Accurate powder for 30-30 ?

farmerboy · January 8, 2011, 09:58 PM

What is probably the most accurate powder for the lever action 30-30's? Lets say the 160 grain Hornady's FTX's...

TheNatureBoy · January 8, 2011, 10:19 PM

My other manuals are in my garage (detached) and its super cold outside but....I do have my Nosler manual handy and for the 170 grain (no info for 160 gr pill) Varget is listed as the most accurate powder.

P-990 · January 9, 2011, 08:28 AM

I confess my .30-30 experience is rather limited, but I have found it's not particularly picky. My favorite has been H4895 with a 150gr Sierra FN. Winchester 748 will also work well, I actually have a box loaded up with this powder that I did just to finish off the last of a pound. Varget and Reloder 15 should work well also, they seem to work well in near anything else they're suitable for.

The only "fail" I've had with a .30-30 load is when using Reloder 7. The data I found was all over the place and I found the accuracy fell off pretty fast as I worked up the charge scale. And the one load that did shoot under 2" at 100 yards doesn't shoot to the same POA/POI as factory ammo or the 4895 loads, leading me believe it is running significantly slower.

Of course, as always, YMMV.

t45 · January 9, 2011, 10:05 AM

P-990, my most accurate load to date is Re-7

. It all depends on the gun and the componants used. My 30-30 is a Model 24v 30-30 on top and 12ga on bottom so it doesnt suprise me that my results are different from the lever actions.

farmerboy · January 9, 2011, 10:10 AM

I have a bunch loaded already with Varget and like them very much but have not trid any other powder and just wandering what is suppose to be the most accurate. Varget is what I always have on hand, Its a powder like Unique. Use them in so many calibers and appliocations and work good just about anywhere..

Jim243 · January 9, 2011, 10:23 AM

My understanding is that IMR 3031 is very good.

Jim

wncchester · January 9, 2011, 02:31 PM

"just wandering what is suppose to be the most accurate"

Any one of a half dozen powders comes to mind. Sorry, but which one of them is supposed to be "most accurate" is about as answerable as asking, "About how high is 'UP' supposed to be?"

misskimo · January 9, 2011, 04:53 PM

160 GR. HDY FTX Hodgdon LVR .308" lenth 2.535"
min 32.0 Gr FPS 2221 31,200 CUP ,,,, Max 35.5C FPS 2389 37,500 CUP

listed on hodgdons website , seams a good place to start I recon,

I never heard of LVR, is there another name for this?

the other question I would like to know. why would you need a big ole heavy slow bullet?
that 110g bullet doing about 2600 FPS would take moose and caribou down if you can shoot

PawPaw · January 9, 2011, 07:12 PM

IMR 3031 is my go-to powder for .30-30

along with Reloder 15.

And 4895 for cast-bullet loads

Quote:

Originally Posted by misskimo

the other question I would like to know. why would you need a big ole heavy slow bullet?that 110g bullet doing about 2600 FPS would take moose and caribou down if you can shoot

For many years, the .30-30 was loaded almost exclusively with 150-170 grain bullets in the factory loadings. They're devastating when used properly.

Looking at the Hodgdon site, I don't see any bullets in that caliber traveling 2600 fps. Of course, all rifles are different, but there's no sense in stretching the frame on a good .30-30.

jimbob86 · January 9, 2011, 07:59 PM

Quote:

the other question I would like to know. why would you need a big ole heavy slow bullet?

Penetration.

Mr. Nosler invented his famous Partition bullet because he experienced inadquate penetration with standard bullets out of a 300 H&H Magnum ..... you advocate for a bullet of similar speed, yet weighing a bit over 2/3 of the 300 H&H Mag's bullet that failed to stop a moose for Mr. Nosler ..... yet you think a 110 gain bullet would be just the thing for a moose ...... meh-beeeee it would kill that moose, but it might not kill it today. How many days you want to chase a wounded moose around AK? Never been there, but I understand there are safer, more comfortable places to navigate.........

