30-30 for accuracy (bolt action)

[mattri]

Just picked up a Stevens 325C bolt action 30-30, want to wring the most accuracy as possible out of this gun. 

Bolt action so tubular magazine restrictions aren't an issue. 

Looking at the high BC .308 bullets, in the 150-180 range.  Any suggestions?

Powder?

Any and all ideas welcome. 

[carbineman]

As for powder W748 and BL-C2 have worked well for me. The problem with bullets is that the speeds you can attain with those bullets do not lend them to be hunting bullets. For target work they will work fine. Many here tout the Nosler 125 gr. BT as a great bullet for the 30-30. Others use the newer Barnes 130 grain TSX.

Again, for target work any bullets would be fine. For hunting you need a bullet that will expand correctly. I am in the process of going back to the FN/RN for hunting in areas where shots are not exceeding 150 yards.

[shot1]

Get the Nosler 125 ballistic tip going 2500 or so fps and watch it drop deer in their tracks. This bullet is very accurate also.

[mdi]

Any hints on loads for pointy bullets in 30-30?

[mattri]

Thanks for the replies. 

For now I'm really just looking at this as an accuracy project.  Take on old rifle in an old caliber that isn't an "inherently accurate" and see what can be done with it. 

Will be sticking with the iron sights so 100 yards is what I'll be shooting at. 

Nosler 125's have gotten a couple of nods, what about Hornadys 165grn SST or simmilar?

Thanks again, Matt. 

[carbineman]

Any hints on loads for pointy bullets in 30-30?

I have loaded the 135 grain Sierra SSSP with 37.8 grains of BL-C2. The 130 grain Hornady SSSP with 38.7 grains of W748. These loads were safe in my Handi rifles, but are quite speedy and may not be safe in your firearm. Reduce your loads to start out with by 15%.

The soon to be introduced LeverEvolution powder from Hodgdon should really speed things up as well. Available they say in January 2011.

[shot1]

The 30-30 Win is by far an "inherently inaccurate" round. It is just the opposite in a bolt or single shot solid breach gun. It is the old leaver action rifles that most often are chambered in the 30-30 Win that are the inaccurate problem. I used to have a 10" barrel Contender pistol in 30-30 Win that I won a good bit of money out shooting guys at 100 and 200 yards against their rifles. I had an uncle that had a Savage bolt action in 30-30 Win that was amazingly accurate.

[cybin]

I don't know where you come up with inaccurate lever action .30-30 rifles from--except the arm chair writers of gun magizines that never shot them. In 1970 just back from Vietnam I bought a Marlin 336 in .30-30--it still shoots one inch groups--I sighted it in using Winchester silver tips in 170 grain---when I reload 150 grain loads it shoots one high but still a one inch group---when I reload 170 grain bullets--it shoots one low--but still a one inch group.

I have sighted in scopes for about 5 other people on Marlin 336's in .30-30 caliber. All shot a one group or closer (not by a lot I admit) at 100 yards. I don't think you can ask for much more out of a deer rifle shooting flat nose bullets.


cybin

[mattri]

Didn't mean to say that the 30-30 can't be accurate.  I bought the gun to see how it can shoot after all. 

Just meant that the 30-30 isn't considered in the same realm as the 6mmbr etc. 

Hope to get dies etc soon and start seeing what it can do. 

[Dezynco]

Sierra 175grain Match Kings and almost any 150 grain bullets shoot 1moa or better in my 14" 30-30 Contender.

I also wouldn't say that the 30-30 is "inaccurate", just that it won't hang with the big Superdooperultrawoopee Magnums that are out there these days in range and speed.  My 30-30 Super 14 is the most accurate centerfire that I own, and that includes rifles and pistols.

Funny how it keeps getting "rediscovered" every decade or so....the meek little 30-30 just keeps on chugging along, some 115 years!

[jedman]

   I am not familiar with a Stevens 325 C but I owned 2 Savage / Stevens 340 & 840 bolt guns in 30-30 and a 219 single shot in 30-30.  I experimented with pointed bullets in them and found them to be very accurate with handloads, all under MOA.  In my guns I had the best accuracy with H 4895 and Speers 150 gr. Hot Cor Spitzer SP bullet.  If you are sticking to iron sights and shots under 100 yards just about any good shooting load will work.
  I was looking for a accurate load to try at + 200 yards for Antelope and with a pointed bullet in a 30-30 you can get a load to be no more than 3" above or below POA out to 250 yards.   Jedman

[billy_56081]

The magazine will limit you in oal. It will be hard to load the longer pointed bullets.

