Got a pre 64 Winchester 30-30. Any suggestions for moulds?

[paraord]

As my love for casting keeps on going, I figure my next venture might be for my ol winchester 30-30. If I recall correctly the SN came back as a 1954 or 1956. Im the 3rd generation in my family to own this gun and its not going anywhere but to my kiddo when the time comes.

So kinda a first venture into a necked case, and I am a clean slate when it comes to the 30-30. Suggestions of moulds, loads, powders, books, anything to point me in the right direction.

Thanks all!

[hutch18414]

I have a 1950 model. Been using Lee C-309-170 RF with really good results. Got the Williams peep sight on it and at 100 yds. I can average about 1.5" groups. But where it really shines in my opinion is cat sneeze loads at 50 yds or less. 4 grs of Bullseye and that 170 gr. boolit of air cooled WW is like a laser beam. Scary accurate. Have done head shots on a couple of squirrels with great results, and one coyote. Just because it is a low power round do not under estimate it.

[OverMax]

NOE Mold has allot of em for your application. Just a matter of picking one out. No recipes for yaw but AA-2230 worked better than all the rest I tried in my Winchester/s.

[Hick]

The question is almost "What can't you use?" I love the versatility of the Model 94 in 30-30. Not very thing you can use is suitable for the magazine or the cartridge lifter, but if you don't mind single shot on occasion the list is huge. I use the several bullets (jacketed) and boolits (lead) commercially made for 30-30. I also use Hornady 150 grain FMJ/BT with the spitzer point. I use the 110 grain RN intended for the M1 Carbine, and 110 grain plated bullets from Berry. I use Hornady short jackets and Speer plinkers. I use bullets intended for the Marlin Express. I use 32 cal pistol bullets in lead (0.314 dia). I've also used 311284 GC and one or two others that escape me at the moment. There is no shortage of load data. Basically, every time I hear of some new trick someone is using,my first thought is "I wonder if it will work in my 30-30?" Its my testing ground for anything new or novel.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

My first choice NOE clone of RCBS 30-180 Flatnose (FN), next is any of the 170 grain FN - Lyman 311041, Lee , whomever else makes a 170 flatnose, had good luck with RCBS 30-150 FN, 311407 - all gaschecked. Accurate 2015 and Reloder 7 have given good accuracy, 3031 and 4198 work well, long ago I liked HiVel 2 but it was discontinued in the sixties. 4895, Accurate 2495, lots to choose from that work well.

[RPRNY]

17 grs 4227 under 170 gr (I like the Lyman 311041) boolit is a sure thing.

[Scharfschuetze]

The Lyman 311041 has been a reliable and accurate boolit in my 30/30, which by the way is the same year of production as yours: 1956. NOE and others make near clones of the design as it works and shoots well in not only the 30/30, but most other 30 calibre rifles too. It's a gas check design, so with careful loading, you can get pretty close to factory 170 grain ballistics without too much trouble.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/128710/lyman-2-cavity-bullet-mold-311041-30-caliber-309-diameter-173-grain-flat-nose-gas-check

Good luck with your new project. It's good to get an old war horse out of the stable once and a while. I think that you'll enjoy your new endevour.

[stubbicatt]

Welcome to what has become one of my favorite aspects of shooting the 30-30, namely hand cast bullets.

Initially I purchased a RCBS 180 RNFP mould and a Lee 170 grain RNFP mould. I much prefer the casting experience with the RCBS product, so I started there. I have been so pleased with the results that I haven't tried the 170 at all. Like another contributor above, with a load it likes, the little devil will shoot into 1 ½ inches consistently off a bench rest using IMR 4227 at 15 grains.

[izzyjoe]

I just come up with a 94 myself, I'll be using the Lee 170, and a few different powders. I also have a 312 185 Lee mold that I will use also, but I'll have to file the tip flat. In my Marlin I use the Lee 170, and 4895 with great success, but I'll have to figure this 94 out.

[runfiverun]

rcbs 30-150 or 170 rnfp g/c. size to 310.
put some powder under it, don't much matter which one.

[smkummer]

1962 made Win 94 30-30 here. About 10 grains unique and either Lyman 311291 or 311041 (311291 seems smoother if I recall but maybe not since I am shooting from memory) 1500 FPS and recoil about like shooting a 357 from a rifle or woman friendly recoil. Ballistics like the old 32-40. Aluminum gas check as well for cheap shooting/plinking. Since Lee doesn't make a .310 sizer I don't believe, I size .311 and it fits. Probably the main reason I use the 311291 is because I shoot so much of it in a 03A3 for fun. I am shooting 30-30 for about .08, Still less than what scalpers want for 22. Did I say how cheap it is to shoot? Did I say, I can actually ding a metal plate at 200 yards with it? Did I say how fun it is to plink with a 30-30? Did I say I have a pile of 311291 that are sized and lubed waiting to get reloaded? Did I mention cheap to shoot? Fun? OK, down to the man cave to produce about 200 rounds of plinking 30-30 ammo. Long live the lever gun in all of us!

[rintinglen]

For just fun shooting at 100 or less, see if Al at NOE has a 311-440. I have found this boolit over 17.5 grains of 2400 to be very accurate and mild. (My 94 is a 1953).

For hunting, I like the RCBS 30-180 FN or the 311-041, over WW 748.
Another Bullet I like is the 311-291, which is slightly more accurate than the above mentioned hunting boolits, but not quite as good the 311-440.

For a light boolit, try the 311-465. The 17.5 inch grain 2400 also works well in this one. Between 2002 and 2008 I shot about 5000 of these.

