Marlin 30-30 load for cast boolit

[smkummer]

Its a 336 with micro groove. I have the Lyman 170 FP GS mold. Can anyone give me a good load to start with? What diameter to size? I would like to push it as fast as it will go and still be accurate enough to hit a coffee can at 50 yards. Thanks ahead of time.

[pumpguy]

Slug your barrel and go .002 or .003 over that. I like 17 grains of 2400. YMMV.

[Larry Gibson]

Size it to "as Cast diameter. This will seat the GC. Load test loads over 25 gr of 4895 (any brand or milsurp) and in crease in 1 gr increments (5 shots with each weight of powder) test loads at 100 yards (50 if you prefer). The group size should improve as you test each different load. A ceartain charge will give you your best accuracy (Most Marlin 30-30s I've shot would group 1 1/2-2" with that bullet between 1700 an 1850 fs). You can then use that load or when the size of your groups begin to increase stop when you hit "coffee" can size at 50 yards. I think you will run out of case capacity before then.

Larry Gibson

[grumpy one]

First, 336 30-30 barrel groove diameters have varied a lot over the years. Mine is an extreme - it is over 0.311, and consequently won't shoot factory loads using jacketed bullets. It's fine with 0.311 jacketed bullets though. You will need to slug your barrel to see what you've got. When you know the groove diamter, most likely .001 or .002 above that will be best, but it's easy to experiment and find out for sure.

Second, you haven't said how hard your alloy is, and that will probably make a difference to how much pressure you can use. For 14 BHN 170 grain FN GC bullets I've found the limit to be 30-32 grains of W748, 30 grains of Varget, or 32 grains of W760. All of these powders gave me rather variable group sizes, but well within the objective you've specified. I'm seeing much better jacketed results with H4350 but haven't refined the loads and extended them to cast bullets yet. If you are prepared to tolerate lower velocity you can get excellent accuracy with 16-18 grains of SR4759 behind that 170 grain FN GC bullet.

[miestro_jerry]

With the 748, I would not go above 32 grains, I shoot the 30-30 round through my contender these days. In the past I have a Marlin lever gun.

The best place to get loading data is:

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

Hope this helps,

Jerry

[smkummer]

Thanks guys. I water drop my wheel weight bullets and was told they were coming out at about 20 BNH by someone who had a tester. The gun appears to be a newer model with the budget birch wood.

[crowbeaner]

I'll second the 30 to 32 grains of WW 748. You may be able to get by with .309, but the micro grooves may like a fatter bullet. I use Hornady gaschecks because they crimp on the base and make it harder for the check to pull off the bullet when the bullet base is below the shoulder in the case. CB.

[Throckmorton]

My last time out I had very verrrry low fps deviations using 28 grains of W748 under a LaserCast 170br gc bullet.I think they're sold under another name now.
They ran 1850 fps,+o or - FIVE fps.I've never ever had that kind of results with my handloads.

[jjamna]

Can't tell you about the marlin but I push a Lee 160 grain thru a Winchester 94 with 8.5 grains of Trailboss and get 1 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards

[Jon K]

Ditto-Ditto what grumpy one said + 16-18 grains/5744 if you don't have 4759. 28 gr Varget/311041= 1980-2000 fps, and very accurate.

Jon

[JSH]

I am using 25 grains of milsurp 2520 with the Lee 160. This is in my ballard rifled Marlin. It follows the rear ladder very well. Bottom is 50, next notch 100, 150 and 200.
BTW, if it doesn't shoot inside of 2-3" at 100, holler and folks here will help you fix that or figure out what the problem is.
jeff

[grumpy one]

Ditto-Ditto what grumpy one said + 16-18 grains/5744 if you don't have 4759. 28 gr Varget/311041= 1980-2000 fps, and very accurate.

Jon

Jon, what barrel length gave that MV with Varget? Sounds like a nice load.

[jh45gun]

I second the 17 grains of 2400 load I am using a cast bullet that is 180 grain ( 311407 sized to .309

[Jon K]

grumpy,

Win 94 26 inch Buffalo Bill Commemorative, Fed 215M primers, 1985 avg and wants to go up to 2000 in hotter summer weather.

Jon

[Char-Gar]

It doesn't much matter which load you use, as you accuarcy standard is quite low. Hitting a pound coffee can at 50 yards is not much of a challenge for a 30-30 and most any cast bullet load. Move that can to 150 or 200 yards and things get far more interesting.

[enfield]

[smilie=1:I thought he said coffee creamer:coffee:

[Newtire]

I gather you're talking about the 311041 boolit? I see everybody has the Win 748 thing covered and concur on the 32 grain load also. Another great one at maximum only is 30.5 grains H-335. I have also gotten great accuracy with 28.5 grain AA #2520. I'll have to try those SR4759 loads.

A great one for just plunking is the Lee 113 gr. RF (soup-can) with 8 gr. Unique.

[smkummer]

Yep, 311041 bullet. Just loaded 40 rounds with 17.7 grs. 4759 because I have the powder. Bullets are weighed and select and sized at .309 to 310. Hopefully we try them this weekend. I noticed the 748 loads don't give anything up velocity wise, so that may be the route to go when I get that powder.