Looking for loads for my Savage 340 30-30

[mjh5914]

I want some good plinking loads for my Savage 340 in 30-30 I have Lyman molds .
1. 311359-115 grain
2. 311410-130 grain
3. 311672-160 grain

I would sure like some help to get started developing some loads . Thank You MJH5914

[380AUTO]

I have one. I love plinking so I use a 170 grain cast under 10 grains of unique and I can hit my 4 inch gong at 100 yards every time. Tons of fun.

[rintinglen]

17.5 grains of 2400 + 311359 w/ GC should equal real fun with light recoil. 8 grains of Herco or 7.5 grains of Unique should do nice things with the 311-410. Somewhere betwixt 25 and 28 grains of 4895 should be a sweet spot that will cluster your 311-672 in close proximity to one another, but that 17.5 grain 2400 load may be your friend. There are tons O'loads that will give good results.

[kaiser]

You can use that same load of Unique for your 115gr bullet (my favorite squirrel load). I've also used 10gr of Red Dot with success; plus, IMR4198 and SR4759 with 170gr cast (I don't own a 130gr mold) are my "go to" powders for short range deer hunting. The Lyman reloading manual has some great "reduced" loads for the 30/30 with cast bullets, just watch out that you don't "double charge" when using any of those "shotgun" powders (a double charge of Unique can easily "triple" your pressures)!!! I use a Lee dipper to load the powder and check every case at least twice before I install the bullet! Sometimes a 1/2gr "tuft" of "Kapok" can be added to keep the charge next to the primer; the theory is it makes the load more "consistent", thus more accurate (???).

[Tom W.]

32 grains of Varget for the 160 gr boolit...

[mjh5914]

Thanks guys your the greatest , this will be enough to get me started. I do have a couple of the newer Lyman reloading manuals and the Lyman casting manual , but they only have loads for the heavier bullets . Thanks again mjh5914 .

[Kraschenbirn]

You might try AA5744. Don't have a mold for the 311672 but load 20 gr. of AA5744 under a 311466 (160 gr Loverin design) is the 'go-to' for my Savage 340.

Bill

[Harter66]

I had a 325 in 30-30 . Ran some 313226s , 93 gr RN , over 3-3.5 gr Unique for a quiet squirrel slayer and right on up to any of a half dozen 150-165 gr bullets from a #45 Cramer to a 312-155 Lee to a 311-165 RD NOE over 90% ish load of IMR 4350 for 2300 ish fps . It just shot it all into little bunches with an elevation adjustment .

[mjh5914]

Hey guys need some more help , I thought I had some unique powder for my 130gr (311410) but am all out . I do have some Red Dot,800X,IMR4227,AA5744,IMR4198. Has anyone tried any of these powders with the 130gr boolit . Thank You mjh5914

[Tom W.]

A Lee 1cc Dipper with Red Dot should give you a good load. Works for me !

[mjh5914]

How many grains is 1cc of Red Dot . Thank You mjh5914

[RU shooter]

Not sure about the cc conversion but with red dot , Bullseye , w231 and other fast pistol powders in that speed 5 grs in the 30-30 sized case with any of those bullets you have will be a decent load for killing paper . No filler or anything else needed, no recoil , low noise and lots o fun .

[ABJ]

My plinking load for the Savage and the levers is 7.0 Green dot, only because I have a lot of it. I have tried most of the fast powders, ie... red dot, bullseye, hp38 etc. I'm at work so I don't have those loads right this min. The green dot load is scooped with lee measures and will differ about a half grain with my method. I can't tell the difference in accuracy with iron sights at 50 yds. I like the heavier bullets with that load. I think I had to drop it a half grain with the lighter bullets to get the same accuracy.
My loads came from this site"lever gun performance studies" google search. It is a great resource and I have printed out the info on all the calibers I have that they tested. My method for using the scoops is, pour the powder into a plastic container about 2x3 inches and about 2 inches deep. I pick a scoop and pull it through 3 times to pack the powder and strike off the top with my finger, then weigh. More art than science. With a little practice you can scoop flake powders with great accuracy. I scoop and weigh ten charges in a row before I settle on a scoop.
Hope this helps.
Tony