[cybin]

There was an article in a gun magizine I read some years ago about a guy in Texas who used a TC rifle in .30-30 to see what he could get out of it using pointed bullets---his conclusiion I remember was that it was great for out to about 220 yards, but after that dropped too quick compared to other calibers. I don't remember how long of a barrel or what kinds of bullets and powders he used.

I always thought that would be an interesting project. There are quit a few Savage rifles around in that caliber,unfortunately most that I have seen either were abused badly--or the asking price was too much for me to come up with. But--never can tell what the next gun show will bring.

Let us know how things go with your project.

cybin

[Barstooler]

   I am not familiar with a Stevens 325 C but I owned 2 Savage / Stevens 340 & 840 bolt guns in 30-30 and a 219 single shot in 30-30.  I experimented with pointed bullets in them and found them to be very accurate with handloads, all under MOA.  In my guns I had the best accuracy with H 4895 and Speers 150 gr. Hot Cor Spitzer SP bullet.  If you are sticking to iron sights and shots under 100 yards just about any good shooting load will work.
  I was looking for a accurate load to try at + 200 yards for Antelope and with a pointed bullet in a 30-30 you can get a load to be no more than 3" above or below POA out to 250 yards.   Jedman

Similar to jedman, I also had 2 Savage 340 bolts in 30-30 (actually one was mine and the other was my brother's).  Essentially the same rifle as the Stevens 325.  The one I owned was very accurate and shot MOA, while my brother's 340 was less accurate (1.5" at 100 yeards) despite rebedding and everything.  I also used Speer 150grain bullets and loaded it with IMR 4895.  IMR 3031 also produced excellent groups in the accurate 340.  I also found 165gr bullets with 4895 shot very good groups.  Took several white tails with both bullets.

Barstooler

[Land_Owner]

With Hornady's Leverevolution bullets, I thought to test the accuracy of my two Marlin 336 lever guns.  Got tired of trying, wasting time, bullets, powder, and primers, and went back to the old "Tried and True" 150 gr and 170 grain Speer SPFN, which they shoot to consistent 1.0" point of aim out to 150 yards when zero'd for 100 yards.  Can't prove "inaccuracy" through my 30-30 guns.

[Brithunter]

Hmmm I have a bolt action in 30-30 and I use the Hornady 130 Gr SP over H-335. I won't give the exact load as this is a high pressure loading giving 2800 fps however it is very accurate giving three shots making one ragged hole too often to be luck. It also drops deer very effectivly. I got the loading data from a Petersens Rifle shooter back in 99 the articles was soup up the 30-30. Pressures run up around the same as .308 Win.

Edit:-

Whoops the article was from 1996 and the pressures they worked up to was 55,000 PSI. I just looked it out and took a look once again.

[LunaticFringeInc]

I would think the biggest obsticle would be finding a heavier pointed bullet that will expand at the speeds the 30-30 will push that bullet.  A lot of the pointed bullets these days are designed for the 308, 30-06 and Magnum speeds and performance levels.  A 30-30 wont likely reach these speeds and bullet performance might be lacking or out right iffy due to heavier jackets and sturdier construction that will help them hold together at higher speeds.  For this reason some of the lighter bullets with thinner jacket construction migh be more effective from a hunting stand point.  If your only punching paper then I guess it doesnt really matter much.

[Snowshoe]

I have done a lot of loading for those rifles and the big problem is keeping the over all length down. The best 150g bullet I found for target and hunting was the Winchester pointed soft point power point. I loaded them to 2400 fps with IMR4064, very accurate. I also used Remington pointed soft point 125g bullets and H335 at about 2650 fps, again very accurate. The Nosler 125g BT was too long to run in the mag, but shot very well from a single shot I had.

[mattri]

Thanks for all the great replies.  Still waiting on dies to arrive. 

In the meantime went to the range today with some Hornady Leverevolution 160s. 

Iron sights at 100 yards.  Not great, but a place to start. 

[Brithunter]

I'll wager that there are many who could not shoot as well with any ammo with iron sights so don't feel to bad about it.

[cwlongshot]

I have had my best accuracy with the 30-30 using W748 powder. Its the only powder I use in it now.

I have also loaded the Nosler 125 BT's as well as the Sierra 125's and accuracy as well as performance on game is very good. My load is from a old Speer manual and now its listed as above max. But its proven safe in my guns.

In my Handi I have recently been loading the Hornady 160 FTX and its proven a real tack driver with the same 748 powder charge. I only shoot it in my H&R as I have SO MANY 170 Hornady FPs loaded up for the levers. 

Merry Christmas,
 CW

[mattri]

Just picked up some IMR3031 and 150grn Interlocks, will post results when the weather breaks.