Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots 30-30 contender

I have a 10" barrel. Looking for a bullet to hunt deer with. Not sure if a rifle bullet will work because of the slow velocity. Thinking of a varmint or hollow point. I remember there used to be bullets for single shot handguns, not sure if they are still being produced.

Couple of options for you to consider:
1) purchase a rifle barrel and use it as such. Never had a deer take a second step after receiving a Sierra 150 FB Spitzer.


2) start casting bullets


180 grains and they do ok from my levermatic

I use 125 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips.

I've used the NBT in a 30-30AI Contender Carbine. I've also used the 110 Gr Nosler Varmageddon in a 300 BO Ruger American and have taken a bunch of hogs with it.

125 NBT's are the long-time favorite for killing deer with a 30-30 Contender

I'm not aware of any of the SSP pistol bullets still in production. Could be though.

I would look at the 125 (hollow?) flat point from Sierra and 130 gran flat point from Speer ... they are purpose-built for .30-30. Consider the Speer 125 grain TNT and 130 grain JHP as candidates .. probably need some expansion testing. I would consider the 110 grain VMAX with the same testing first. 125 grain Nosler ballistic tip and Accubond have a good reputation in .30-30 handguns. I would consider 150 grain flat points as well. 150 grain spire points don't behave reliably/predictably at .30-30 velocity even in a rifle. We had a couple of Savage bolt actions and the 150 Sierra and 150 hornady pointy-point bullets completely failed to expand even at hair burning distances more often than not. Mom plugged a big cow in the shoulder and they found the bullet under the hide in the opposite ham unexpanded.

Thanks for the replies, I'll give the Nosler ballistic tips a try. The 125 GR is probably the heaviest I want to go. Thanks again!

The Hornady 125 SST would be one I'd try too. I shoot them and the 125 Nosler BT out of my 300 Blackout.

All I ever used, 125gr NBT. They just work!

I use the Noselr 125gr in my 30 Herrett. Very similar to the 30-30, as the Herrett case can be made from the 30-30. The 125 Nosler is deadly accurate with the right charge of Reloader 7.

Been looking for 125 grain BTs for two years with no luck. Found a box of 125 SSTs, so I will give it a go. They will be used in a .30 Herrett and maybe in a .30-30 AI.

Because the BlackOut is popular...110 or 120 Barnes tipped X bullets will expand bigtime then exit at least on broadside and quartering shots..

As suggested take a look at the Blackout bullets from 110 to 130 grains. Bobby Tomek has some impressive pics of sone Hornady 110 grain bullets which were recovered from game. The CX bullet. I have a 21" barreled Contender carbine and will try this bullet out. I'm trying to limit recoil.
Good Luck,
Rick

The Barnes 110 and 120 grain Tac-TX Blackout bullets and the Hornady 110 grain CX (formerly GMX) will expand at lower speeds than other bullets -- and will do so impressively. I've used all of these and have taken quite a few hogs and coyotes. Performance in each and every instance has been exceptional.

I would agree on the Barnes 110 or 120 for the blackout. Have had excellent performance on deer out to 175 yards at 2350 fps starting velocity.

"I remember there used to be bullets for single shot handguns, not sure if they are still being produced.

I use the 130 Grain Hornady Spire Point SSP (single shot pistol) bullet in my 30 Herret contender. I don't know if this bullet is still available from Hornady. This bullet model number is 3021. Worked well for me on Whitetails.

I bought some 130 or 135 grain "handgun" 308 diamond bullets from the Sierra backdoor outlet once but haven't tried them on game. I have two 30-30 barrels, one 10" bull and a 21" rifle. The second is great. Still fooling with the first.

You've been led to water......

I love my 30-30 Contender. It's short and handy as a rifle even with a can.

I have a carbine .30-30 barrel for mine, and it is very accurate. Now, if I could just get the action open, after I close it...

Laffin!
This brings back a long ago memory.

A pal at work had a Contender with the old octagon tapered barrel in 30-30.
I borrowed it out of curiosity and bought a box of something to shoot out of it.
My two young boys went to the range with me and after showing them the firearm and discussing what I was going to be doing, I settled in on the bench.

Both kids had foam ear plugs in and I told them to put their hands over their ears as well. They were standing about ten feet behind me calmly watching with little real interest. BOOOMMM!!! Good Lord that thing was loud!

I turned around to see what they thought about it and they were gone!!
When the pistol went off, both boys thought that the gun blew up!! They'd never heard anything that loud before and took off running instantly.

They proceeded to climb into the pickup to watch from the safety of the cab while I touched off the rest of the rounds..... I still laugh whenever I think of that day.