Favorite .30-30 hunting bullet?

[Tom_in_AZ]

I just bought my first .30-30. 1894 Winchester. Not a pre-64. Made 1976-1978.

What’s everyone’s favorite hunting bullet for whitetails in the .30-30?
Thanks in advance.


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[Larry Gibson]

311041hp

[ubetcha]

The Lyman 31141 or 311041( I believe they are the same mold, just a number change) seems to be the standard go to for the 30-30. I believe that's what it was design for. Although the Lee 309-150 and 309-170 have a good following too.

[Tom_in_AZ]

Thanks. The only 30 cal mold I have is a lee 309-160.

I wasn’t sure if I should try a hp, or if most people hunt with flat points.

I’ve shot quite a few large meplat bullets in bigger calibers, but wasn’t sure about the small meplat that a
.309 flat point has.


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[hockeynick39]

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=31-165R-D.png

[Friends call me Pac]

NOE 311165RF seems to work better for me out of my '94 accuracy wise than the 311041. Pretty much the same bullet except the rf has a slightly bigger meplat so not really sure why they shoot differently for me.

[Wolfer]

311041hp

This was my first 30 cal mold. I had Eric put a small HP in one cavity. I cast fairly soft, about 50/50 and run about 1800 fps in 30-30, 30-40 and 30-06. We've shot several deer and coyotes with these and it has never crossed my mind to look for something better.

[rking22]

Another vote for the 311041, hp would be nice but not strictly required. I like the rd 311165 but it is a bit tubby in the throat for my late 50s 94. Shoots fine but is seated below the crimp groove to camber easily. Ypur later gun could easily be different. Brware lyman seems to be a tad unreliable in recent years. No personal experience there as NOE and Accurate are more consistent and very close in cost without the potential agravation.
Both bullets shoot very well and they " will kielle"!

[Tom_in_AZ]

This was my first 30 cal mold. I had Eric put a small HP in one cavity. I cast fairly soft, about 50/50 and run about 1800 fps in 30-30, 30-40 and 30-06. We've shot several deer and coyotes with these and it has never crossed my mind to look for something better.

Thanks!

My next question was going to be if straight wheel weights would be a good place to start.


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[Tom_in_AZ]

Another vote for the 311041, hp would be nice but not strictly required. I like the rd 311165 but it is a bit tubby in the throat for my late 50s 94. Shoots fine but is seated below the crimp groove to camber easily. Ypur later gun could easily be different. Brware lyman seems to be a tad unreliable in recent years. No personal experience there as NOE and Accurate are more consistent and very close in cost without the potential agravation.
Both bullets shoot very well and they " will kielle"!

Haha! Love the quote at the end.

I may try to NOE, their quality is top notch.


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[Friends call me Pac]

I like wheel weights or even ww and scrap mix for target. I like 50/50 ww & pure lead for my hunting bullets.

[500Linebaughbuck]

i use it in all .308 calibers. coww and 1 or 2% tin

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=30_320&products_id=1372&osCsid=la2psg3hc8q93gvr9e9jov01p2

[jmort]

^^^ That one is a winner
Have Lee, NOE and Accurate versions

[Tom_in_AZ]

i use it in all .308 calibers. coww and 1 or 2% tin

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=30_320&products_id=1372&osCsid=la2psg3hc8q93gvr9e9jov01p2

Looks good [emoji1360]


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[Walks]

Lyman#31141 COWW/#2, 50/50. IMR3031- 26.5grs.

Nuff said.

[richhodg66]

I like the 31141, worked on deer for me. Haven't used it in .30-30 but the Ranchdog bullet mentioned worked well in a .308 for me on deer as well.

I haven't used it hunting yet, but I like the RCBS 180 grain FP a lot in the rifles I've shot it in and I think it would be a very good one too.

[nekshot]

The only thing standing between me and the 311041 mold is a 311291 mold I have. Cast soft and file a flat on RN and it is too accurate to think of another.

[richhodg66]

They're basically the same bullet except for the slightly rounded nose. How do you file a flat on it and keep it consistent?

[largom]

The Lyman 31141 or 311041( I believe they are the same mold, just a number change) seems to be the standard go to for the 30-30. I believe that's what it was design for. Although the Lee 309-150 and 309-170 have a good following too.

Agree with the above. No hollow point. 50/50 ww & pure lead with 2 % tin for alloy. Works great in 30-30, 300 Savage, and 308.

[Scorpion8]

Gasp! Remington Core-Lokt 170'grain round nose. Gasp! Has been a deer-slayer since time immemorial....

[Tom W.]

The Lee mold that you mentioned was the first one that I bought, many long years ago. A single cavity at that. Now, while I've never shot anything with my 30/30, I used to load up two boxes every year for my now deceased hunting buddy, and he's killed quite a few Alabama whitetails with my handloads in his Sears lever action. My youngest son did use my rifle to hunt deer with, and he, too has taken quite a few with said boolit. Cast from COWW with a gas check and sized w/ a Lee sizer it did well. I still use the mold and sizer for both plinking and fire forming cases with my 30-06 A.I. and recently started shooting the 30/30 again, but at paper.... Hoping to get it rechambered this month to 30/30 A.I.

