I found a couple of boxes of 120gr round nose, jacketed 30 Cal bullets in my stash. I can find info for 110gr and 125gr bullets for 30-30 loading but nothing for 120gr. Any suggestions in the direct I should go?
I found a couple of boxes of 120gr round nose, jacketed 30 Cal bullets in my stash. I can find info for 110gr and 125gr bullets for 30-30 loading but nothing for 120gr. Any suggestions in the direct I should go?
If it was me as long as the bullet profiles between the 120 and 125 were about the same, I wouldn't have any reservations about using the 125 grain starting loads and going from there.
Or just use 135grn loads and work up to accuracy.
My favorite 'plinker' load for the .30-30s is the Lyman 31108 (118 gr. from my alloy) sized to .311 over either 8.0 gr. 700X or 15.5 gr. 2400. Lyman #3 has data for 120 gr. but, for some reason, current Lyman CB Handbook (#5) doesn't.
Bill
"I'm not often right but I've never been wrong."
Jimmy Buffett
"Scarlet Begonias"
Use the 125 gr loads if you cant find the 120 gr loads. I use 125 gr bullets in my 30-30 pistol and use 31 gr of Rel7 a book load.
I’ve had success with the standard 10 grains Unique, under 115 grain gc lyman 311316.
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I've been shooting PC'd Lyman 311008's with AA#9 in my Marlin 336. These should be around 115-120 grains, depending on your alloy. I wanted a light kicking load that my girlfriend would enjoy shooting. I bought my 8lb jug in the 90's and it is temperature sensitive. My starting load of 16 grains with a Rem 9 1/2 primer gave 1915 fps at 81 degrees F from a 20"bbl. 17 grains gave 2001 fps, and 18 grains yielded 2156 fps. 18.5 grains gave just over 2200 fps, and this is the load I shot my deer with. I tested again after hunting season at 42 degrees F, and 21 grains gave 2333 fps, while 22 grains pushed the 311008 to 2406 fps. At no point did I experience any pressure signs and recoil was light. These loads were safe in my gun, but PC'd bullets tend to give lower pressures than jacketed so YMMV. Standard practice of starting on the low end and working up is the way to go. Good luck!
The Lee 113 grain soupcan over 8.0 grains of Uniquw has been good in every 30-30 I’ve tried it in.
I know it's an old thread but in these times of porous supply chains every new component is a blessing.
I could only get Universal, 2400 and some european powders.
Universal and 120 cast RNFP 312 diameter boolits aloxed and then gas checked with alloy gcs, sized to 309 over 5 grains of universal gives around 900 fps which is great for plinking and noise sensitive areas, I crimped on the top groove and allow the coal to be what it is. I use a lee factory crimp die but you don't have to crimp heavily as there is no perceptible recoil and, fwiw, I only put 5 in the gun when playing around.
Accuracy isn't great but that may be me as I don't have either a sling or a bench to shoot with or from so it's offhand. About 3" 3 shot groups at 50 yards which puts a 7 up can in mortal peril.
8 grains of 2400 gets the speed up around 1100 fps accuracy is about the same.
Win 94 from 1958 is the gun. Williams peep and win 94 front.
After a lot of faffing around I modified lee dippers to throw those amounts of powder, marking them with an old soldering iron. They are remarkably accurate and consistent which surprised me no end.
My disclaimer these loads work fine in my gun in neck sized cases if you use this info you do so knowing it comes from the internet and all the risks that that adds to your hobby.
I omitted to mention I'm in the UK, so noise has a bigger impact over here. I can't tell you the European powders but I think they are marketed in the USA in the trade name Shooters World.
Last edited by braddock; 06-25-2023 at 05:02 AM.
use the 125grn load data......and because you are a good clever wee sausage and do things PROPERLY AND BY THE BOOK... you will start low and work your way up....
I’ve used the Lee .309” RNGC sized to .311” with NRA 50/50lube and Hornady Gas Check over 30gr of RL15 for 2,200fps from a Marlin 20” microgroove barrel. Shot 2” at 100yds. I’ve got the 113gr RFN-GC, and can’t imagine it will bounce off a pig or deer…
Size large enough and use a good lube.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |