Loading cast bullets in .30-30?

[Bucks Owin]

Know whatcha mean Sam. I've got a short barreled Handi Rifle in .45/70 and the stiff loads really whack at both ends. I'd like to get the long target tube for it to add some weight and a little velocity too maybe....Dennis

 

[Yosemite Sam]

I'm still thinking about that H&R Buffalo gun...

-- Sam

 

[Cary]

I'll be watching this thread with interest too Sam. I've recently added to my collection a "sparingly used" 1973 Model 94 that seems very accurate with factory WW 150 and 170 gr loads. Stays in 6 inches at 150 yds with either (or both) loads which is probably kinda lucky considering my failing eyeballs! I'd like to put a Lyman #2 tang sight on it and develop a cast bullet load duplicating factory ballistics and a "lead frugal" light bullet load for plinking. Please post your results amigo....Dennis BTW, I've pondered a rechamber to .30/30 Ackley Improved. Anybody done that?

I have a Marlin 336C that I shoot cast bullets in exclusively. I use cast bullets from Oregon Trail and my own. I have three of the Lee molds I use to cast bullets for it and they are all GC molds (113 gr, 150 gr, & 170 gr.). Here is a link to marlinowners.com of a thread on using lighter bullets in the 30-30. You may want to look it over for a light bullet load.
http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/inde ... 593.0.html
Cary

 

[Bucks Owin]

Much obliged Cary.....Dennis

 

[Chuckbuster]

HANDLOADER #233 Feb.2005 had an article on this exact subject.

Kevin

 

[Yosemite Sam]

HANDLOADER #233 Feb.2005 had an article on this exact subject.

Kevin

Kevin, I found this page, but nothing much about the .30-30. Did I not dig deep enough?

Got my bullets yesterday, so I'm off to the races. As soon as I figure out what I'm going to do, and do it, I'll post results.

-- Sam

 

[Cherokee]

SAM - I have used 309, 310 and 311 sized bullets in my 30-30 and can not really tell much difference. I settled on using 310 for now. Just FWIW

 

[w44wcf]

Yosemite Sam,
.30-30 plain based bullet loads that have worked well for me:
6.5/231
7.0/Unique
12/4227
12/4759
14/5744
16/4198

I find that the slower burning powders 4227, etc. have given better accuracy than the faster burnnig powders.

Have fun.
w44wcf

aka w30wcf

 

[Yosemite Sam]

Yosemite Sam,
.30-30 plain based bullet loads that have worked well for me:
6.5/231
7.0/Unique
12/4227
12/4759
14/5744
16/4198

I find that the slower burning powders 4227, etc. have given better accuracy than the faster burnnig powders.

Have fun.
w44wcf

aka w30wcf

Thanks w44wcf!

Do you happen to have any velocity info on the 4198 load? I've got some of that powder on hand, as well as some 3031, for which I have a recipe, and was thinking of comparing those two loads. These should work pretty well with the relatively hard (6% antimony, 2% tin) bullets I'm using.

-- Sam

 

[Chuckbuster]

HANDLOADER #233 Feb.2005 had an article on this exact subject.

Kevin

Kevin, I found this page, but nothing much about the .30-30. Did I not dig deep enough?

Got my bullets yesterday, so I'm off to the races. As soon as I figure out what I'm going to do, and do it, I'll post results.

-- Sam

I don't know about the online article, I have the printed magazine. Full article by John Haviland, starts on page 50-51.

Kevin

 

[EDK]

While I have MARLIN Cowboy rifles in 30/30 and 45/70 (and enjoy loading for and shooting them,) you might consider getting a rifle in 44 or 45, especially since you already reload for both calibers and are somewhat recoil sensitive. The lighter calibers are a lot more fun to shoot and cheaper to reload for, so they see a lot more time outside the safe. You could provoke some lively discussions on the merits of which caliber in a rifle...as in a handgun.

Go to lasc.us and look up Glenn Fryxell's article on 1894 MARLINS and reloading for same...and become enlightened. Some time spent at castboolits.gunloads.com and marlinowners.com would also be beneficial.

My BIG GUN is a 14 pound SHILOH SHARPS with a 34 inch barrel in 50/90. When you pull the trigger on 100 grains of black powder and a 620+ grain boolit, you know you're shooting a serious rifle!

Once fired brass for 30/30 or 45/70 is readily available on gunbroker.com. My best seller is nuts4bolts from Connecticut and he always has auctions going.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

While I have MARLIN Cowboy rifles in 30/30 and 45/70 (and enjoy loading for and shooting them,) you might consider getting a rifle in 44 or 45, especially since you already reload for both calibers and are somewhat recoil sensitive. The lighter calibers are a lot more fun to shoot and cheaper to reload for, so they see a lot more time outside the safe. You could provoke some lively discussions on the merits of which caliber in a rifle...as in a handgun.

Go to lasc.us and look up Glenn Fryxell's article on 1894 MARLINS and reloading for same...and become enlightened. Some time spent at castboolits.gunloads.com and marlinowners.com would also be beneficial.

My BIG GUN is a 14 pound SHILOH SHARPS with a 34 inch barrel in 50/90. When you pull the trigger on 100 grains of black powder and a 620+ grain boolit, you know you're shooting a serious rifle!

Once fired brass for 30/30 or 45/70 is readily available on gunbroker.com. My best seller is nuts4bolts from Connecticut and he always has auctions going.

EDK, thanks for the response. I gave a lot of thought to the .44/.45 idea, but in the end figured it was cheaper to get dies for the gun I already have, rather than get into a whole new gun.

One thing I've noted: Many of the recipes I've got for lead bullets in .30-30 are pretty mild, and use about the same amount of powders you'd see in a light .44 mag load, pushing a 170gr bullet rather than a 240gr .44 bullet. For instance, 7.0-10.0gr of Unique, 6.x gr of W231, etc. Velocities are still up there, and I don't make to make too many correlations/assumptions as I'm in unknown territory, but I just found the numbers interesting.

Another point in favor of the .30-30: Components and commercial ammo are both on the cheap end of rifle calibers.

I can't imagine a 50/90. I have a .54 cal muzzle loader, and it can be a shoulder full.

Thanks again,

-- Sam

 

[w44wcf]

Yosemite Sam,
.30-30 plain based bullet loads that have worked well for me:
6.5/231
7.0/Unique
12/4227
12/4759
14/5744
16/4198

I find that the slower burning powders 4227, etc. have given better accuracy than the faster burnnig powders.

Have fun.
w44wcf

aka w30wcf

Thanks w44wcf!

Do you happen to have any velocity info on the 4198 load? I've got some of that powder on hand, as well as some 3031, for which I have a recipe, and was thinking of comparing those two loads. These should work pretty well with the relatively hard (6% antimony, 2% tin) bullets I'm using.

-- Sam

Sam,
Sorry for the delay in responding. 16/4198 will push a 165 -170 gr. cast bullet to about 1,400 f.p.s. I find for the best accuracy, I need to position the powder to the back of the case. I do that by partially chambering the cartridge, raising the muzzle momentarily, then closing the action the rest of the way when ready to shoot.

Have fun!
w44wcf

 

[Yosemite Sam]

w44wcf, thanks for the info.

Just as an update to this, I've run up some loads with 3031 and 4198. I started with 16gr of 4198, and think I'm using 18.x right now. This seems to be just about right. My gun shoots the round well, and I get no leading. I just ordered another 500 bullets, which'll probably be a lifetime supply for me.

I'll try to post exact numbers at some point. But in short, "It works".

-- Sam