.30-30 and unique

[Comrade Mike]

Is a filler required for this combination? I figure 10 grains is a tiny powder charge in that huge volume. But I am using a large rifle primer which I imagine shouldn't have any problem igniting the charge. Anyone with experience with this combo please weight in! Thanks :D

[Vann]

Nope, it'll do just fine without it.

[fryboy]

i believe my actual plinking load is 8.8 grains w/ 120-130-ish boolit ,( hits dead center 2" low @100 yards ) very very soft shooting and new shooters love it so i'm not seeing a problem with 10 grains , what i have noted with my load is there's a wee bit of velocity difference between when the powder is at the primer vs. when it's at the boolit , a wad would end that but it isnt enough to worry me ( at least not as much as adding a wad to a necked cartridge mite )

[cainttype]

It's almost a standard here, with no filler.
Practically every 30-30 (in any configuration) will see that load behind a 150-165 grainer on it's introduction to cast at our range.
Just got 32lbs of Unique in last week. We use it quite often in both rifle and handgun.

[popper]

Unique is position sensitive but you may not notice it.

[nagantguy]

Ten grains of unique is "the load" as stated above, I've never used fillers with it, but a accurate easy milder round you'd be hard pressed to find. When she moved on from a .22lr to something bigger an old 94 30-30 that we restored together , my daughter put 100's of that load down range and never flinched.

[Bird]

No problems with that load using no filler. I have used it on 1000 and more reloads.

[williamwaco]

No filler is necessary. I use 8 or 9 grains with a 150 or 170 grain bullet. Doesn't matter which.

When I got my chrono, I ran a test on this load.
Five shots each with powder forward, powder center, and powder back in the case.
The difference between the three five shot averages was less than the shot to shot variation within each string.

PS: If you do use filler. Don't shoot into the wind.

[Lonegun1894]

You have nothing to worry about with 10.0grs Unique in a .30-30. I use 2.7grs Unique in my .30-30 to push a 150gr quietly for pest control, and I don't use a filler either. The 10.0gr load is accurate and gentle, but don't ever get to thinking that it isn't capable, cause it'll do more than you would think at longer ranges than you would expect.

[JWFilips]

two of my favorite loads for my 30-30 marlin are 8.5 grain Unique or 6 grains Bullseye ( No fillers) with a NOE 165 Ranch Dog Boolit! Accurate and a bunch of fun shooting!

[Comrade Mike]

Thank you everyone! I really do not like the idea of using fillers so Ill avoid it anywhere I can. Thanks for sharing the wisdom :D

[runfiverun]

maybe at the 8gr mark at 10 you should have enough fill to be fine.
try positioning the powder against the primer and just letting it fall flat in the case and compare your groups.
if it likes the powder at the base then a filler would help.

[Shiloh]

The guys that use it in 30-30's and 45-70's use no filler material.

Shiloh

[JeffinNZ]

I worked up a load recently for my Husqvarna .30-30 bolt gun. NOE 314008 HPGC (125gr) over 9gr of Nobels 78 shotgun powder. Nobels 78 is similar in burn to Red Dot and very fluffy so 9gr fills most of the case. Shoots very well and produces just shy of 1600fps.

[Motor]

I've had no issues with Unique using it without fillers. I started with 9gr in a .308Win many years ago. I currently use it in 7.62x54R also. I did use it in 30-30 for a short time but I bought some Trail Boss to try in the 54R and it didn't like it. So I tried the Trail Boss in the 30-30 and it loves the stuff so for now the 30-30 gets that.

Motor

[oldblinddog]

From Handloader #126, "Cast Bullets and Fillers", C.E. Harris, p. 53-54:

Flake pistol or shotgun powders having little or no deterrent coating, such as Unique, Red Dot, Bullseye, 700-X or Green Dot, will ignite easily in greatly reduced loads without using a filler. With cast bullets in rifles, they are suitable for squib loads up to about 1300 fps. Fillers should never be used with those powders, due to their unpredictable effects upon chamber pressure. Fillers are not needed for such loads, because these powders are relatively unaffected by powder positioning at such relatively low velocity levels.



FWIW, I have used 10 gr. Unique under a 311041 to good effect in the .308 Win without fillers.

[rsrocket1]

Well, I did try fillers with Unique, 800-x and Red Dot in .308 and 7.62x54R. I used Dacron pillow stuffing both fluffed up and stuffed down with a pencil. The charges were in the 8-11g range and while the filler enhanced rounds gave me a tiny bit of increased velocity, the velocity and accuracy difference between that and just plain powder dropped into the case was negligible. I did observe the Dacron fluff floating around the shooting bench after each shot (sort of like Cottonwood fluff). I also tried tilting the gun barrel up vs. down vs. just chambering the round horizontally and again there was enough muzzle velocity difference to measure, but no noticeable change in POI or accuracy.

Bottom line, just load 'em, shoot 'em and enjoy.

[jcren]

I use unique in my 30-06 and get inch or so groups at 75 yards with no filler.

[rintinglen]

8.0 grains with a 311-419 was a favorite of mine for plinking with my 32-20.

[gwpercle]

When chambering a round just tilt the muzzel up a bit, powder will position itself towards primer and you got that problem solved.

[Shuz]

I use 7g of Unique and the NOE 311-165PB for 1132fps and Sd of 3 with no filler used. Groups are just a shade over 1" (1.03")
at 50 M with a 4x scope.

[ProudOkie]

How would this perform as a hunting load on deer?

[GooseGestapo]

It'll work, with adequate shot placement. However, 28.0gr IMR3031 or 30.0gr RL15, IMR4064, Varget, or 32.0gr BLC2 will work much better. You will need to size, lube, and gascheck with these loads.
With 7-8gr of Unique, just tumble lube, and load!