Savage .30-30

[pacecars]

Picked up a Savage 170 .30-30 (I am aware of the possible issues) and want to try some cast bullet loads in it. Anything I should know about cast bullets in tube magazines? Good starting loads? Particular bullets to try? The only rifles I have tried cast in before have been Shiloh Sharps (.40-70 BN and a .45-70) and a .50-70 Remington Rolling Block

[flounderman]

You probably know you need flat nosed in a tubular magazine.

[Bret4207]

I know people bad mouth them, but I've seen and used a couple and they never had a hiccup with factory level loads. Quite a popular little rifle for those who couldn't quite swing a 760 back in the day.

[pacecars]

It is funny but I remember the Savage catalog with the bear in the ads and I couldn't make up my mind if I wanted the rifle or the carbine version. A Marlin .35 Rem came along that Christmas and I totally forgot about the 170, at least for a little while. I wore out that catalog and that dang fold up one from Ruger with the Old Army on the cover. Ah,,,,,the good old days,

[largom]

The Lee C309-150 shoots good in all of my 30-30's and the Lyman 311041 also.

Larry

[richhodg66]

My 170 shot real well with the Ideal 31141 and 25 grains of B-West 36 (not made anymore, about like IMR 3031). In fact, it grouped a lot better than my 340 and other .30-30s I own, although I didn't shoot it a lot and haven't really done scientific comparison between rifles yet.

I like my 170. The slide didn't want to unlock after shooting and I had to use the button to unlock it like you would if it hadn't been fired, then a guy told me that you have to push forward a bit on the forend before pulling it back and that seems to work every time.

[southpaw]

The 30-30 is one of the best candidates for lead. I use imr 3031 @ 26gr with a 311041 boolit. I am just under 2000 fps. With my 170, if I can time my flinch with my trigger jerk I get ~1" groups at 50 yards with open sites.

Make a dummy round to check oal. Some of my 30-30's need to be seated a little past the crimp groove.

Jerry Jr.

[pacecars]

Thanks guys. Is any particular brand of brass preferable?

[Jim]

Thanks guys. Is any particular brand of brass preferable?

Personal opinion, Starline is the best. Number two on my list would be Winchester. Remington ain't on my list at all.

[429421Cowboy]

My best friend owns one, not a bad brush gun and the perfect truck rifle! Dissasembly was a bit of a trial and error process till we got the reciever off and figured out how to get the bolt out of the action bars. I never thought about running cast in one, i always wanted to get a Savage bolt action .30-30 for that but that would make a right handy little late season rifle/load combo!
Gotta agree with Jim, most of my brass is Winchester cuz it's what i pickup or shot in the past, if i was buying new i would go with Starline. People don't seem to leave that stuff laying around too often! I love my *-* pistol brass though. Rem rifle and pistol brass has given me alot of trouble with neck tension.