..... and, if you ask me (which you didn't, but I'll opine anyhow!) 2600 f/sec is not real fast...... IMHO, the bar for "high-powered rifle" is 180gr @ 2600f/sec..... 150 @ 2800 ....... 130 @ 3000 ...... 30/30 is an "intermediate" round, like the 7.62x39 .....just not as efficient. Sure, you can kill a Moose with a .30/30 ........ and you can kill a whitetail with a .22 and a polar bear with a .222 ........ does not make it the optimum choice. Use enough gun.

res45 · January 9, 2011, 08:36 PM

farmerboy Hodgdon is now selling the powder used in the LEVERevolution ammo Hornady makes you should be able to call Hornady and get the load data if you choose to use that powder with the FTX bullet. http://www.hodgdon.com/rifle.html

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

jimbob86 · January 9, 2011, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Hodgdon is now selling the powder used in the LEVERevolution ammo Hornady makes you should be able to call Hornady and get the load data if you choose to use that powder with the FTX bullet. http://www.hodgdon.com/rifle.html

Looks like you can make a 200 yard gun into a 250 yard gun .......

misskimo · January 10, 2011, 02:31 AM

Well Jim Bob, I see it happen every year, 223 is the gun used mostly for hunting moose, Yeh! its not my type of gun to use, I have a 300 Ultra mag, 338 win mag, 30-06, and 270 that I would use for a moose, I also have a 30-30, good for shooting caribou no problem, as well as my SKS and 223, 22-250 will put one down, and when hunting caribou on the snowmachine, I use a 22 mag for caribou, and yes there is 2600, well close to it on hodgdon website, 110 g win 748, does 2595, close to 2600, I like my 30-30 , dad bought it when I was 2 years old in 67, been useing it as a varmint gun, seals, use the factory rim sabot 55g that shoots around 3300 fps, Just slapped a red dot one it, should be fun.
this gun will be shot alot this spring, Ganna teach my girls to shoot with it. they are at that age

joe poteat · January 10, 2011, 08:36 AM

Lived in NFLD 4.5 yrs. Shot 4 moose with 30-30 170 gr silvertip. Never had to trail one.

Scorch · January 10, 2011, 10:19 AM

30-30 does best with a relatively fast rifle powder like IMR3031 or Reloder 7. Varget is right around that burn rate too, but I have never used it. The old standard load was 31.0 gr of IMR3031.

ryalred · January 10, 2011, 04:33 PM

Varget and IMR3031 both work very well.

TXJohn · January 10, 2011, 05:00 PM

I have loaded both IMR 4064 and IMR 3031 with the 3031 giving the best accuracy.

Peter M. Eick · January 16, 2011, 09:08 AM

I have had best luck with 3031 and RL7 but I keep wanting to try H335 (have to check my notes though). I hear that it is quite accurate.

3031 just works so well with 150's that I have not had much enthusiasm for the project.

William T. Watts · January 16, 2011, 02:20 PM

30gr of IMR3031 with 150gr Hornadys & 31gr of IMR4895 with 170gr Partitions. All of the powders mentioned in previous posts are good choices, IMR4064 is the slowest powder I have used in a 30/30. William

Iron Deacon · January 16, 2011, 10:05 PM

The 30-30 works great with bullets in the 150-170 gr range and powders like IMR 3031, IMR 4895, Reloader 15, Varget.

My personal load I currently use for my Win 94 is a 170 gr Sierra FN over 34.0 gr Reloader 15 and a Federal 210M primer.

As always, my loads may not be safe in YOUR rifle, so start low and work up - we'll both be safe then!

crowbeaner · January 18, 2011, 07:09 PM

WW 748 and BLC2 are my favorites with any bullet in the "thutty-thutty".

89blazin · January 18, 2011, 07:51 PM

Win 748, hands down.

Redbullitt · January 18, 2011, 08:03 PM

I have had good luck with the W748 as well running the 150 FN

alloy · January 19, 2011, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Hodgdon is now selling the powder used in the LEVERevolution ammo Hornady makes you should be able to call Hornady and get the load data if you choose to use that powder with the FTX bullet. http://www.hodgdon.com/rifle.html

Might give that a try this spring.

