30-30 Ranch Dog 165 gn boolits

[KnotRight]

Just picked up some 165 gn Ranch Dog boolits (with gas check) from a forum member and have a couple question about loading them.

1. What load would you suggest to keep the velocity around 1800 f/sec. I have a bunch of rifle powders to use

2. What OAL would you seat the bullet.

I am shooting a pre-64 Winchester 1894.

[richhodg66]

Seems like the Ken Waters pet load for the 311041 (a slightly heavier bullet) was 26 grains of IMR 4895 and that has worked for me. Seems like 19-20 grains of 5744 would work too. Lots of good powder combos for the .30-30.

I'd seat them as far out as would feed and chamber in your rifle. It'll take some experimenting to see what that overall length is, but once you have it figured out, you're done.

Take a look at this;

http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/bin/TLC311165RF/data/loadnotes.pdf

[hiram]

With that same RD bullet in my 30-30 Win I got accuracy with 7 gr of Unique. Many articles mention about 10 gr but it just did not work for me.

I don't know the velocity and I tested it at 50 yds. If it works for you at 50, then try it at 100. I did not use a filler.

[rhouser]

I have a Marlin 336 that I had named dirty sally because I couldn't call it dirty sob in front of my grandson. It would never shoot under 3 in groups with anything UNTIL I got my Ranch Dog 30-30 mold (original version).

Using 16 gr of SR-4759 and the Ranch Dog bullet and the Lee 311 sizer had sally delivering honest 1 MOA at 100 yards. This is only about 1700 fps, but, it sure shoots good.

I own 3 Marlin 30-30's. They all LOVE this mold.

Just my 2 cents. rch

[YunGun]

My Marlin 30-30 also really seems to like ~16gr 4759 with the RD 311-165GC - good enough for a reliable, solid hit on an ?8x12? steel plate @ 200yds all day long, as long as I do my part - it's my go-to load for that rifle so far. Magnum primers seem to give a slightly cleaner burn, but aren't necessary. Plenty satisfied with the 4759 load that I picked up an 8lb jug of it & haven't spent much time developing anything else (nor do I plan to until I run out of 4759), although ~18gr IMR4198 up to around 24gr Rx7 seems to shoot about the same but feels a bit more powerful. No chrony so no idea just how fast they're movin, but I have no doubts they'll get the job done.

[358 Win]

Using the Lyman 31141 bullet @ 178 grains fully dressed, I've had excellent results with 16.0 grains of 2400 and 20 grains of 5744.

358 Win

[rintinglen]

For an OAL, I'd run cerca 2.44". For a powder charge, I run 17.5 grains of 2400. Shoots very well indeed from my 1953 M-94.

[KnotRight]

Interesting that the last two post, 2400 was the powder. I have only loaded 2400 in 357 and 44 mags. I need to get me a couple more pounds of 2400 and give it a try.

Do you use 2400 with jacket bullets?

[TXGunNut]

j what? ;-)

[rintinglen]

Interesting that the last two post, 2400 was the powder. I have only loaded 2400 in 357 and 44 mags. I need to get me a couple more pounds of 2400 and give it a try.

Do you use 2400 with jacket bullets?

Heck no. But I so seldom shoot jacketed 30-30 rounds--like 22 rounds in the last 15 years--that I don't load Jacketed Ammo for this round. If I did, I'd use leverrevolution or WW-748. I have loaded factory equivalent hunting cast boolit loads using WW-748, but for most of my shooting, the lighter, cheaper 2400 loads work just fine.

[dualsport]

IIRC I had to seat that bullet a touch deeper for a M94 than the OAL given for Marlins.