noobie questions

[starmac]

I have seen several post that mentions the 30/30 as the perfect round to cast for (rifle)
I am assuming this is because you can get closest to factory j word velocities than most rounds.
I am assuming that you can cast for these velocities soft enough to get some expansion, with out leading (probably with a gas check).
Am I correct in these assumptions.
I assume this is also the reason there are more castors for pistol rounds.

I also see many of you dedicate at least some of your rifles to cast rounds.
I have a pre 64 M94 30/30 that I think would be a good canditate for me to start learning on, as I like to do a lot of plinking with it.

I see the 31141 listed more than most molds for the 30/30, so I am assuming it is one of the favorite, because of it's performance.

I know I have been assuming a lot but I have read back through lots of the threads, trying to gather all the info I can before I start spending hard earned bucks on a hobby that I see I will be able to get carried away real easy with.

[quilbilly]

One of the reasons the 30/30 is considered by manyto be the perfect rifle cast boolit caliber is that it was originally a cast boolit caliber that functioned well later with jacketed. Another reason is that the 30/30 gets fine accuracy and performance at both low loads ("cat sneeze" loads) on up to jacketed bullet velocities.
One thing I discovered with my 30/30 recently was when I did the "wet phone book test" to determine the terminal ballistics of my reduced load (MV 1400 fps with a 160 gr gas checked boolit). The test was at 50 yards and resulted in 17" of penetration with all boolits going sideways after 8" leaving a spectacular wound channel. Conclusion - This fine old caliber does not need jacketed bullet velocities to be effective on deer sized game and at the same time is a lot more fun to shoot all day at these reduced loads. A few days later while plinking I used the same load to knock down two clay birds in three shots at over 140 yards using open sights.
The bad news is my wife likes that reduced load too so I had to tell her to find her own toy.

[NickSS]

The 30-30 is an excellent cartridge for loading lead bullets in. I have been doing so for over 45 years with perfect satisfaction. The reason many consider it to be the "perfect cast bullet cartridge" is that it functions well with all loads up to and including loads that duplicate full power factory loads with cast bullets. I think of it as a very versatile cartridge for lever actions and single shots as well as the few bolt guns chambered for it. I have shot everything from round balls up to 200 gr cast bullets in them and they all worked. The 31141 bullet was originally designed for the 30-30 and is one of the better bullets that I use but not the only one by far.

[Larry Gibson]

I have a pre 64 M94 30/30 that I think would be a good canditate for me to start learning on, as I like to do a lot of plinking with it.

I see the 31141 listed more than most molds for the 30/30, so I am assuming it is one of the favorite, because of it's performance.


It just won't get any better than that combination for the 30-30:-P

Larry Gibson

[462]

An up-coming rifle project will be to find an accuracy load for the 1955 Model 94. Lyman's 308291 has given stellar results in the sporterized '03-A3, so I will be testing it. Dressed, it weighs 176-grains.

[starmac]

I intend to finish getting setup and try casting this spring for my hand guns and will see how the M94 handles cast. It will be fun to play with full on and reduced loads both.