Hunting w/ The 30.30

[Bigscot]

I have about decided to use cast boolits to hunt deer with this year in the 30.30. I am curious which boolit to use. I have both the 311440, 150gr Lyman and the 31141, 170 gr Lyman group buys. Which one would be best for eastern whitetails, the 150gr with it's wide metplat or the 170 with it's extra weight? Also, what powder choices would be good? I have IMR and H 4350, H-414, I-3031, I-4064, and I-4198. In the past with J bullets I have used I-4350 and I-3031. I would like to use a powder I already have if possible. I have shot the Lee 150gr with some success (plinking only).
I only have the I-3031 of all the rifle powders listed in the Lyman Cast manual.
I have been shooting alot of pistol powder this summer (Unique, 2400, 231 and WC 820) but figure that would be too light. I put a receiver sight on the rifle so I am looking at <_ 100yds.

Thanks for any input.

Bigscot

[KCSO]

I can only tell you what worked for me. 31140 W/W 748 at 2000 fps bullet cast from Wheel weight and sized 310 in a pre 64 30-30 M94. Including friends use 5 dead deer 6 shots.

[Char-Gar]

I would do with the heavier bullet. 3031 has worked well for cast bullets in the 30-30 for me. About 27 to 29 grains will get you where you want to be.

[Little Doc]

173gr lyman over 27gr 3031 have shot this for years with great success.
good luck
little doc:drinks:

[Bass Ackward]

Either one of those will work for your deer if you get the mix right. Instead of asking us which one I would use, I would ask the expert, .... my gun.

[JDL]

Bigscot,
What Bass Akward said. I've never used the 311440, but the 31141 has done right well for me. The H-414 powder you mentioned works very well for me in the .30-30 using 167 to 187 grain boolits. Using my rifles and reloading components only, (not a reccomendation) a charge of 35 grains has produced low extreme spreads, accuracy, and velocity is around 2000 fps. -JDL

[C A Plater]

I've always had excellent results with 3031 followed closely by 4064 and Reloader7 in the .30WCF. IMR4064 does better accuracy wise with heavier bullet and Reloader 7 with the lighter ones. For hunting bullets I prefer the one that is the most accurate in my gun at hunting power levels.

[GooseGestapo]

I think you'll find that with good shot placement any of what you had listed will work.

I have used the Lee .309-150FNGC which casts 157gr with wheelweight over IMR-3031 for great success. 28.0gives ~1,950fps, 31.0 gives 2,200fps. Accuracy is where you find it, and that will be the "best" load.

I have used this bullet at 1,900-2,300fps. At the higher velocity it can be very destructive on whitetails.

My brother has used this bullet (accidentally!), loaded to approx. 1,250fps on a whitetail, and got almost complete penetration with a paunch-shoulder hit. (7.5gr of Unique)
There was little to no blood trail, but deer ran 75yds and dropped.
My brother had loaded the round to take a rabbit, but opportunity passed, and he forgot he had changed load. This load in .358" has an excellent reputation from .357mag hand guns. (158gr FN, over 7.5gr Unique, @.358")

So, as you can see, the penetration is excellent with the cast bullets. They actually act like the latest rage of "premium" bullets in the high-vel centfires.

Narrow, but looonnngg wound channel. That is, unless a high antimony/high velocity bullet hits a substantial bone. Then, they act like a Nosler Partition. The nose blows off, lots of fragment damage, lost meat, and base 40% penetrates approx. 60% as much as an intact bullet would.

I've also had good success on deer with the .311-155gr PtGC over 25.0gr of #2400 from .30/06.

It may suprise you how well the cast bullets perform. No need to run higher velocities unless you want/need to flatten trajectory.

Shot placement is the MOST important consideration.

[hpdrifter]

I sure wished I'd been into the GB thang when the 31141 came up. I know I'd been in that buy!

Reckon it'll ever be repeated?

I know what I'd use. With the velocity I'd like to run with the cast, I'd opt for that 170.

[Larry Gibson]

I sure wished I'd been into the GB thang when the 31141 came up. I know I'd been in that buy!

Reckon it'll ever be repeated?

I know what I'd use. With the velocity I'd like to run with the cast, I'd opt for that 170.

Heck, I missed it to! If it is repeated I'm in for two, probably three of them myself. I retire in 8 months so maybe I'll honcho the buy if it doesn't happen before then.

Larry Gibson

[gbair]

+1 on the next GB 31141

Greg

[robertbank]

I got my 31141 mold off of Ebay. Got a good buy on it. If you watch they come every once in awhile.

Take Care

Bob

[Paul B]

Well, my choice would be the 31141/311041 if your rifle likes it. I have two of those molds plus a clone made by NEI and not a single one of my 30 caliber rifles will shoot worth a damn with them. Doesn't mean I've given up with them though. Just have higher priorites at the moment.
Paul B.

[tall grass]

I'd sure like to get in on a 31141 in a 6 cavity, Didn't have a 30-30 yet on the last go round... Oh all right, not having the cash had more to do with not getting in on the first buy than not having the guns to shoot them in. That has never stopped me before ;-)

later

Jim

[Cayoot]

+1 on the next GB 31141

Greg


= Another! Can someone start one?

[versifier]

Either one of those will work for your deer if you get the mix right. Instead of asking us which one I would use, I would ask the expert, .... my gun.

Either of those boolits are up to the job. (We have killed deer cleanly with soupcans in .30-30, and also like Lee 150FN's). I prefer the confidence gained by using the most accurate combination I can find, even if the velocity isn't screaming, because proper shot placement is the most important factor in hunting success. My .30-30 rifles also prefer RE-7 with lighter boolits, IMR 3031 with heavier, but you won't be hunting with them. :-D For alloy I would lean towards ACWW for some expansion in .30cal, and size depends upon your barrel's dimensions. But it all comes down to what YOUR barrel prefers, and only actual experiments will tell you that. The best we can do is offer advice and you've got plenty of good ideas to work with.

[Bigscot]

Thanks for all the replies. This gives me several places to start. I got some brass sized, trimmed, primed, belled and ready for some poweder.

Thanks again.

Bigscot