Author Topic: What bullet weight for .30-30? (Read 2505 times)

PeterCartwright · « **on:** August 06, 2006, 01:06:50 PM »

Sorry if this is an old topic but I'm wondering what the collective wisdom is on using 150 vs. 170 gr. .30-30 loads for woods hunting whitetails. I had been under the assumption that typical 150 gr. "traditional" cup and core bullets (like Rem. Corelokts) were too soft for dependable penetration. Then last year, I watched my 14 year old poleaxe his first whitetail-a 150 lb. buck- from a measured 90 yards. The buck was quartering slightly toward him. His bullet took the buck in the near shoulder, just a bit high. It penetrated the scapula, both lungs and exited behind the far shoulder. Certainly no problem with penetration in this case.

My son was using the 22" tube that comes with a "Handi-rifle". How 'bout the rest of us that are using 20" tubes? Does your field expereince give you a preference when it comes to which of the two traditional .30-30 weights to use? What's your experience with 150 gr. bullets? 170 gr.?

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #1 on:** August 06, 2006, 01:23:00 PM »

Stick with the 150 gr. bullets, deer are thin skinned and lightly bone and in my opinion the 170 gr. is not needed for deer. JMHO.

Keith L · « **Reply #2 on:** August 06, 2006, 02:49:36 PM »

I have been using 170 grain Federal Premium rounds that have Nosler Partition bullets. They group better than any other factory rounds that I have tried so I stick with them. That said, I agree with Redhawk. If I could find a 150 grain that would work well I would not be afraid to use it.

Savage .250 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 07, 2006, 01:44:30 AM »

My personal choice would be the Remington 170 gr core-lokt SP.
There are others for sure and they`d well as well but i like the 170 gr.

32WINSPL · « **Reply #4 on:** August 07, 2006, 03:04:58 AM »

Peter;
I am new to hunting and posting on this site so can only impart a little experience. I shoot a Marlin 336 CS, 1996 manufacture and have a Banner 1.5-4.5X32mm Wide Angle scope mounted on it. I settled on the most accurate round whether 150 or 170gr. Winchester Power Points in 150 grain seemed the most accurate. I have, on occassion, been able to get 3 round 3/4" groups at 100 yards. This from a bench. Fed and Rem in 150/170 are not as accurate in this rifle. I have shot one deer using this load, a doe at 70 yards. The deer was almost braodside to me and the bullet entered low in the chest just behind the fore leg, broke a rib( I think the bullet hit the rib squarely) and exited above the opposite shoulder. Both lungs and the heart were damaged and showed signs of tissue loss. The bullet enterd on the left side and exited on the right. I think the bullet changed trajectory upopn impacting the rib and angled upward. I will use this for deer.
BC

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #5 on:** August 09, 2006, 05:35:59 PM »

I've looked at this pretty extensively and come to the conclusion that the 170's are better for my needs. The trajectory varies little from the 150's but the 170's carry more energy. Recoil is, IMHO, negligible either way. The WW 170g Power Point loads are very accurate in my Marlin.

That said, I load the Speer bullets in 130g, 150g and 170g weights. My handloads are zipping the 130g Speers out at a hair over 2500fps. For shooting clay pigeons at 300 yards this is the load I choose.

T.R. · « **Reply #6 on:** August 10, 2006, 02:52:40 AM »

My older Glenfield carbine has an 18.5 inch barrel. A short and handy hunting outfit that has put a lot of meat on our table over the years.

Thiis big mulie toppled from one bullet through the chest at about 125 yards or so. Remington core-lockt 150 grain bullet is deadly; don't be concerned about it being "too soft" for deer hunting.

Good hunting to you.
TR

markc · « **Reply #7 on:** August 10, 2006, 04:09:45 AM »

150gr Remington Core Lokt's always worked well for me when I hunted with a 30-30.

victorcharlie · « **Reply #8 on:** August 10, 2006, 05:54:35 AM »

I'm really suprised so many choose the 150 grain. I thought most would shoot 170's which is the old time "standard" for the 30.30.

No doubt the 150 grain is more than enough for deer though and would recoil a bit less than the 170 grain.

Quite honestly, I haven't tried the 150's in years..........maybe I need to reevaluate!

