Is there a classic powder for .30-30?

[tacotime]

Just wondering if there is a consensus standard go-to powder for the .30-30. Really just the usual 150gr and 170gr pills. Not thinking of hot loads. Thanks.

[tradbear55]

IMR 3031 the gold standard for 30-30

[Walks]

Yep, IMR3031 is the best.

[Butler Ford]

Imr 3031

[Winger Ed.]

I've tried a few, but keep coming back to 3031 and the RCBS 170 RN cast.

[John Boy]

3031 is an excellent 30-30 powder and use it for all my reloads
Published testing data ( https://stevespages.com/308_9.html )recommends these powders:
150gr bullet ... N-135 From 26.2 grains to 32.7 grains
170gr bullet ... H-322 From 24.0 grains to 30.0 grains
I have not done any comparisons so have no data

[Hardcast416taylor]

Another vote for IMR 3031.Robert

[popper]

LeverEvolution.

[retread]

IMR 3031 is all I ever use.

[tacotime]

Most convincing vote I have seen in quite some time... thanks!

For the shorter 16 inch Trapper barrel, has anyone seen a solid preference for the 150gr or the 170gr?

[Bazoo]

170 grain bullets are preferable regardless of barrel length far as I'm concerned. While I use 3031, I haven't used it enough to say I prefer it over w748, which I've found to be excellent.

[pworley1]

Nothing I have tried works better than IMR 3031.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

3031 is a good powder for the 30-30, been around a VERY VERY long time, I used it from 1965 for many years. Changed to Accurate 2015 when it became available, measured much better, worked as well, was cheaper, recently switched to Leverevolution, more velocity and a ball powder, so measures very precisely and a few bucks cheaper. Nothing wrong with the 'OLDER' IMR powders, but things do improve/ have improved for most technology. I don't pay much attention to cost of powder, just an added benefit. Historically, ball powders tend to have a longer shelf life than the single base 'stick' powders. I have always preferred 170 grain bullets, or heavier. The NOE 311-199-FN GC (RCBS 311-180-FN clone) is my preferred hunting bullet for the 30-30 and 303 Savage.

[tazman]

I have to vote 3031 also. It works for me with both jacketed and cast.

[Texas by God]

Me too on the 3031. I mean my gosh it is almost named after the 30-30!

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[725]

I really go out of my way NOT TO MEMORIZE load data, but 30grs. of 3031 for my .30-30 just gets stuck in my head.

[jimb16]

3031 here too.

[redhawk0]

I have in my notes that 32.0 gr of W748 powder and 170gr bullets is the Winchester factory load.

I have had good luck with that load on paper. Haven't taken any game with it yet....hopefully, this Fall.

redhawk

[Littlewolf]

in my friends marlin ler action it's 26.5gr 3031 with the lyman 311291 165gr; in my savage 340 bolt action its still 26.5gr 3031 but with the 311413 spire point or NOE 311-165 ranch dog. either way IMR 3031 is the 3030 powder

[Thunder Stick]

I’ve been loading WW748 in the 30-30 for decades. 34.5 grains for 150’s and 32.0 grains for 170’s. Winchester brass and primers, with whatever 150 and 170 grain j-word projectiles I could find. Accurate and reliable with normal pressure signs.

[FerricOxide]

I've used 3031, Accurate 2015, 4895 and 4350 depending on what I'm doing. I've loaded 100,110, 125 and 150 grainers.
90% are with 3031 and a 150gr jacketed Spitzer boat tail unmentionable or 150 flat nose/round nose depending on lever vs bolt action.

[shaner]

I might as well throw in my 3031! Lol

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[sghart3578]

25 gr of 3031 does everything that I need the rifle to do

[Tracy]

2400 with cast.

[cwlongshot]

I am working up 30/30 cast loads now for a Contender Carbine. And went to 30/31 first trying 2400 now.

But as mentioned and for about thirty years, 748 was my 30/30 powder with Hornady 170FP Jacketed. I much have 300+ loaded in 100rnd MTM boxes. Great shooting recipe no doubt!

Reading the comments with interest! So far its shooting my cast 1.5-2” @ 50. Looking at heavier bullets for 16-1800 fps. Hoping for as good accuracy as the gun shoots jacketed. Been waiting on the NOE mold to get cut from the group buy. Its a RD style 178g HP. Hi hopes here. (Plus for my black outs)

CW

[RU shooter]

Guess I'll be the odd duck and say 4895 the imr flavor

[1Hawkeye]

Another vote for 3031 and as a backup Winchester 748. Then unique for cast bullets.

[Thunder Stick]

Another vote for 3031 and as a backup Winchester 748. Then unique for cast bullets.

