So loaded up some 200gr cast for the 30-30

[Wolfdog91]

Just for giggles more then anything .
Had some semi reject bullets I use for my Mosin on the bench. They cast at .316 I size them down to .314 for my Mosin's .313 bore ( probably need to bump up to .315 honestly not that have the sizer). Just out of curiosity I was like " hay wonder what would happen if I sizes these way down to .310 ( what I shoot in my regular.308 bore rifles) and since I had my .310 sizer why not. And , wasn't super hard at all , slid right though, with very little effort, was probably because they where .314 already. Then I just got one of my lube sizers up and running with a .310 sizer as well... soooo
One of the left is .310 the right is .314

And then the the lube sizer

Makes kinda a slick sided bore rider deal, lots of bearinh surface. Figured with the power coat I could actually cast these pretty soft and take advantage of the deep HP. The powder coat acting like a polymer jacket you can go softer then if I was just using straight lube. Then the gas check and the lube have their own deals lol.
So a little comparison between what in loading for the 30-30 ( the 115 red lill at the end vs the 213 pill in the middle

One thing I was concerned about was the face I'd have to seat this below the shoulder which I've always have been told is ill advised

After reading for a few hours and comparing some stuff 30-30 and .300 savage have a lot in common after a too from one of y'all Some rechecking of some old knowledge along with researching some cast exclusive wild cats , yeah it's more then doable

Apparently like a lot of stuff this idea was developed a while ago when stuff was a bit different but with modern advances, and honestly just little stuff like hard lead alloy ,it's kinda a null point....to a degree but stuff like .300blk does it all the time along with a few others like it's Russian equivalent and think the 8.6blk too.
Anyhow didn't have the best powder but 3031 with a good case fill has been being a good performer in my cast loads . So just used a load for a 170gr pill . Will say though really had to seat these deep for them to chamber well. I don't crimp and use custom coal/CBTO for each rifle so no big deal

Loaded a few up again just for fun

So yeah idk man this is a brush gun , all the brush shots I've made down here are 50yd and less snap shots honestly last few shots I've made on hogs in thickets was less then 25yd with my sks.Idk man if I'm planning on shooting 200yd I'm not going to be packing this, if I'm going to be shooting out of a stand I'm not going to be packing this , if I'm kicking though briar patches like y'all have seen in my fence checking posts then yeah I'd bring this. Any how with that being said and the fact I just wanted to goof around ,five rounds off hand 35yd . Wanted to see if these would even fly straight instead of keyhole more then anything....you know and see if I blow my fact off lol laugh gotta say, it don't really kick more then just a stout push.
Tried catching the recoil Impulse here but egh does really show too well. Is a little smoky though.

[Wolfdog91]

Continued
And as you see we basically have a yee haw .300blk ,big pill bit above sub sonic, heck if I threw some rails a can and a red dot on the gun some of the tactical guys would be all over it

Annnnd as we can see I'm horrible at off had shooting laugh but hay that's that pie plate accuracy some of that some of y'all say it's all that's needed Soo
But the main deal is no key holing which I'm super surprised at. So just another little bit of fun down in the books

https://youtu.be/wXUPdiDcED0?si=2n0nd2M4R1KK3U5f

Sent from my motorola edge 5G UW (2021) using Tapatalk

[lar45]

Looks great to me!

[405grain]

Yes! I was concerned about the nose being too fat, but you showed that those rounds are just like the post office; "If it fits, it ships".

[Wilderness]

Good start Wolf - but read the old Larry Gibson post on LeveRevolution and you'll be pushing 200 gn bullets to 2200 fps in 24" barrel, maybe 2100 in 20", maybe 2000 with 213 gns. That's Mk VI .303 power. W.D.M.Bell shot elephants with that load when using it as backup to the 7x57.

And don't be scared to leave the bullets a bit bigger - .311" for sure, .312" provided you try them for fit before going afield.

I don't crimp either, although I see that the full diameter contact with the neck on your bullet is incomplete. A case full of slow powder will hold the bullet forward anyway. Nothing wrong with a full load of something like 4350 with .30-30 cast. LVR will come close to filling the case also.

You'll get more lube on the bullets, and keep it there, if you lube BEFORE the radical sizing.

