.30-30 loads for Remington 788

bekellog · February 14, 2012, 11:17 AM

So I purchased a Remington 788 in .30-30 the other day and was playing around with the idea of loading a pointed bullet, however when i tried to seat a 165gr(what i had on hand)bullet it was so far down into the case im not sure i will have much room for powder. My other option is to go with the standard 30-30 bullets or try the new 160 gr. leverloution bullet from hornday, i do have a pound of leverloution powder i was wondering about loading with, I just don't have much load data on it. I was wondering if anyone had any favorite 30-30 loads for a 788???

PA-Joe · February 14, 2012, 05:15 PM

Yes, if you are using the COL for a round nosed bullet it will set very far back. Use the manufacturer's COL and make cetrtain that it will feed from the mag.

PawPaw · February 14, 2012, 05:36 PM

Not for a 788 particularly, but try the 125 grain spitzers. I'm using Sierra Gamekings and they're very good bullets. They're also short, so loading them deeply enough to get OAL for your magazine shouldn't be a problem.

McShooty · February 15, 2012, 12:23 PM

You are a Lucky man! The Model 788 in .30-30 is an excellent and very accurate rifle. Do not set spire point bullets to the same OAL as normal (flat or round) .30-30 bullets. Your chamber leade should be long enough to allow them to be set out a bit. Likewise, the magazine is long enough to allow for this and still function. The neck of the .30-30 is so long that a 165-grain spire point should not have to intrude below the shoulder. The Hornady 160-grain FTX bullets and LEVERevolution powder give excellent results and you will have fun making up and testing such loads in your 788. The 160-gr FTX has a cannelure and if you crimp on it your loads will have normal OAL and the bullet does not intrude on the powder space. The label on the powder jar recommends 35.2 grains for .30-30. I would drop back 2 grains to begin with, but the 35.2 gives the velocity increase that Hornady claims for this combination and is well-behaved in my 788. Also, the Sierra 170-gr flat nose, a standard .30-30 bullet, has given me excellent results.

Tom Matiska · February 15, 2012, 01:09 PM

Hornady has data for their FTX, note the remark about case length, also that most loads are below what data for conventional 150's and 170's suggests. The FTX has more bullet below the waterline than standard 30-30 bullets... less case volume.

http://www.hornady.com/assets/files/...30_win_ftx.pdf

Hodgdon also published data on their sight that includes their LVR powder.

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

If hunting is a consideration there is a point where the advantage spitzers have on paper may only be on paper. ie at 200 yards the old FP at 1600fps will work but the spitzer at 1900 may not expand well. Except for the FTX, I'd consider Nosler 125's or 150's the max for reliable expansion downrange.

.284 · February 15, 2012, 05:17 PM

Worked on one last year and had some solid advise from our forum members.
Lighter shorter bullets seemed to be the ticket.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=436553

February 14, 2012, 11:17 AM	#1
bekellog Member Join Date: March 1, 2011 Posts: 28	.30-30 loads for Remington 788 So I purchased a Remington 788 in .30-30 the other day and was playing around with the idea of loading a pointed bullet, however when i tried to seat a 165gr(what i had on hand)bullet it was so far down into the case im not sure i will have much room for powder. My other option is to go with the standard 30-30 bullets or try the new 160 gr. leverloution bullet from hornday, i do have a pound of leverloution powder i was wondering about loading with, I just don't have much load data on it. I was wondering if anyone had any favorite 30-30 loads for a 788???

February 14, 2012, 05:36 PM	#3
PawPaw Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2010 Location: Central Louisiana Posts: 3,137	Not for a 788 particularly, but try the 125 grain spitzers. I'm using Sierra Gamekings and they're very good bullets. They're also short, so loading them deeply enough to get OAL for your magazine shouldn't be a problem. __________________ Dennis Dezendorf http://pawpawshouse.blogspot.com

February 15, 2012, 12:23 PM	#4
McShooty Senior Member Join Date: January 4, 2012 Location: Northern Missouri Posts: 480	You are a Lucky man! The Model 788 in .30-30 is an excellent and very accurate rifle. Do not set spire point bullets to the same OAL as normal (flat or round) .30-30 bullets. Your chamber leade should be long enough to allow them to be set out a bit. Likewise, the magazine is long enough to allow for this and still function. The neck of the .30-30 is so long that a 165-grain spire point should not have to intrude below the shoulder. The Hornady 160-grain FTX bullets and LEVERevolution powder give excellent results and you will have fun making up and testing such loads in your 788. The 160-gr FTX has a cannelure and if you crimp on it your loads will have normal OAL and the bullet does not intrude on the powder space. The label on the powder jar recommends 35.2 grains for .30-30. I would drop back 2 grains to begin with, but the 35.2 gives the velocity increase that Hornady claims for this combination and is well-behaved in my 788. Also, the Sierra 170-gr flat nose, a standard .30-30 bullet, has given me excellent results. Last edited by McShooty; February 15, 2012 at 12:31 PM.

February 15, 2012, 05:17 PM	#6
.284 Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2009 Location: davison, michigan Posts: 665	Here's some info you might find helpful. Worked on one last year and had some solid advise from our forum members. Lighter shorter bullets seemed to be the ticket. http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=436553 __________________ Guns have only two enemies, rust and politicians! Deer are amazing creatures....so please don't burn the sauteed onions and I'll pass on the steak sauce, thank you.

February 14, 2012, 05:15 PM	#2
PA-Joe Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2010 Location: NEPA Posts: 909	Yes, if you are using the COL for a round nosed bullet it will set very far back. Use the manufacturer's COL and make cetrtain that it will feed from the mag.

February 15, 2012, 01:09 PM	#5
Tom Matiska Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2000 Location: Wilkes-Barre, Pa Posts: 1,029	Hornady has data for their FTX, note the remark about case length, also that most loads are below what data for conventional 150's and 170's suggests. The FTX has more bullet below the waterline than standard 30-30 bullets... less case volume. http://www.hornady.com/assets/files/...30_win_ftx.pdf Hodgdon also published data on their sight that includes their LVR powder. http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp If hunting is a consideration there is a point where the advantage spitzers have on paper may only be on paper. ie at 200 yards the old FP at 1600fps will work but the spitzer at 1900 may not expand well. Except for the FTX, I'd consider Nosler 125's or 150's the max for reliable expansion downrange.