MidSouth Shooters SupplyLee PrecisionTitan ReloadingInline Fabrication
Load DataRepackboxReloading EverythingWideners
RotoMetals2
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 38

Thread: Absolute best bullet for a '94 .30-30?

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy spurrit's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    276

    Absolute best bullet for a '94 .30-30?

    So, what do you guys think is the best cast bullet there is for the Winchester '94 in .30-30?

    What are some of your favorites? I need ideas for molds to buy.

    Both of my '94's were made in '79. One trapper and one Ranger.

  2. #2
    Super Moderator




    Buckshot's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    So. California
    Posts
    11,833
    ...............That would be:

    Lyman 311041
    Lee C309-150F
    Lee C309-160R (gotta bump a flat on the nose)
    Lyman 311291 (gotta bump a flat on the nose)
    RCBS 30-180 FN

    Not in any particular order. I had a M93 Marlin in 30-30 (made in the '20s) that shot the 160gr Lee like a laser gun. Now that their moulds are 2 cavities it isn't so bad casting them.

    .................Buckshot
    Father Grand Caster watches over you my brother. Go now and pour yourself a hot one. May the Sacred Silver Stream be with you always

    Proud former Shooters.Com Cast Bullet alumnus and plank owner.

    "The Republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president."

    Shrink the State End the Fed Balance the budget Make a profit Leave an inheritance

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy spurrit's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    276
    HAD? Why the hell did you trade it?

  4. #4
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Clatskanie, OREGUN
    Posts
    388
    As far a cast boolit go Lyman 311041 is my choice

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy spurrit's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    276
    This is not the first time I'd heard this suggestion. Anyone have one they wanna trade off?

  6. #6
    In Remebrance


    Bret4207's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    St Lawrence Valley, NY
    Posts
    12,924
    RCBS 180-fn.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master



    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    tropical southern vermont
    Posts
    3,156
    Anyone ever try the 140 gr FN that Beartooh Bullets offers? I don't recognise the mold. Does anyone else recognise who's mold it is? Looks like it might be an interesting one to try, especially if the mold was available. Lyman 311041is yhe best of what I have to go with in my1981 vintage 94 trapper.
    Last edited by square butte; 04-16-2012 at 07:41 AM.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master BABore's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    West Michigan
    Posts
    2,037
    Marshall cuts alot of his own molds now. Both cherry and lathe bored. I would imagine he makes up his own designs now too.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master in Heaven's Range
    madcaster's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Virginia
    Posts
    1,083
    i'm with bret4207 on this,the RCBS 30-180-FN,second place is the Lyman #311041...

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    La.
    Posts
    897
    I have most of the molds listed plus others and I agree with the RCBS 180 FN as first choice. -JDL

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    South Western NC
    Posts
    3,820
    There we have it, the BEST bullet for a 94/30-30. Hummmm, sounds strange tho - just which one is it? Guess answering this one will require a bit of personal expermentation, right?

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Kelso Washington
    Posts
    451
    hey boys dont leave out 311407 heck of a design , but having said that, the RCBS 180 FN and lyman 311041 are a very close #1 and # 2 in my book for any 30 cal rifle .
    Last edited by The Nyack Kid; 03-21-2008 at 12:08 PM. Reason: oops i ment 311407 not 311467 heheh
    Real guns shoot at least an ounce of lead

  13. #13
    Boolit Master at Heavens Range

    Junior1942's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Tullos, Louisiana
    Posts
    2,886
    Quote Originally Posted by Bret4207 View Post
    RCBS 180-fn.
    Yep. That's the best. The 311041 is next.

    PS: anybody who prefers blondes to redheads is weird.

  14. #14
    Banned

    PatMarlin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    6,341
    Really, if you want a good performing mold for any caliber RCBS has it.

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Posts
    224
    the last year. These are the bullets I have tried 311041 two different molds, 311291 two different molds (the first was a new mold and first mold ever and it is a piece of crap), Lee I'm the odd man out here (way out) I have a winchester 94 circa. 1971 that I've been casting for 170 gr. fp. and 170 gr. lazer cast commerical.

    The powders I've tried are H4895, H335, win748, unique, Imr 4198, SR4759 and AA 5744. After aleast 3000 boolits and every combination of boolit and powder the only boolit that shoots decent in MY rifle is the 311291

    I realize that this was not a very exhaustive test of the available molds but it did exhaust me.
    (At least mentally)...read FRUSTRATION


    THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO VENT.
    Kirk

    P.S. Not to hijack this thread but if anybody has a four cavity 311291 mold that drops boolits at an honest .310-.311 with ww that they are willing to part with would you please let me know.

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master


    Larry Gibson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Lake Havasu City, Arizona
    Posts
    21,303
    I always fall back on 311041 for a M94 30-30 and many other .30 cals. My mold drops bullets at .311 and weights 177 gr with a 1 caliber deep HP. I haven't found a better bullet for all around 30-30 use. However, the 311291 ain't to shabby either. If you've a RCBS 180 FN you won't go wrong either as mentioned.

    Larry Gibson.

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Posts
    224
    Sorry
    Somehow my first two paragraphs got scrambled and make no sense

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
    Jon K's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    CA
    Posts
    1,756
    square butt,

    That 140 looks like the Saeco #316 150 gr 30-30 boolit.

    Jon
    Col 2:13-17

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    US, Wash, PA
    Posts
    4,924
    The best cast bullet design for a M94 or any other gun is a bullet design that fits your throat. This is because the best bullet design will provide adequate alignment to enter correctly under the conditions you establish to shoot it.

    All designs are sold cause they work for someone as these threads always point out. Will that be yours? So you really should slug everything you want to shoot cast in. This will help you with the correct sizing diameter as well.

    Of coarse there is nothing wrong with buying every mold and taking the time and expense to find this out through experimentation. Just depends how you want to approach it.
    Reading can provide limited education because only shooting provides YOUR answers as you tie everything together for THAT gun. The better the gun, the less you have to know / do & the more flexibility you have to achieve success.

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy spurrit's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    276
    I know. I'm just trying to find a good starting point.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check