Maximizing a .30-30 by using pointed bullets

[BumbleBug]

I dug out an old Savage 99 .30-30 that has been sitting in the far corner of my gun safe way too long. I’ve been thinking about working up a load & deer hunting some with it this season. Since the 99 has a rotary magazine, what hunting bullet(s) should I try? I was thinking perhaps a lighter spire-point Barnes or such could greatly improve the dead-on hold range & make this rifle a good 200yd deer rifle(?) In most of my manuals .30-30 loads were worked up using Win 94’s. I assume the data would be fine if not light for the 99? Would IMR 3031 still be the best starting powder? Any experience, suggestions or advice would be most appreciated.

TIA…

…bug

[Jimro]

Even with the old flat nose bullets the 30-30 is a fine 200 yard deer cartridge. Maximum point blank range of +/- 6 inches is past 250 yards.

You can improve upon that by using a spitzer bullet. I wouldn't bother with a boat tail design unless you want your bullets to feed easier into the case when seating.

I'd try 150gr Rem corelokts first. I've found them to be perfectly adequate for accuracy and consistency for hunting. After that I'd try Hornady 165gr BTSP's, they shoot well in my 308.

And yes, IMR3031 is perfectly suited to your needs.

Jimro

[Brian Pfleuger]

Sounds like 110gr Barnes TTSX to me.

QuickLoad says 2,585fps from a 20" barrel with Rl-10x. 3031 would be heavily compressed with a bullet that light.

[Jimro]

Brian,

Rem or Hornady soft points are cheaper, and will kill things just as dead.

Heck, it shouldn't be too hard to push that 150gr Rem CL to 2,400 fps using 3031.

I'm not a fan of light for caliber bullets for hunting, I prefer things on the heavier end for optimal momentum which translates to penetration.

Jimro

[Brian Pfleuger]

That's OK, that's why we have choices.

I've never seen a bullet that out-penetrates the Barnes TTSX and I've always used light for caliber versions. The 80gr .243 at 3,490 MV will nearly penetrate a large whitetail buck, diagonally, end to end.

[Jimro]

A 123gr Rem soft point fired from a 7.62x39 punched through both shoulders and ended up stuck under the skin on the opposite side of a Washington blacktail. That's not bad for a cheap bullet at moderate velocity. Expansion was good too. Not bad for a light for caliber bullet traveling around 2,400 fps.

Upping the bullet mass and keeping the velocity the same will give even better penetration for the OP. But deer aren't that hard to kill.

Pushing that 80gr bullet that fast it's a good thing you use the TTSX. A traditional lead core bullet would fail at that velocity. Flat shooting for sure, but doesn't kill the deer any deader.

Of course if velocity matters, you could really push an 80gr 224 bullet at blazing speed using a sabot, but generally accuracy is lacking.

Jimro

[Magnum Wheel Man]

Thought I'd tag along, as I load pointed bullets in 30-30 in my 10" Contender, but hunting is not the 1st concern in choosing bullets ( in the past ) I also have a single shot Martini copy that is now chambered in 30-30 that might be interesting to hunt with, & target shoot out to the 300 yards I have available

[savagest]

Is it a lever action? If so I thought you weren't supposed to use pointed bullets in the magazine because because they can strike the primer of the next bullet.

[Brian Pfleuger]

Originally Posted by savagest

I thought you weren't supposed to use pointed bullets

True, except...

Originally Posted by BumbleBug

Since the 99 has a rotary magazine,...

[Magnum Wheel Man]

used to have a 99 chambered in 308 ( had a bad chamber & traded it ) should have probably kept it & had it rebarreled... the round counter along with the rotary magazine are interesting features...

BTW... technically my Martini clone is a lever also... but it's a single shot...

so it's actually more correct to say "it's not safe to load pointed bullets in tube magazine guns"

but then Hornady came out with their "gumby" pointed bullets for tube magazines now...

[Sevens]

I know less than squat about what works for hunting... But I believe Hornady offers a handful of their flex-tip bullets that you could use in a rotary .30/30 or a single shot as well as in a traditional tube-fed rifle.

[savagest]

gotch, whoops, speed-reading

[BuckRub]

Agree that a 30-30 still works at 200 yds and 250 max. I always shot 150 grain core Loks until hornady made the pointed 160 grain lever evolution FTX bullets. I got me some dies and had to experiment. My rifle wad sighted in at 100 yards for core Loks and with the FTX I played with Varget until I got most accuracy. At 100 yards the shot about 13 inches higher than the 150 grain bullets. You know those things should really reach out there. Have shot them at 200 yards but just paper. This was my first center fire rifle and I just loaded up a bunch of ammo and only shoot about 1 deer a year with it to keep it going for old time sakes and I don't believe keeping a gun if its not being used. The deer I've taken I kill within 50 yards of the house in the backyard and the shots are usually around 70 yards but they do same damage as any other brand. I'm just a big Hornady fan.

