30-30 bullets in .308 win.

[gatorman76]

So, I bought this Handi Ultra Hunter two summers ago. First I had shoulder surgery last summer and then retina surgery this summer. The docs did not want me shooting but I finally sighted in the rifle this month. I want to use it as a plinking, short range deer rifle. I just like the rifle and it's a great thick woods gun. Once I use up these 50 rounds of Magtech FMJs I got for sighting in, I'd like to load some 150 & 170 gr. 30-30/.307 bullets into the .308 cases. I'll start with H380 or IMR 4064. Both should be good and just load them to minimum, which looks like  2400-2600 fps. Anyone done this? It will probably be a while before I get around to it. A month or so. I sold my 30-30 & .307 to get another rifle(Not the Handi). & have a bunch of reloads lying around.  Ya'll had me scared this Handi was going to be hit or miss but it shoots just fine. Seven rounds got me sighted in. It was still bow season so I did not want to shoot a lot but I'll put up a group shot before long.

[Couger]

Do you already have the bullets you're talking about reloading?

If so, go for it!  Use 'em up.  But if you're going to be buying "new," why not buy and use spitzers, even if you want to make reduced ".308-30" loads?

Since loading a single-Handi is "by hand" one at a time, methinks NOTHING is gained using short-case cartridges or blunt bullets in a Handi, unless that's what a reloader already has ......?

If you're just interested in making lower-recoil rounds, the Hodgdon powder site lists several "youth loads" in various cartridges, if one wants ideas or just to compare data.

[mannyrock]

  Here's an idea.   Buy a chamber insert, to convert your Handi from .308 to .30-30, and just shoot .30-30 ammo in your Handi for deer.  Its worth a try, and easy on the shoulder.

Regards,

Mannyrock

[wreckhog]

I think that the reason to use 30-30 bullets is to have them expand in deer like targets at 30-30 velocities. Personally I'd just buy a 30-30 barrel and a box of 30-30 ammo.

[wreckhog]

Actually I'd be skittish about my eyes and get something like a 22-250 for hunting deer til the docs were real comfortable with things.

[OBXPilgrim]

What you want to do makes sense to me. 

I had a couple titanium plates installed in my neck a few years ago (disk replacement) & it started me into venturing into cast bullets.  I've got a Handi 30-06 1880 fps with a 173gr cast FNGC load and a 7.62x39 Handi load that does 1800fps with a 180gr RNGC cast bullet that shoot great.  Killed a deer with each last year.  Recoil is not problem - would work for kids as well.  Worked so well that I just keep them as is instead of bumping them up since I'm all better now. 

The 444 Handi with a 290gr RFGC cast at 1850fps is one stompin' thumper, that may just get a deer this year if I'm lucky.  Unless the Win94 44mag with Lee 310gr RFGC at 1500fps gets the nod.

Might try H4895 powder in those reduced loads - it's one of the best for reduced loads.

[myarmor]

I personally see nothing wrong with it. You are shooting at a lower velocity, at which these bullets are made to reliably expand in a .30cal. There has been many reports about down loading the 30-06 with Flat point bullets with excellent results, the 308 isn't exactly the dumb little brother  
They should work just fine for your intended purposes.


-Aaron

[Sourdough]

The 30-30 bullets are designed to open at lower velocities than regular .308 bullets.  To me your plans is good.  One thing you should look at is using Trail Boss for subsonic loads, and see what the results are using those flat nosed 30-30 cal bullets.  Virtually no recoil, and I think the bullets would have enough expansion to do the job.

The reason I say this is that a friend uses Trail Boss in his .308 and loves the subsonic loads he has developed. 

[Gerry N.]

I like The .30 150 gr. flat nose in my .308 Ruger #1.  I started using that bullet with SR4759 for my kids when they were 9 or 10 and wanted to shoot something more substantial than .22's.   Loaded to about 1200-1300 FPS the recoil is almost nil and accuracy is outstanding.  My son took his first deer with  that load in that rifle at the age of 11.

I see no reason why a load of that nature would not be excellent in a .308 Handi as well.