Oh, Yeah. Unique! That's a fun one with 10 grains of Unique behind a 100 grain Hornady SJ, Speer Plinker or a 110gr JSP designed for the 30 M1 Carbine.

[mattw]

Guess I'll be the odd duck and say 4895 the imr flavor

Dang, you beat me to it. The only powder I use with cast 30/30 and 30-06 is 4895. Very accurate for me and meters well.

[tacotime]

While it might seem like 3031 won the vote here, someone said the election was hacked and so IMR4320 should be declared the winner.

[redhawk0]

While it might seem like 3031 won the vote here, someone said the election was hacked and so IMR4320 should be declared the winner.

Hahaha....then why did you ask?

redhawk

[RU shooter]

While it might seem like 3031 won the vote here, someone said the election was hacked and so IMR4320 should be declared the winner.

Canadian meddling this time ,since now we know it wasn't the Russians

[trapper9260]

For me , I look at the data for the boolit I will load for and then see what powders that is listed for that weight of boolit and then see what powders I have on hand and then make up 5 of each of the powders I have start at the min and see what one group the best and then the one that dose work on that one and till I get what i want after.

[gnoahhh]

3031 for me too. But, I will say my latest experiments with CFE-223 has me itching to stock up on that powder.

[stubshaft]

Yep, IMR3031 is the best.

Haven't found anything better yet.

[Wayne Smith]

I started with 3031 back in 1969 and haven't seen reason to change.

[tacotime]

1969 to present is a pretty good run.

[Gaseous Maximus]

Me too on the 3031. I mean my gosh it is almost named after the 30-30!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk Years ago I read some place that it was named after the 30-30, but then recently on this forum, someone said it was named after the 303 brit. They are probably right and I am probably wrong, usually am. Still it made a good story. I loaded with 3031 for years, but in my old age have become a real wuss, and have started using trail boss. IMHO, 3031 really is the classical power for the 30-30.

[ulav8r]

I seem to remember reading that 3031 got it's name from the initial load recommendation, 31 grains in the 30/30. A quick look on my computer, I have a document of 30-30 loads. It shows 31 grains with a 170 grain cast bullet. I don't know the source but it does reinforce my memory somewhat.

[Four-Sixty]

I've been partial to 16 grains of 2400 under the Lee 170 grain RNFP.

I also like the same boolit over a case full of Trailboss. It hits to the point of aim at 100 yards.

[EMC45]

I've been partial to 16 grains of 2400 under the Lee 170 grain RNFP.

I also like the same boolit over a case full of Trailboss. It hits to the point of aim at 100 yards.



I too have been experimenting with 2400 Chris and find it works quite well.

[waco]

3031 is never a bad choice. I have also had good luck with
Redot
SR4759
4895
335
2400
Unique
It's kinda hard to go wrong with the 30-30

[Texas by God]

A true classic that doesn’t care much what you feed it. My first 30-30 loads featured 150 gr CoreLokt component bullets over Hercules Re21 powder. I’ve used the IMR powders from 4198 to 4831, Re7,Re11, and new R15, H335, H380,BLc2, Varget, Acc 2460- and that’s just for jacketed. IMR 3031 is my pick for cast and jacketed but I’m not too fanatical about it......

[Schreck5]

I'm surprized that LeverEvolution was mentioned only once. I have been getting some good results.

[Texas by God]

I haven't tried Lever E. but I hear great things about approaching. 300 Savage performance with it. I can't say if it is a "better" cast choice.

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[popper]

LeverE works great for cast or jax at mid to hot loads, not very efficient for light loads but does work. I used 20gr. under a 170 RD style without GC and got good results. But unique or 2400 need less powder for the same result.

[cpaspr]

I have a pound of 3031 I'll eventually try.

As a friend put it when he told me it was his favorite .30-30 powder: "It's the .30-30 one."

[Texas by God]

I have a pound of 3031 I'll eventually try.

As a friend put it when he told me it was his favorite .30-30 powder: "It's the .30-30 one."That it is[emoji16].

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[cwlongshot]

Having some real accuracy problems with a T/C Carbine.

I have so far used Trail boss with two bullets.

Lyman 173g fp with two powders 4198 & 3031.

A NOE 178 RD HP bullet with 4198 & 3031.

Lyman 311440 150g RN with Trail boss and 3031.

Bullets sized both .310 & .311. All loads starting or less. Top vel probably not 1700.

Now the gun is also unproven and was bought used but was plagued with missfires. I fixed that with new set of springs and Federal Primers. Some 45 rounds fired today. Zero leading found in barrel. All bullets powder coated today. Shooting was at 50 yards and altho I found point of impact it was inconsistent as if bullet Problems but none of the dozen or so holes where imperfect. (No yaw noticed)

All bullets where moderately hard from 13-18 BHN. Some water quenched others air cooled. All quenched from powder coat oven.

