Experimenting with the .30-30?

[Seabeeken]

So I have this old Remington 788 in .30-30 that I just mounted a new scope on. So I've been playing with it a bit lately. It shoots FN bullets well, but I was thinking of loading up some pointy bullets to see what I can do.
View attachment 600838
I don't have Quick Load and I can't find much more than handgun data for Contenders with spitzer bullets. I'm kind of wondering how fast I can push 125 gr NBT or 130gr TTSX bullets. I have data pushing the 125 gr FN Sierra PH to 2500 fps with H332. I'm wondering if there are any newer powders that can get me closer to 2700 fps staying within 42K psi in my rifle?

Try some IMR-3031. You might be surprised by the speeds you can get from it. It produced single hole groups in my 243 savage and a friends 30-30 savage.

 

[Monteria]

Correction!!!!!

I just noticed that I, more than once, incorrectly referenced tac-x. I don't know what I was thinking, I have never used that powder. I dont even know if it would be appropriate.

What I did use for great velocity with light bullets was AR-Comp.

And that is exactly why we don't take forum published load data as gospel!

 

[ducky]

I just noticed that I, more than once, incorrectly referenced tac-x

I thought you were refrencing the Barrnes Tac-TX bullets made for the .300 BLK, and not Tac gunpowder.

 

[Monteria]

I thought you were refrencing the Barrnes Tac-TX bullets made for the .300 BLK, and not Tac gunpowder.

Like I said, I lost my mind. The question is when...

 

[KNOTFERSAIL]

Post #62 is before, attached pics are after.

135gr FTX from Marlin 336 @ MV=2550, white tail at 130yd shot. Did a good amount of damage as she made her way through the neck crease and into the off shoulder. No tracking required.

Finished product is 79.0 gr

 

[ducky]

L-R 125 gr Accubond, 140 gr Monoflex, 150 gr Hornady.

Trimmed case to 1.866", .163 shorter. I seated the bullet to 2.592" to work in the magazine, 2.600" would bind up as I loaded more rounds in the mag. It feeds like butter from the magazine to the chamber.

I couldnt use my .30-30 seater as the seating stem wouldn't work. So I dug out my seating die for my .308 and used it. Though I about bottomed out the die just to seat the bullet that deep.

Here is a 1X .308 case for reference.

I'll make up some more dummies with 125 grain TNT and Ballistic Tips, and I found some 130 gr Hornady SP to try with my TTSX bullets as well.

However, it'll have to wait as I'm taking my daughter to CCW class tomorrow. I told her I'd go to the class with her as well. She turned 21 in Jan, and I've been after her to get her license since she lives in Pueblo. I normally just open carry as it's legal, but I told her I'd get my license as well if she would attend this class with me. I don't need it due to pistol qualification on my DD214, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to take a class as well.

 

[kfreeze]

Well since we're of similar age, my mind isn't blown. I got my first summer job 1987 for $5 an hour, MW was something like $3.50 an hour then. I purchased a nice 1978 Dodge 3/4 ton pickup at the end of that summer for $3.5k with 40K miles on it, it got crappy mileage but gas was around $0.80 a gallon.

Are you sure your rifle wasn't a Savage 340 not a 110? I know they were still making the 340 rifles back then. I didn't think the 110 was ever offered in .30-30.

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I put an Accubond in a fired case in a mag to compare it to a loaded round tonight. As I stated in previous posts the mag is my biggest limiting factor. I'll need to trim back to see how short I need the neck to seat the ogive above the case mouth.

Might be worth a call to hammer bullets to see if they have something real short to throw in there. Or can make something.

 

[kfreeze]

I just finished helping a buddy load up some little pointy hammer bullets in a bolt 30-30. Same issues with the coal in magazine. I know it was varget powder but will have to text him what bullet we ended up with. It was his grampas rifle and he wanted to shoot a deer before he stuck it in the safe

Please keep us updated. I want to run 100 grn hammers in my break action 30-30.

 

[ducky]

There is nothing to report yet. I tried some H335 and 125gr NBT, and IMR 3031 with 130 gr SP. The results weren't repeatable with H335, and the velocites were extremely slow with 3031.

Here is the ladder I ran with H335, I was .3 grains over max load. I decided to try the 36.3 gr load, and couldn't get 2400 fps the next outing. I tried loading them only using the Lee collet die, and don't know if I was having neck tension issues.

So I ran them through a FL die, neck sizing only with decapping rod removed. I expanded the necks with the .305 Lee mandrel. I also used an Lee crimp die to add .0005 of crimp. I just haven't had time to shoot again.

 

[kfreeze]

There is nothing to report yet. I tried some H335 and 125gr NBT, and IMR 3031 with 130 gr SP. The results weren't repeatable with H335, and the velocites were extremely slow with 3031.
View attachment 607927
Here is the ladder I ran with H335, I was .3 grains over max load. I decided to try the 36.3 gr load, and couldn't get 2400 fps the next outing. I tried loading them only using the Lee collet die, and don't know if I was having neck tension issues.

So I ran them through a FL die neck sizing only with recapping rod removed, expanded the necks with the .305 Lee mandrel. I also used an Lee crim die to add .0005 of crimp. I just haven't had time to shoot again.

Thanks! I think I will start with benchmark or h322 with the 100 grn range hammers.

 

[Critter Picker]

Let us know how the H322 works out. I've got a few loads that really sing with it. PPC's really like it and I think the ARC would also. 30-30 is about same capacity, I could see that working.

 

[ducky]

The only powder I have faster burning than H335 and I3031, is RL7 and I may give that a try. It drove the 125 gr NBT/NAB at 3100 fps in my 22" .300 Savage and my Daughter's 20" .308 Win. I'm also thinking TAC and 8208XBR might be good choices as well, and I have a few pounds of each. Though a little slower burning, they work well in the capacity range I'm in.

I'd like to find a pound of SW AR Plus or Match Rifle as both show 2778 fps with a max load. AR Plus shows 2642 fps with a 135 FTX and 2550 fps with the 150 FN Sierra PH. I haven't been able to find any AR Plus or its Lovex equivalent online or locally though, but I haven't looked in a few days.

 

[kfreeze]

The only powder I have faster burning than H335 and I3031, is RL7 and I may give that a try. It drove the 125 gr NBT/NAB at 3100 fps in my 22" .300 Savage and my Daughter's 20" .308 Win. I'm also thinking TAC and 8208XBR might be good choices as well, and I have a few pounds of each. Though a little slower burning, they work well in the capacity range I'm in.

I'd like to find a pound of SW AR Plus or Match Rifle as both show 2778 fps with a max load. AR Plus shows 2642 fps with a 135 FTX and 2550 fps with the 150 FN Sierra PH. I haven't been able to find any AR Plus or its Lovex equivalent online or locally though, but I haven't looked in a few days.

I would try rl7 if I had some. That does good in those sized cases too.

 

[ducky]

I would try rl7 if I had some. That does good in those sized cases too.

I've not wanted to touch it because it's hard to get, and I have about 2.5lbs left. I have good loads for the .308 Win with 125gr Noslers and 130 TTSX bullets. My daughter rifle hunts exclusively with the .308 Win, and killed a bunch of stuff with the 125s. So I've been saving the powder for her.

She's going after elk this year with the 168 TTSX, she wasn't happy with the performance of the 125 NAB on her last cow. That was her first elk she has taken that wasn't with a rifle. I know for a fact she hasn't been shooting enough. It's hard to tell a 21 year old who doesn't live at home to get out and practice.

I found this 125 gr .308 bullet and would love to try it. Unfortunately, Hornady is only selling it outside the USA.