Clark · January 19, 2011, 10:44 AM

For 30-30 at 1000 yards, I would recommend W748.

January 8, 2011, 09:58 PM	#1
farmerboy Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 1,343	Accurate powder for 30-30 ? What is probably the most accurate powder for the lever action 30-30's? Lets say the 160 grain Hornady's FTX's... Last edited by farmerboy; January 8, 2011 at 10:06 PM.

January 9, 2011, 08:28 AM	#3
P-990 Senior Member Join Date: May 2, 2002 Location: Only1/2WayThere Posts: 1,316	I confess my .30-30 experience is rather limited, but I have found it's not particularly picky. My favorite has been H4895 with a 150gr Sierra FN. Winchester 748 will also work well, I actually have a box loaded up with this powder that I did just to finish off the last of a pound. Varget and Reloder 15 should work well also, they seem to work well in near anything else they're suitable for. The only "fail" I've had with a .30-30 load is when using Reloder 7. The data I found was all over the place and I found the accuracy fell off pretty fast as I worked up the charge scale. And the one load that did shoot under 2" at 100 yards doesn't shoot to the same POA/POI as factory ammo or the 4895 loads, leading me believe it is running significantly slower. Of course, as always, YMMV. __________________ NRA Master, Highpower Rifle, Across-the-Course NRA Expert, Highpower Rifle, Mid-Range Prone

January 9, 2011, 10:23 AM	#6
Jim243 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Location: Just off Route 66 Posts: 5,067	My understanding is that IMR 3031 is very good. Jim __________________ Si vis pacem, para bellum

January 9, 2011, 04:53 PM	#8
misskimo Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2009 Location: Kotzebue Alaska Posts: 120	160 GR. HDY FTX Hodgdon LVR .308" lenth 2.535" min 32.0 Gr FPS 2221 31,200 CUP ,,,, Max 35.5C FPS 2389 37,500 CUP listed on hodgdons website , seams a good place to start I recon, I never heard of LVR, is there another name for this? the other question I would like to know. why would you need a big ole heavy slow bullet? that 110g bullet doing about 2600 FPS would take moose and caribou down if you can shoot Last edited by misskimo; January 9, 2011 at 04:58 PM.

January 9, 2011, 08:36 PM	#11
res45 Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2007 Location: NC Posts: 753	farmerboy Hodgdon is now selling the powder used in the LEVERevolution ammo Hornady makes you should be able to call Hornady and get the load data if you choose to use that powder with the FTX bullet. http://www.hodgdon.com/rifle.html 30-30 FTX data. http://www.hornady.com/assets/files/...30_win_ftx.pdf __________________ The Reloaders Network discord Channel https://discord.gg/Nafuzht

January 8, 2011, 10:19 PM	#2
TheNatureBoy Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2007 Posts: 1,204	My other manuals are in my garage (detached) and its super cold outside but....I do have my Nosler manual handy and for the 170 grain (no info for 160 gr pill) Varget is listed as the most accurate powder.

January 9, 2011, 10:05 AM	#4
t45 Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2010 Location: Foothills, NC Posts: 782	P-990, my most accurate load to date is Re-7 . It all depends on the gun and the componants used. My 30-30 is a Model 24v 30-30 on top and 12ga on bottom so it doesnt suprise me that my results are different from the lever actions.

January 9, 2011, 10:10 AM	#5
farmerboy Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 1,343	I have a bunch loaded already with Varget and like them very much but have not trid any other powder and just wandering what is suppose to be the most accurate. Varget is what I always have on hand, Its a powder like Unique. Use them in so many calibers and appliocations and work good just about anywhere..

January 9, 2011, 02:31 PM	#7
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	"just wandering what is suppose to be the most accurate" Any one of a half dozen powders comes to mind. Sorry, but which one of them is supposed to be "most accurate" is about as answerable as asking, "About how high is 'UP' supposed to be?"

