30-30 advice requested

[yoteassasin]

30-30 Barnes lead free 150grn reloading.
first off any pet load recommendations . I’m shooting then through a savage 340 and marlin 336
. Second , are you crimping ? If so in a groove ? what are you using g to crimp ? ( seat die or separate crimp only die )
if you are using the seating die are you seating and crimping in one operation ?
thanks for responding!

[Grendel Guy]

The only thing I can contribute to this is use (you probably know this already) is use flat tip/round nose projectiles only for the levers. I've got a 10 inch Contender handgun, gives me a little more flexibility using pointed projectiles.

[bigbossman]

30-30 Barnes lead free 150grn reloading.
first off any pet load recommendations . I’m shooting then through a savage 340 and marlin 336
. Second , are you crimping ? If so in a groove ? what are you using g to crimp ? ( seat die or separate crimp only die )
if you are using the seating die are you seating and crimping in one operation ?
thanks for responding!

I reload for 30-30, and use it for hunting. However, I do not live in CA and so do not need or use Barnes TTSX bullets. That being said, I seat/crimp at the same time, in the cannelure, with Lee dies. If you do not crimp with lever guns, or you use a bullet without a crimp groove, you will get set-back (at least, I did).

The Savage 340 is (I believe) is magazine fed, so no worries about pointy bullets there. Since the TTSX's are copper, they have a longer bearing surface and how that plays with the twist rate on your rifles I cannot say, but in general the copper bullets like three things to perform properly:

1) Velocity, the faster the better (within safe load margins, of course. For example, in my 30-06 I am half a grain off maximum.
2) Clean barrel. This is critical - you MUST get all residual copper fouling out of the barrel from prior shooting, before you switch to copper bullets.
3) Jump. The copper bullets like to jump - seating them close to the lands affects accuracy in a negative fashion.

[Spyder]

I don't remember the load but I had good luck with Superformance under some Federal solid copper pull downs I bought. Have loaded a lot of 140-170 cast round nose stuff too. I taper crimp but lightly, and I don't worry about groove. I will pribably buy a Lee FCD before I do another big run of it, I like how that crimp turns out.

[yoteassasin]

I’ve been trying the Lee FCD with some of my other copper loads trying to increase case pressure for a more positive “imprint” when the bullet finally leaves but I’ve been having too many inconsistencies. So I’ve been moving away … and I’ve had a hell of a time with taper crimping wrinkling the case ..
but in a lever gun I know I need to so alas ! Here we are . My kid killed a few hogs with the 30-30 this weekend and another piece had pigs on camera so I think the 30-30 will have quite the renaissance in his hands this year … hopefully I can find a 2moa load relatively easy

[bigbossman]

I’ve been trying the Lee FCD with some of my other copper loads trying to increase case pressure for a more positive “imprint” when the bullet finally leaves but I’ve been having too many inconsistencies. So I’ve been moving away … and I’ve had a hell of a time with taper crimping wrinkling the case ..
but in a lever gun I know I need to so alas ! Here we are . My kid killed a few hogs with the 30-30 this weekend and another piece had pigs on camera so I think the 30-30 will have quite the renaissance in his hands this year … hopefully I can find a 2moa load relatively easy

The 30-30 is a good shorter range gun. I killed a nice Whitetail last week with a circa 1908 Winchester, but I was using the Hornady Interlock round nose.

WRT to crinkling the neck - I presume that is with the seating/crimping die combo? If so, it is critical that all the case be the same length. You'll have to trim them uniformly to get a consistent crimp, or else back the die out a little bit at a time until the issue disappears. The crimp doesnt have to be really pronounced, a light crimp will do.

From the LEE website:

The degree of crimp is adjusted by how far down the knob on the top of the die is turned in. The proper setting for this die is with the adjustment knob turned all the way up, turn the die into the press until it touches the shell plate or shell holder which should be in the raised position. Then, raise an empty case into the die and begin to turn the knob inward until you feel it stop on the top of the case. Another 1/2 turn will apply a good crimp and you can adjust from there to suit your specific need.

The Lee FCD should work well. If you're getting crinkling using it, back it out a bit. Also - back the bullet away from the bore, and let it jump, you'll get better results. And clean all the cooper fouling out of the bore - this is very important.

[Spyder]

If you don't seat and crimp in separate lever pulls, try that. I've never had good luck crimping on the seat stroke. It adds time to the process but is much better.

I switched over to 45 Colt for all my 30-30 range hunting needs. After doing a bunch of research and testing I believe it's a better round for the 120ish yard ranges I wanted, if you handload and tune. Easier to load, higher capacity, bigger bullet, less expansion needed. Six in one, half dozen in the other I suppose.


Curiosity made me look in Strelok. My 45 Colt hunting round is a 250 grain bullet at 1720 fps out of a Marlin 1894 Cowboy. It shows only 6 inches of drop at 150 yards and still carrying 1185 ft lbs of energy. At 200 it's 19 inches and 644 lbs.

Doing a random internet search for 30-30 ballistics with a 150, it shows 2.6 inches of drop at 150 and 975 lb ft of energy. At 200 it's -9 and 783 ft lbs.

Obviously 30wcf is better out there, but at that 0-130 or 150 quick shot iron sight range, it's perfectly adequate and arguably better.

[yoteassasin]

Thanks guys ya crimping and seating in the same process has always been my issue . I'm hoping if I'm crimping into an cannular maybe it will be easier than I think .
any power recommendations from any one ?
I've 3031/ tac/ h4895 / and cfe 223 in range

[bigbossman]

Thanks guys ya crimping and seating in the same process has always been my issue . I'm hoping if I'm crimping into an cannular maybe it will be easier than I think .
any power recommendations from any one ?
I've 3031/ tac/ h4895 / and cfe 223 in range

30gr of H4895 under a 150gr does the job for me. Same Same with 3031.

[Spyder]

I bought a bunch of Leverevolution many years ago. It seems to work fine for me, though I think a lot of the info around it when I bought it was hype. I wouldn't likely buy it again, when so many other more widely used powders are around.

[NapalmCheese]

30-30 Barnes lead free 150grn reloading.
first off any pet load recommendations .

Barnes loads? No.

Pet loads? 5.5 grains of Red Dot under a 165 coated RNFP. I'm sure it's not the answer you wanted, but it's really fun. I seat and crimp at the cannelure in a single operation.

[bruce381]

30-30 trim ALL BRASS to SAME length otherwise crimped neck

[Magilla26]

I have a 30AS in 30-30 and I have had good luck using a Maker REX 150 grain solid copper bullet with H322. COAL of 2.405" using a Lee FCD.