.30-30 Bullet choice

[Nwcid]

I have about 500 pieces of .30-30 brass I am looking to load. This will likely be a one time load that will last forever.

I have about 250, 170gr Remington "SP" bullets, they look like core-lokt. It does not appear these are made anymore.

My original plan was to load them all up with Hornady 160gr FTX bullets, but these come with very mixed review both as ammo and from hand loaders.

Do I:
Load the 250 and call it good?
Load the 250 and find another brand of 170gr bullets to finish the batch?
Sell the 250 and buy 500 other brand?
Other options?

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[2ndtimer]

Are your Remington bullets flat nose or round nose? Pointed bullets in a tubular magazine are supposedly a bad idea. If your 30-30 is a bolt action, or single shot, feel free to use whatever pointed bullet you choose. ( Keeping in mind that bullet should be appropriate for 30-30 velocities).

 

[Nwcid]

Are your Remington bullets flat nose or round nose? Pointed bullets in a tubular magazine are supposedly a bad idea. If your 30-30 is a bolt action, or single shot, feel free to use whatever pointed bullet you choose. ( Keeping in mind that bullet should be appropriate for 30-30 velocities).

Yes, they are the correct bullets for .30-30.

 

[Member 34319]

I've been using the flex tipped ones from hornady. Can't recall their weight or name off hand without looking at the box. They have resulted in1.5" groups at 50 yards using iron sights. I was getting 2000-2100 FPS with decent SD in my 94 using leverevalution powder. What ever they use in the hornady factory ammo is slightly faster.

 

[RVTECH]

I think your usage of the ammo will predicate whether you want to load the 170s at all, or sell them for something different.

Personally I am a fan of lighter bullets in the .30-30 for lighter loads, less recoil and better accuracy with most of my shooting being paper punching and off hand plinking at random targets.

Load a few of the 170s to make sure they are something you even want to shoot!

Several years ago I had 18 rounds of 170 grain from a box of 20 from 1967 and decided to shoot them up for the brass in my 20" short rifle and they were the most brutal .30-30 ammo I had ever shot!

 

[Pandaz3]

Not a re-loader, but I would opt to load the ones I had and try to buy more 170 grain, appropriate bullets to finish out.

 

[Certaindeaf]

You might as well sell those and buy 500 other ones so it doesn't bug you.

 

[Spitpatch]

I'm with RVTECH if given my druthers.
I just finished out 100 rounds of .30-30. This is one caliber that I do in a batch for usage in every .30-30 in the stable. 150g Sierra Flat Point.

However: 250 bullets in hand specifically designed for the .30-30 is nothing to sniff at in this restricted climate.

On the occasions where a Savage 340 or such floats through here, I have seen incredible accuracy from 125g and 150g Ballistic Tips.

My 1948 Marlin 336 is a near-varmint class gun for accuracy with the Sierra 125g Flat Nose Hollow Point.

 

[RVTECH]

[QUOTE My 1948 Marlin 336 is a near-varmint class gun for accuracy with the Sierra 125g Flat Nose Hollow Point. [/QUOTE]
I believe this as I know these bullets well, and used to use them exclusively in my .30-30s!

The Speer 110 grain HP 'Varminters' are also an excellent choice as well and have shot very accurately for me.

However with the frequency I shoot .30-30 I eventually gravitated toward lighter bullets for reduced loads (and reduced cost!) and have pretty much settled on Speer 100 grain 'Plinkers' or 100 grain RN FMJ intended for .30 carbine.

Both shoot very well and essentially equal in accuracy.

 

[Nwcid]

The plan is to use these in my Marlin 336 with 4x scope. I rarely shoot it, but is better to have ammo on hand than brass and bullets......

As mentioned, finding affordable/available bullets is a challenge right now, or this would likely not even be a question.

As to which bullet, it is not about "bugging me", it is about loading up a single batch of bullets that all shoot the same.

Typically I would prefer a lighter bullet, but again I have these on hand, but at the moment there is no rush to load either........