January 10, 2011, 02:31 AM	#13
misskimo Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2009 Location: Kotzebue Alaska Posts: 120	Well Jim Bob, I see it happen every year, 223 is the gun used mostly for hunting moose, Yeh! its not my type of gun to use, I have a 300 Ultra mag, 338 win mag, 30-06, and 270 that I would use for a moose, I also have a 30-30, good for shooting caribou no problem, as well as my SKS and 223, 22-250 will put one down, and when hunting caribou on the snowmachine, I use a 22 mag for caribou, and yes there is 2600, well close to it on hodgdon website, 110 g win 748, does 2595, close to 2600, I like my 30-30 , dad bought it when I was 2 years old in 67, been useing it as a varmint gun, seals, use the factory rim sabot 55g that shoots around 3300 fps, Just slapped a red dot one it, should be fun. this gun will be shot alot this spring, Ganna teach my girls to shoot with it. they are at that age

January 10, 2011, 08:36 AM	#14
joe poteat Member Join Date: November 1, 1999 Location: Murphy NC Posts: 74	Lived in NFLD 4.5 yrs. Shot 4 moose with 30-30 170 gr silvertip. Never had to trail one. __________________ life at its worse beats the alternative

January 10, 2011, 10:19 AM	#15
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	30-30 does best with a relatively fast rifle powder like IMR3031 or Reloder 7. Varget is right around that burn rate too, but I have never used it. The old standard load was 31.0 gr of IMR3031. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

January 10, 2011, 04:33 PM	#16
ryalred Senior Member Join Date: March 24, 2008 Location: SE Oklahoma Posts: 491	Varget and IMR3031 both work very well. __________________ ryalred rifle & muzzleloader -- exhilarating bowhunting -- obsession reloading -- addicted

January 10, 2011, 05:00 PM	#17
TXJohn Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Location: Ft Worth TX Posts: 163	I have loaded both IMR 4064 and IMR 3031 with the 3031 giving the best accuracy.

January 16, 2011, 09:08 AM	#18
Peter M. Eick Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 1999 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 2,991	I have had best luck with 3031 and RL7 but I keep wanting to try H335 (have to check my notes though). I hear that it is quite accurate. 3031 just works so well with 150's that I have not had much enthusiasm for the project. __________________ 10mm and 357sig, the best things to come along since the 38 super!

January 16, 2011, 02:20 PM	#19
William T. Watts Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2010 Location: Central Arkansas Posts: 1,074	30gr of IMR3031 with 150gr Hornadys & 31gr of IMR4895 with 170gr Partitions. All of the powders mentioned in previous posts are good choices, IMR4064 is the slowest powder I have used in a 30/30. William

January 16, 2011, 10:05 PM	#20
Iron Deacon Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Bryan, TX Posts: 18	The 30-30 works great with bullets in the 150-170 gr range and powders like IMR 3031, IMR 4895, Reloader 15, Varget. My personal load I currently use for my Win 94 is a 170 gr Sierra FN over 34.0 gr Reloader 15 and a Federal 210M primer. As always, my loads may not be safe in YOUR rifle, so start low and work up - we'll both be safe then!

January 18, 2011, 07:09 PM	#21
crowbeaner Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2007 Location: Upstate SC Posts: 1,943	WW 748 and BLC2 are my favorites with any bullet in the "thutty-thutty". __________________ If you want your children to follow in your footsteps, be careful where you walk. Beware the man that only owns one gun; he probably knows how to use it. I just hope my ship comes in before my dock rots.

January 18, 2011, 07:51 PM	#22
89blazin Senior Member Join Date: March 13, 2009 Posts: 107	Win 748, hands down.

January 18, 2011, 08:03 PM	#23
Redbullitt Member Join Date: December 15, 2010 Location: Morgantown WV Posts: 62	I have had good luck with the W748 as well running the 150 FN

January 19, 2011, 10:44 AM	#25
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	For 30-30 at 1000 yards, I would recommend W748.