Interesting article and it brings up a couple of questions I've pondered.
General - The latest Speer handbook lists 34.0 grains of RL-15 as max with their 150 grain bullet. Yet MD's "Handloads That Work" lists 36 gr. RL-15 as a great load with any 170 grain bullet. So, kind of like .257 Bob or 7X57 data, it's hard to know what a modern rifle will really do.
FWIW, my 20" barreled Marlin 336 SC barely breaks 2200 fps with 34.0 RL-15 and a Remington 150 RNCL. 35.5 RL-15 (fired with some trepidation) gives right at 2300.
Specific - "The normal reloading data for the 30-30 gives general velocity levels for the 100-110 grain bullets at around 2600 fps...the 125-130 grainers at 2400-2500 fps..the 150 grainers at 2300-2400 fps..and the 170 grainers at 2100-2200 fps. That�s fine for nice old minty 30-30s. I don�t shoot fine old 30-30s. I shoot strong modern 40,000 CUP level leveractions. Both the Winchester 94s and the Marlin 336s.
My Marlin 336 is a 1955 vintage Sports Carbine in good shape but with a generous chamber, at least as far as I can tell by measuring fired cases. Anywho, would y'all consider a 1955 rifle as having "strong modern" steel? I.e., capable of sustained use of 40,000 cup loads? Not that I need them, but it would be nice to know that one isn't pushing the safety envelope by taking the 150 grainers to a full 2400 fps.
