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Old October 25, 2013, 12:30 PM   #1
JKump
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30-30 Ammo

Getting a 1967 Winchester Model 94 classic 30-30. I don't reload, so I need a good factory hunting ammo for this rifle. What is your choice and why. Also most shots should be under 100 yards, hunting middle Georgia Whitetail deer.
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Old October 25, 2013, 12:45 PM   #2
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I doubt either you nor a middle Georgia Whitetail could tell the difference between any of the round nose or flat point 150 grain loadings from Winchester, Remington, or Hornady. I have no experience with the flex-tip bullets ..... I never saw enough ballistic advantage to justify working up a new load.

If you were to handload, I'd suggest Hornady's 150gr RN over 35.0gr of H335 in a Winchester full length sized case, seated to the cannelure, with a Lee Factory Crimp, and a Winchester Large Rifle primer......

Last edited by jimbob86; October 25, 2013 at 01:01 PM.
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Old October 25, 2013, 12:48 PM   #3
Tom Matiska
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Today's beggars can't be choosers. I don't know that there is a bad 30-30 offering on the shelf. Longest unbroken string of clean single shot kills in my circle of friends and family belongs to Win's 150gr Hollow Points.

Follower in your vintage 94 is not FTX friendly. First round in the tube(last one to be fired) may not feed up the ramp smoothly.
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Old October 25, 2013, 01:00 PM   #4
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Longest unbroken string of clean single shot kills in my circle of friends and family belongs to Win's 150gr Hollow Points.
I was not aware that Winchester was offering hollow points, or pointed bullets for that matter, in 30-30 ...... a look at their site showed me otherwise.

That said, I would not use any pointy bullets in your Model 94 .... pointy bullets lined up one behind the other in a tube magazine does not leave me with the warm-n-fuzzies. Some claim to have done it for years without incident....... I don't recommend it.
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Old October 25, 2013, 01:07 PM   #5
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Mine likes Federal 150 grain Power Shok.
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Old October 25, 2013, 02:48 PM   #6
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Winchester or Remington will work fine. They have for many decades.
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Old October 25, 2013, 03:30 PM   #7
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I'm in the middle of finding which my newly acquired early 80's 94 AE likes the best. So far it has been a toss up between the 150 gr Remington, and the 170 gr. Winchester for accuracy. I have only fired a few rounds so far. Maybe 6 of each, and at only 50 yards. Both being inside minute of deer accuracy. The Remington standing with no rest. The Winchester held a tighter group, but was shot from a rest. Next week I hope to get a little more extensive testing done.
If I decide to use the old Thudy-Thudy, I'm leaning toward the 170 grain for a little more punch.
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Old October 25, 2013, 04:36 PM   #8
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The 150s kill deer dead first shot, but make sure your 94 shoots them as well as mine. Target the thing with a few different rounds to see which one works best.

My 59 eats the winchesters as well as my newer 70s 94.

longest shot on a deer was like 40 yards....
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Old October 25, 2013, 04:39 PM   #9
Tom Matiska
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Jim.... Win has had 150HP and Rem 170HP for a while..... 1990's I think

The FTX is of course Hornady's flex tip that is safe for use in tubes...... but the tip does tend to stay centered in the concave follower and the last round in the tube may not go rim up/tip down well when it needs to slide up the loading ramp..
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Old October 25, 2013, 05:21 PM   #10
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Jim.... Win has had 150HP and Rem 170HP for a while..... 1990's I think
I don't claim to know everything .... I try to learn something everyday.

I have not done much research on 30-30 fodder, other than the FTX and Levereveloution/Superformance stuff since I started loading for my daughter's Marlin 30A .... we did get a few boxes of Federal Power Shock on sale at Cabela's- I figured it was cheaper than buying the bullets and brass .....
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Old October 26, 2013, 07:56 AM   #11
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Always used Federal Power Shock 150s or similar in my Marlin 336 and my Win Model 94. Good ol' 30-30 may be lacking in sex appeal compared to the bigger calibers, but statistically, it must be one of the most prolific game harvesters out there.
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Old October 26, 2013, 11:35 AM   #12
PetahW
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.

Some folks like vanilla; others like chocolate - some folks like the 150gr loads; others like the 170gr loads.

You can't go wrong with either - BUT, if I were you (since you don't reload), I would suggest you buy enough of whatever to last many years (like at least 10 boxes of 20).


.
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Old October 26, 2013, 03:40 PM   #13
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I know Georgia, been there seen that.
I know southern deer, saw those too as well as copperheads.
I know 30-30.
I have to think there is really no big difference at all among the popular 30-30 choices for your situation. Southern deer in general run smaller so a 150 grain is good. A 170 does the job too. I have to think if you bought any particular brand and weight, and you sighted in for that- it all has to work regardless what it is or where it comes from.
You could even do something I have done in some cases. We all sometimes think we want to test and use one item that is best. But there is merit in shooting several brands as well as weights. Mark the target holes and come up with a middle average and align your sights so that any one of them is in the vital zone. Maybe none that are perfect on the spot, but anything you buy and shoot would take a deer.
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Old October 27, 2013, 10:49 AM   #14
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The 30-30 is one of the few calibers I buy factory ammo for. Most of my ammo is my own handloads. I get the best accuracy from my two 30-30s from remington green box express. It doesn't matter if they are 150s or 170 gr loads. They always give me good accuracy.

I bought a box of winchester 170gr silvertips that shot groups smaller than an inch at 100 yards. My buddy and I were both amazed at how well those shot. So I went back to WM and bought two more boxes of them. They were a different lot number and at best shoot 2" groups at 100 yards.

So the moral is test several loads. If you find a load that just really shoots well in your gun go buy all of that run of ammo you can afford. And I don't think deer can tell the difference between a 150 or a 170gr bullet. I prefer 170gr bullets myself.
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Old October 27, 2013, 10:45 PM   #15
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Went cheap a few years ago and bought some Monarch 30-30 150 gr. brass case.(all I could find) Wouldn't chamber in my Win. '94. The rim was to thick. I won't buy it anymore, as the Federal and Remington are cheap enough. I think Privi made the Monarch. Their stuff is usually pretty good. Guess my '94 is picky, but it shoots fine with everything else.
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