 

[ron]

However with the frequency I shoot .30-30 I eventually gravitated toward lighter bullets for reduced loads (and reduced cost!) and have pretty much settled on Speer 100 grain 'Plinkers' or 100 grain RN FMJ intended for .30 carbine.

I have some 30 carbine bullets interested in your recipe for 30-30???

 

[RVTECH]

I have some 30 carbine bullets interested in your recipe for 30-30???

10 grains of Unique results in a literally, scarily accurate round!

 

[2ndtimer]

10 grains of Unique results in a literally, scarily accurate round!

It is probably pretty quiet, too. I have loaded 8.0 grains of Blue Dot behind a 40 gr Sierra HP in a .223 Remington bolt gun for .22 Magnum performacne and noise level. Was surprisingly accurate at 100/yards.

 

[Spitpatch]

Pretty cool. I have a pile of carbine bullets. Might just give that a try.

 

[Koda]

The plan is to use these in my Marlin 336 with 4x scope. I rarely shoot it, but is better to have ammo on hand than brass and bullets......

As mentioned, finding affordable/available bullets is a challenge right now, or this would likely not even be a question.

As to which bullet, it is not about "bugging me", it is about loading up a single batch of bullets that all shoot the same.

Typically I would prefer a lighter bullet, but again I have these on hand, but at the moment there is no rush to load either........

If thats your application then the bullets you have on hand will be just fine. Given todays ammo crunch I wouldnt be picky with finding specific bullets. The 3030 Marlins are not precision shooters but they are accurate shooters and the difference in drop between the 150g and 170g is minimal. I would load the 250 bullets you have and buy the same grain to finish loading the rest of the casings you have.

My original plan was to load them all up with Hornady 160gr FTX bullets, but these come with very mixed review both as ammo and from hand loaders.

FWIW though I dont reload, when I switched to Hornandys 160g FTX factory ammo I cut my group almost in half and hold under 2.5" groups at 100yds benchrest right on bullseye. Their pointed flextip bullets are safe in tubular mags. I give that bullet a good review

 

[orygun]

I'd load the 170's and call 'er good. As a kid I shot 150's because Dad liked the higher velocity. I have some saved because the grandson is now inquiring about shooting his rifle. I can't tell the difference in recoil between the 150 and 170, but he's not an experienced shooter, yet.

Here's a 170gr Coke-Lokt after it went through a shoulder blade and 23" of deer.

 

[orygun]

However with the frequency I shoot .30-30 I eventually gravitated toward lighter bullets for reduced loads (and reduced cost!) and have pretty much settled on Speer 100 grain 'Plinkers' or 100 grain RN FMJ intended for .30 carbine.

Now that's a great idea for my young rifleman! I have an old box of Speer 30 Carbine bullets and a bunch of Unique and Blue Dot.

Thanks @RVTECH and @2ndtimer .

I'll bet my Lyman manual lists this stuff...

 

[orygun]

And after RVTECH and 2ndtimer got the wheels turning in my head, I found a member that had a bunch of 110gr Plinkers up for sale. The checks on the way to him and I'll see those bullets shortly. Now I need to get a shellplate for my Dillon or break out my ol Lyman turret and get to work. The kid's gonna love this!

 

[Spitpatch]

I'd load the 170's and call 'er good. As a kid I shot 150's because Dad liked the higher velogity. I have some saved because the grandson is now inquiring about shooting his rifle. I can't tell the difference in recoil between the 150 and 170, but he's not an experienced shooter, yet.

Here's a 170gr Coke-Lokt after it went through a shoulder blade and 23" of deer.

View attachment 789355

...AND LANDED ON THE HOOD OF YOUR TRUCK!

 

[RVTECH]

The kid's gonna love this!

Im sure he will!

I started with 12 grains of Unique with the 100 grain 'Plinkers' and backed off to 10 with the 110s. Seemed to improve accuracy a bit and shot 'smoother'.

Recently (due to a lack of 100s or the 110s) I tried some 135 gr cast lead bullets and they were a bit of challenge at first to find an accurate load and I finally settled on 8 grains of Unique as any more started showing a bit of leading in the barrel.

It is also necessary to flare the case mouths when loading these and I made my own case flaring die for this purpose.