30/30 vs 7-30Waters velocity

[Luckyducker]

I am planning on buying a 10"-14" Contender barrel in one of these cartridges but am wondering the difference in velocity in pistol length barrels.  I have a carbine length 30/30 that I handload 150 grain Hornady IL bullets for and get about 2340 ft/sec.  I will use these bullets if a 30/30 and maybe 130 grain bullets if a 7mm.  If the 7mm isn't clearly much faster I might as well get the 30/30 as I already have dies and components.  Thanks in advance for all rational responses.

[butchen]

in the lyman 46th edition a 150gr loaded with 748  shoots 1832fps in a 10" and 2077fps in a 14". that is on paper so you know it will not be the same for you but you get the idea. I fine with the 10" you get a lot of unburnt powder and a fire ball (that is why I would go with a 30harrett in a 10"), but in a 14" not so much unburnt powder and not as much flash, really no different than a 18" lever gun.

I have data for the 7-30 for a 14" but nothing in a 10" so I can't help you there. But the 7-30 in a 14" is a one hole'er for me it was hard to find a powder that didn't give one hole groups at 100m. never had a 30-30 (not one of my fave rounds because every body and his dog has one here, rifle and handgun)

I hope this is what you were looking for

[mcwoodduck]

I have a 10" and a 14" 30-30 barrel for my Contender.  SO far have only shot the 14"
If you are already reloading for 30-30  I would say stick with it.
But if you are goingto compare the two you need to do so with similar bullets of the 150 and the 140 grain.  Honestly the difference between the two is .024  (.308-.284)  and the two are going to act similar on game. 
I am shooting the 170 grain soft points out of my 14"  Recoil is stout but not un bearable and I think I will be happy with what it does to deer. 
You can also laod smaller 308 bullets like the 125 grain and get faster speeds out of it than the 130 grain 7mm bullet.  Either way I think you will be happy. 
Oh I went with the 30-30 because everyone has one.  Easy to find ammo if hunting somewhere else, evry store has a box or two of 30-30 and very few have a box of 7-30 waters.  If you travel to hunt.  Just saying.

[Richard P]

For hunting uses you should consider bullet construction as well as weight.  You'll need to examine relative merits of standard lead core, partition bullets or ballistic tip and non lead such as Barnes.  It isnt as simple as ''similar weight'', although that is one way to compare.

[Dezynco]

I've got both a 7x30 Waters and a 30-30, both are Super 14's.  Generally, my 30-30 is more accurate with a wider range of bullets.  As a matter of fact, I'll shoot my 30-30 against most folks that I know with a  rifle out to 100 yards with a good rest, and usually win!
 
My 7-30 is a little pickier about powder and bullet weight.  Could just be "luck of the draw" on the difference between the 2.  It needs a little fiddling to get it to shoot the same.
 
If  you handload and have the dies, either will do the trick.  If you are seeking economy and all around usefullness, the the 30-30 is hard to beat.

[shot1]

I would pick the 30-30 over the 7-30 for the simple reason of a much wider range of bullets that will work at the velocity that you can get out of it. Go with the 14" barrel with the 30-30 and if you want to shoot deer size game go with the 125 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip. It is the perfect bullet. Better yet if you really want to up the power of a 14" barrel Contender go with the 30-30 Ackley Improved. With the same bullet weight it will equal or exceed the velocity of a 20" barrel 30-30 Win rifle. Lee makes a low price set of 30-30AI dies that work great and you can shoot regular 30-30 Win ammo in it also in a pinch. With 33 grs. IMR 4198 and the 125 BT I average 2670 fps out of my MGM Stainless 14" barrel and under 1" groups all day at 100 yards. As far as the cost of a barrel you can have MGM make you a barrel in 30-30AI for about the same price as a new T/C 30-30Win barrel and the MGM barrels are much better quality and they really shoot. This past deer season was the first for my 30-30AI and I took 4 deer from 45 to 107 yards with it. Three dropped in their tracks and one took three jumps before it was down for the count. All those 125 BT bullets worked perfectly. All broke shoulder bone and exited about the size of a quarter wiping out everything in between entering and exiting.

[Luckyducker]

Thank you guys, that really helps me clear my mind.  I think I will go with the 30/30.

[butchen]

Thank you guys, that really helps me clear my mind.  I think I will go with the 30/30.

Good choice, which 10" or 14"?

[Luckyducker]

Butchen, I have been looking at some Super 14 barrels on the net, haven't really made up my mind yet but I think the 30/30 would work better in 14" tube than 10".

[butchen]

Butchen, I have been looking at some Super 14 barrels on the net, haven't really made up my mind yet but I think the 30/30 would work better in 14" tube than 10".

  I was hoping you would say that, you would never like a 30-30 in a 10". Well there those out there that say they do but the 14" tube is the way to go. Have a great time. If I can ever do anything for you just ask.

[lnewby]

 I have been shooting a 30-30 in a 14" contender forever. I load varget powder in winchester cases with a 150 grain Nosler ballistic tip, velocity averages 2086 fps. Pressure must be moderate as I have reloaded cases 10 times and never had a case failure.  In my contender this load will shoot 3/4" groups at 100 yards when I'm doing my part.  I also have a 7-30 waters 14" barrel, but I have not shot that as much. AA2460 in winchester case with a 120 ballistic tip will average 2360 fps. It would be hard to find a better deer gun than the 30-30 but the 7-30 may be it. For me , I will shoot both of them as long as I can pull the trigger. Good luck.               lnewby

[Fire Fox]

I have used both with great results and saw very little difference in them if you use spitzer bullets and reload for both. I would suggest the 30-30 in a 14  inch barrel since you already have the dies and the 130 gr Hornidy ssp bullet for most things and the 165 gr Ballistic tip for bigger things. I have found that H335 and mag rifle primers work well in the 30-30 for great accuracy. I hope this helps.