Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 125 grain loads for the 30/30 Win

I have a model 54 Winchester that I am going to be loading 125 grain Sierra spitzers in. The only data I have for this bullet in the 30/30 in any of my manuals has been in the pistol section. Does anybody have any experience loading lighter bullets in a 30/30 with a full length rifle barrel? Or does anyone know where I can find data for such a load? Thanks.

When I owned a Remington 788, I loaded the 130 grain Hornady SpirePoint at about 2,500 fps. Although the 788 had a tight chamber, the weak link, as I saw it, was the thin 30-30 brass.

JEff

Loads for 110's and 130's here: http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp


Other powder mfg may have loads posted too.

Besides you having one of my most desired guns to have in the gun safe...

if one ever did fall into my little hot hands... the powder I would reach for, with that bullet is RL 7...

I load Nosler Ballistic tips in that weight in a lever action and that is my GoTo powder... provides one of the fastest velocities listed in manuals ( old ones).. its short enough to work well in a lever action.. one in the chamber and one in the magazine..

now I'll go to bed and dream of a Model 54 in 30/30....

am I a cheap date or what???

Sierra used to make a 125 HP FN-don't know if they still do. There is data for that bullet in my old Sierra manual for a 20" barrel.

Speaking of powders, the new Leverevolution from Hodgdon is the real deal. I was loading the 130 TSX to about 2500 fps in a 24" barrel. Leverevolution pushed the velocities well over 2600 FPS with no pressure problems.

Jeffrey,

The only Winchester .30-30 I am familiar with is the 94. When I loaded 125 spitzers in the it I loaded one in the chamber and one in the tube. Teh idea of a pointed bullet resting on a primer did set well with me.

I've got some Data Powder 2200 that I have been loading in my Marlin that I might try but right now I have H4895 that should do well. I will try some RL-7, Seafire, but I don't have any at the moment. I will post a range report when I get it to the range.

Ringman, the Model 54 is a bolt action with a box magazine, so no worries of primers resting on bullet tips.

You know I knew that. I was just checking to see if anyone would know it too. Sure.

I've had good luck with IMR 4198 and Remington 125 grain PSP bullets in both a Rem 788 and a Savage 340 carbine.

In a Savage 340, I liked the 125 gr Sierra over 35 to 36 gr of Varget. I want to try the 125 Ballistic Tip in it - the mag is pretty short, though.

I also have a savage 340 and have used 125gr nosler bt with 36gr H4895 with good results but oal has to be kept to 2.610in to fit in the mag. crimp will have to be over the bullet ogive (looks kinda funny) but works good in my rifle. get about 2550fps in my gun.

Lyman 49th gives 12 powder choices for loading the Sierra 125gr HP/FN bullet. I have loaded these up with W748 and TAC (Tac's data is available for free on the Ramshot website).

I had my best results using TAC. A Max charge of TAC was pushing the 125gr bullet at 2526 fps out of my 20" Marlin 336. Everything I've read about the bullet says it does a great job on deer, the only downside is the low BC means it can be pushed by the wind pretty easily. It grouped around 1.5 - 2" at 85 yards for me. Not as good as 160gr LeveRevolution bullets, but good enough to use for hunting. Point of impact is higher than other weight bullets. Even higher than the 160 FTXs.

The other item for consideration, is that this bullet is designed for the 30-30 and it's velocity range. If you load a different 125gr bullet that is intended for 308 or 30-06 velocities, it may not perform well when the velocity is dropped by 400+ fps in the 30-30.

I also tried some Hornady 110gr SP's with W748, thinking it was a pretty fast powder and would be effective with a light for caliber bullet. I had hoped for 2650fps based on the fact that I was getting 2526 for the 125's. I could only get it to around 2435 fps using W748 and staying within published data (Lyman 49th). It didn't show stellar accuracy either, but at least it wasn't tooo long of a bullet, like some of the 125's where you're seating them deep into the case to hold a OAL so it will cycle in your rifle.

It does make a nice super low recoil round when you load it to around 2100 fps, but I prefer the Rainier Carbine bullets for my plinking load, but they have a much different POI when my scope is sighted in for the 160gr FTXs.

I can't remember who made them but I used to buy my son a factory load w/the 125grFN w/a shallow hollow point but it was very effective on deer.It would really break down a deer and destroy the insides within 200yds.I think they were Winchester or Federal.powdr

Sounds like a Federal load.