Hunting load 30-30 cast need advice

[randyrat]

I've been playing around with some light plinking loads with my Ol Marlin 30-30 lever cast 309-170 f GC using Unique. Now time is zooming in and i need to work up a load for Deer hunting. I know how to alloy my cast boolits to any hardness i'll need. Can i get some ideas where to start,what velocity, what powder,how hard should i make these 170-180 gr cast for my 30-30. I've got AA5744,H4895, IMR4756, IMR3031Unique and some more pistol powders. i should have started this a long time ago now i'm pressed for time. I'll be hunting in mostly cedar swamps and some edges so 150 yd shots don't happen very often. Lets just say 150 yds max. I am determined to use my 30-30 and my own cast for hunting this year. At least save me some time and point me in the right direction. Nothin like hunting with your own.

[Dale53]

Using a cast, gas check, relatively soft, flat nosed bullet, you should be able to load nearly to full charge as long as you use a relatively slow burning powder (something like 3031). If I were faced with this, I would start with ww+2% tin and start around 1500 fps and load up until I either reached full pressure or I lost accuracy due to lack of hardness. You should be able to get around 2000 fps without serious accuracy problems with a bit of luck. I am assuming a 170 gr bullet like you are using...

Good luck and let us know how it works out for you. WW with 2% tin should be malleable enough to give you decent results on game.

Dale53

[randyrat]

Alright! close to 2000ft/sec that should put meat on the table. I have Imr 3031,WWs and tin. Thanks that gives me a starting point and maybe a nice big buck with a lot of points.

[crowbeaner]

I like WW 748 right close to max. with WW cases. Use a CCI 200 or RP 9 1/2. I size to .308 in the 30/30 but you will have to determine yours. If you have 4895 and 3031 you can do quite well. Remember that lead is faster than j bullets so you might get more velocity before you max. the charge. As always start low and work up. Better hurry; season is about to open. CB.

[Larry Gibson]

Ditto on the 4895 or 3031. My 30-30 hunting load is a 311041 with a slight HP over 30 gr H4895 with 1/2 gr dacron filler in RP cases using WLR primers. Velocity is right at 2000 fps out of my M94 Carbine (2100 fps out of 24" M94 Legacy). I cast the bullets out of hard shot (3-5% antimony and lead - no tin) and WQ them out of the mould. They drop at .311 so I seat the GC and lube them (Javelina) with a .311 H&I die. First 5 shots from cold clean barrel go into 2 MOA at 100 yards. Last i chronographed them the ES was 33 fps and the SD was 13 fps for a 5 shot string. That alloy even though WQ'd is still very maleable and expands well instead of shattering. Works for me much to the detriment of several deer.

Larry Gibson

[jh45gun]

What I am going to use is 17 grains of 2400.

[GooseGestapo]

I've used a Lee 150gr FNGC which casts to 160gr with w/w metal and gascheck and lube.
I've always started at 28.5gr and topped out as high as 33.0gr. However, the accuracy is best at 28.5 to 31.0. 30.0gr runs about 2,250fps.

I've usually used 30.0gr and killed several deer with it. Performance is like all the 170gr Jacketed bullets I've tried except for the 170gr Remington CorLokt which performs exceptionally.

I've shot a little with the 170gr Lee FNGC which in my case runs to 175gr but is not nearly as accurate as the 160gr. 28.5gr of IMR3031 is max for about 2,000fps.

My brother once loaded some of the 160's over 7.5gr of Unique for a friend to use for practice/plinking. He decided to use it on some snowshoe hares in up-state NY. He forgot he was loaded with the "plinkers" while walking returning to camp. He jumped a 150lb doe. Shot hit the last rib and raked foward through the far shoulder and exited. Deer ran ~70yds and collapsed.

Most any load you try at 1,600fps or better will work well if it's accurate..............
2400 has worked well for me also. ~15.0-16.0gr if my memory serves me correctly.

[Leftoverdj]

Chapter 10 of Lee #2 has a ton of info on this. I'm not currently shooting a .30-30 but the companion data for the .308 has checked out very closely.

[randyrat]

I have that book and can't remember reading that chapter i'll dig it out again. Thanks for the reminder. that book has so much info.

[randyrat]

Using a cast, gas check, relatively soft, flat nosed bullet, you should be able to load nearly to full charge as long as you use a relatively slow burning powder (something like 3031). If I were faced with this, I would start with ww+2% tin and start around 1500 fps and load up until I either reached full pressure or I lost accuracy due to lack of hardness. You should be able to get around 2000 fps without serious accuracy problems with a bit of luck. I am assuming a 170 gr bullet like you are using...

Good luck and let us know how it works out for you. WW with 2% tin should be malleable enough to give you decent results on game.

Dale53 i'll try IMR 3031 ....I see 170 gr. hdy fp data says 29.7 grs 2110 ft/sec @39,000 PSI.. I'll work my way up to this using 180 LFN GC How far do you think i'll get before i see pressure signs or will the accuracy drop off way before i reach max psi

[twotrees]

Randy,

Standard load for my son's trapper has always been Lyman 311291GC over a full charge of 3031. Aloy has been Lyman #2 but it does NOT expand, but does kill deer !!!

Good Hunting,

TwoTrees

[felix]

27 grains 3031 with 170-180 boolits in 30-30 would be about max with a lever gun. ... felix