I have three nephews and a niece coming up on that age now, and they are expressing interest in shooting.  My 12 yr old nephew has fallen in love with my Chilean M1912/61 Steyr short rifle in .308 and wants to hunt with it.  That same low recoil load will do fine for him both in the woods and on the range.   

I also load the Lyman 311291 bullelt cast in wheelweight metal with 1cc of Unique in .308 for the kids to shoot.  The same load in the .30-30 Topper I got last year is a soft recoiling load for the kids to  smack soda crackers with at the gravel pit.

Gerry N.

[Graybeard]

If you are going to use bullets made for the .30-30 I suggest you use them at standard 30-30 velocity. What you're proposing is a bit more and they might or might not be up to that velocity. If lower recoil is the desired goal why not look for some 125-130 grain bullets and load them up. A 125 Nosler BT pushed to around the standard velocity for a 150 grain .30-30 would do fine and be light on recoil.

[clearwater]

If you are going to use bullets made for the .30-30 I suggest you use them at standard 30-30 velocity. What you're proposing is a bit more and they might or might not be up to that velocity. If lower recoil is the desired goal why not look for some 125-130 grain bullets and load them up. A 125 Nosler BT pushed to around the standard velocity for a 150 grain .30-30 would do fine and be light on recoil.

I have had good luck with the 125 Nosler BT in both 30-30 and 308. Their minimum expansion velocity
is 1600 fps at the target. In 30-30 handi I could get 2400 fps muzzle V. with Reloder 7. I haven't shot any deer
with that load, tho did get good accuracy as well as velocity.

And-

Hornady Tech told me their 170 grain flat nose for 30-30 were designed to expand at 1100 fps
(the velocity of the bullet from a 30-30 at 300 yards). He also said not to exceed 2500 fps muzzle
velocity for bullet stability.

So, if I were shooting at closer ranges, I would use a ballistics calculator or chart and see what the velocity
requirements are for the farthest ranges I would be shooting and load down to there. This would also give you
your drop too.

Both bullets have shot well in my 30-06 and 308 bolt guns. In 30-06 the best powder was R19 and in 308
it was W760 both bullets.

[gatorman76]

Those were all great replies! I have reloads for my former 30-30 & .307 Winchesters so I have a lot of bullets.  My Lyman manual quotes a factory load for the 30-30 of 2400 fps & the .307 runs a couple hundred fps faster. Both use the same bullets. I know. These speeds are from a 24" barrel. The Winchesters' have 20" barrels, but the Handi has a 24" barrel. So, the minimum loads for H380 & IMR 4064 & 150 grain bullet are in the 2600 fps range. A couple other powders have the minimum velocity in the 2400 fps range. I'm going to try it. If nothing else, I will keep breaking in the barrel. But I think the flat noses will be fun to shoot & in the thick cover where I hunt, if I get a shot at a deer he ought to be DRT!

[quickdtoo]

The 308 Ultra Hunter has a 22" barrel unless you have a one off special!!  Here's the Hodgdon 60% H4895 load info. 

Tim

http://hodgdon.com/PDF/Youth%20Loads.pdf

[PowPow]

A vote for IMR SR-4759:

Over the the summer, I tried some reduced recoil loads in my Handi 30-30 and Ruger #1 30-06 using IMR SR-4759 and 115 gr cast bullets and 110 FMJs (bulk buys). Recoil like a 223 and the barrels don't get as hot. This powder is shaped like a tiny hollow pipe so it is not very many grains for a given case volume. Googled "SR-4759 reduced load" and applied some common sense.

[gatorman76]

22" barrel. My mistake. I must have mis-remembered.

[vabowhntr]

I too have retina issues and use a 308 handi with the remington reduced recoil load.  It is very easy on the shoulder with a laminate stock on the handi.   I think is is a 125 gr spitzer at 2600 fps.  Look at http://www.chuckhawks.com/reduced_recoil_reloads.htm for some ideas on reduced recoil loads if you handload.  Looks like you can work with SR 4759 and get about 2000 fps, which should work well on deer inside of 100 yards.