30/30 loads

warren57 · Mar 31, 2020

Hi- I have an older lever action Winchester 30/30 I got when my dad passed away years ago. I reload pistol ammunition so thought I would get dies and load some 30/30 cartridges.
I am not familiar with load components for 30/30. I have been reading articles posted and it appears round nose bullets are required in the tubular designed magazine, 150 grain 30 cal. Is a pretty standard weight, powder I would take of the Hodgdon website such as IMR 3031, large rifle primers seem to be what's needed but there are many different varieties available. Any help with understanding primer options would be appreciate. Right now we seem to be entering another shortage of everything available so you have to adapt to what's available. there seems to be a few Winchester primers around. I was thinking Winchester 9 1/2 ? just not sure what others might work.
so, any advise from all of you would be appreciated. On all components and even procedure would be great.
thanks
warren

Eveskcige28 · Mar 31, 2020

As for primers as lo g as they're large rifle and not magnums they should all be pretty interchangable. There are slight differences in how "hot" they are but your starting from the bottom so no worries there. Just what's available. In order to rifle (bottleneck) rounds you will need some sort of case lube. Also when setting up your sizing dies. Often times people like to "bump the shoulder" so rather then screwing the die all the way down til it hit the shell holder you play with the height and feel for the shoulder moving (extra pressure on the handle) as long as all your brass comfortably chambers in the rifle you're good to go.

Sagebrush Dave · Mar 31, 2020

30-30 rounds headspace on the rim, not the shoulder but a case that fits the chamber well is always more accurate,, If it comes out of your gun, it will go back in with only neck sizing and should work great. Any flat nosed or round nosed slug will work in the 30-30 from 125Gr HP sold by Sierra to 160's sold by Hornady. Winchester 748 is my favorite powder for that caliber as it meters almost perfectly out of a powder measure once it is set via a scale. Standard large rifle primers work fine with most powders used or recommended by the loading manuals. Speaking of manuals, when using a bullet, either Speer, Hornady, Sierra etc., be sure to use the loading information posted by "that" manufacturer. Different slugs have different bearing surfaces and data for a Speer may not be good for a Sierra and so on.

RVTECH · Mar 31, 2020

Loading .30-30 takes a LITTLE more care than say other bottleneck cartridges due to the long and relatively thin case neck.

I highly recommend you start with LEE dies that include a collet style Factory Crimp Die. The collet style die 'squeezes' the neck of the cartridge as opposed to a roll crimp which if not set properly will easily 'bulge' the case neck and prevent chambering. Even cases that are all trimmed to the same length will sometimes vary a thou or two and that is just enough to slightly bulge the case and make for tight or inability to chamber the round. The collet crimp die eliminates any problems due to slight differences in case length.

As previously mentioned any LR primer should be fine. I have NEVER had a primer of any brand seat overly tightly in a .30-30 case.

I would like to recommend a good, old load that is inexpensive, very accurate with soft recoil and that is with either the Speer 100 Grain 'Plinker' bullet, the Hornady equivalent or 110 grain FMJ or plated bullets intended for the .30 carbine loaded with 12 grains of Unique powder.

These chrono around 1700 +/- FPS and out of my .30-30s shoot ragged one hole at 50 yards consistently. I 'waffle' between the 100's and the 110s (depending on what I find at any given time) and both shoot with nearly the same accuracy. Eventually I am going to buy a box of bulk plated 110s and use those exclusively as I shoot .30-30 a lot.

This target is a recent five shot group at fifty yards, benchrest, out of my 26" WInchester '66 100 Year Commemorative with a Williams receiver rear and a Lyman globe front with the 100 grain Plinkers.

DizzyJ · Mar 31, 2020

RVTECH said:
Loading .30-30 takes a LITTLE more care than say other bottleneck cartridges due to the long and relatively thin case neck.

I highly recommend you start with LEE dies that include a collet style Factory Crimp Die. The collet style die 'squeezes' the neck of the cartridge as opposed to a roll crimp which if not set properly will easily 'bulge' the case neck and prevent chambering. Even cases that are all trimmed to the same length will sometimes vary a thou or two and that is just enough to slightly bulge the case and make for tight or inability to chamber the round. The collet crimp die eliminates any problems due to slight differences in case length.

As previously mentioned any LR primer should be fine. I have NEVER had a primer of any brand seat overly tightly in a .30-30 case.

I would like to recommend a good, old load that is inexpensive, very accurate with soft recoil and that is with either the Speer 100 Grain 'Plinker' bullet, the Hornady equivalent or 110 grain FMJ or plated bullets intended for the .30 carbine loaded with 12 grains of Unique powder.

These chrono around 1700 +/- FPS and out of my .30-30s shoot ragged one hole at 50 yards consistently. I 'waffle' between the 100's and the 110s (depending on what I find at any given time) and both shoot with nearly the same accuracy. Eventually I am going to buy a box of bulk plated 110s and use those exclusively as I shoot .30-30 a lot.

This target is a recent five shot group at fifty yards, benchrest, out of my 26" WInchester '66 100 Year Commemorative with a Williams receiver rear and a Lyman globe front with the 100 grain Plinkers.
View attachment 677732
View attachment 677734

That's impressive for a 30-30!

CLT65 · Mar 31, 2020

3031 is a good powder for the 30-30, but there's another that's great: Hodgdon LEVERevolution. I worked up some 30-30 loads a while back, and really liked it. On the plus side, in recent years when all the powder shelves were cleaned out, LVR was often the only powder available on the shelf. I suspect that's because it's usefulness is pretty much limited to the 30-30, and very similar calibers.

Member 34319 · Mar 31, 2020

No joke @RVTECH that some damn good printing for 30-30.

I loaded up my first 50 rounds for my grandpas 30-30 last week. If I come anywhere near that, I'd bubblegum a brick!