Best mold for Win 94 lever action 30-30

[tinsnips]

I have 3 Lyman molds to choice from I need help figuring out which one would be the best for WIN 30-30]. 311466,
311465, 311291 Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you

[Digital Dan]

Have no experience with any that you have, but use a 311041 for my .30-30. It casts at 175 grains with my chosen alloy, uses a gascheck and is quite accurate. It also kills stuff dead on the spot.

[Joe K]

I have had good experience with the 311291 in 30-30 at 1600-1700 fps. Never tried to push it faster as my purpose was for practice. I would try them all with the same alloy and choose the most accurate of the three. Hope this helps.

[dale2242]

If I recall correctly, 311291 was designed for the 30-30.
I have had good luck with it in every 30 cal gun that I have loaded it in.

[pworley1]

The 311291 has been getting the job done for over 100 years.

[redhawk0]

Mine likes 311041 pills. I have tested my hunting load of Fed 215 primer WW748 (32gr) behind a 170gr Sierra FP. When I substitute the 311041 boolit the Point of Impact is the same at 50 yards. I have taken the 311041's out to the hunting woods but unfortunately haven't had an opportunity to make a kill yet.

[Thumbcocker]

If I recall correctly, 311291 was designed for the 30-30.
I have had good luck with it in every 30 cal gun that I have loaded it in.

It was and it does.

[avogunner]

I bought a 311291 mold specifically for my 1940's era M94. Cast up a bunch and when loading up my first round found out my rifle has too tight of a throat for that boolit at recommended COAL. I've thought about sending it off to get reamed but I found an NOE 165 gr mold that the rifle likes just fine. I've always heard though that the 311041 was "the boolit" for the 30-30. Never tried it though.
Semper Fi

[txbirdman]

I use the 311041 exclusively for hunting with my .30 caliber rifles 30/30; .308/ & 30/06. I use to have a 311291 and found it to be very accurate in the Savage 340 I had at that time. I read somewhere that the 311041 was simply the 311291 with a flat nose. I don’t know if that’s true or not but I do know that the 311041 is an accurate and the most effective killing bullet for the 30’s that I’ve found.

[Bazoo]

Interesting that the 311291 came out as the 308291 and was one of the first bullets designed for gas checks by John Barlow. I tried it in my 1970 made Winchester 94, and the nose was too long to fit my throat. The 31141 does fit my throat however. The 31141 has a tapered nose, whereas the 311291's nose is not tapered, but remains the same dimension for its length.

[MT Gianni]

Best for light use and plinking to save lead and powder: Lee 113 FP
Best for targets........................................... ............. Ly311291
Best for hunting deer sized game................................ Saeco 315 close second Ly 311041
Best for long range accuracy [+100 yards] ...................Saeco 315
Best for larger game deer over 200 lbs.........................RCBS 180 FN
Best all around, I can only afford one good mold........... RCBS 150 FN

[Thumbcocker]

Some old 311291 molds had a U in front of the number to designate an undersized nose for rifles with a tight throat. The first 311291 I ever bought was under .300 on the nose. Lyman replaced it. The replacement is over .300 on the nose and the nose will engrave the rifling on most .30 cal. rifles. The 1917 loves this boolit.

[Gobeyond]

I have some 165 gr from Missouri bullet. Shot lee 170 gc. 180 grainer have hard hitting reputation. So I’d say 165-180 grain weights in mold would be the best. It’s your gun you want to hear from. So try them.

[Winger Ed.]

I use the 311291 in my old top eject 1894 Winchester.
I can't imagine any other mold doing much better.

I've killed a few deer out to about 100-ish yards with it, and it'll make Stevie Wonder look good at the target range.

[Larry Gibson]

Have both 311291 and 311041. Both are very good for use in M94s and I've been using them both for 54 years For hunting I always opt for the 311041 not only in M94 30-30s but also in other 30 cal rifles.

[Lance Boyle]

Some old 311291 molds had a U in front of the number to designate an undersized nose for rifles with a tight throat. The first 311291 I ever bought was under .300 on the nose. Lyman replaced it. The replacement is over .300 on the nose and the nose will engrave the rifling on most .30 cal. rifles. The 1917 loves this boolit.


My first rifle mold was the 311291. I used it in a M1903 Springfield. It was quite nice and accurate for 100 yards. I never tried it past that.

I have since gone a bit mold buying crazy and accumulate others
311299
314299
311041
RCBS 180 SIL iirc.
I may have picked up an NOE version of the 311284 but if I did I never got it warm.

A lot of my stuff is in boxes somewhere after moving.

[Thumbcocker]

Those are all great molds and should serve you well.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[HamGunner]

My old single cavity Ideal 31141 works perfectly in my 94 Winchester 30-30 rifles. I cast at no harder than 13 - 15 BHN, sized at .311 and it chambers fine in my two 94 Win., but seems to be a snug fit, so .310 might be better for the Winchesters.

Using AA-5744 or Buffalo Rifle powders for 2,000 fps shoots the same POI as factory jacketed rounds and groups very well. No problems in the killing department either.

This bullet has worked great in several .30 cal. rifles for 1,600 - 1,800 fps loads using Unique or 2400 powder. I suspect "The Load" of Red Dot would be just as good for target shooting.

[dale2242]

A single cavity 311291 was one of the first molds that I bought back in the early 60s.
It is still in perfect shape and produces first class bullets.

[gwpercle]

#311041 (flat nose) would be (is) my first pick , I simply like the flat nose .

#311291 (round nose )would be just as good ... call them Pea's in a Pod or six of one and half-a-dozen of the other ... #311291 should be a winner !

I have always "heard" it was safe to load RN boolits in a lever guns tube mag. ...
but I have always loaded flat nose boolits in the 94 Winchester's magazine .
I have used it as a single shot with non flat nosed bullets ...
call me Paranoid !
Gary

[HamGunner]

320008

I doubt that my eyes are good enough to shoot as well with those open sights now days, but the load is still good.

[rintinglen]

I suspect that the 311-466 or the 311-291 will each give you excellent results in your 30-30. I have used both of them, to the tune of thousands, when I was shooting lever action silhouette and there wasn't a dimes worth of difference in group sizes, but the 291 did better on rams. These days I use the 311-041, but only because I have a 4 cavity Lyman for it.

[Shuz]

I feel fortunate to have a Lee clone of the 311041 in 6 cavity.
I'm looking for a load with it for my 336 Marlin.