Heavy Hunting Bullets In 30-30 Win.

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Last Post 10 November 2019

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mashburn posted this 04 July 2019

As I've stated several times before, I'm a old gun builder, hunter and have reloaded for over 50 years. But my reloading other than handguns has been mostly with jacketed bullets. My interests have changed and I'm into cast rifle bullets, mostly from the hunting aspect. I don't claim to be a great white hunter but I've killed more than my share of Deer and I have killed deer with more different calibers than most people have ever thought about. However when I face a new challenge I'm not afraid to ask for advice. My question is: how heavy of a bullet can you shoot in a 30-30 Win and get good dependable accuracy, I'm not talking about little plinking loads, I'm talking about hunting loads. When I'm loading cast hunting rounds I always use GC's.

The forum has been pretty slow here lately so lets hear from some of you people who have much more experience than I do and get some activity going..I've read All of The Famous Frank's advice so I think I'm probably on the right track

Mashburn.

David a. Cogburn

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RicinYakima posted this 04 July 2019

Two issues with 30/30: short throat and 1/12 twist. While I can shoot 210 grain 311284 from my Savage 99, it doesn't work with lever guns. One of my gunny friends uses the RCBS 180 grain FP with either 2/2 (tin and antimony) or 16/1 tin and gets good expansion with full loads of 3031 or 4895. FWIW

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mashburn posted this 04 July 2019

Hello RiicinYakima

Thanks for the response and info. I figured that I would be faced with that problem. I have purchased 170 & a180 gr. GC molds. I would like to find a 200 gr mold that will work if possible. I've had good luck with RL7 powder in .375 caliber cast lead. In his writings Frank gives a lot of loading info for this type of cartridge and rifle.Thanks for the alloy information also.

Mashburn

David a. Cogburn

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lotech posted this 04 July 2019

I haven't had a .30-30 in a long time, but I used to use the RCBS 30-180 FN mould to make 190 grain bullets (wheelweight alloy). I bought the mould more than thirty years ago and bullets were quite accurate, sized at .310" or .311". This bullet also shot very well in other .30 caliber rifles.

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Ed Harris posted this 04 July 2019

I used the RCBS 30-180FN cast from ww+2% tin, which weighed 188 grains lubed and gaschecked. Loading 36 grs. of W760 or 30 grs. of W748 or IMR4064 performance approximated the .303 Savage and it was a good deer load which penetrated well, expanded normally and had good weight retention. I killed about a dozen deer with that bullet over the years.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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mashburn posted this 04 July 2019

Hello lotech,

Thanks for your response and information.

Have a happy 4th of July.

Mashburn

David a. Cogburn

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mashburn posted this 04 July 2019

Hello Ed,

Thanks for your response and all of this good information you supplied. Does RCBS still make this mold? I have about three similar molds but I am going to try and find this RCBS mold .I like the powders that you used in this load. I'm anxious to start experimenting.

Thanks and have a happy 4th of July Day,

Mashburn

David a. Cogburn

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TRKakaCatWhisperer posted this 04 July 2019

To comment, but not address the original question.... My step dad always preferred the 303 Savage over the 30-30 BECAUSE he could get the factory loadings in 190gr over the 170gr in the 30-30. He used the deer for food. Upstate Vermont.

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mashburn posted this 04 July 2019

Hello TRKakaCatWhisper,

Thanks for your comment. To my understanding , the things that you stated are what made the .303 Savage stay in existence(heavier bullets than available in the 30-30 loadings from the factory). I fed my boys lots of deer meat while they were growing up also.

Have a happy 4th of July Day,

Mashburn

David a. Cogburn

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 04 July 2019

mr. mashburn ... i have a ppg throater i had made just for the 30-30 ... goes from 0.313 to under bore dia. at 3 degrees. if you can't leave well enough alone ( g ) i would be glad to loan it to you .... only cost would be that you have to report how it worked for you.

ken

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mashburn posted this 04 July 2019

Hello Ken,

Thanks for the offer and I may take you up on it. First, I want to see what I can accomplish with it like it is. Another question is; what would this throat change do to shooting jacketed bullets in this rifle? I'm a 30-30 Improved fan and I've been considering converting this one Bye the way, do you know where Decorah, Iowa is(I may have misspelled that name) I have a good friend that lives out in the country a few miles on a farm and another who lives about 20 miles from there. It is in extreme Northeastern Iowa to the best of my knowledge. I built a hog rifle for him and have taken him hog hunting and various trips looking for old cars. I made some money off of the two of them by selling them old cars, but I messed that up by becoming good friends with them and then I would sell them old cars for what I had in them. Thanks a lot for the offer, I really appreciate it.

Have a Happy 4th of July Day .We are just now heading over to one of my son's ranch to have our get together.

Mashburn

David Cogburn

David a. Cogburn

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45 2.1 posted this 04 July 2019

This subject was did up by Frank Marshall, Jr. in one of the old Fouling Shot articles. He used a B.O.W.M. heavy bullet (by Old West if IRC). Maybe Ed Harris will see this and add some more to it.

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Notlwonk posted this 04 July 2019

NOE has a mold that may be a copy of the RCBS that Ed refers to. It's listed as .... 311-199-FN-J2 (RCBS 311-180-FN) ..... and they have some 5 cavity GC molds in stock.

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Bill2728 posted this 04 July 2019

Hello Ed,

Thanks for your response and all of this good information you supplied. Does RCBS still make this mold? I have about three similar molds but I am going to try and find this RCBS mold .I like the powders that you used in this load. I'm anxious to start experimenting.

Thanks and have a happy 4th of July Day,

Mashburn

Yes, it is still in their lineup

BF

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Bud Hyett posted this 04 July 2019

Loaded SAECO #315 in the .30-30 for a friend who wanted practice loads for his daughter. Loaded for 1800 fps, used linotype alloy, Reloder #7 powder, R-P cases, sized .311 for the Microgroove rifling, and they shot well. The alloy caused them to weigh 169 grains, they shot in two inches and she was happy to practice. She then shot her deer with this load after her dad bought her factory ammo.

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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max503 posted this 04 July 2019

"While I can shoot 210 grain 311284 from my Savage 99, it doesn't work with lever guns."

I shoot the 311284 from my Contender 30-30. That's what I used for the Coyote Challenge and it worked just dandy.

I used to shoot the 311284 in a 30-06 but I sold it so I'm looking for another.

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RicinYakima posted this 05 July 2019

The issue seems to be the long nose that, even seated to top of top driving band, causes feeding problems. It works in the Savage 99 and weights about 210 grains from my alloy. It shoots only about 200 f/s slower than my 30/40 Krag, so would not be shy about taking it hunting.

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mashburn posted this 06 July 2019

Hello 45 2.1

I've read his articles so many times I can almost quote them like a holiness preacher can quote the Bible. I've learned a lot from his writings sorry that he couldn't have lived longer.

Thanks for your input,

Mashburn

David a. Cogburn

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