30-30 cast bullet hunting load

[younggunz67]

Recommend a good 30-30 160-180 grain cast bullet load good for deer, I already have imr 4198 for my other bullets so a load using this powder would be great. Anybody have a good powerful accurate load worked up?

[aspangler]

The load I use in my Ballard rifling Marlin 336 is 30.5 gr IMR 4064 with the Lee 170 fn boolit. 1.5 inch groups at 100 and about 2100 fps. I use 50/50 + a little tin for my boolits. Haven't tried the 4198. This one just worked too well for me to mess with it.

[Outpost75]

With 4198 in the .30-30 16 grains will get you 1400 fps, 18 grains 1600 fps, 20 grains 1700 and 22 grains 1800 fps with #31141 or similar.

[tdoyka]

165gr ranch dog, i'm using it in my 30-40 krag

[richhodg66]

The only deer I ever killed with cast in a .30-30 was the Ideal 31141 (now Lyman 311041) and used 25 grains of the now discontinued B-West BW-36 powder which burned real close to IMR3031, probably not far off from 4198. It worked well in my Savage 340.

[younggunz67]

i would like to push it around 2000-2200 for hunting so how much should i use when using a #31141

[Digital Dan]

Ya might want to check load date on the IMR site for bullets of that weight for starters. They suggest something like this:

IMR IMR 4198
.308"
2.550"

21.0
1,800
27,400 CUP

22.3
1,896
32,100 CUP

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle

[atr]

Lee C312 / 180 gr
with 28 gr of Win748
Attachment 134054

[x101airborne]

My beater ranch rifle is a Winchester rebound hammer 30-30 with a Nikon Monarch Gold scope. If I can get it to actually fire, the load it likes is 31 grains 3031 and a 311041 sized to 310 cast of 50/50+2% water quenched with a strong crimp and Winchester large rifle primers. Kicks like a mule off a bench when low bagged and has killed everything from varmints at 250 yards to deer at a laser range finder measured 190 yards. At 100 yards, the first two shots of a 10 shot group cut each other. The last 8 usually open it up to 2 inches with my fair to poor benchrest skills. Good enough for government work for me. I usually don't fire more than 1 round with this load any way. Lube is 45/45/10 and a lot of it.

[pls1911]

In a 30-30, any 160-175 grain gas checked cast bullet, hardened to Lyman #2 or more BHN (14+), sized to fit YOUR bore, over 25-26 grains of Reloader 7... gives 1700-2000 fps sweet and easy.
Pig whompin' deer killin' round, easy on your shoulder, ears, and your gun.

[badbob454]

311041 NOE boolit and winchester 760 powder / 33 grains ....good , comfortable,& accurate

[HABCAN]

+1 Post #3.

[younggunz67]

I'm gunna start at 23 and work up one grain at a time till I max out on pressure signs then back it down 1 grain

[Pilgrim]

I'm gimpact. nna start at 23 and work up one grain at a time till I max out on pressure signs then back it down 1 grain

You might wanna consider boolit impact point in addition to your quest for the biggest bang load. It is sorta nice when hunting to have the boolits go where you point 'em. The difference between 1800/1900 and 2200 is range, not lethality.

[MBTcustom]

First of all, I feel you might be drastically underestimating the destructive potential a cast bullet is capable of (please read the thread in my signature line).
secondly, you have a 1-10 twist rate on that rifle, a short barrel, and microgroove rifling. If you want any semblance of repeatable accuracy from that rifle, you need to stay below 2000FPS, and you're probably going to get best results at around 1850fps.

Please read this thread for an explanation of twist rates vs. accuracy.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...velocity-chart

And this one:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...sts-Chapter-II

And here are a couple of my own that will help you get the most out of your rifle:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-rifle-casters
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...o-a-pound-cast

[Screwbolts]

I'm gunna start at 23 and work up one grain at a time till I max out on pressure signs then back it down 1 grain

Other than Good luck, what can anyone else add, looks like you already had your mind made up.

IMHO, Magnumitus at its best,

Ken

[Dan Cash]

170 grain 31141 over 31 grains of Reloader 15. 2200 FPS and accuracy equal to jacketed from a Marlin 336.

[Distant Thunder]

I used a 180 grain FN GC bullet (11 BHN) over 28.5 grains of Varget @ apx. 1800 fps out of my 336W and it worked very well on a small buck, dropped him where he stood at about 50 yards. The bullet went through both shoulders. No need to go faster. Accuracy was my goal, the fps happened to be what they were. I would have been just as happy with 1650 fps.

[reloader28]

I'm gunna start at 23 and work up one grain at a time till I max out on pressure signs then back it down 1 grain

Sounds like a rookie. You had your mind made up before you posted. No offense, I was the same way. These boys know what their doing. Some have been doing it a looong time.

You dont need that speed unless it makes you feel better. A cast boolit dont have to go that fast to make it work good.
When I started I loaded 180gr cast to 2100fps and now I am much happier with a 160gr cast at 1850fps.
I say keep it at or under 2000fps and you'll probly be very surprised with the performance and handling. Some guys like the max loads, but if I want a max rifle load, I go with a jacketed bullet, though I only use jacketed for past 300yds anymore.
Just my 2 cents.

[GabbyM]

I'm gunna start at 23 and work up one grain at a time till I max out on pressure signs then back it down 1 grain

30-30 is a low pressure round. You will not see pressure signs until it's way over SAMI limits. Use published load data and do not exceed it. No magic to be had with canister powders.