010, 01:35:05 PM »

Quote from: Tallwalker on December 28, 2009, 03:26:47 PM

Quote from: Dee on December 25, 2009, 03:30:38 PM
John, in 1958 Dad bought a brand new Winchester Model 94 in 3030 and gave it to me. That's how long I've been shootin the 3030, and I would not even hesitate at 200 yards on a deer. I shoot the 150 grain Remington bulk soft point at 2400 fps. So after 52 years of 3030. Yep! Take the shot.
By the way, I'm still shootin the same rifle.

My dad bought one of the ones I still use a year later, and I've been shooting it since then. One of my sons, and I both got our first deer with it. Actually, come to think of it, the only honest 200 yd deer kill I've seen here in NH was with a Marlin 30-30 wearing a 2 1/2X scope. The deer ( a 4 pointer) did a flip in the air, and came down with his feet about 4" from the tracks he had been standing in.......

Every deer I've ever killed has been with an ole Marlin 336 30-30 that belonged to Dad. He bought it second hand, I would guess its close to 40 years old. Never had to shoot more than once, not one deer went farther than a few feet an several fell like a safe landed on top of'em. Longest shot was 125 yards, but I wouldn't hesitate one bit to take a 200 yard shot with it. I can use just about any ammo and cover three shots with a quarter at 100 yards. And like Dee said, theres not enough money in the world to buy that gun.

Casull · « **Reply #39 on:** January 06, 2010, 02:08:38 PM »

Wow, kills em all DRT. Shoots most any ammo into sub MOA. That's some gun.

Keith L · « **Reply #40 on:** January 06, 2010, 02:53:22 PM »

Quote from: Casull on January 06, 2010, 02:08:38 PM

Wow, kills em all DRT. Shoots most any ammo into sub MOA. That's some gun.

I wish I shot that good!

JASmith · « **Reply #41 on:** January 06, 2010, 04:23:42 PM »

The 30-30 will do fine at 200 yards, if you've got your sights set up right.

As an aside, the Hornady HITS (http://www.hornady.com/hits/calculator) suggests that the 170 CoreLokt bullet will have plenty of potential for deer-size game targets to well past 250 yards. It even seems to be more capable, given a hit, than the .243 Winchester (See, e. g. the article at http://shootersnotes.com/?page_id=133).

Main challenge is trajectory. Take a look at a good ballistics calculator, for example, JBM Ballistics (http://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmtraj-5.0.cgi) for any of the 170 gr 30-30 bullets at 2200 ft/sec muzzle velocity. You'll find that by sighting in 4.5 inches high at 100 yards, you'll do just fine out to a little over 275 yards assuming you aim at the center of the vital zone and that it's about the size of a 10 inch dinner plate. (This assumes you do your part with sight alignment and trigger squeeze!)

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #42 on:** January 06, 2010, 06:07:46 PM »

Quote from: Duke0313 on January 05, 2010, 11:54:10 PM

Think any of those "gun mag authors" would be willing to stand off at 200yds and let someone fire off a few rounds at them with a 30-30? Couldn't hurt 'em, right?

The bullet I use most are the 170g Nosler Partition RN. Running 2200fps at the muzzle and MPBR sighted in for a maximum rise/drop of 3”, the bullets are 3” high at 100 yards (a happy coincidence on the range) and are down 3” at 207 yards. At 200 yards the Partition is down 2.2” and retains 1635fps and 1009fpe.

I think that would hurt a bit. While I wouldn’t shoot a gun rag writer, I wouldn’t hesitate on deer.

Spanky · « **Reply #43 on:** January 06, 2010, 06:47:52 PM »

Quote from: Coyote Hunter on January 06, 2010, 06:07:46 PM

While I wouldn’t shoot a gun rag writer, I wouldn’t hesitate on deer.

What if Nancy Pelosi wrote for the gun mags??

Spanky

Swampman · « **Reply #44 on:** January 06, 2010, 11:43:42 PM »

No need for premium bullets unless you're hunting something really big. Don't waste your money.

Duke0313 · « **Reply #45 on:** January 06, 2010, 11:54:57 PM »

Quote from: SHOOTALL on January 06, 2010, 06:59:48 AM

I just ordered some 165 gr lead bullets for the 30-30 . Any load suggestions ?

Ummm...yeah, load 'em.

Swampman · « **Reply #46 on:** January 06, 2010, 11:59:37 PM »

Quote from: SHOOTALL on January 06, 2010, 06:59:48 AM

I just ordered some 165 gr lead bullets for the 30-30 . Any load suggestions ?

