Suggestions for .30-30 Winchester mold and load

[darthdave22]

I have possibly a very broad question to ask. I have a Winchester Model 94 and I'm curious about your opinions on what to feed it for lead. Should I go with the usual 150 grains? Maybe lighter? Whats your favorite combo of weight and powder? I'm just looking for some general target shooting round ideas, Im not hunting with it I've got plenty of bullets already loaded for that. I'm used to semi-auto loading but. Im just a whippersnapper, leverguns are new to me! Thanks

[heathydee]

I am very fond of the Lee 170 grain FP which when fitted with a gas check weighs just under 180 grains . In front of 30 grains of Varget the velocity achieved is just under 2000 fps out of my Winchester 94 with a 20 inch barrel . The last shot out of this rifle knocked over 2 feral goats at a range I estimated to be over 150 and under 200 yards. My only regret is that it was not I who made the shot , but a good friend to whom I had loaned the rifle . He has been looking very propriatorially at my rifle ever since.

[Nobade]

Darn hard to beat #311041 for a bullet, as for powder I use everything from Trailboss or AA#2 to IMR3031 depending on how much power I want.

[EDK]

311041 is real popular. A member sold me a plain base version in a LEE six cavity that I like even better...I load mostly low end with data from gmdr (a search here will get the link for you.) Water drop and sized to .311 for ballard rifled MARLIN Cowboy Rifles and micro-groove 336s. Gas checks get a bit pricey and I'm not quite ready to make my own either.

:Fire::cbpour::redneck:

[Will]

If you want something just for plinking try the Lee soupcan with 16gr 2400 or about 8gr unique. It is plenty light for kids to shoot and doesn't use as much lead. You may need to seat it a little deep because of the shoulder. My 94 is hard to close unless I polish the shoulder with some steel wool. If you have a loose throat this won't be a problem.

[jlchucker]

I started with a 311041 mold and it's still what I use mostly, ever since the 1970's. I use a mix of wheelweights with a bit of pure lead. I started with 748 powder, and have used RL7 and 3031. AA5744 works pretty well too. A couple of years ago I acquired a Lee single cavity mold for their 150 gr flatnose, from an estate of an old gunsmith. I haven't tried it yet though.

[1Shirt]

I like the 16 gr. of 2400 for plinking, and 30-31 gr of 3031 in 3030 with 150 grain thru 175 grain blts regardless of mold. Have 31141 and 41141HP and 311291, and lee 150 and 170. As ugly as it is (in my opinion), the 150 lee seems to shoot like a million bucks in not only my 30-30, but in all of my 30's, and that includes 7.62x55R and 7.5x55 Swiss just at different dia. I use White Lable Canuba Red lube on everything and have very little if any leading depending on the roughness of some of my milsurp bores.
Good Luck!
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[darthdave22]

Thanks So much fellows I will be printing this page out and giving most of them a try. I am especially pleased with the small bullet and Unique idea as I have kids growing up too fast on me and I will be startin em early on the shooting!

[kingstrider]

Here's a couple target shots of one of my favorite plinking loads at 25 and 100 yards using the LEE C309-150-F over 9.4 grains of Unique. I'm no crack shot so these would probably be better with someone with good eyes. But its easy on the shoulder and the powder really goes a LONG way with this one. I've since added the RD TLC311-165-RF and a Lyman 311041 but haven't played with those as much.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t138/kingstrider/30target25yard.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t138/kingstrider/30target100yard.jpg

[XWrench3]

if you are looking for just a low speed plinking load, one of my favorite loads is 6.0 grains of titegroup shooting a 150g lee flat point w/o a gas check. i use l.l.a. lube and the boolits are just plain w.w. air cooled. i get under 3/4" groups @ 50 yards out of my micro-groove marlin from a rest. what it would do in a winchester, you will have to find out.

[MT Gianni]

The Lee 113 FP aka Soup can shoots well in my 94. Try it with 10 gr Unique and move up or down. It is a great small game load.

[Firebricker]

Another fan of 311041 here. I would also like to have a non gas check version for plinkers. As far as powders there's a whole lot of good choices. For light loads I like Unique for full power I've been using BL-C 2 but theres lots of other good choices. FB

[qajaq59]

Lyman #311041 with IMR 3031 for hunting or 100 yard practice. Unique for 50 yard practice. Be very careful with the Unique because a double load will not spill over.