PeterCartwright · « **Reply #9 on:** August 10, 2006, 11:09:26 AM »

Thanks for the replies. I'd be interested in hearing from more of you as well if you'd care to share. I'm leaning toward using Rem. 150 factory loads this season. My 336C shoots under an inch (50 yds. with Williams 5D receiver sight) with the load. My 30AS is just a bit larger with the same load and sight. Both are clearly within the proverbial "minute of whitetail". My preconceptions were like VictorCharlie's, viz. I assumed that the 170 gr. load would be the overwhelming favorite. Anecdotal evidence gathered from friends and the experiences of folks like you are beginning to convince me that the 150 gr. loads MAY be a bit more dependable in balancing the penetration/expansion task-at least where carbine length barrels and thin skinned whitetails are concerned. Am I crazy? (Note: My wife isn't allowed to answer that).

greenjeans · « **Reply #10 on:** August 10, 2006, 01:58:49 PM »

150 grain Core Lokt or Powerpoints. Both group well, but the groups are about 3" apart.

markc · « **Reply #11 on:** August 11, 2006, 02:52:50 AM »

I think for me I chose the 150's because when I first began hunting with the old Winchester, that was the only 30-30 round I found on the shelf of the local store. There are more stores in my area now with more choices. If I went back to hunting with a 30-30, I might try 170's but even then the new pointed Hornady ammo would likely get the nod, over the Rem. I am going to be shooting the Hornady pointed ammo out f both my Contender and Marlin in 35 Rem this season..

Snowshoe · « **Reply #12 on:** August 11, 2006, 03:03:37 AM »

I havent fired a factory round for years, but reload mostly 150's. I like the Winchester Silvertips best, but also use Remington 150's. An old Winchester 94 I have will not shoot 150's very well, so it gets Remington 170's. They all work on Deer.

rickt300 · « **Reply #13 on:** August 11, 2006, 07:52:06 AM »

I like the 150's on deer because they do offer a better expansion than the 170 grain bullet, at least comparing Remington corelokts. Plenty of penetration with either round too.

nabob · « **Reply #14 on:** August 13, 2006, 11:26:42 AM »

My Dad and I both use Rem 170's when shooting a .30-30. Just always have, no other reason. The deer always seem to drop, so we've not played around much trying out different loads.

ba_50 · « **Reply #15 on:** August 21, 2006, 02:29:29 PM »

Jim Carmicheal says the 130 grain bullet is made to order for the 30/30. I tried some 125's in my marlin with open sights and I couldn't get them to shoot low enough. With a scope, I would try the 130 gr. FN bullets.

.308 Win. · « **Reply #16 on:** August 30, 2006, 04:32:17 PM »

Way back when I hunted exclusively with the .30-30 and, from my experience, you can't go wrong with the Winchester 150 gr. hollow points. Maximum energy transfer on the animal because none of the animals I killed with it had an exit wound. Open them up and pour the guts out. Most never even took another step but crumpled right on the spot. I am assuming you can still buy these bullets. I've also been hearing a lot about the Hornady LEVERevolution bullet of late as well. That load comes with a 160 grain bullet, splitting the pie between the 150 and 170. A friend of mine shot one with that load and hit it in the neck. It had been hit by a car on a backcountry road and had not been hit solidly enough to kill it. He's not the kind of person to embellish a story and said it put a big ol' hole in her neck and she, although already suffering trauma, just went on and died immediately. The 170 grain RN is a good bullet in tight quarters but I still think a 150 gr. bullet is all you need in .30 caliber, especially on the subspecies that resides in Kentucky, where I live and we have some decent sized animals here. Occasionally, here in Kentucky, you might get a longer shot (150 yards) from time to time and the 150 shoots a little flatter, making a most accurate shot a little more of a sure thing.

.308 Win. · « **Reply #17 on:** August 30, 2006, 04:44:15 PM »

This is for KeithL. You said you use the Federal Premium 170 grain Nosler Partition loads. Have you used these on deer yet? If you have, what kind of performance did you get from them? I've been thinking about going back to the .30-30 for my local deer hunting and this load is interesting to me. Thanks.

Keith L · « **Reply #18 on:** August 31, 2006, 12:06:21 AM »

They work well. I have never recovered a spent bullet but they give a large wound channel and a good hole in both sides. I have had most deer run for a little ways (40-50 yards) with a good blood trail, but a couple dropped where they stood. My Marlin shoots so much better with them, so I continue to use them.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #19 on:** August 31, 2006, 12:10:07 AM »

Im kind of partial to 170 corelocks but ask my dad and he will say that the winchester 150 silvertips are the ones to use. Personaly i doubt if either will bounce off a deer.

