30-30 question

[BrianB]

My son wants to start shooting an old '94 I've had sitting around so I'm looking for suggestions on a mold and material composition. It's for deer, shots are rarely longer than 60 yards or so where we hunt. Want something about 170 grains (unless you convince me otherwise), GC'ed that will expand from a mold that won't break the bank.

BTW, anyone know the composition of the original 30-30 bullets? Were they straight lead?

[Larry Gibson]

BrianB

My son wants to start shooting an old '94 I've had sitting around so I'm looking for suggestions on a mold and material composition. It's for deer, shots are rarely longer than 60 yards or so where we hunt. Want something about 170 grains (unless you convince me otherwise), GC'ed that will expand from a mold that won't break the bank.

Hard to beat the Lyman 311041 for the 30-30. Lee has a similar mould which does well also. The Lyman will need handles and the Lee comes with handles. If you're not set up for cast bullets the Lyman starter kit with electric 10 lb pot and dipper is a good way to start. A Lee .311 sizer and tumble lube kit will seat and crimp the GCs and size the bullets if they need it. The LLA lube will do fine for 30-30 velocities. Of course if you're new to casting then the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook is the best "primer" on the subject.

WWs (wheel weights) + 2% tin ill make a fine alloy for practice bullets. Hunting bullets of 311041 are best with an alloy of 50/50% WW/lead mix. Cast them and let them air cool. I load them to 2000 fps out of my M94 Carbine and 2150 fps out of my 24" barreled M94. They will expand on moderate sized deer and are really good killers. With this softer alloy you have to clean the barrel every 5 -7 shots for best accuracy. Thats ok for hunting. The practice WW + 2% tin bullets over 28 gr of 4895 can be shot all day long without cleaning.

BTW, anyone know the composition of the original 30-30 bullets? Were they straight lead?

Believe they were 160 gr curo-nickeled SPs and FMJs. I'm sure 30WCF knows for sure what they were.

Larry Gibson

[sundog]

Well, Larry beat me to it. Ly 311041, Lee 170-FN, and I'll add one more - RCBS 150-FN. Have I ever mentioned how much I like RCBS moulds? Prolly not. Grandson killed his first deer with a Ly 311041 over 4227 for about 1600 fps that he and I constructed together using his Dad's Marlin 30-30. Full penetration and big exit wound at about 50 yards.

If you want easy on the pocket book, go with the Lee 170-FN.

[StarMetal]

Well, Larry beat me to it. Ly 311041, Lee 170-FN, and I'll add one more - RCBS 150-FN. Have I ever mentioned how much I like RCBS moulds? Prolly not. Grandson killed his first deer with a Ly 311041 over 4227 for about 1600 fps that he and I constructed together using his Dad's Marlin 30-30. Full penetration and big exit wound at about 50 yards.

If you want easy on the pocket book, go with the Lee 170-FN.

......and I might add since Lyman has been so notorious for undersized molds...go with the Lee.

[Marlin Junky]

I don't think you'll have a problem with undersized boolits when dealing with a M94 Winchester (Marlins are a bit wider in the grooves). A .309"-.310" boolit should be fine and I'd choose between the Lyman 311041 and RCBS 30-150FN. If the RCBS mold does for some reason cast under .309", RCBS would be more likely to make it right than Lyman at this point in history. Either 311041 or RCBS 30-150FN should be able to be driven to 2200 fps in COWW without a problem while maintaining good accuracy.

MJ

[Rocky Raab]

I don't have a M-94, but my Savage 340 simply dotes on the Lee C309-170-F. I load it plain-based to 1200 fps (with 7.0 700x or similar fast powder) and with a gas check to 2000 fps (16.0 2400, or 20.0 A5744) lubed with LLA. I haven't seen a speck of lead yet.

[largom]

Lyman 311041 has taken several deer in my 30-30's and also shoots great in my 308.

Larry

[DLCTEX]

+1 on Lee 309-170 FN. You can probably shoot it as cast without sizing and tumble lube it with alox and push it to about 1700 fps without leading if cast from wheel weights. Air cooled they will work well on deer.

[JIMinPHX]

I've had great luck with the Lee 150-grain RNFP over stiff charges of RE-7. It duplicates factory exterior ballistics for me with better accuracy out of a .30-30. A modest charge of Unique under that boolit gives me a good plinking load. Others often speak well of the 170-grain version as well.

[Bret4207]

RCBS 180-FN in straight WW with maybe a little tin added for fill out and a GC. Start around 27 gr 3031 and work up. If you hit 1900 fps you'll be duplicating the 303 Savage 190 gr load that was a sure enough deer killing machine.

[BrianB]

Excellent responses...thank you all.

I guess I will go with the Lee mold due to price. If I'm unhappy with it, I've only got $20 in it. (I have several Lee molds and have only had a problem with one and the company immediately corrected it.)

For hunting bullets, I think I'm gonna go with the 50/50 advice. I'm really not worried about leading from hunting bullets since you shoot so few.

I'm using an RCBS LAM, so I'll pick up a .309 die. The Reloder-7 sounds best for me since I already use it in our 45-70's, but I'm also interested in 3031 loads as I can also use it in the 45-70's. Pet loads anyone?

[45-70 Chevroner]

BrianB:
The first Bullet made for the 30WCF or "30-30" was made by "UMC" Union Metalic Cartridge Co. In 1895 was a l60 Gr. Jacketed bullet. One year later they came out with a 170 Gr. Jacketed bullet.
22 Gr. of Reloader 7 behind a 170 gr. cast bullet will be about 1800 FPS. At 60 yards it will shoot all the way through a good sized deer. The last deer I shot was with a RCBS 180 Gr. CB over 20 Gr. Rx7 at about 1700 FPS. I was shooting up hill at about 90 yards quartering shot. The bullet went through the rear of the rib cage and came out behind the shoulder on the other side and the exit wound was the size of a 1/2 dollar. He walked about 20 yards and fell over and was still kicking when I got there. One more bullet.

[DLCTEX]

The doe I shot with the Lee 179 gr. boolit was about 80 yds, and ran about that far after being hit behind the shoulder at 1700 fps. Boolit was a pass through with an exit wound the size of a quarter from the air cooled WW. Doe weighed about 175.