Favorite powder & load for Lee 309-150 in .30-30?

[FergusonTO35]

Hey guys. I bought the Lee gas check 150 grain flat point .309 mold for my Marlin 336. I am looking to get around 2,000 fps out of it for deer hunting. I have a .310 sizer, this seems to be what the rifle likes. Any suggestions for powders and charges? Would Hodgdon H4895 or BLC2 be a good choice? Thanks!

[felix]

Either one. Get the cheapest if shooting often. Get the ball powder if storing. That's the general rule, and only that. Both numbers are good for your application. ... felix

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks. I have read that H4895 is an excellent powder for reduced charges. Is that the case? Also, is H4895 supposed to be the same as IMR 4895?

[felix]

Yes, to both questions. Powders are NEVER the same from lot to lot, manufacturer to manufacturer. Only the applications are the same if the numbers are the same, but only on a "retail" can. ... felix

[Lonegun1894]

I use 30.0 grs of 3031 for this boolit in my 336 and get no leading, but I size mine to .311". I have used H4895, and got good results, but have gone to 3031 for the last few years because my local enabler quit selling 4895 for some unknown reason. Sorry, but I don't remember the load I used back then, so can't help you there.

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks alot. My favorite fun store carries IMR 4895 but not H4895. I wonder if Hodgdon will ever merge the duplicate powders? They've already merged 4227 into one powder under the IMR name.

[Larry Gibson]

I use the RCBS 30-150-FN in my 30-30s and have found 4895 to be a bit to slow burning for best results under 2100 fps. I use 4759 at 19.5 gr with a 1/2 gr dacron filler.

Larry Gibson

[olafhardt]

I really like 3031 because it has a red label. It was better when it came in a red can.

[Boerrancher]

With this boolit I use 30 grains of IMR 4064, for my Mod 94 Win 30-30. It gives the velocity of a bit over 2000 fps with the 150gr Lee cast boolit. It will also shoot groups of less than an inch at 75 yards with that load. I can honestly say that this is the load that made my 30-30 my other grab and go gun for dispatching unwanted critters here on the farm. A 'yote doesn't stand a chance out to 150 yards.

Best wishes,

Joe

[FergusonTO35]

Sounds good. I wonder if it will work as well in the slightly slower twist of the Marlin?

[Lonegun1894]

IIRC, the Marlin 336 has a 1:10" ROT, while the Winchester 94 has a 1:12", so the Marlin is actually slightly faster. I have both and the same loads work just as well in either twist in MY rifles, but 1 Marlin and 2 Winchesters don't tell us anything about the rest of the millions of these rifles out there. The Marlin did take a little more fiddling, but the loads I worked up for the Marlin turned out to shoot very well in the Winchesters, while the Winchester loads leaded up the Marlin. The only differece is that the Winchester loads I sized to .309" while my Marlin needs them sized to .311". The .311s chamber fine in these three rifles so I just avoid any confusion and just use the .311 size for all three .30-30s.

[FergusonTO35]

Sounds good. My 336 Texan likes the .310 size, haven't tried cast in my Glenfield 30 or Mossberg 464 yet. I have the .311 sizer also so it would no problem to use that instead. Anybody ever shoot deer with this boolit? Does it perform well on game?

[OnHoPr]

Larry, are you still using Leverlution powder? At hunting load speeds my 94 seems to like the slower powders such as 4064, 4350, and 4007ssc. But, it didn't particularly like 2520 or 4320, go figure.

[Larry Gibson]

Larry, are you still using Leverlution powder? At hunting load speeds my 94 seems to like the slower powders such as 4064, 4350, and 4007ssc. But, it didn't particularly like 2520 or 4320, go figure.

Yes I still am using the Leverevolution powder in my 30-30s. However, it only does well with 175+ weight cast bullets. Yes the slower burners at max capacity load denstiy that ignite easily do very well in the 30-30 with heavier bullets also. I did not have as good results with the 150 gr cast bullets with 4895 or slower as with 4759, 4227, 2400 or 4198. Not enough bullet mass with the 150s to get the slower powders burning efficiently if the velocity is kept under 2000 fps.

Larry Gibson