30-30 load data

[scratcherky]

I have 30 caliber 158 grain cast gas check powder coated bullets that I would like to load for my 30-30 Contender rifle but have not had much luck finding load data. I have a number of different powders but have an excess of BL-C2 I would like to use. Appreciate any help.

[Barry54]

Somewhere in all the chapters before the load data, Richard Lee says it’s okay to substitute a slightly lighter bullet in place of a heavier one. Modern Reloading Second Edition by Richard Lee.

So use data for a 170 grain lead/cast bullet with the powder you have.

Being used in a Contender, chances are favorable that you can seat the bullets long and ensure the gas check doesn’t go below the neck.

[Bird]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvCrmM9HeUM

[Hick]

Somewhere in all the chapters before the load data, Richard Lee says it’s okay to substitute a slightly lighter bullet in place of a heavier one. Modern Reloading Second Edition by Richard Lee.

So use data for a 170 grain lead/cast bullet with the powder you have.

Being used in a Contender, chances are favorable that you can seat the bullets long and ensure the gas check doesn’t go below the neck.

This

[jaysouth]

I have 30 caliber 158 grain cast gas check powder coated bullets that I would like to load for my 30-30 Contender rifle but have not had much luck finding load data. I have a number of different powders but have an excess of BL-C2 I would like to use. Appreciate any help.

What will you use the load for? Hunting, small game or just killing cans? What velocities are you looking for?

[P Flados]

Post #3 has load data for a 170 at 35.8 gr BL-C2.

Quickload prediction for a 158 & 16" barrel with the bullet seated 0.404" deep is as follows:



Cartridge : .30-30 Win. (SAAMI)
Bullet : .309, 158 Custom
Barrel Length : 16.0 inch = 406.4 mm
Powder : Hodgdon BL-C2

CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms
-06.1 85 31.00 1803 1141 24426 7187 80.5 1.310
-04.5 86 31.50 1838 1185 25693 7375 81.7 1.279
-03.0 87 32.00 1873 1231 27027 7561 82.9 1.249
-01.5 89 32.50 1909 1278 28430 7744 84.0 1.219
+00.0 90 33.00 1944 1326 29909 7924 85.1 1.191
+01.5 91 33.50 1980 1375 31467 8102 86.2 1.163
+03.0 93 34.00 2016 1425 33109 8276 87.2 1.136
+04.5 94 34.50 2052 1477 34841 8446 88.2 1.110
+06.1 96 35.00 2088 1529 36670 8612 89.2 1.084 ! Near Maximum !
+07.6 97 35.50 2124 1582 38600 8773 90.1 1.059 ! Near Maximum !

[scratcherky]

What will you use the load for? Hunting, small game or just killing cans? What velocities are you looking for?

Mostly shooting targets and to fireform cases for the 30-30 AI contender barrel. Looking for velocities in the 1900 FPS range.

[405grain]

BLC-2 is an excellent powder for a variety of cast loads. Because it's a ball powder it can be hard to ignite in some conditions (like larger cases where there isn't complete fill). In smaller cases like 7.62x39 I use it with standard primers. With larger capacity cases I use magnum primers. The 30-30 has a case capacity where I could use either type of primer. If you are seeing vertical stringing in your target groups it could indicate variations in velocity caused by non uniform ignition. If that's the case, try using magnum primers with that load. However, if everything's working fine - then don't change things.

Edit for post below: I use Gordon's Reloading tool. 1. Sometimes it gives low burn rate warnings on loads that are either published, or are known to be good. 2. It lists a lot of powders, but there are some that are missing. I can think of Red Dot and AA4100 off the top of my head, but there are others. 3. GRT is buggy about seating depth, and may calculate for a different seating depth than the one that's listed for the bullets in it's inventory. Always double check the load seating depth to make sure that GRT is displaying that correctly. GRT is a great program that's very useful, but the guy who wrote it passed away before it was perfected.

[archeryrob]

Download GRT (Gordon's reloading tool) and learn to use it. If you are going to vary powders, bullets, seating depth you need to know what you are looking for.

It tells me a 158 grain bullet with BL-c2 is a low burn rate unless using 37 grains and then 2300 fps. Not getting the warning with larger bullets and moving slower. It will probably work fine, just maybe not as good as it should.