Frank Marshall's 30-30 load

[280Ackley]

I was rereading Frank Marshall’s article in the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook “On 30-30 Loads” this week. He says that his favorite hunting load for his Savage 840 was 30 grs of 4350 with a 311284 bullet. I would like to try this load in my Stevens 325. But, I can’t find any load data anywhere else using a bullet that heavy and a powder that slow. As 4350 has bad manners with reduced loads, I would like to know what is a safe starting load and a safe max.

[NHlever]

Ed Harris is also a fan of 4350 in the 30-30. The problem with slow burning powders, and low velocity loads stems from load density, not the velocity. I think you will find that the loads recommended by Frank Marshall, and Ed come pretty close to filling the case. A case full of slow burning powder gives a cast boolit a nice easy push, and burns cooler than an equal velocity load with a faster burning powder. Ed Harris also likes Win 760 (H-414). The new Lyman manual lists IMR-4350 with both the 150, and 170 grain jacketed bullets, and says that 34.5 grains is a compressed load with the 170....... so, with the heavier cast boolit, you can see where this is going........... no air space, no problems with slower powders. BTW, they list the velocity with the 34.5 gr. load as 2104 fps.

[BruceB]

It's surprising to me (although it shouldn't be) that old methods still work so well in many situations.

A Model 64 Winchester in .32 Special came to live with us a short while back. I put over 550 cast-bullet rounds through it in the first week, and out of that testing with about fifty different load recipes, the best result so far was, as Marshall found with his .30-30.....about 30 grains of 4350. This was with the RCBS 32-170 design, but the similarity still exists.

In the .30-30 and .32 Special, this is very nearly a full-capacity load (it's called the thirty-THIRTY for a reason!). It works very well, and holds no concerns for me whatever.

I still have plenty of load development to do with my .32s, but both my Marlin M36 and the "new" M64 (1952) show a lot of promise. The M64 is waiting for a Lyman 17 front sight to go with its receiver-mounted aperture sight. The much-improved sight picture will help enormously in load development.

[dsmjon]

I've had good luck with 4350 under a 180ish gr LFN. I'm not up to par with the mold numbers like some of you guys, but I have shot this load with both GC'ed and w/o GC without any leading, just solid shots with good accuracy.

[Newtire]

A Model 64 Winchester in .32 Special came to live with us a short while back.

One of those followed me home a few months ago too. I put a Lyman receiver sight on it and a taller fron blade and it is a great shooter. Lucky to find it I thought.

[softpoint]

Ed Harris is also a fan of 4350 in the 30-30. The problem with slow burning powders, and low velocity loads stems from load density, not the velocity. I think you will find that the loads recommended by Frank Marshall, and Ed come pretty close to filling the case. A case full of slow burning powder gives a cast boolit a nice easy push, and burns cooler than an equal velocity load with a faster burning powder. Ed Harris also likes Win 760 (H-414). The new Lyman manual lists IMR-4350 with both the 150, and 170 grain jacketed bullets, and says that 34.5 grains is a compressed load with the 170....... so, with the heavier cast boolit, you can see where this is going........... no air space, no problems with slower powders. BTW, they list the velocity with the 34.5 gr. load as 2104 fps.

My 30/30 XLR likes 28.5 gr. of 760 with the RCBS 180 gr. I don't know the velocity, but it's a pretty mild load. My .358 Win. likes 4350 with the Saeco 245 gr. I like the slower powders with cast bullets. Maybe not the most economical, because of using larger amounts, but I've had good accuracy:drinks:

[treetoptim]

i tried that load in my G2 cont.after reading that article in the lyman manual.as i recall i took it to 32 GR imr 4350 with no pressure signs it crono'd about 1700 and change.accuracy was about 3" @ 150 yds.hope this helps you!

[Bret4207]

FWIW= All of Frank Marshalls "Fouling Shots" articles are available on CD from The Cast Bullet Association. A very worthy addition to any library.

[Mk42gunner]

Frank Marshall's article gave me the idea to flat point Lee's 312-185, to use in my Marlin .30-30. Of course once I got the idea, it took a while to actually do it. So far I have formed flatpoints on ACWW boolits while sizing to .313" and .311". I haven't gotten any further since I twisted my back and neck this summer, I haven't felt like doing much beyond what is absolutely necessary.

The 312-185 is my first foray into thirty cal rifle boolits; I figured it could be used in most of the 30 and 31 calibers that I am likely to get. So far it has worked well in the 7.62 Nato, both the Enfield 2A amd the Parker-Hale take off barrel on a Mauser; and with a bubba'd M1917.

Robert

[mroliver77]

I use H414 for approximating this load.No notes here with me but case full is just about right. The 414 lights and burns very well for me. also the 30-40 and 7.62X51 sized cartridges perform very well with this powder speed and cast.
Jay

[oksmle]

These loads were fired from a Springfield Mod. 840, which is the "cheap" Savage 340. It has an 18" barrel so you fps will vary:

Lyman #311284 - 210 grs WW - 33.0 grs #4350 - 1786 fps
Lyman #311335 - 204 grs - WW - 33.0 grs #4350 - 1809 fps
Lyman #311335 - 204 grs - WW - 34.0 grs #4831 - 1780 fps
Lyman #311291 - 190.0 grs - WW/Pb - 33.0 grs #4831 - Not Chronographed - 1 3/8" 100 yd group.
Lyman #311291 - 192.0 grs - WW/Pb - 34.0 grs #3841 - 1825 fps
Lyman #311291 - 192.0 grs - WW/Pb - 33.0 grs #4350 - 1818 fps - 10 shot, 2" grp @ 100 yds
Old West #310195 - 198.0 grs - WW - 34.0 grs #4350 - 1871 fps
The #311284 & #311335 should be flat pointed to function in the magazine. Even though Frank made the "heavy" .30-30 loads famous, believe me they were around for years before he ever wrote that article.