[Ramjet-SS]

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=31-170C-D.png

loaded 29.4 grains of LeverRevolution very low std deviation very accurate in my Mossberg 464 SPX.

[Texas by God]

Lee 150gr fp sized .309" over IMR 4198 for mine. Tumble lube and use Rem 91/2 mag primers because I inherited a ton of them when a good friend passed. Fun loads to shoot. I love the smell of Alox... Best, Thomas.

[Ramjet-SS]

I actually bumped the load up to 32.0 grains of LVRR and the got a increase in accuracy and velocity from the Mossberg SPX .

[braddonovan67]

I actually bumped the load up to 32.0 grains of LVRR and the got a increase in accuracy and velocity from the Mossberg SPX .
I use 31g of IMR 8208 under a Hornady ftx. Pretty happy with it too

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

[Ithaca Gunner]

RCBS 30-180-FN IMR 4227 or 4198 should get you in the happy zone.

[paraord]

Thanks everyone. I have a set of 30-30 dies on the way, a 311041 on the way, and an unopened lb of 4227. Going to pickup some primers and gas checks shortly as well. Lubing with White Label BAC and I can size to either .310 or .311.
I think I need a number 8 top punch yet if anyone has an extra lying around let me know. This should be fun, first time working with a necked cartridge.

[waco]

Hopefully your Lyman 311041 will drop boolits large enough to size to .310"-.311"

Good luck.

[waco]

I just bought a five cavity NOE mold for my 94 Win.
Feeds like a champ and rains a pile of boolits in a hurry!
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=30_319&osCsid=2gev80f9l59vvc8031lb0a42k0

[Nrut]

I just bought a five cavity NOE mold for my 94 Win.
Feeds like a champ and rains a pile of boolits in a hurry!
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=30_319&osCsid=2gev80f9l59vvc8031lb0a42k0
Waco,
What is the nose size just in front of the top band of your new mold?
Suppose to be .301", mine is .304" and completely useless in two Marlins I have..
It does fit a couple of very old Winchester 94's, only reason I didn't send it back to NOE..

[waco]

Waco,
What is the nose size just in front of the top band of your new mold?
Suppose to be .301", mine is .304" and completely useless in two Marlins I have..
It does fit a couple of very old Winchester 94's, only reason I didn't send it back to NOE..


.304" as well. They feed fine in my Win94 and Savage 340. I have not let my brother try them in his Marlin yet......hmmm

[Nrut]

If your brothers Marlin is pre-2000 (see below) then a .304" nose might fit..
I have a 336CB (JM post-2000) and a newly acquired 336Y (Remington) which require at least a .302" max.

This is from a discussion on the NOE forum about the RD designed 30-30 which NOE cut's:
http://noebulletmolds.com/smf/index.php/topic,1695.0.html

Quote from: Nrut on September 10, 2016, 10:54:40 PM (http://noebulletmolds.com/smf/index.php/topic,1695.msg15202.html#msg15202)

Is this the bullet you guys are talking about? (image of TLC311-165-RF)

Reason I ask, is I just ordered the above bullet on Thursday for my new 336Y (Remlin) that should be here middle of next week..
I can always use the above bullet in a couple of old Win. 94's I think, but would like to get the 336Y up and running as soon as possible with one or the other RD 30-30 bullets..


Ranch Dogs reply:
That specific bullet was made of the tighter fit of a CNC machined rifle like Remlin is producing. Really, around 2000 with the Marlin rifles as well. It should work, I have a young fellow that hunts that uses that bullet in his "Y".

[pls1911]

The NOE bullets are definitely a tigheter nose fit. I have two multi cavity molds, and both require a bit deeper seating to function well in all my Marlins, '93s, 36s, as well as later 336's.

[waco]

If your brothers Marlin is pre-2000 (see below) then a .304" nose might fit..
I have a 336CB (JM post-2000) and a newly acquired 336Y (Remington) which require at least a .302" max.

This is from a discussion on the NOE forum about the RD designed 30-30 which NOE cut's:
http://noebulletmolds.com/smf/index.php/topic,1695.0.html

Quote from: Nrut on September 10, 2016, 10:54:40 PM (http://noebulletmolds.com/smf/index.php/topic,1695.msg15202.html#msg15202)

Is this the bullet you guys are talking about? (image of TLC311-165-RF)

Reason I ask, is I just ordered the above bullet on Thursday for my new 336Y (Remlin) that should be here middle of next week..
I can always use the above bullet in a couple of old Win. 94's I think, but would like to get the 336Y up and running as soon as possible with one or the other RD 30-30 bullets..


Ranch Dogs reply:
That specific bullet was made of the tighter fit of a CNC machined rifle like Remlin is producing. Really, around 2000 with the Marlin rifles as well. It should work, I have a young fellow that hunts that uses that bullet in his "Y".

Yeah. His rifle was made in '79. It feeds just fine.

[yeahbub]

I once helped a fellow pressure-lap his '94 and develop a load for it. The boolit it liked best was Lyman's 311466, cast of linotype, gas checked/sized and lubed .309 with a .200 flat pressed onto the nose during the sizing process for safety in the magazine. The load was 30gr of AA 2015 with a card wad and .080-.100 lube cookie under the boolit with an overall length set to make sure the wad/lube cookie didn't drop into the powder. A sufficient but light crimp to prevent set- back in the mag tube. He was getting 1"-1.5" at 100 and they destroyed hedge apples with authority. No leading and a nice lube star on the muzzle. The 311466 works equally well cast of WW's, paper patched and there's no need for the wad/lube cookie. No lead-on-steel contact either which makes for zero leading.