10" 30-30

[mcwoodduck]

I have a few quick questions about the 30-30 in 10".
Is the 30-30 in 10" enough  for deer out to 75 yards?
Or for a 10" barrel would I be better off with a Pistol caliber (357 Mag or 44 Mag)?
I am wondering with factory loads if the 30-30 looses too much velocity with the short barrel.  The 30-30 is factory loaded for a rifle and with a barrel about 1/2 the length would I be better off with a revolver round that is loaded with a fast powder for a short barrel.
Is the 30-30 out of a 10" just the ballistics of a 327 Fed? 
I saw a 10" 30-30 barrel for sale on another thread and was wondering.
So should I wait or buy?
( I want to stay with calibers I currently own and do not want to and do not want to reload for it at this time)
Own 357mag, 44 mag, 45Colt, 30-30, 45-70.  that would work in my Contender.  I already have a 45/ 410 barrel.

[WayneS]

Short answers, properly hand loaded 30-30 rounds will do 1 MOA  from a 10" T/C out to at least 100 yards,
Factory rounds with 150 gn bullets should get arounf 1700 fps, and the 170 gn. bullets should get around 1550 or better.
 In the Early days of IHMSA, a gun writer [?] did an article for HANDLOADER Mag. on the 30-30 with 10 & 14 " T/C barrels.  I lost my collection to a hurricane, maybe Wolfe publishing still has it on file
 Since you have 357 dies,  the 2nd choice would be the 357 Max. loaded with 180/200 gn. bullets . and you should be able to get  1700 fps with a 200 gn. bullet from a 10" barrel,

[Lone Star]

The .30-30 in a 10" barrel is far more potent than any .357 Federal.  In the 1981 issue of Handloader, Layne Simpson reported on his extensive tests of the .30-30 in his 10" barrelled Contender.  Factory load ballistics:

WW 150 - 1917 fps
Fed 150 - 1821
R-P 150 - 1812
WW 170 - 1607
R-P 170 - 1644
Fed 170 - 1680

The various factory 150s expand well out to 100 yards according to Simpson's expansion testing.  He was able to push the 150s to near 2000 fps with a few handloads. 

I'll challenge anyone to obtain consistant 1 moa groups from any 10" .30-30.  Simpson couldn't do it even scoped from a Ransom rest, but he did come close.  But who cares, really - even 3 moa would be ample for the OP's 75-yard hunting conditions.



.

[Mack in N.C.]

yes............have 2 30-30 barrels...1 10 inch with fiber optic iron sights and 1 14 in with scope.............my personal limit when hunting with the 10 inch  is about 75 yds............every deer i have shot with it has dropped in thir tracks..............

[mcwoodduck]

Thanks guys.
I guess i know what to get for Christmas.
 
What bullet weight do you guys use in your contenders?
I already have a 14" and thought a 10" would be handy.

[kynardsj]

When I shot a 30-30 Contender I went with 125 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips and never looked back. These bullets are at their best when running 30-30 speeds and are deadly on whitetail.

[Hopalong7]

      mc, If you already have a 14" 30-30 I'm afraid you'd be dissappointed in a 10".  The 30 Herrett was born because of dissapointment in a 10" barreled 30-30 Contender.  At the time the biggest problem was bullet performance....no expansion at the velocities produced in the 10" tube.  Of course, bullet selection has changed dramatically since then .  If you go the 10" route, I would definately start with the 125BT.  It's not that the Herrett produces much more velocity(it actually pretty close), but it does it's thing with considerably less powder, fire ball, muzzle blast and recoil.  I never owned a 10" 30-30, but had the...uh...pleasure of firing a friends 10" octagon barrel a few times and ...well...I like my Herrett.
GOOD SHOOTIN', Walt

[Lone Star]

What bullet weight do you guys use in your contenders?  I already have a 14" and thought a 10" would be handy.

I use the Nosler 125 BTip or Speer 125 TNT in the 10" Herrett, and 150 BTips in the 14" .30-bore tubes.  Great performance on deer.

BTW firing an octagonal .30-30 is nothing likefiring the same load in a bull barrel - recoil is noticeably greater with the former, not so terrible with the latter.  Yet another reason to use the lighter bullets in the short tubes.



.

[mcwoodduck]

I understand 30 Herrett is better out of the shorter barrels. 
But I already have 30-30 in the stable and with 27 other caliers and ga.s not to mention the different loads for each.
I was thinking of the short 30-30, Already have a holster, for deer while scouting or doing other projects on the farm.

[Hafast]

I would highly recommend you wear ear protection even when hunting with the 10" barrel. The muzzle blast is quite impressive.

[WayneS]

I
I was thinking of the short 30-30, Already have a holster, for deer while scouting or doing other projects on the farm.

You can sometimes find 10"  & 14" 30-30's contender barrels on the Contender classifieds,  and new & used at Ed's Contenders.

[Mack in N.C.]

i think you will be suprised at how well you like the 30-30 in the 10 inch...i dont notice any difference between my 45 colt and it........i took the factory sights off of it and bought the t/c fiber optics....love them....mack

[mcwoodduck]

I
I was thinking of the short 30-30, Already have a holster, for deer while scouting or doing other projects on the farm.

You can sometimes find 10"  & 14" 30-30's contender barrels on the Contender classifieds,  and new & used at Ed's Contenders.

Thanks,
That is where I got the idea for the question.
So far I have bought 2 barrels from Tad - if he has one for sale you like jump on it it is better than he describes and one from someone else who also offered exactly what he said it was. 

[lynneil]

Back around 1985, I bought a 14" 30-30 barrel. With its rate of twist back then, it would not stabilize 168 grain pulled military boat-tails.

[Steve P]

I have 10" and 14" 30-30 loaded with 150 grain bullets at max book loads.
I would shoot deer out to 200 yards with either of them.
Both are sub moa and have proven their reliability on the silhouette range and in the field.

Steve