[richhodg66]

i use it in all .308 calibers. coww and 1 or 2% tin

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=30_320&products_id=1372&osCsid=la2psg3hc8q93gvr9e9jov01p2

I bought one of these from Ranch Dog when he was still selling them, great bullet. I haven't used it in a .30-30, but it worked great in a .308.

223912

[Texas by God]

Gasp! Remington Core-Lokt 170'grain round nose. Gasp! Has been a deer-slayer since time immemorial....My first deer in nineteen hundred and seventy two took one of these in the neck and fell in the tall grass so quick that I thought I missed! One buck That I shot last season did the same with Lee C309150f cast of WW. 30-30 Win, 46 yrs apart.

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[richhodg66]

No doubt those Core Lokts are good bullets, I've used a few myself, but for the past nine years, it's been cast or arrows for me and from here on out, anything 7mm or bigger is gonna use cast. I used cast in muzzle loaders for years before than, but that isn't a big trick.

Funny about those Core Lokts, guys go out and buy "premium" bullets that cost $2 apiece, I doubt any of them do better on deer than the good ol' Core Lokts do.

[Tatume]

I like the Lee C309-170-F. Accuracy is top notch.

[Geezer in NH]

311291, been killing NH deer for 40+ years in my family. Few bear also. 50/50 lino/sheet lead for at least 30 years.

However I have not used it I use a PRB out of flintlocks of pure lead for the last 25-30 years.

[Gray Fox]

richhodg66: I have that mold and a 99 in .308 as well as a Ruger Scout Rifle. What is your overall length with that boolit? It would seem like you either crimp in one of the lube grooves or the gas check is below the case neck. What is your approx. MV with the load? GF

[richhodg66]

I haven't loaded any in a while so would have to figure out OAL again. The load was 28 grains of IMR 4895 and a little tuft of Dacron on top of it. I was aiming for 1800 FPS, don't own a chronograph, so not sure. That bullet went through about three feet of deer though it didn't hit any real bone, never found it.

[MT Gianni]

I have shot whitetail with the 311440, 165 Ranch Dog, and the RCBS 180 fn. 30-30 or 308 at the same velocities. Where you hit is more important than the bullet though I am in favor of a large flat meplate.

[Tom_in_AZ]

311291, been killing NH deer for 40+ years in my family. Few bear also. 50/50 lino/sheet lead for at least 30 years.

However I have not used it I use a PRB out of flintlocks of pure lead for the last 25-30 years.

[emoji1360]


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[nekshot]

They're basically the same bullet except for the slightly rounded nose. How do you file a flat on it and keep it consistent?

drill a hole in a piece of wood that allows the tip of boolit to stick out and file it off. Files nose off like a hot knife in butter and keeps them square. Then I can put them in the forster case trimmer and put a HP in them.

[richhodg66]

OK. I have several molds with flat noses for .30 calibers, so no need. I would like to hunt with the Ideal 311284 I shoot in some rifles, always considered casting some with soft noses, but maybe this would be better.

[shootsblanks]

The bullet i used last fall was the noe version of the rcbs 311 180, mine weigh 196.5gr with a check and lube from acww, i load them to 1750fps with h4198 (got them going 1900 with varget but they started to lead). Average group is 2" at 50 with irons (my shooting buddy puts them in 1" with my rifle)
Deer was hit center of the lungs at 75 yards, ran about 20, 1.5" entry and 1.5" exit wound.

[pls1911]

Your question has many answers, most are equally correct.

The 165 Ranch Dog or current NOE equivalent is tough to beat if your throat can handle the ogive. I like the larger meplat for the slap factor... it's very audible and the effect is real. I several older, pre microgroove Marlins where the throat is a bit short which requires seating a bit deeper than I prefer, but it's workable.
The Lyman 31141/311041 has an unmatched history and seems to be the slug against which all other 30/30 slugs are measured, so how can you go wrong? It's as reliable as they come, and can be modified a bit to be optimized for about any 30/30.

I picked up an OLD 4 cavity gas check SAECO #315 mold which casts about .312 and 160 grains in my alloy, has a profile similar to the 31141 but a bit slimmer nose and a bit smaller meplat. Sized .311 in soft lead heat treated to 18-20 bhn, and remarkably casts +/- .5 grain (that's .5, often less) across all four cavities! It shoots very well at 1800-1900 fps in all my Marlins from 1893's through mid 70's 336's as well as the random Winny or Savage, and drops deer and hogs like a stone with shoulder shots, normally inside of 80 yards.
It's my go to bullet because it works well in all my rifles and those of my family.
Is it optimized for any of 'em? Certainly not!
But it's cheap to shoot, and kills with authority in over 50 lever guns in four families.

You will do well with any of the above with careful casting, consistent loading, and proper bullet placement.