Keith L · « **Reply #20 on:** August 31, 2006, 05:06:51 AM »

I am sure that a 150 grain will do the job just fine. My oldest son shot his first buck with my 30-30 and a 150 grain Remmington. It went through and the slug was just under the hide on the far side. All the energy was left in the deer. It went about 60 yards and was stone dead.

My 30AW groups tiny groups at 100 yards with the Federal Premiums and it gives me the extra confidence I need to take a harder shot at times. If I weren't so lazy I would get set up for loading and make my own.

.308 Win. · « **Reply #21 on:** August 31, 2006, 10:31:13 AM »

Thanks KeithL. I have always wondered about Nosler Partitions in this caliber.

PeterCartwright · « **Reply #22 on:** August 31, 2006, 07:04:01 PM »

Thanks, everybody, for all your input. Here's a proposition: Hunting season is just around the corner (or even already started for some of you). How 'bout reporting back on the field performance of your favorite .30-30 load (factory or hand rolled)? I'd be interested in hearing about things like the distance of your shot, where you hit your animal, your evaluation on terminal performance, whether or not the bullet exited, ect. Maybe some of you guys whose states give you an early deer season could start the thread.

Anyway, thanks again for the information you all shared.

One more thing: It would also be interesting to hear some real life field reports on Hornady's new ballistic wonder ammo.

Dee · « **Reply #23 on:** September 01, 2006, 01:03:18 AM »

My 3030 (Model 94 Winchester) was purchased new in 1957. I tried the 170s but, they fall off on range pretty fast. I have mostly stayed with the 150 grain loaded at 2400 fps. I have read many articles in gun magazines over the years as to the lack of ability of the 3030 out beyond 150 yards. This is a mystery to me other than gun writers need to sell magazines and discussing the same old thing every month won't. My rifle doesn't look new anymore, due to spending considerable time in a patrol car over a 20 year period, and on numerous man hunts, which believe me is harder on a rifle than deer hunting, because you go where you have to,not where you want to. But the jest of the matter is I still pratice with my 3030 at 270 yards. Years ago I put a Lyman aperture rear and post front sight on it, and I found that zeroed at 150 yards all I have to do is raise the rear up one small notch to be zero at 270 yards. I shoot 1 gallon plastic milk jugs filled with water and find the damage on the jug is not that much different than when shot with an 87gr. TNT out of a 2506 or a 52gr Match hollow point out of 223 M4A2 at the same range. Now I'm not saying that the 3030 is as flat shooting as either of those cartridges but, what I am saying is a deer's ribs are not very thick and, it doesn't take that much to get thru them. For that matter neither is an elk's ribs. The 150 grain round nose has worked for me since 1957 and is a little flatter shooting than the 170s. Some may and probably will argue with me on all I've said but, my rifle is almost 50 years old and the deer, hogs, coyotes, crows and even a few rabbits never knew the difference. The main thing is and always was, is to put it where it counts.

lgm270 · « **Reply #24 on:** May 27, 2007, 06:42:15 PM »

Quote from: T.R. on August 10, 2006, 02:52:40 AM

My older Glenfield carbine has an 18.5 inch barrel. A short and handy hunting outfit that has put a lot of meat on our table over the years.

Thiis big mulie toppled from one bullet through the chest at about 125 yards or so. Remington core-lockt 150 grain bullet is deadly; don't be concerned about it being "too soft" for deer hunting.

Good hunting to you.
TR

What a great looking 30-30. I love the straight grip 18.5" barrel configuration of your Glenfield. I was going to have an M-94 modified this way, but they stopped making them.

wcf3030 · « **Reply #25 on:** May 28, 2007, 07:56:18 AM »

Wow this is a old post. But a pretty good one.
I've drooped them with 130, 150, 170 and a 180gr weight and all fell dead, all with one well placed shot.
Hit them right and they will drop.

tantrum · « **Reply #26 on:** May 28, 2007, 08:20:50 AM »

I like the Remington 170s just because they shoot better in my 336. !50s shoot several inches high in my gun even when the rear sight is as low as it will go. I have shot 6 deer and 3 hogs with the 170s and have not needed a second shot or nor have I had any problem finding a blood trail when they didn't drop where they stood. Shot placement is 99% of the equation, so go with what shoots best in your gun.