Light weight bullet for 30-30 recommendations

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Bill2728 posted this 08 May 2020

All of my 30 caliber moulds are in the 170 to 210 grain weight range.  I'd like to find a mold, preferably plain base, in the 100 to 125 range for smaller game.

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Ed Harris posted this 08 May 2020

First, you need to determine if your rifle will feed light bullets of a shorter overall length.  Also, you didn't mention the caliber, but in the ten-inch twist .30 calibers, such as .30-40 Krag, 7.62x54R Russian, .303 British and .30-'06 I've had much better success with somewhat heavier bullets in the 150-165-grain range, using charges from 6-7 grains of Bullseye or 7.5-8.5 grains of 452AA or WST.

The Lee C.312-155-2R bullet of my design works well in most rifles, but I prefer the Accurate or NOE versions of the same design.

In .30-30 the Accurate 31-155D is hard to beat, and the 31-171D gascheck version of the same bullet shoots well without the GC

In the .303 British and 7.62x54R Russian I prefer the NOE version of 316299 or Accurate 31-215B in either the plainbased version or the GC version used without the GC using 6-7 grains of Bullseye, WST or 452AA if you have any.  Look for a velocity of 1080 +/-30 fps as the sweet spot.

I don't believe that it is sinful to use a heavy-bullet subsonic load for small game, especially if the deer season runs concurrently and you get lucky.

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

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45 2.1 posted this 08 May 2020

The Lyman 311008 is a classic.

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Bill2728 posted this 08 May 2020

Ed, thank you. I'm sorry for not putting the 30-30 in the body, feeding is not a problem, this is for a single shot 1 in 12" twist and I should have mentioned that as well.

I did a search here and I saw your recommendation for the 32 cal pistol bullet ( 31-094H) but after 15 pages, that was the only one I found.

I'm not looking for much more than the equivalent of a 22LR in a 30 caliber centerfire. 

45 2.1 thanks, I'll have a look at the Lyman 311008

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JeffinNZ posted this 08 May 2020

My Husqvarna .30-30 bolt gun is a TACK driver with 170-180gr bullets but is not at all fond of lighter bullets like 120gr.  Not terrible accuracy but nowhere near as good. 

Cheers from New Zealand

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Ed Harris posted this 08 May 2020

The 31-094H works best at subsonic velocities and at short ranges inside 50 yards.  In the 12-inch twist .30-30 use 3-4 grains of Bullseye.  In a ten-inch twist barrel 2.5-3.5 grains.

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

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Larry Gibson posted this 08 May 2020

I use the Lee TL314-90-SWC over 2.8 gr Bullseye for 800 - 900 fps (depending on barrel length) and excellent accuracy.  

I cast them of softer alloy 10 - 11 BHN and they drop from my mould at .314.  I TL them with LLA and let dry thoroughly.  I then run through a Lee .414 sizer which usually moves lube into to grooves filling them entirely.  I also sometimes just lube them in a 450 with a .314 H die filling the lube grooves. 

Neither of my M94s or my 21" Contender carbine barrel will reliably chamber cartridges loaded bullets sized larger than .311 so for those to be used in my 30-30s I push size them to .311 in another lee sizer.  The already filled lube grooves keep the grooves from swaging away.  I seat the bullets to the front lube groove and lightly crimp there (only to prevent bullet push back in the M94 tubes).  

These feed 100% in my M94s and are accurate and fun to shoot in all three of my rifles.  With scrap recovered alloy the only cost is for the primers and 1/2,500th of what I paid for the Bullseye.  Basically less expensive than 22LRs and more enjoyable to me.

LMG

 

Concealment is not cover.........

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jniedbalski posted this 09 May 2020

I shoot the above load in my savage axis in 308 W. This is a very good plinking load. Don’t know why it would not work for hunting small game. Every body That hase shoot this load likes it a lot. Like a good 22lr but bigger.

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creeker posted this 16 August 2020

The Lyman 311008 is a classic.