Any load suggestions?

CW

[gumbo333]

LVR by far.

[jlchucker]

Like pretty much most everyone that has chimed in, 3031. I did begin, however, using Winchester 748, and had nearly as much luck with that. Then the supplies kind of dried up. For some reason, I haven't found Alliant Reloder 7 to be as good in my rifles as some people have told me.

[cwlongshot]

Any one using 2400?

[ABJ]

CW, yes 2400 is my favorite. 16.0 plus or minus on a gas checked 150 with or without a dacron filler. For a non hunting load 10.0 plus or minus is a good plinking load. no filler on the 10.0 grain load.
Tony

[cwlongshot]

CW, yes 2400 is my favorite. 16.0 plus or minus on a gas checked 150 with or without a dacron filler. For a non hunting load 10.0 plus or minus is a good plinking load. no filler on the 10.0 grain load.
Tony
I tried a 17g load yesterday under a 155g spitzer GC. No filler. (I dont ever use fillers in bottle neck cases) the load shot very well leaving me a 3-4” group @ 100. I was not trying to shoot super accurate. (Im chasing a problem)

Ill be trying more for sure THANK YOU!

CW

[Pioneer2]

I’ve been loading WW748 in the 30-30 for decades. 34.5 grains for 150’s and 32.0 grains for 170’s. Winchester brass and primers, with whatever 150 and 170 grain j-word projectiles I could find. Accurate and reliable with normal pressure signs.
Same two loads I use and have killed everything with them up to and including several moose.The 170gr will do a yard of moose before stopping.

[osteodoc08]

Classic? I think we’ve answered that......3031.

That being said, there are a plethora that work well.

[trapper9260]

What I do is look at the data of what is close for the boolit I want to load and see what powders there is and what I do have I load 5 rounds of each normal at the min and see what one will group the best of of it all and then work on that one powder to close in the group to where I feel ok with.

[fralic76]

I've used 3031, Accurate 2015, 4895 and 4350 depending on what I'm doing. I've loaded 100,110, 125 and 150 grainers.
90% are with 3031 and a 150gr jacketed Spitzer boat tail unmentionable or 150 flat nose/round nose depending on lever vs bolt action.Accurate 4350, had 1/2 a pound given to me but only have a 30-30 to load for. Would accurate be close enough to IMR 4350 to use that data? Want to load cast 113gr and factory 150gr.

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[Murphy]

The only powders I picked up last year, were a few bottles of IMR 3031, and a couple of IMR 4064.

Why the IMR 3031? For my 30-30!


Murphy

[quail4jake]

IMR 3031 31 gr but try 37 gr of BL-C in both .30 W.C.F. 150 gr and .32 W.S. 170 gr

[robg]

IMR powders banned here .TAC works well .Ramshot even list cast boolit loads for the 3030.

[GasGuzzler]

3031 for me

[rintinglen]

I’ve been loading WW748 in the 30-30 for decades. 34.5 grains for 150’s and 32.0 grains for 170’s. Winchester brass and primers, with whatever 150 and 170 grain j-word projectiles I could find. Accurate and reliable with normal pressure signs.

my experience exactly. 34 grains under a 311-41 has been a fav for 25 years.

[barrabruce]

Ummm
Castbullets
Bullseye to 4895
Find a load that will do something.
Haven’t tried everything but everything I’ve tried has worked so far.
Jaxketted prolly 4895 .

Once read you could debullet a 308 commercial round and pour the powder up to the neck in it and it would be safe to use.
I may wait for the end of times before I try it thou.
Ohh a few grains of fast powder over 50 cal powder duplexed and slightly compressed.
Pretty versatile round.

[pworley1]

+1 for 3031

[kbstenberg]

+1 Lever R

[Rodfac]

3031 for jacketed
2400, 4227 or 4759 for cast

[Blkpwdrbuff]

I'm not trying to cause problems, but I do have a couple of questions.
Where did the loading of 31-34 grs of 3031 with the Lyman 311041 bullet come from?
My Lyman manuals 47-50, plus my 2 Lyman Cast Bullet manuals #3 and #4 list 27 grs of 3031 as maximum load.
Did I miss read the bullet number?
I'm just curious and a bit concerned.
Also are these loads being shot in a Winchester 94 or a bolt gun
Thanks,
Blkpwdrbuff

[Beaverhunter2]

IMR powders banned here .TAC works well .Ramshot even list cast boolit loads for the 3030.

Really?!? Why? Hodgdon owns both IMR and Ramshot. What's the difference?

I like 3031 as "The Classic" powder. Leverevolution is the exciting new option and also works well.

My $.02

John

[stubshaft]

Gotta go with 3031 too.