Thanks all for the ideas.
Let me ask y'all a follow-up question: Are there any 30-30 bullets you'd warn against?
Back when, yes- the old Winchester 150 Jacket RN Hollow Point. (1969) ( i think they were meant to be a better penetrator on big game?) Anyhow, I always used the Remington 150CL factory ammo as a kid of 16...back when...I had ran out during deer season ( long in Texas, from Mid November to early January) shooting mostly varmints and on hogs. When I went to the local Western Auto store ( I had a credit account then! ha) all they had were these unknown Winchester 150HP. I bought a box, they shot to the same zero at 60yds, so off I went. I ended up having them zip through a small spike buck. First shot behind shoulder ( about 40yds) he turned and ran toward me. Second shot went from stem to stern, and he fell, I ran around some bushes and shot him the neck at 10yds. All this happened fast, of course, but skinning him showed the pinholes.
Later in life (1976) I was into bowhunting in October, then rifle hunted in November, using that same old 30-30. The week before I was given 5 handloaded rounds by a guy whom I helped zero his Savage 170 pump. "He said" they were 200gr Round Nose loaded by a mutual friend ( looked like Hornady's?) I shot one at 60yds and one at 100 to see where the hit (I was zeroed for 150cl again) I had to raise my rear one notch. I ended up shooting another spike ( lots of them back then and where we hunted in SE TX) I shot from tree stand about 35 yds away, he ran and I swung ahead and shot him right below the tree, he rolled like a rabbit! First shot cut a groove through the sidewall of the heart, some lung tissue had a thumb sized hole. Second went through head into 6 inches of neck vertebrae. That left me one round. I don't know if they were 200gr, 220gr, or just some other 180 round nose .308 cal . but they hit hard! ha
Out here in Utah, I loaded/shot alot in a Marlin 336 for a year and then had it Ackleyed. I shot the 170CL and Speer 170. I also made up a load for the standard 30-30 with the Hawk .030" jacket 190FN. I was trying to mimic the old 303 Savage , but I was getting 2100 with H335. As luck would have it, a week long buck mule deer hunt skunked me. I freely confess...I was camped by myself and I was "sorely tempted" to shoot the pick-up full of does I was amongst every day, ha! Good luck to you and stay healthy friend!
