.30/30 lead for deer

[Abert Rim]

Thinking about toting the Marlin with cast for blacktails this fall, but in the past have only used cast for hunting in much larger calibers, i.e., .41, .45 and .50. I know I want a large, flat meplat, but what is the favored bullet temper for hunting purposes in the "small-bores"? Do you rely on bullet placement and penetration and go for hard cast, or do you rely on placement and hope for some bullet upset?
I've just always put my faith in a larger caliber to begin with ...

[Bullshop]

Thinking about toting the Marlin with cast for blacktails this fall, but in the past have only used cast for hunting in much larger calibers, i.e., .41, .45 and .50. I know I want a large, flat meplat, but what is the favored bullet temper for hunting purposes in the "small-bores"? Do you rely on bullet placement and penetration and go for hard cast, or do you rely on placement and hope for some bullet upset?
I've just always put my faith in a larger caliber to begin with ...
Abert
Like you for big game I hunt with the larger bores, and save the smaller 30ish for smaller game as rabbits and such. We use lots of rabbits and I can tell ya a 30 cal flat nose anywhere will flatten a rabbit where I see many many run from a 22 rf with a good hit. A 22 through the heart but not hitting bone gives them a minute to run out of gass. I have found that with a 30/30 a 30/1 lead/tin alloy will expand nicely at any impact velocity remaining at a distance you can hit at, but the soft alloy will limit the top end velocity for good accuracy. I think I understand what I just said?! With straight ww alloy air cooled you can get good expansion if impact velocity is not much less than 1500 fps. A very basic rule I like to use not exact but close is minimum impact velocity in 100's = bhn # will expand. So a batch of air cooled ww at bhn-12 will need a minimum of 1200 fps to expect expansion of any kind and the 1500 will give good expansion. The only 30 cal I can recall using on big game with a boolit was a 30/06 for caribou. It was a Lyman mold for the 303, the long 210gn bore rider(too lazy to go look up #) at right arround 2000 fps and 50yd range broad side. It ran by I shot and hit just behind the shouler it continued running for 60 to 70 yds then turned arround and came right back. As it came by at about where I had shot I was ready to shoot again but through the scope I saw blood pouring out as if from a garden hose and it fell over shortly. I had wonderd if I had enough gun until a couple days later I watched a fella take a quartering shot from the rear with a 375H&H and he got about the same performance, a 70yd run a couple small circles and fell over. His even stopped the bullet, he recovered it between neck and sholder. Guess you just never know how a critter is going to act when you hit em with anything unless it's big enough to take several me to load it. Oh ya BTW BS Mom is canning rabbit today. Quart jars with garden fresh taters , carrots, and onions good stuf!!!
BIC/BS

[KCSO]

I have used the 30's some for deer and will probably harvest two more this year with cast bullets in the 30-30 or 30-40 Krag. In the 30-30 I use the 31141 from w/w backed with W/W 748 for just about 2000fps and can see no difference in killing power from the jacketed slugs. I have only one recovered slug as most go straight through, but that one even expanded like a jacketed slug. In the Krag I use a 220 fp slug at about 1950 in a 22" bbl and these always go all the way through even on a raking shot. The last 5 deet took 7 shots and the two extra were just to finish a deer that was flat on the ground, but not yet dead.

If you need to build some confidence you need to shoot some wet pack or water jugs and take a look at the recovered bullets, this should convince you.

[JDL]

The last deer I shot with Lyman's 31141 was approx. 50 yards from me and didn't travel but about 50 yards before piling up. I can't remember the alloy, as I cast them 30 + years ago but, was either water quinched w/w or linotype. Rifle was a .300 Savage with a mv of 2080 fps and it left a 2" to 2.5" wound channel in the deer.
I believe air cooled w/w would work just fine, which is all I use now.

[crazy mark]

I use either 748 or 3031 with the 150-170 gr FN cast bullets I have. Drops blacktails just fine. I've even use a 14" T/C in 30/30. I aim for just behind the front shoulder. Most of my shots have been at 50-75 yds. Mark