7 grains of Unique?

pastorp · « **Reply #47 on:** January 07, 2010, 03:29:41 AM »

Fellas, JMO but core-lokts are premium bullets.............

Regards,

Sweetwater · « **Reply #48 on:** January 07, 2010, 06:41:28 AM »

It's all relative, to a degree. Guess you could say some bullets are more premium than others. I've seen years that were so lean, any bullet was a premium! All my "fun" shooting was done with wax....

When working up my loads for my 32WSpcl, I used the jacketed data (as recommended by Lyman and others in the absence of cast data) for 170gr jacketed to work up with a 183gr cast. The cast slip down the barrel easier than jacketed and you "always" start at the bottom and work up anyway, so it was a simple process and allowed me to use slower powders than what was listed in the old Lyman manual for cast. It's no trick matching or exceeding factory ballistics with a cast bullet in the leverguns, Elk and deer don't know the difference; just takes patience and practice.

Regards,
Sweetwater

Avyctes · « **Reply #49 on:** January 07, 2010, 06:59:20 AM »

I watched my brother-in-law shoot a doe at about 400 yards with a Marlin .30-30. He held about 12" over her shoulder. She ran, but not far, then dropped. He's hunted with that gun for years and knows it well. Still, I think the feat surprised him. Certainly did me. If I hadn't been right there when he did it I'd of probably thought he was full of it...

JonD. · « **Reply #50 on:** January 07, 2010, 07:05:49 AM »

Quote from: Casull on January 06, 2010, 02:08:38 PM

Wow, kills em all DRT. Shoots most any ammo into sub MOA. That's some gun.

Seriously, no kidding, it will shoot any Wal-mart shelf ammo sub Moa, and having killed 20 or so bucks with it no tracking whatsoever.

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #51 on:** January 08, 2010, 03:33:28 AM »

Quote from: Swampman on January 06, 2010, 11:43:42 PM

No need for premium bullets unless you're hunting something really big. Don't waste your money.

You make a false assertion that premium bullets are a waste. They may be a "waste" for you and your dink Florida deer, but I hunt elk and mule deer in the same season.

Even if I was just hunting deer, I prefer 170g bullets. The 170g Speer FP and Nosler Partitions RN both shoot very well in my .30-30. Further, both are reasonably priced. At extended ranges (150 yards and up) I prefer the Partition's blunt RN profile, even though the Speer has a higher BC and retained velocity and energy. Since I hunt where such shot opportunites are common, I generally load up the Partition. At the same time, the Partition will work just fine if I get a close-up shot.

Thanks for the advice, but its only worth what I paid for it.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #52 on:** January 08, 2010, 03:56:12 AM »

When did a speer FP become a premium bullet ?

Dee · « **Reply #53 on:** January 08, 2010, 04:27:45 AM »

Quote from: Coyote Hunter on January 08, 2010, 03:33:28 AM

Quote from: Swampman on January 06, 2010, 11:43:42 PM
No need for premium bullets unless you're hunting something really big. Don't waste your money.

You make a false assertion that premium bullets are a waste. They may be a "waste" for you and your dink Florida deer, but I hunt elk and mule deer in the same season.

Even if I was just hunting deer, I prefer 170g bullets. The 170g Speer FP Nosler Partitions RN both shoot very well in my .30-30. Further, both are reasonably priced. At extended ranges (150 yards and up) I prefer the Partition's blunt RN profile, even though the Speer has a higher BC and retained velocity and energy. Since I hunt where such shot opportunites are common, I generally load up the Partition. At the same time, the Partition will work just fine if I get a close-up shot.

Thanks for the advice, but its only worth what I paid for it.

Coyote Hunter, you shouldn't be huntin elk and mule deer with a 3030 anyway. Everyone knows it's not enough gun to kill either. I read that in a magazine, so it must be true. The guy writing it was an expert. Somethin?

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #54 on:** January 08, 2010, 05:16:58 PM »

Quote from: SHOOTALL on January 08, 2010, 03:56:12 AM

When did a speer FP become a premium bullet ?

I guess it depends on how you define “premium”.

The Speer Hot-Cor bullets are about twice as expensive as the Remington Core-Lokt bullets. If price is your measure, there you go.

The Speer bullets are Hot-Cor bullets which in my experience hold together pretty well. On the basis of construction, I’ve always considered them a step up from standard cup-and-core bullets.

While the Partitions generally get the nod, I’ve loaded up some 165g Hornady FTX bullets to test. If they do well they will probably become my standard .30-30 hunting bullet.