If you DO go to 2000 fps, be sure to hang on tight to that carbine. It will try to leap out of your hands.

[hawkeye1]

I like the idea of a heavy 30-30 bullet. Oughta be worth playing with. Hollow point or just flat point ought to hit hard. Do you think, after shooting some, that 3031 is a good fit or maybe a bit slower?

[Bigslug]

Re seating the bullets below the case neck:

I think if the alloy is hard enough, the load mild enough, and the gas check crimped on with sufficient firmness, this is prrrrrrroooooobably not an item of huge concern.

My Dad has been fighting with getting a 7-08 to feed cast practice loads out of the magazine without jamming up. The only thing that has worked is a short COAL which necessitates any product from the molds we have get seated below the neck. First test yesterday with scratch loads of Lyman #2 and 4227 were showing a clean bore and MOA potential with only a little tweaking. Haven't chronographed any of it yet, but certainly faster than your .30-30's.

Of bigger concern to me would be getting bullet lube mixed into one's powder. Dacron filler, perhaps? In your case, probably just leave the grease off and let your powder coat do its thing - this isn't a high-stress load like Larry's .30XCB work. For a 50 yard pig and whitetail thumper, I kinda like the idea of your slow & heavy hollowpoint.

[gwpercle]

That target isn't telling any lies ... Awesome Load !

Thanks for posting ... you always post great range reports and such ...
I like how you post plenty phgoto's and tell the hole story !
Gary

[jaysouth]

Here is a thread from 2014 on the subject. https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...a-Marlin-30-30

[MostlyLeverGuns]

A Receiver Sight, maybe a recoil pad and some lever gun tuning tricks - you might be surprised at that rifles capabilities - 6" groups or better at 200 yards should be possible. Most Win 94's are light and bounce around with 200 grains at 2000fps but are capable on most game way past 150 yards. I think the 200 grain bullets enhance 30-30's capabilities on game heavier than 200 lbs. The highly regarded 35 Rem is a 200 grain bullet at 2000fps. Momentum - velocity x mass(weight) - pounds/feet NOT foot/pounds (energy - mass x velocity x velocity) was one of Elmer Keith's preferred comparison numbers.

[Coopaloop86]

What mold is that? The 200gr thats dropping at .316

[Wilderness]

Wolf - I just checked some old records.

This is for Lee 200 gn bullet, PC, alloy unknown but actual weight (with GC?) 208 gns. Rifle was Marlin 336A Rippletop, 24" barrel, 10" twist.

Velocity for 27 gns 2208/Varget was 1826 fps, and for 28 gns was 1869, SDs 16 & 8. Knock 100 fps off that for a carbine.

Groups at 50 m were 2.31" and 2.18".

[Thumbcocker]

Frank Marshall did an article on using the 311284 in a couple of .30-30 rifles 8n the fouling shot many years ago. Worth reading.

[Screwbolts]

What Thumbcocker wrote above, you are not in new ground by any means!!!! You might also find Frank's article on said subject in Lyman cast Boolit hand box #3 , the one with brown cover.

Ken

[Mk42gunner]

Frank Marshall did an article on using the 311284 in a couple of .30-30 rifles 8n the fouling shot many years ago. Worth reading.

What Thumbcocker wrote above, you are not in new ground by any means!!!! You might also find Frank's article on said subject in Lyman cast Boolit hand box #3 , the one with brown cover.

Ken

IIRC he used 4350, a considerably slower powder than 3031, and got a bit better velocity.

Robert

[Pirate69]

Was this group shot with the chronograph attached? After rereading the thread, this is a dumb question. I have always heard that hanging a chronograph on the barrel affect the accuracy somewhat. Good group.

Continued
And as you see we basically have a yee haw .300blk ,big pill bit above sub sonic, heck if I threw some rails a can and a red dot on the gun some of the tactical guys would be all over it

Annnnd as we can see I'm horrible at off had shooting laugh but hay that's that pie plate accuracy some of that some of y'all say it's all that's needed Soo
But the main deal is no key holing which I'm super surprised at. So just another little bit of fun down in the books

https://youtu.be/wXUPdiDcED0?si=2n0nd2M4R1KK3U5f

Sent from my motorola edge 5G UW (2021) using Tapatalk