Load DataWidenersRotoMetals2Inline Fabrication
Titan ReloadingReloading EverythingRepackboxMidSouth Shooters Supply
Lee Precision
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 44

Thread: Best mold for 30/30 hunting?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master crabo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    D/FW
    Posts
    3,141

    Best mold for 30/30 hunting?

    I have a couple of friends with Marlin 30/30s. I don't have a 30/30 but have other levers.

    What mold would you recommend for hunting hogs and deer?

    Thanks,
    Crabo

    Do not argue with idiots. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    Doc Highwall's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Ct
    Posts
    4,615

    Talking

    crabo, I would recommend the Ranch Dog if you can get one or the copy that NOE makes with regular grease grooves first, then try the one that RCBS makes as a second.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master Char-Gar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Deep South Texas
    Posts
    12,820
    Every mold maker sells one or more FN bullets for the 30-30 and they are all good hunting bullets. My favorite in the RCBS 180 grain. It will cast 190 grains from ACWW and can be pushed at good speeds. Dispite the heavy weight it is very accuracy in 1-12 twist 30-30s.

    That said a dead deer is a dead deer. One bullet does not kill one deader than another.

  4. #4
    Banned Bullshop Junior's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Gonzales Texas
    Posts
    3,631
    Is there really a "best" mould design for all guns of the same caliber?

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy Greg in Malad's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Malad, Id
    Posts
    199
    I second the ranch dog mould, it is amazing in my Marlin. My RCBS 150 FN mould casts .308 even, and doesn't shoot very good in my rifle. My LEE 150 FN casts .311 and shoots very well in the Marlin, as does the LBT 180 LFN. In my experience, I think any bullet will shoot well in a Marlin 30/30 if it casts big enough.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master

    MtGun44's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    eastern Kansas- suburb of KC
    Posts
    15,023
    For hunting you want either a flat nose (also needed for safety in a tube mag) or a
    hollow point. Of course you can do the soft nose dual cast route, if you want to.

    One that is pretty well thought of is the Lyman 311041 which was specifically designed
    for the .30-30 many decades ago. Many shooters have had excellent results with this
    one. I have never personally used it for hunting, but it works well in my Marlin 336.

    Bill
    If it was easy, anybody could do it.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master northmn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Northern MN
    Posts
    2,407
    I have shot only 4 deer with my 30-30, but really like the ehavier bullets which can be driven at about 1900 fps. My load is a 188 grain bullet. The RCBS 180 grain flat nose is a big favorite among a few experienced 30-30 hunters. I use a Lee 312 180 grain mold and flatten the nose with a flat nose punch, but the RCBS would be much less fooling around. I also use about an equivalent of half lead half WW, or chilled birdshot and oven temper them. I anneal the noses with a torch in a pan of water covering the bases. I only anneal a few and sight in and do other shooting with the ones not annealed. Concidering that I have to throw out a few that bulge during sizing (I do this before tempering) due to the flat nose punch on a round nose and some overheating in the annealing process, if you want to pay the $$ the RCBS is the way to go.

    Northmn

  8. #8
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Northern WI Gods Country!
    Posts
    2,396
    I only have one 30 cal mold at this time an old Ideal/Lyman 311407 but its a good one I use it for all my 30 cal cast loads.
    A gun is like a parachute: If you need one and don't have one, you won't be needing one again.

  9. #9
    Boolit Man
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Nebraska Panhandle
    Posts
    90
    I vote for the Ranch Dog design, ether the RD or the NOE. They have a large meplat and cast fat enough to fit the Marlin. Killed a buck this season with the NOE 311-165 cast of WW, worked great.
    coyotebait

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master


    Larry Gibson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Lake Havasu City, Arizona
    Posts
    21,299
    Very hard to go wrong with 311041 in a 30-30. There are other bullets just as good but 311041 is the "standard" by which the others are judged. If you want to hunt with it search for info on casting the bullets softer, driving them at 2000+ fps and correct cleaning.

    Larry Gibson

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Central Virginia
    Posts
    4,707
    I've used the following in a number of different Marlin's chambered for 30-30 !

    Lyman 311041
    Lyman 311041HP
    Lyman 311440

    Lee 30-150GC
    Lee 30-170GC

    RCBS 30-150GC
    RCBS 30-180GC

    Saeco 30-150GC

    Ranch Dog 311-165GC

    And just let me say they all shot well enough for use at silhouette matches out to 200 meters !

    As to hunting the Lyman , Lee and RCBS bullets performed well !

    But my favourite of them all for target and hunting work has to be the Ranch Dog 311-165GC bar none !
    Parker's , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Central Virginia
    Posts
    4,707
    By the way the first deer I ever killed with a 30-30 I was using a Marlin (of course) and had loaded the Lee 30-170GC .
    Was pushing the bullet with a moderate load of SR4759 and it really amazed me how well this combntaion killed "normal" sized deer (ie 85-140 pounders).
    Parker's , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines

  13. #13
    Boolit Master 45r's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Posts
    788
    I had a Mtn Mold made for my 35rem with a 72 percent metplat, .120 bore-rider secant with small multiple lube grooves at 215 grains and it works very well on deer with AC WW.It makes quarter size holes at only 1780 fps.It was a little too tight untill I fire-lapped the micro-groove barrel and now it fits perfect with light engraving when chambering.Half inch groups at 65 yards are the norm with Vitt-133.Long heavy boolit with lots of bearing surface would be good for whatever mold you chose.I made mine look like a mix of the rcbs 200 and RD's boolits.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master crabo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    D/FW
    Posts
    3,141
    Swede said he might run a small group buy of the Ranch Dog 165GC in the spring. I will probably wait for that since I don't shoot this gun myself.
    Crabo

    Do not argue with idiots. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    WA
    Posts
    200
    6pt-Sika, how fast are you pushing that Lee 170 grain with the SR 4759?

  16. #16
    Boolit Master




    shdwlkr's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    moved to Idaho
    Posts
    1,972
    I have 150, 165, 180 and like them all, if I had to end up with just one mold I think it would be the 180 as it covers all the use one could have for the 30-30.
    I would like a 140 grain flat nose for varmints though
    Beware of a government that fears its citizens having the means to protect themselves.
    NRA Patron member
    Veteran

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy SCIBUL's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    BORDEAUX (the wine is not so bad)
    Posts
    153
    The Lyman 3211041 works very well for my MARLIN 336 and for the octagon barrel model of my hunting partner. I size them .310 and load with 23grs of N130.

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    346
    Quote Originally Posted by crabo View Post
    Swede said he might run a small group buy of the Ranch Dog 165GC in the spring. I will probably wait for that since I don't shoot this gun myself.

    Please let me know off list if the group buy gets off the ground .

    Thanks ,
    Wyr
    God bless


    WyrTwister@hotmail.com

  19. #19
    Boolit Master




    shdwlkr's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    moved to Idaho
    Posts
    1,972
    I have one of RD's 165 grain molds when he was still in the business. Great bullet
    I also have a 311041 mold and as soon as Swede runs it again I will get it with the hollow point version.
    I would still Like to have a 140 grain hollow point for varmints and target shooting. May have to bite the bullet so to speak and pay big $$ and have it custom made for me but I will get one someday.
    Beware of a government that fears its citizens having the means to protect themselves.
    NRA Patron member
    Veteran

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
    Doc Highwall's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Ct
    Posts
    4,615

    Talking

    In the cast boolit archives junior wrote a very good article comparing the Lyman, RCBS,LEE and Ranch-Dog boolits. The archives here are very valuable do your self a favor and search them.

Page 1 of 3 123 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