Which bullet for 30-30?
- Thread starter Kennedy
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VikingsGuy
Well-known member
140 grain Hornady 30-30 Monoflex. Better BC than typical 30-30 bullet to maintain terminal speed and energy, 95% weight retention for penetration and no lead.
Or, Barnes 150 grain TSX 30-30 FN. 99% weight retention, no lead.
Powders according to Hornady/Barnes posted load data.
Or, Barnes 150 grain TSX 30-30 FN. 99% weight retention, no lead.
Powders according to Hornady/Barnes posted load data.
Rzrbck918
Well-known member
I like the 150 gr Barnes TSX as well. All copper if that matters to you. I have also loaded some Hornady FTX in 160. I load them with H-4895.
44hunter45
Well-known member
I going to assume this for a lever gun? My 30WCF is the oldest rifle in my safe. I don't hot rod it.
I ran 150 Speer flat points over IMR 4320 for years and killed many deer with it.
I am now using 170 FP over IMR 3031.
It's a fun rifle in the think cover for still hunting.
There is something special about dropping the backpack full of gear and just hitting the woods with a rifle and a knife.
I ran 150 Speer flat points over IMR 4320 for years and killed many deer with it.
I am now using 170 FP over IMR 3031.
It's a fun rifle in the think cover for still hunting.
There is something special about dropping the backpack full of gear and just hitting the woods with a rifle and a knife.
Gunner46
Well-known member
I'll play the Devil's advocate for a moment. You want penetration? Junk the 30/30 and get a 458 Win Mag & some 500 gr flat point bullets. Penetration!
That bit of sarcasm aside, it would benefit us all if you would elaborate about the conditions/game/ ranges you expect to be hunting.
Penetration on a woodchuck is a tad different than on a coyote, a whitetail, a bear, a hog.........Mo' Info please.
That bit of sarcasm aside, it would benefit us all if you would elaborate about the conditions/game/ ranges you expect to be hunting.
Penetration on a woodchuck is a tad different than on a coyote, a whitetail, a bear, a hog.........Mo' Info please.
shootbrownelk
Well-known member
What weapon? Handgun, Lever rifle, bolt action?
44hunter45
Well-known member
I do intend to retire the mighty 1894 some day and get a Marlin 45/70.
I am the first to admit the 30/30 does not handle high angle shots well. Especially front quartering shots. It is not a bone breaker. You want a good broadside.
I have a tang sight but still limit myself to 100 yards with it. Before it came to me, my dad lost some good mule deer bucks with it. He saved until he could get a 30-06.
He cursed that rifle and wanted his deer Dead Right There.
Its a 94. The gun was my dads. He bought it new. He past away so I have the gun now my son is using it. I want to find a bullet that will kill game. I got alot of 170 grain Speers but I haven't shot nothing with it yet. 2 boxes of partitions and 1 box of hornadys. Ill probably try Sierra also if I can get some.
VikingsGuy
Well-known member
The only gun that has possibly killed more game animals in the last 70 years than the 30-30 might be the 30-06. Within 150 yards, 150-170 grain cheap "cup and core" CorLokts in 30-30 have killed literally millions of deer in the US. And a modern TSX FN, or monoflex are more potent than those. I don't think you have anything to worry about with any of the suggested 30-30 rounds on this thread humanely and efficiently killing a deer within 100 yards with any decent shot placement. If one of these bullets don't make a clean kill of deer at 100 yards you missed your shot or took an ill-advised shot -- and no bullet makes up for that.
EastTNHunter
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I’ll be using 170gr cast boolits in my 30-30 this year
2rocky
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What ever happened to the Lever Evolution bullets from Hornady?
noharleyyet
Well-known member
Still going strong...using 325g FTX in a 45-70. Pig introduction soon.
"Kill game" is a broad term. The last deer I killed with my 30-30 dropped in its tracks. I hit it with a speer hot core 150 flatnose over 30 grains of 3031 (easy load to remember and my 336 likes it). Inside 100 yards on deer its easily a killer. Bigger game or longer ranges may change what your looking for. If you can hit where you want a 170 grain inside of 150 yards should be enough for about anything they sell a tag for.
I purchased the Hornady Lever Evolution FTX bullets not knowing they are too long to reload to get a 15/1000 bullet jump to the lands in the barrel and still properly go from the tubular magazine into the chamber for a Winchester M94 lever action rifle. In order to make it function smoothly, the bullets must be seated much deeper by an additional .150 inches. That, in my opinion is a huge bullet jump that affects accuracy. Level action rifles are not known for accuracy, but this doesn't help matters. Velocity and a higher BC coefficient means nothing without accuracy. So whats the point? I suspect the old fashioned flat nose with the bullet seated about .015 (15/1000)" bullet jump to the lands is a better bet and I am going with that. The range will tell the tale as I will try both there.
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noharleyyet
Well-known member
old thread but I'll posit this;
steinelammo.com
30-30 Winchester 160gr FTX Deer Load- Steinel Ammo
Hornady 160gr FTX 2,100 FPS Vihta Vuori powder New Starline brass CCI primers 20 Rounds - 30-30, 30-30 ammo, 30-30 win, 30-30 Winchester, 30-30 winchester ammo
Never doubt the effectiveness of the old 30-30 Winchester or 32 Special, 45-70 Gov or similar - basically simialar ballistics. My father walked into a family of moose at 50 yds. He shot the bull, cow and 2 calves in less than ten seconds and could have shot more if there was more. One bullet each one. Like anything, put a good bullet in right spot and the shooter will get it done. My father shot a truckload of deer and moose with it in woods hunting, iron sights with rear Williams peep sight (which is much faster to get aim than western U -sights), offhand at under 75 yds. in general. The old lever action rifles were and are fast, light, short and effective. More modern short action cartridges like the 308 Winchester still chambered in lever action rifles are probably a better choice for moose. But nostalgic hunters still like the old cartridges and even cast their own lead bullets which adds to the fun. There is a ton of 30-30's around and they will be in active service for a long time to come. For older gents with failing eyesight, most old lever guns will accept side mount scope bases and scopes which allows shooters to stay in the game even longer.
2” is good enough for the 200 yard range of a 30-30. Practice and kill. It may be that the load tightens up as you get past 100 as well.
I believe you answered your own question.
I shoot handloads with the FTX bullet and Leverevolution powder.
I am really happy with my load out to 200 yds.
Probably won’t shoot that far with it as I’m using them in my Winchester model 94 with a Williams peep sight.
Use the FTX, it is only ten grains less than the 170s and has a better BC, AND as you’ve said, it works….