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #55 on:** January 08, 2010, 05:23:57 PM »

Quote from: Dee on January 08, 2010, 04:27:45 AM

Coyote Hunter, you shouldn't be huntin elk and mule deer with a 3030 anyway. Everyone knows it's not enough gun to kill either. I read that in a magazine, so it must be true. The guy writing it was an expert. Somethin?

Yeah, I know...

The sad part is my .30-30 is still a virgin. I’ve had several opportunities where the .30-30 was in the truck and I reached for something else. . A couple years back I thought a 300 yard shot was likely and took a .30-06. Shot one cow at 125 lasered yards, duck soup for the .30-30, then had an opportunity to fill my second tag at 25 yards. Two or three days later I thought I was looking at a minimum 400-yard shot if I got one at all, carried the .30-06 again, then found myself face-to-face with a cow elk at 25 feet. Let her walk and took another at 40 yards.

I’ll keep taking it, though.

mirage1988 · « **Reply #56 on:** January 08, 2010, 05:33:53 PM »

Quote from: Coyote Hunter on January 08, 2010, 03:33:28 AM

Quote from: Swampman on January 06, 2010, 11:43:42 PM
No need for premium bullets unless you're hunting something really big. Don't waste your money.

You make a false assertion that premium bullets are a waste. They may be a "waste" for you and your dink Florida deer, but I hunt elk and mule deer in the same season.

Even if I was just hunting deer, I prefer 170g bullets. The 170g Speer FP and Nosler Partitions RN both shoot very well in my .30-30. Further, both are reasonably priced. At extended ranges (150 yards and up) I prefer the Partition's blunt RN profile, even though the Speer has a higher BC and retained velocity and energy. Since I hunt where such shot opportunites are common, I generally load up the Partition. At the same time, the Partition will work just fine if I get a close-up shot.

Thanks for the advice, but its only worth what I paid for it.

Isn't it funny- guys will drive hundreds of miles, pay 2-300$ or more for a non-resident tag, buy all the latest and greatest scents, rattlers, butthole tools, gut hooks, scent-lock clothes, then shoot cheap ammo.

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #57 on:** January 09, 2010, 03:45:35 AM »

Quote from: mirage1988 on January 08, 2010, 05:33:53 PM

Isn't it funny- guys will drive hundreds of miles, pay 2-300$ or more for a non-resident tag, buy all the latest and greatest scents, rattlers, butthole tools, gut hooks, scent-lock clothes, then shoot cheap ammo.

mirage198 –

A few years back I was able to take a nice antelope buck, 6x6 bull and forkhorn mulie using premium bullets. Later I did the math and calculated that if I had used cheap bullets and had similar success for several years in a row, I would save enough for a cheap glass of wine with my dinner out.

One of the things I find amazing as well is that many people who denigrate the use of premium bullets are heavy smokers and/or drinkers. They think nothing about stopping by the bar for a few drinks with friends or paying for a pack or two of smokes a day, yet shooting premium bullets is a “waste” in their opinion.

I’ll stick with the premiums, occasionally have a glass of wine with my dinner out (as I did last night with my wife), and let others fill their lungs with carcinogens. Compared to the drinkers and smokers, I’ll be the one spending less money – by far.

flexjr · « **Reply #58 on:** January 09, 2010, 12:21:45 PM »

DEFINITELY YES IT HAS THE STUFF. MY LONGEST KILL CONFIRMED WITH MY 1894 30-30 IS 261 YARDS KNEALING WITH LEVEREVOLUTIONS. THE DEER DROPPED IN ITS TRACKS AND THE BULLET WENT ALL THE WAY THROUGH. WITH THE OLD 150 SILVERTIP MY GUN GOT A NUMBER OF KILLS AT OR A LITTLE PAST 200 YARDS. HAVENT HAD THE CHANCE TO SHOOT AT ONE AT THREE HUNDRED YARDS WITH IT YET BUT WITH THE LEVEREVOLUTIONS IT DID GROUP THREE INCHES AT THREE HUNDRED YARDS AND ENOUGH TRAJECTORY TO DO THE JOB. WHEN WE HAVE TO DO CROP DAMAGE CONTROL KILLS, IT GETS TO GO IN BIG BEAN FIELDS CAUSE OF THE LIGHT WEIGHT AND DECENT TRAJECTORY USUALLY ALONG WITH A 264 WIN MAG IF SHOTS ARE TOO LONG

Keith L · « **Reply #59 on:** January 09, 2010, 12:34:06 PM »

Welcome aboard GBO flexjr. Please take the caps lock off on your posts. It makes some of us think you are yelling at us!!