[mxsailor803]

I've actually thought about doing this as well but I'm gonna be using a Marlin 336. Now before people jump the gun, I would be using it as a 2 SHOT rifle (1 in chamber, 1 in tube). I'm planning on using it for ladder stand hunting in thick cover. I'm also going to be using Sierra ProHunter 125gr bullets (my personal favorite deer killer). I just have to decide/remember what powders I have.

[Magnum Wheel Man]

SAILOR... may have to watch your COL... I ran into this with my Guide gun, using "normal" full length 45-70- cases & the Hornady FTX bullet, in a hand load caused me to have to disassemble the rifle to get the cartridge out with the pointed bullet ( reason Hornady uses shorter than normal cases with the FTX bullet )

...so, with a longer pointed bullet, the shorter Hornady cases may be needed if you have a canalure you're crimping to, if the cartridge ends up too long, on a repeater

[AllenJ]

Remington Corelokts are a good place to start, as are Sierra 150 grain spitzers. I've used both in my Savage Model 99 chamber for 300 Savage and they give good results.

[BumbleBug]

The Savage Model 99 is a lever action rifle but bullets feed via a rotary magazine & not a tubular magazine so no special worries about pointed bullets detonating each other under recoil. I know the Hornady's FTX rubber-tips will work but their special qualities (& cost) are not needed.

I've always thought of the .30-30 as one of the best deer guns ever invented but considered it a shorter range, brush cartridge. Probably because the 94's were usually with open sights & accuracy was fair, being kind. I know the Marlin's are a different animal all together. I'm hoping that the 99 with a 4x scope & a faster bullet will make a dead-on hold from zero to 200 yds a no-brainer. To me, that means a +/- 3" trajectory which may not be possible. The Barnes 110 gr sure sounds light for deer, but it may just be the trick.

Thanks...

...bug

[Brian Pfleuger]

Barnes bullets defy the normal standards for bullet weight.

They expand reliably down to 1,800fps and penetrate like crazy.

According to JBM Ballistics, given a 2" max height, you'd be 2" high at 90 and 1.4" low at 200, retaining 971 ft/lbs and 2,000fps at 200.

[Boomer58cal]

I loaded up some 150g SST's at 2300 fps for my buddies Remy 788 and was flabbergasted at the accuracy out to 400 yards. Going to pointy bullets definitely adds some range to the old 30-30.


Boomer

[ChaperallCat]

the average 30-30 has a 18 inch barrel. that savage has more barrel. youve already optomized any off the shelf ammunition.

you can use all th epointy stuff you want. Some will not do well at long range. Some will. Experience will be your friend.

150 grain is a nice one, look at winchester super x jhp.

[Mike / Tx]

In the past I have loaded the Nosler Ballistic Tips in 150gr, as well as the Barnes 130gr TTX. IMO either would do a good job. That said and as others have mentioned the plain old 150gr Sierra Pro Hunter, Core Lokt, or Hornady Spire Point would probably work equally as well for cheaper.

Of course the end result will be what your rifle likes the best with the loads you choose to use in it. Accuracy usually trumps cost in my woods, but it goes hand in hand with performance as well. Good luck.

[OkieCruffler]

Another fan of the Sierra Prohunter 125gr here. I've used it in hunting with everything from the 30 herrett to the 308 and have had no complaints.

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

OP you never said which grain weight PSP you intend to use? But I happen to own a 1899 model Sav T/D 30-30. And I have used 150 gr.30 cal F/base PSP Hornady's in my lever rifle. I have also used 30-31. But I have seen better accuracy results with AA-2230 use. One thing I have noticed. That little Sav needs a slightly hotter loading with either powders use verses what is used in a 94. What works well in my Savage isn't very accurate in my Win 94 as (94s grouping get larger/or spread out and its point of aim lowers) So if you intend to use 30-31 with 150 gr. PSP F/B you will more than likely find that 99s sweet spot in time. If you jump up to 160-165 gr PSP I can't help you there. As I've never reloaded either for my little Savage's use.. Sweet little rifles those 99 30-30s are. Nice to read your intending to bring one out of storage to carry afield again.

S/S

[BumbleBug]

Originally Posted by Sure Shot Mc Gee

OP you never said which grain weight PSP you intend to use? ......

That is what I was wanting to get some suggestions on. Right now I'm thinking about trying some Barnes TTX & Sierras ProH in the 130gr range. I'm thinking a fast pointed bullet will flatten trajectory for an easy hold-on. We'll see how they shoot.

Originally Posted by Sure Shot Mc Gee

......Nice to read your intending to bring one out of storage to carry afield again.

I shot my first deer with a Savage 99 in .250-3000. I kind of feel good about taking this oldie-but-goodie back out into field again too!

Thanks!

...bug