10" 30-30

[Bearcat 74]

Just got a 10" 30-30 barrel for the contender and I was curious what factory loads you guy use?  I figure the 150gr range would be the way to run due to expansion?  Any tips for the 10" 30-30?

[Hopalong7]

     I don't shoot factory ammo at all and am not familiar with what is available, but in a 10" 30-30 I would definately go with a light bullet.  Try to find somebody that is loading the 125 Nosler BT if possible.  You didn't state your use so I'm assuming deer are the target.  Good luck with the new barrel.
Walt 

[Bearcat 74]

Yes, deer and groundhogs are targets.  I reload for most calibers I use, just not the 30/30 because ammo is so cheap and factory shoots good in my 14" 30/30 and my Winchester 94.  I may have to invest in some dies.


Thanks

[shot1]

Get you some IMR 4198 powder and some 125 Nosler ballistic tips bullets. With the 10" barrel you really loose a lot of velocity compared to a 14" in the 30-30. I used to have a 10" 30-30 about 25 years ago. It really shot well with 150 Hornady RNSP over IMR4198 also. Can't remember the powder load though. As for factory ammo the Blue box Federal ammo in about every caliber seems to shoot really accurate. My buddy does the sighting in of rifles for a good size gun shop and that is the ammo that they usually send with him and it is accurate. Might give it a try in yours. It is the cheapest Federal ammo.

[olydraft]

MY 10" 30/30 USING 170GR KICKS LIKE A MULE!!!

[hoghunting]

 One of my hunting buddies has a 10" 30-30 G2, and he has excellent results with Hornady's 160 gr FTX factory loads. It's the new lever action ammo. He has taken deer, hogs, and turkey with it, and it performs very well.

[P.A. Myers]

I used to load 30-30 but factory ammo is so cheep on sale, I quit. I prefer the lighter bullets[125 150] for the 10inch, heavier [160+] in the s14. Night firing is spectacular.

[Bearcat 74]

Yeah, the 10" is better with the lighter stuff and my 14" shoots the 170 stuff excellent.  I can buy factory stuff cheap so I don't load for the 30/30 either. 

[bustedknee]

Years ago I ordered some spire point 30-30 pistol bullets.  I think they were Sierra.  Maybe 135 grains?
I loaded them in nickled cases and a box of fifty has lasted all these years.  I have only a handful left. 
The spire points perform much better than the round nose bullets.  Being designed for the Contender pistol these bullets mushroom at lower velocities than rifle bullets.

I do not recall the exact load and my old reloading book was lost in the last move (retirement).  I do remember using the fastest burning Winchester powder I could find (in Alaska) and took the near max load right out of the book.

I took several reindeer, blacktail and whitetail deer, a black bear, a wild boar, and some other stuff I don't remember....  Oh, and a moose!

The day I sighted in with these bullets the first group I shot was less then 1".  All my barrels are 10 ".  I am still amazed they outshoot rifle barrels.

[Merle]

Yes, deer and groundhogs are targets.  I reload for most calibers I use, just not the 30/30 because ammo is so cheap and factory shoots good in my 14" 30/30 and my Winchester 94.  I may have to invest in some dies.


Thanks

You might want to forget about expansion in a 10" & try some heavy cast bullets. There is a world of difference between a 10" & a 14" barrel.

From my IHMSA days, I was astounded at the difference in retained energy at 200 meters.
Should work very well on deer, as well as varmints.

 

[rjr9603]

I used to shoot the 150gr winchester hollow points. I have since sold the barrel but they seemed to work ok.

[mutwagn]

 Federal still makes a 125 gr. hp. load. I would try that first if handloading wasn't an option.
 Looking around online I did see it for $15.13, but most were asking $20.00 +.
 Andy

[blhof]

The factory 30-30 rounds are designed to reach peak in a rifle barrel, but perform quite well in the 14".  I had a friend several years ago that used the 90gr 30 carbine bullets half jackets in his 10" for prairie dogs with great success out to 100+yds, I don't remember his powder though, it was a fast powder and recoil was quite pleasant, we fired many rounds and spent long days at the mounds.  Accuracy was surprisingly good for a pistol style bullet.