30-30 bullet

[tipiguy]

I was planning on using a Contender 30-30 for both deer and black bear.  What would be a good bullet to use?  I was planning on a Hornady 130 grain single shot pistol bullet.  Would this be good for both deer and PA black bear? Or is there a better bullet for bear?

Thanks for the help.
tipiguy

[MS Hitman]

Personally, I'd go with the 150 or 170 grain roundnose bullets.  You should get some expansion at distances within 150 yards on both deer and bear and the penetration of these weight bullets should definitely what a 130 grain bullet can do.

If you want pointy nose bullets, go with the 150 or 165 grain Nolser Ballsitic Tips.  The velocities you can expect from the 30-30 barrel should give you some good penetration with adequate expansion.

Hope this helps.

[Gregory]

I've tested the Remington 150 gr RN out of my 300 Whisper on gallon milk jugs filled with water (at 100 meters).  They were more impressive than the Horn 130 SSP.  I'd give these a try out of a 30/30 pistol barrel.

[Mikey]

tipiguy:  I think your 130 grain 30 caliber bullet is too light for Black Bear.  I wouldn't even use it on whitetail.  My minimums for the 30-30 are the 170 grain bullet, period.  I do not use the 150 as I feel that 150s are too light for most 30 caliber work, especially where bone penetrating power is necessary to anchor an animal.  And that's just for whitetail.  I would not use a 130 grain 30 caliber bullet for bear.  I feel it is too light to penetrate and certainly not heavy enough to break through bone when it is necessary.  

Just my 2 cents worth.  Mikey.

[KYODE]

hehe, funny on the differing opinions :lol: i think the 130gr hornady sspb would be nearly perfect for deer and would work for smaller black bear(200-300lb maybe) like i would assume are in PA. we're not talking Grizzley or Big Browns. a black bear is no monsterous beast. i'm gonna use the hornady 130gr sspb in my 30-30 improved. the 80gr 6mm sierra sspb will take a deer cleanly and easily. so 130gr will work easily also. these are soft skinned animals. a bullet too hard will not expand,and will pass thru with minimal damage.

[Graycg]

Kyode,
  You are right about differing opinions!!!  I'm with you though, I think the 130 SSPs that were specifically designed for deer hunting at 30-30 pistol velocities are a good choice, especially if the ranges are getting longer.  If dedicated black bear hunting at short range or over dogs, I might chose a 150 or 170 round or flatnosed bullet though.  I really have had very good success with the 125 nosler BT and the 130 SSPs on whitetails and wouldn't hesitate to take a clean shot on a black bear with them.

regards,
 Graycg

[Geno]

I'm thinking you won't find too much velocity difference in 14" Contender barrel and a 18" carbine barrel.  Not enough to worry that much about, although many of you might argue about that point. I have shot a large (500lb) MN black bear with using 150 Hornady spire points (I'd need to look at the box for more exact info), these worked real good, mushroomed perfectly and retained their weight nicely on the slug I recovered. The bear dropped very dead and didnt move more than 5 feet. I have since used these and 170 grain round nose very succesfully on smaller bear and deer. I have no experience with the smaller slugs (130 or 125) but sure wouldnt mind trying them in the future. Might open the door to a little longer flatter shooting on deer. Most combinations will do the job, some will give you a little more edge when needed. :-D

[BWT]

Here's an option you may not have considered..... Barnes makes a solid/hollowpoint especially for the 3030. It has a hollowpoint that is so big it must be seen to be believed. It is designed to open up at 3030 velocities (good for deer) yet will penetrate deeply without losing any mass and creating a huge wound channel (good for bear). The bullet is 150 grns.

[Hawkeye]

The 130 SSP and the 125 Nosler Ballistic Tips have taken several deer from a 14" 30-30 w/little travel after the hit. Have used the 125BT more. My hunting partner and I did some testing on his 30-30 and the one I used to own with Nosler 150 grn Ballistic tips. They will make short order of a whitetail in the 80-140lb size, we have done this. The 150BT is very impressive within 125 yds, being the farthest he has taken a deer with them. I would not hesitate to use the 150grn BT on Black Bear. We tested them on wet phone books out of a 14" Contender, my 21" 30-30 lever gun and we were getting full penetration on 5 & 6 phone books tied together with one piece of 1/2" plywood sandwiched in the the middle. That is almost exactly the width of most whiteatail deer we measured. I have only hunted Black Bear with Muzzleloaders and .54cal 220grn roundballs at much lower velocities than the 30-30 and we had no trouble getting pass throughs on them if it was a clean broadside shot. One guy hit one in the shoulder at an angle and it broke the shoulder and took both lungs angling back toward the hindquarters but the ball stopped in the ham. He didn't go far either.
With all that rambling, I would say use the 130 or 125 for deer and load a 150 for bear or like my buddy he uses 150BT for both and small hogs we hunt in a farmers peanut field. Good luck and shoot straight. :grin:

Mike
Norman, OK

[crawfish]

If your Contender will shoot them look at the Barnes 150g 30/30 X. There isn't a bullet out there that will get deeper and do more damage than that one. I use it in my 14inch 30-30 barrel and it really kills them real dead real quick :eek: .