Heavy weight, light load for contender 30/30

[DeanWinchester]

So I have two coffee cans full of boolits I cast from a borrowed mold. They are 311365 NOE. They weigh in at 200g pretty consistent. I originally wanted to use them for another caliber I no longer load for and there's no way I'm gonna melt them back down.

Any idea if these things could be made to shoot from a 30/30 Contender? I'm thinking around 7.0g of Unique to start for some 25-50 yard clay busting fun. I can actually seat these without deepseating and they act like a bore rider. If I leave the top two lube grooves exposed and only lube the bottom groove and the groove at the top of the gas check they engrave lightly but extract without issue.

Thanks.

[DeanWinchester]

[NVScouter]

What barrel length? I'm thinking carbine yeah and short pistol not likely. I wouldnt waste a GC on em.

[DeanWinchester]

14" barrel.

[NVScouter]

Well it's probobly 1:14 twist. If its the standard long throat they may fit pretty well. I'd start around 1k and see what you get.

[Artful]

in your single shot T/C Contender for a light load try between 9-10 grains of Red Dot with that 200 grain NOE
at one point I had this "good" load for my 30-30 Marlin 336
I was using Lee 1.3 CC dipper and got 9.4 gr. Red Dot
No wad or filler needed - powder is not sensitive to position of firearm
Winchester brass, CCI 200 Lg Rifle primers, Gas checked LEE FN 173 gr. Water drop wheel weight mix,
COAL (Cartridge Overall Length) 2.510 inches
Est. velocity 1,400 fps+
My use is for plinking / target practice, Zeroed at 50 yards was a good small game getter.
this was a take off on "The Load" that Ed Harris promoted in larger cartridges.

[RickinTN]

I've been "playing" with the 30-30 for a while and have recently been studying data for the old 32-40. I'm thinking similar case capacity and the 32-40's accuracy is difficult to argue with. The next loads I will try will be a 190gr bullet from an Accurate mold and between 13 and 15 grains of IMR4227. This should produce velocities in the 1,300 to 1,500 fps range and if it performs anywhere in a 30-30 near where it apparently does in the 32-40 accuracy should be excellent. I am shooting in both 20" and 24" rifle barrels.
Good Luck with your experiments,
Rick

[JeffinNZ]

My Husqvarna .30/30 bolt action shows marginal stability with a similar boolit. 1-14 might be a spot slow.

[williamwaco]

My Contender has a 23 inch barrel.

With the Lee 170 grain, I get very good accuracy using 9 to 10 grains of Unique.
I would not go below 8 grains with the 170 but 7 might work well with the 200.

Note that this is a plinking load, or small game. It is only around 1200 fps.
I would not use it for hunting.

[DeanWinchester]

Note that this is a plinking load, or small game. It is only around 1200 fps.
I would not use it for hunting.

Exactly,what I'm after. Only hunting Ill do with it is slaughter some paper and some clay targets sitting on the berms at the range.

[DeanWinchester]

Thats an awfully loooooong boolit for a 14" twist.

Yeah, and the speeds I plan to try, I figure she'll wobble like a Granada hubcap.

Only pulling the trigger will tell for sure. Lol

[williamwaco]

It is only too long if it doesn't work.

Don't give up before you try it.

If it doesn't work, blow $20 and get the Lee 150 or 170 grain two cylinder mold.

[DeanWinchester]

It is only too long if it doesn't work.

Don't give up before you try it.

If it doesn't work, blow $20 and get the Lee 150 or 170 grain two cylinder mold.

Actually, I think if it don't work, I'll go the extreme opposite. I have a Lee 100g rn plain base boolit. I bet I can sling em 1800 fps or better without leading. ......or maybe not but one cool thing about short barrels, they're easier to clean when you do something wrong.

I love this thing. I'm actually a little pissed I didn't get one sooner; thinking about all the time I've wasted not having one.

[curator]

I use 7 grains of Unique in my Handi-rifle .30-30AI with 200 and 230 grain boolits with very good accuracy. However the Handi has 1 in 10" twist. Nonetheless, the Lee 230 grain 309-230 TLBT slug is barely stable at 100 yards. The same load (7 grs. Unique) is a tack driver with the Lee 309-115GC

[Spokerider]

14" barrel.

Just because it's a 14" barrel does not mean it's a 1 in 14" twist. Best you confirm the twist before you try the heavy boolits. The early TC 30 caliber barrels were 1 in 14" twist, all of the newer ones are 1 in 10" twist.

I just tried shooting 30 caliber 210gr boolits from a 1 in 14" twist.........keyhole.

[DeanWinchester]

Just because it's a 14" barrel does not mean it's a 1 in 14" twist. Best you confirm the twist before you try the heavy boolits. The early TC 30 caliber barrels were 1 in 14" twist, all of the newer ones are 1 in 10" twist.

I just tried shooting 30 caliber 210gr boolits from a 1 in 14" twist.........keyhole.

THat was NVScouter that suggested it was a 14 twist. I never said either way because I don't know and haven't taken the time to check.
...but I certainly need to do that!! LOL

[45-70 Chevroner]

I have a 14" 30-30 TC barrel with a 1 in 14" twist. I can't get it to shoot a 180 gr. boolit at all. I haven't tried any thing heavier. It shoots great with any thing from 170 gr. on down to 110 gr. My prefered loads are with Unique, using 7 gr. on up to 10 gr. and any where in between.

[williamwaco]

Actually, I think if it don't work, I'll go the extreme opposite. I have a Lee 100g rn plain base boolit. I bet I can sling em 1800 fps or better without leading. ......or maybe not but one cool thing about short barrels, they're easier to clean when you do something wrong.

I love this thing. I'm actually a little pissed I didn't get one sooner; thinking about all the time I've wasted not having one.

You can absolutely do this.

That said, I can't get the 311008 to group from my .30-30

[JeffinNZ]

That said, I can't get the 311008 to group from my .30-30

Funny you should say that. I am having the same issue with NOE 314008's sized to fit my .30-30 Husky. Not doing well. 160gr boolit cloverleaf groups.

[DeanWinchester]

Okay boys, lemme ask you another question on the opposite side of things.


I have the 100g Lee plain base I mentioned earlier. I sent some to a friend who has actually used them in 300 blackout with good results. He is powder coating them and its actually cycling in his AR. That's great. He says zero leading.
Well, he's sending me some powder coated to try. I wonder just how fast I could drive these out of this contender? The slow twist should work well for me here, in theory.
I'll post this in the powder coat thread too.