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Old January 6, 2009, 10:35 AM   #1
ryalred
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Ideal powder for .30-30?

What are considered ideal powders for the .30-30? What powders are designed specifically for the .30-30? Which consistently produce the best groups in a variety of rifles?
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Old January 6, 2009, 10:48 AM   #2
mstuhr
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Imr 3031

Howdy,
I have always found 3031 to be a good powder for the 30-30.
Others prefer a Winchester ball powder but I have no experience with them.
I have never needed to look for anything because 3031 has always shot so well. Plus my favorite load is easy to remember, 30 grains of 3031 for the 30-30 w/ 150 grain bullet
Good luck
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Old January 6, 2009, 10:50 AM   #3
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For what weight and what kind of gun? I don't think you can go too wrong with IMR4895. It is fairly quick and burns good in a variety of barrel lengths. For 150gr bullets I have found VV N130 is a good powder. For 170gr bullets try IMR 4064 or 4320. For my favorite bullet the 130gr I like RL-7. All shot in Winchester 1894's and a Savage 340.

My T/C Super 14 is a little different but you said Rifle in your post.Hope that helps...............Sam
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Old January 6, 2009, 12:18 PM   #4
DEDON45
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IMR3031 is pretty good... but I've had great results with BL(C)2 ... it's my go to powder for my .30-30s now.
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Old January 6, 2009, 01:45 PM   #5
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IMR 3031 looks good from Hodgdon website, I have that in stock as well as IMR 4064, Varget, RE 15, and A2230.

Only one I couldn't find load data online for was A2230.

Factory 150gr Remington are 2390fps at the muzzle with their 9.5 primer.

I just ordered some 30-30 dies from Midsouth.
I have 150gr Remington Core-Lokt on order, and a #2 Redding shellholder.
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Old January 6, 2009, 02:20 PM   #6
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Forneyrider, You need to try some 125 and 130Gr bullets. They really speed the bullet delivery and hit hard.

Check this out:
http://leverguns.com/articles/paco/3030varmint.htm

There is some good data here.................Sam
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Old January 6, 2009, 02:29 PM   #7
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I've used 3031,4064,4895,WW748, BLC2, and H335. All good, all work, all shoot well depending on the load, and all are still available OTC.
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Old January 6, 2009, 03:43 PM   #8
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Standard go-to powders for the 30-30 are IMR3031, RL15, and WW748/BLC-2.
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Old January 6, 2009, 06:21 PM   #9
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Benchmark is the best.
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Old January 6, 2009, 11:59 PM   #10
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There are lots of good choices but 3031 as always seemed "right" for full loads in the dirty thirty. Most of my 30-30 loads these days are actually with Red Dot and cast bullets
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Old January 7, 2009, 09:18 AM   #11
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I think RL-15 is a little Slow for the 30-30 in a 20" barrel. I like powders from this section of the burn rate chart:

Quote:
85. Alliant RL7
86. IMR 3031
87. Hodgdon Benchmark
88. Norma N201*
89. Scot Brig 322*
90. Hodgdon H322
91. Ramshot X-Terminator
92. Accurate 2230
93. Winchester 748
94. Alliant RL10X
95. Hodgdon BLC-2
96. Accurate 2460
97. Hodgdon H335
98. Ramshot TAC
99. Hodgdon H4895
100. Accurate XMR 2495
101. Alliant RL12
102. IMR 4895
The ones in Bold I have used with good success. The ones with a * I have not tried.
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Old January 7, 2009, 09:45 AM   #12
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I have used WC844 which is the equivilant to H335 with great success.
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Old January 7, 2009, 03:06 PM   #13
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Thanks for all the input. I should have been more specific in details. I'm shooting a Marlin lever action with micro-groove barrel. I've been shooting 150 grain bullets pushed by Varget with pretty good results, but I thought I might try to tighten the groups up a little. I'm also going to load some 110 grain and some 170 grain bullets as well. I'm going to give the IMR 3031 a try.
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Old January 22, 2009, 12:07 AM   #14
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I would really like to dive further into this.... cuz i just got a Marlin Model 30AS... I have a lot of once fired brass i shot out of a 30-30 about 5 years ago... research has told me with this rifle a 170gr bullet would probably be the best... what do you guys think?
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Old January 22, 2009, 12:16 AM   #15
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My pet load for 30-30 uses 3031 powder and 150 gr flat nose bullets.
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Old January 22, 2009, 05:32 AM   #16
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I use Reloder-15 with a 150gr Sierra Pro-Hunter. Seems to be a good combo. Midway has the Hornady Flex tip (Leverevolution) in stock now. I would like to try them but am cautious about reloading them. I saw the brass is a different length or something. I guess I should buy a box and re-use that brass.
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Old January 22, 2009, 06:37 AM   #17
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I've loaded about a half dozen powders in this cartridge over the years and have found nothing that tops H4895. It has also worked very well in any other 'standard' bottleneck rifle cartridge I've tried it in.
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Old January 22, 2009, 10:29 PM   #18
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My pet load is 34.5 grains IMR 4350 and 170 grain Hornady bullets. Fills the case well and gives near factory velocity.
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Old January 24, 2009, 09:56 AM   #19
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reloader 15 or imr3031 are my two favorites
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Old January 24, 2009, 08:21 PM   #20
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Quote:
but I've had great results with BL(C)2 ... it's my go to powder for my .30-30s now
I agree. I really like it with 170 gr. FPGC lead bullets.
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Old January 24, 2009, 08:24 PM   #21
Apache6
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Quote:
I would really like to dive further into this.... cuz i just got a Marlin Model 30AS... I have a lot of once fired brass i shot out of a 30-30 about 5 years ago... research has told me with this rifle a 170gr bullet would probably be the best... what do you guys think?
See above post.
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