300 yard 30-30 win question

[oldfamily]

Just wondering if any one had done any load work with a 30-30 winchester? This will be shot as a single shot only, some friends and myself want to see if we can work up loads to bust milk jugs at 300 yards with our lever action rifles. I have 150 grain sst's, nbt's, sgk's, and smk's. If you have any ideas let me know. Again this will be shot out of lever action rifles as single shots only. Thanks for any help you may offer, Oldfamily.

 

[jwp475]

You can bust milk jugs at 300 with normal 30/30 bullets (flat nose,round nose)

 

[oldfamily]

300 yards is the starting point, I should have put that in my original post.

 

[britz]

I was bored and did some research. Looked at hodgdon's website for loading datta, JBM for balistics charts and Sierra and Hornady's sites for Balistic coeficients. I did this because I just read Fifty driver's discussion on the transonic affect on accuracy. at 1200 ft the speed of sound is 1111 fps. This determined the max range of your rifle in my opinion becuse most bullets don't fly through this transition very efficiently. 110 grain going about 2600 out of the muzzle w/ a bc of .29 will max out at about 600. 150 grain w/ bc of .39 at 2300 will go to about 750. And the 175 smk w/ bc of .49 and a mv of about 2150 fps will reach out to 800. Just looking at that data, I would go w/ a 175 gr smk loaded w/ something like H4895.
All this is simply ment to give you the best bullet. it all depends on how well your rifle shoots. Have fun and good luck, mark

 

[blackco]

Just a thought off the top of my head...30-30's are made for the shorter, lighter bullets; 150gr(I think) flat point. I don't know if a factory barrel will stabilize the 175gr Spire point. I have personally had good luck shooting long bullets in slow twist barrels, but it could be an issue for you.

On a different note...you are doing exactly what I have recomended to several people. I'm military living in Montana and have had several people from back east transfer here. "All I have is a 30-30, can I hunt with it?" ABSOLUTELY!!! If you want some more range out of it though, reload pointed bullets in it and make it a two-shooter (ONE in the tube and one in the chamber), VIOLA, a 308-light.

 

[Teutonic]

the standard load for the 30-30 is a 150 or 170 grain soft point/flat base. Since it is usually a under 150 yard cartridge, most folks use the 170s.

 

[Tex3030]

I have tried to load some 150gr SST in my 3030 model 94. When crimping the neck in the cannelure the OAL was too long to go into the action of the rifle. This is all that I have personally tried to do. If you are able to get something to work let me know.

 

[NYLES]

Way back when dad loaded me some 120 grain somethings to hunt whitetails around fields.....worked pretty good! I did kill a 8pnt 175 yards with it bout 1980.

 

[WSmitty01]

Many years ago, I loaded some M1 carbine type bullets (round nose110 grain I think). I took a mulie out at almost 300 yards with it, BUT I do think it was a pretty lucky shot that had very little energy left at that distance. Can't remember the load data though, at my age I'm starting to develop the deadly CRS disease. I was hunting out in New mexico where I was stationed and all I had was my old model 94.

 

[J E Custom]

You might try Hornady's new ammo.

Its called
Hornady leveRevolution Elastomer Flex Tip
160gr at 2400 ft/sec MV and 1700 ft/sec at 300 yrd's

It beats Winchesters 150gr vel by a little (2390 ft/sec)
And there 170gr quite a bit (2200 ft/sec)

My son uses it on wild hogs (avg 300lbs) and likes it.

Just an opinion
J E CUSTOM

 

[Mysticplayer]

Also consider

Give some 110gr Vmax, 120gr (?) Speer TNT, 125gr Sierras a try. They worked well in my Savage 340 in 30-30. Check look at the throat to make sure it isn't long.

A RN hard cast bullet with gas check in the 180 to 200gr would be a hoot to lob at yonder horizon.

If black powder cartridge rifles can go out to 1000yds with serious accuracy, a Lever action should be up to the task of a few hundred yards.

I did neck sizing and watched my load pressures. The 30-30 case is quite thin and those lever actions don't like toasty pressures or else you will get some real funcky case bulges.

Jerry