Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 30-30 bullet weight question

I have some Woodleigh 165 grain protected point bullets coming that I would like to try in my Savage 1899 30-30 but I have the Lee and Speer manuals and neither lists a load for 165 grain bullets. Should I be able to use data for 170 grain jacketed bullets to work off? Since there is only a 5 grain difference in weight should it work or should I keep looking until I can find a book with data for the 165s?

Weight wise you won't notice the difference. Length wise you may have trouble functioning in the magazine. You'll probably want to check that first.

In comparison to the Speer 170 grain bullet, pressure would drop by about 3 Kpsi. I use the Hornady, and in that case, a small pressure increase is indicated (2 kpsi).

This is using Quickload, and assuming all load particulars other than the bullet are consistent.

I won't tell you do it or not, just that I think I would be comfortable using it with my .30-30 load, which is running under 38.5 Kpsi now.

Thank you both for your input, it is much appreciated.

I have been using the 150 grain Woodleigh Flatpoint and I have them loaded a little long and the 165s aren't much longer so I think I can get them to run through the magazine, but I will make up a couple dummy rounds first to make sure. If I can't get them to work I can always use them in the .30-06.

I'm not one to approach maximums anyway in my handloads (except in my .357 Blackhawk) so I'm just looking for a nice comfortable easy shooting woods whitetail load.

Thanks again.

You can always trim the case back a bit to seat the bullet somewhat deeper, this is what hornady does with factory ammo in the 4570. The 3030 has alot ofcase neck.

I hadn't thought of that, Hornady does it with the .450 Marlin LE brass too.