.30-30 AI in 14" barrel?

[jason280]

I recently snagged a pretty good deal on a T/C Custom Shop barrel in .30 Herrett. Looks like it started life as a carbine barrel, and was cut down at some point to 14"...albeit not very well. I'm not too worried about it, as I can always chuck it in the lathe a give it a new crown. My questions involves the chambering itself, the .30 Herrett. I recently had a Super 14 in .35 Herrett, but ended up trading it off. I'd picked up a couple 14" barrels in .35 Remington and .357 Max, and really saw no need in the hassle of forming cases. I'm kind of in the same boat now with the .30 Herrett, as I also have a couple 14" barrels in .30-30 and 7-30 Waters. My plan was to simply ream it out to .30-30, but now I'm thinking of going to .30-30 AI (40* improved). I've had a set of AI dies for years, with plans on reaming an H&R, but thinking of going with the T/C instead.

Question is, will there be enough of an improvement to justify it in a 14" barrel?

[ASSASSIN]

Yes!

I shoot a couple of different Super 14" Contender pistols in 30-30 Ackley Improved, and I can safely run 125 gr. Ballistic Tips over 2,600 fps., and my favorite deer bullet, Hornady's 155 gr. A-MAX will easily and safely exceed 2,500 fps..

I rechambered both 30 Herrett and 30-30 barrels to the 30-30 Ackley Improved without ever firing them in their factory chamberings, and I believe it was best decisions made.

[35remington]

If run at similar pressures the gain of the AI is about 100 fps over the standard. You decide if that is worth it, ultimately.

[jason280]

Yes!

I shoot a couple of different Super 14" Contender pistols in 30-30 Ackley Improved, and I can safely run 125 gr. Ballistic Tips over 2,600 fps., and my favorite deer bullet, Hornady's 155 gr. A-MAX will easily and safely exceed 2,500 fps..

I rechambered both 30 Herrett and 30-30 barrels to the 30-30 Ackley Improved without ever firing them in their factory chamberings, and I believe it was best decisions made.

Interesting. Did you ream both barrels yourself, or send them off?

[ASSASSIN]

I reamed both Super 14" Contender pistol barrels, a 21" carbine barrel and a 24" bull barrel, plus a couple of NEF 30-30 barrels.

[jason280]

Any recommendations on where to pickup a reamer?

[ASSASSIN]

If you are going to rent one, 4-D Reamer Rentals is the best place.

If you are going to buy one, JGS has the best reamers.

[TCLouis]

Assassin
What powders are you using in the 30-30 AI?

[ASSASSIN]

I use H-4895 and Winchester 748 powders with Federal Gold Medal Match primers in all barrel lengths from 14" to to 27".

These two powders have always provided the best accuracy potential from ALL barrels.

[lar45]

I was going to suggest the 309 JDJ, but it looks like Assasin's velocities are about the same as what the 309 can do.
https://press.hornady.com/assets/site/hornady/files/obsolete-data/309-jdj.pdf
I had a 12" TC Hunter barrel in 30-30 that I tried to improve myself and I messed it up. So I sent it off to SSK and they rechambered it to the 309 JDJ. I bought the dies from them also.
Forming brass is really easy, just run a lubed 444 Marlin case partway into a 308Win sizing die, load and fire in the 309 barrel.
The TC Hunter barrel came with a muzzle brake on it and it is insanely loud without hearing protection on.

[ASSASSIN]

I shot a pronghorn antelope last year with my 308X444 Improved aka 309 JDJ at just over 600 yards, and it's performance is well above the 30-30 Ackley Improved!

Velocity gain between the two cartridges is a couple hundred feet per second, but the downside is a LOT more recoil and muzzle blast!

I would not have attempted that long range shot with the 30-30 Ackley Improved, but with the 308X444 Improved, I had no hesitation because I practiced a lot more with that gun at 400-600 yards, than what I did at lesser distances.

If you are going to limit your shots to 400 yards or less, then the 30-30 Ackley us an excellent cartridge for that, provided you choose the right bullet for the distances you plan on shooting.

[jason280]

Holy hell, I rarely take 200+ yard shots at deer with rifles...and all my pistol hunting is well under 100 yards.

[ASSASSIN]

Sounds like your 30-30 would be a perfect choice, and making it an Ackley Improved would make it even more perfect!

[Drm50]

I had a 14” 30/30 TC and shot Speer 110gr Varmiter bullet. I also have several 30/30 rifles and have killed a lot of deer with them. It’s hard for me to believe a 30/30AI is so much better than a 30/30 that makes it a 400yd deer gun in a 14” handgun. I shot groundhogs out to 150yds, a few further that I scratch off to luck. I have shot deer at 150yd with 150gr bullets in rifle. That about my self imposed limit on deer. I could hit it at 400 more than miss but where would I hit it? I guess you can put anything on a rest with a scope and shoot it in at any range you can see. Bottom line for practical purposes 30/30 is fine although 30/30AI is a little better.

[tctender]

I have the 30-30 win ,30-30 AI and the 309 JDJ in 14''' contender. they are all good with the right bullets. They are a step above the other starting with the 30-30. The main thing is matching the bullet to the velocity and game animal.