[darthdave22]

yea Ive been using the blc-2 for full power loads cause its cheap!

[Recluse]

The 311041 is hard to beat, but I actually prefer my Lee 170FN with a gas check. I size it .310 for my Winchester 94, load it with W748 (can't recall the exact load), and use my own lube formula (minor point as any quality lube will work equally as well) and get very tight groups--tighter than I get with 150RN j-words.

I've also used 185 boolits for my Enfield, sized them down to .310, gas-checked them and put 9.0 of Unique behind them for some really fun, very accurate plinking loads. That same charge of Unique works for the 170 grain boolit as well.

:coffee:

[geargnasher]

311041

Winchester 748, see recent Lyman reloading data.

Standard primers.

You'll like it.

Gear

[Bret4207]

I like the RCBS 30-180FN and 28+ gr 3031.

[acl864]

Lee 170 gr. straight ww air-cooled JPW tumble lube no GC with 8.0 gr. SR-4756. I kick the rear sight up two notches from being sighted in with factory duplication loads. My boys ages 8 and 11 will shoot a coffee can full of them as fast as I can jamb them in the mag.

[geargnasher]

I like the RCBS 30-180FN and 28+ gr 3031.

That's a good one, too.

Gear

[randyrat]

30-180 gc 28.5 grs of IMR 3031 This will out shoot me at 100 yds. Also it takes deer down.

[MtGun44]

W748 is great in .30-30 for full power J-bullet loads.
Meters like water, too.

Bill

[geargnasher]

W748 is great in .30-30 for full power J-bullet loads.
Meters like water, too.

Bill

Pretty tough to beat for full-power cast, too. 3031 might have an edge because it is more temperature stable (748 is one of the worst for pressure variances at extreme temperature), but it DOES meter like water instead of firewood, and for comfortable shooting weather is extremely consistent. The pressure curve out of a 20" barrel with a medium listed load and 170-grain boolit is perfect.

Gear

[hunter64]

Lyman #311041 with IMR 3031 for hunting or 100 yard practice. Unique for 50 yard practice. Be very careful with the Unique because a double load will not spill over.

Exactly what I use. The Unique is excellent for plinking fun, heck the kids use it for shooting gophers sometimes when we are out and about.

I have the hollow point version of the 311041 and it is by far the most accurate bullet in all my 30-30s. Lots of deer have fallen to the 311041 and IMR 3031 combo.

[pps]

The 311041 is nice. I like reloader 7, but this batch has loadings of varget from 27 grains up to 28.5 grains. They will have to wait till after opening week of deer season (STUPID LEAD BAN:killingpc) to get run over the chrono.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l96/pps_2006/Hand%20Loading/30-30.jpg

[helice]

The 30-30 is a fun plinking gun and can be used sort of like a 22. I have a 311316 115 gr gas checked that I use with the loads listed by MT Gianni and Will (above). Also got a 313226 plain base that I use with fast burn pistole' powder. You'd be amazed at the velocity you can get with but 5 grains of 231 Winchester or 700X Hi-Skor or Red Dot. These are fun to shoot, great for kids and tough on squirrels. Helice

[qajaq59]

The 30-30 is pretty good at knocking down deer and hogs too. That hog in my avatar took one 30-30 bullet behind the ear and never took another step. And for fun I like 9 grains of Unique behind a Lyman 311041. You can shoot it all day and have a ball.

[mnzrxer]

To those of you using the 311041 does it fit a tight throat better than some of the other boolits with a more cylindrical nose? I have tried the C-150-F Lee and now have a RCBS 30-150-CM that both are hard to chamber because the nose dropped at about .302 and engages the rifling pretty hard when chambered.

To keep on topic I use 10.0gr Unique behind the 150 gr cast for a nice light and quiet plinker at about 1500fps and 30.5gr. Win 748 under one of those fancy plastic tipped J-word bullets for 2025fps. This is in my 20" M94.

[44 flattop]

I like the 311041 sized .311 and 27grs of 3031.

The same bullet with 8grs of Unique is great for the grandkids and plinking.

44

[geargnasher]

To those of you using the 311041 does it fit a tight throat better than some of the other boolits with a more cylindrical nose? I have tried the C-150-F Lee and now have a RCBS 30-150-CM that both are hard to chamber because the nose dropped at about .302 and engages the rifling pretty hard when chambered.

