Anyone with Quickload willing to run some numbers?

[handyrandyrc]

I have a 30-30 AI lever rifle with a 20" barrel. I have been using H335 in it, but am not sure if the speed is optimum. What powder does Quickload recommend?

I'm looking for 2400-2500 fps range, 20" barrel, 165 grain Hornady FTX (boat tail), and complete burn before the bullet leaves the barrel.

Anyone with Quickload willing to give a recommendation?

[wiljen]

What OAL are you planning on Loading to?

[handyrandyrc]

http://www.hornady.com/media/ftx_loa...30_win_ftx.pdf

I've seated them at 2.535" OAL like Hornady recommends. I was wrong on the weight, they are 160 grains...

This is going to be in a 30-30 Ackley Improved case, however.

[wiljen]

Unless you load considerably longer than the recommendation, you are still going to be way over pressure to get to 2400 fps. The 30-30 Ackley just isn't improved enough (4gr difference in powder capacity or roughly 10%) to get more than roughly 10% additional velocity assuming a perfectly linear relationship in charge to velocity. Realistically, I'd expect to get 150fps better than the standard 30-30 at most. The Hornady manual lists 2050 as max with H335 for the 30-30 so the Ackley might get 2200fps - not 2400.

The only powders that even come close to what you are after are H322 or Vihta N530 and both of those clock closer to 2250fps at maximum pressures.

[handyrandyrc]

Cool, Willjen. That's what I needed to know! You are a great help. Someone over at Beartooth told me I could clock 2400-2500 without too much trouble, but I am guessing he must be doing so going over pressure!

[BD]

Quickload's opinion is:
The best you're gonna do is a slightly compressed load of 3031 giving you 2369 fps. 748 would place 2nd at 2347. 335, 322, Ramshot Tac and Norma 202 will all get get you over 2300.

This is using an OAL of 2.550

This is an estimate only, but the relative performance should stay the same.

So the answer is: whichever of that list shoots the best out of your rifle.

BD