Winchester Short Range mold

[Steppapajon]

When I read The .30-30: A Historic Overview by 30 WCF
I became enamored with the idea of light weight subsonic loads from my model 94. As cheap to shoot as my .22 and what's not to like about getting to shoot the old Whinny more? I started with round balls and then the Lee 90 grain SWC. Next it was the Lee 309-113-f followed by the 98 grain Keith SWC by Arsenal molds. Somewhere along the way a Ruger SSM followed me home. It was obvious I had a problem. Now I was buying guns to go with molds. The only cure was more molds. Still looking that Winchester 100 grain SR mold I found an Ideal 3089 that looks almost identical except it has a hollow base. Next I got the Ideal 3118 quickly followed by the 31133 its hollow point twin. And finally I found my short range Winchester mold. It was old and looks like it was stored under a barn, the handles are long gone and replaced with dowel rod and it is still a prize. Looks like a terrible design truth be known. It has very little bearing surface but it is a piece of history and that makes it special. Time to load some up and experience the ways of my grandfathers.
Thank you John for all the interesting history and helping me spend my money on a worthy cause!

[trapper9260]

I been working on light boolits and loads for my Marlin and got 00Buckshot done now working on to test and crony some 32 cals boolits for 67 HP and 98SWC,and 85RN to see what that will come out for.It is for short range also.

[Thin Man]

jon, you and I are on the same wave length. I started using light boolits in the 30-30 only recently. It seems that about this same time every year for, well, longer than I can remember, I have started the spring season with light calibers and otherwise reduced loads. I call this my remedy for cabin fever. This year I have been throwing a variety of light (100-120) grain boolits through an H&R single shot (pre-Handi-Rifle). Most of these loads have been over 5.0 grains Unique and the groups have been rather satisfying. Like you I have been watching the various auctions for the 30 caliber short range boolits, just couldn't justify the asking prices when I have so many molds (20+) that will serve this need. When I first saw the 30 SR mold you mentioned, I had a flash-back to early variants of the 38 S&W, and perhaps some of the British patterns. The look awesome, just wonder if they would stabilize. Perhaps some day I will find out. If you do test your SR mold, let me hear how well it groups. Thanks.

[MT Gianni]

In a 14" tc contender the 93 gr wadcutter and a light load of Bullseye is a good grouping combination.

[beagle]

Years ago when I was hollow pointing every mould in sight, I did a Lyman 311465 with a .100" HP cavity. It sat around for several years and I'd stashed a couple of boxes of sized/lubed bullets. I started looking for a light bullet for the M94 in .30/30 and loaded a batch of them. Weight was a whisker over 122.0 grains and they were sized to .310". I loaded some moderate loads and shot them at the range one morning in a M94 Legacy. The accuracy at 100 yards was scary. I then proceeded to load some in the 06 with Unique that clocked 1802 FPS and they went into an inch at 100 yards. Made a believer out of me and I found my light .30 bullet./beagle