 

I use this bullet in my 94 Winchester. It feeds fine & shoots okay to 50 yards. I load it with Green Dot.

Lynn Halstead

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barra posted this 16 August 2020

Unlike everyone else I cannot get the Lee tumble lube bullet 90 grn to work in my gun.

How ever I came across a lee soup can mould cheap and I have had very favourable results so far at 50 yards .

As cast and a little bullseye dip lubed in 50/50 be/vas lube.

thinking of even taking off the gas check shank.

Breach seated with a pencil.

will load some fixed now that I found a load and hope it goes as well.

 

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 16 August 2020

...ditto on the 3118 for a mouse load ... probably for nostalgia from my 32-20 days.... 75 foot rabbits ...

but lately i have gone lazy and buy 130 gr flat point commercial bullets bulk from badman bullets .. they come about 311 so work ok in 4 or 5 of my 30 cals. with 7 gr Unique. and 30 to 50 yards.  i do seat them with greasy fingers as i don't trust the pretty lube they are shipped with.

if you would like to try some send me $5 for postage and i will ship you a handful .

though i do agree it would be a shame to waste that 12 twist on 25 yard plinkers.  nothing like bringing a squirrel out of a tree top at 80 yards ...

ken

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beagle6 posted this 16 August 2020

I have been shooting the Lee 113 grain since 1976 in Winchester , Marlin and Henry rifles with a lot of different powders. The most consistent load accuracy wise has been cast of wheelweights, 5 grains Bullseye.no gascheck tumblelube. Some rifles shot best with the bullet unsized.

beagle6

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wallacem posted this 17 September 2020

In my 30-30 I shoot a 115 gr .311 cast bullet over 7.0 gr Unique.  About 1200fps, groups pretty good at 50yds. Also likes the 165 gr cast over same charge.  Wallacem in Ga

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Tom Acheson posted this 17 September 2020

At one time, RCBS had a 30-130 grain bullet in their line-up of silhouette molds. But along the way that one was discontinued. A friend had one and I borrowed it to make a pile of them. The nose profile looks a bit like the nose of the 150, 165, 180 and 200 grain silhouette bullets.

I bet Accurate Molds would duplicate it, if it isn't all ready in his catalog.

Tom

 

 

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GP Idaho posted this 17 September 2020

 I have a nice old Marlin 336 30-30  Built in 1948 (first year for 336 I believe)  Nothing fancy but the Lee C309-150-F over 26gr. H-335 works very well for me. Gp

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Qc Pistolero posted this 18 September 2020

While I'm sold to Accurate,I must admit that the Lee molds were always good performers for me.Afterall,they are the ones that got me started in the casting game when money was scarce and permitted me to shoot as much as I wanted and for this I'm forever grateful to Mr.Lee.

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GBertolet posted this 18 September 2020

I found that the Lee 150 gr bullet works fine in my 788, in 30-30. It's a great mold for around $20. For $20, what the heck, try it.

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Geargnasher posted this 18 September 2020

I use the Lee 311-100-2R in my .30-30s when I want a really light load. I cast them fairly soft and sometimes dub the nose with a flat top punch for use in tubular magazines, or leave them round for the single shots/rotory magazine rifles or single load them.

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Coydog posted this 30 December 2020

I use 00 buckshot size to .310 in my 30-30 and 30-06 and 308 Win and lube with Alox mix with lighter fluid works .

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gard72977 posted this 31 December 2020

I use this light weight bullet

https://noebulletmolds.com/site/product-category/308-311/311-127-fn-l2/

I dont load 30-30. I do load it in 300/221 with 1/10twist and for 30-06.

I shoot it offhand and its seems pretty accurrate.

I coat my bullets. I know it not popular on this fourm but it works for me.

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RicinYakima posted this 31 December 2020

Plastic coating is not "not popular" it is just that a lot of us are target shooters and match shooters. Until that is worked out, it doesn't have a lot of conversation. It does get a lot of attention from the folks shooting autoloaders and plinkers. FWIW

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