To keep on topic I use 10.0gr Unique behind the 150 gr cast for a nice light and quiet plinker at about 1500fps and 30.5gr. Win 748 under one of those fancy plastic tipped J-word bullets for 2025fps. This is in my 20" M94.

My 311041 is an ancient group-buy six-banger Lee and has a pretty fat nose so I can't say for sure. My experience is with Marlins which have larger bore diameter and .301" noses just rattle around in there. My Lee 309-150-FN dropped .310" bands with .301" noses with WW+2. You might consider something without a bore-riding section, perhaps the current group buy of the NOE re-run of Ranch Dog's .30-30 boolit.

Gear

[Ed Gallop]

Lots of different suggestions. I've used Unique, IMR4227, and Trail Boss and much prefer Trail Boss with 150gr flat nose from a Lee mold for plinking. I used too soft lead and found a big loss in velocity but wheel weights with some linotype is perfect. My problem is finding the right top punch for seating the gas check and lube sizer. The Lyman top punch deforms the Lee mold.

I love my 94 too.

[qajaq59]

One nice thing about a Win 94 in 30-30 is that it can be anything from a pop gun to a bear killer. It may not be my best rifle, but it sure is my favorite.

[Hurricane]

I use a flat top punch for all my boolits. That way I don't have to worry about an exact fit or deformed boolit noses. A wadcutter top punch or a flat nose top punch like the Lyman 665 (for their cowboy bullet 358665 RNFP) works fine for me. However, a deformed bullet nose will have little or no effect on the accuracy of the bullet.

[bruce drake]

I use an old Ideal 170gr 311291 that I size at .310 for my Ted Williams 30-30. It is pushed by 28gr of IMR 3031 and it works just fine. I haven't tried it out on an animal yet but maybe next year.

Bruce

[qajaq59]

Someone in here makes his own top punches by using a flat top punch and epoxy to form the shape of the bullet. I've never needed to do it, but it sure sounded like it would work well.

[44 flattop]

i use a flat top punch for all my boolits. That way i don't have to worry about an exact fit or deformed boolit noses.
+1

44

[cephas53]

For ground hogs this year I've been using the 115gr Lyman 31008, half ww and half pb, with 2400. Longest shot has been around 60 paces, average less than 30. Mild, accurate and fun. The chrono says an average of 1414 fps out of my carbine with 10.5 grs. Have worked up a load with the Lyman 170 gr 31141, half pb and ww. Came into some 5744 and 22.0 grs is pushing them just over 2,000 fps. Looking forward to using it. With good advice from you'ns my 30-30 has come out of the closet and am literally having a blast with it.

[Ed Gallop]

I've been using a flat punch too but it goes a little quicker when the punch fits. It will line up when slightly off set. Otherwise I take more time to get it lined up right. But... It works okay and I'm in no big hurry.

[fatelvis]

311041 sized to .310", lubed with Speedgreen, over 24 grns. XBR8208. I started at 22.0 grns., and am working up. Still haven't seen pressure problems yet, and accuracy is great from my 14" Contender. Next week I try 24.5, 25, and 25.5 grns. I haven't chrono'd this load yet, but at 200 meters, it still drops alot more than my middle-of-the -road 7BR load, and although I know I won't match the trajectory of the 7BR, it should be closer than it is now.

[358 Win]

I like the Lyman 31141 cast of WW metal + some tin over 16gr 2400, sized .3095, lubed with Javalena Alox, and sparked by a Fed 215 Magnum primer @ 1700fps with my 30-30's.
358 Win

[pipehand]

[QUOTE=mnzrxer;971763]To those of you using the 311041 does it fit a tight throat better than some of the other boolits with a more cylindrical nose? I have tried the C-150-F Lee and now have a RCBS 30-150-CM that both are hard to chamber because the nose dropped at about .302 and engages the rifling pretty hard when chambered.



I have the same mould, and did have difficulty at one time with the fat nose problem. I was sizing them in a Saeco sizer, and I would inconsistantly bump up the noses. Since I started sizing my rifle bullets in a Star (Magma) the noses haven't been too large to chamber in my Marlins. My stepson's Winchester does require that the bullet sized to .3105 be seated deeper than the crimp groove to chamber easily, and that is with the brass trimmed.