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Anyone using IMR 4895 in their 30-30?

I never tried imr-4895 in the 30-30, CFE-223 along with Hodgdon LVR powder with bullets from 125 grs to 170 grs are so accurate.

Doc

I use IMR 4895 in my 30-30 and 32SPCL.

I have...but Win 748 is absolutely your Huckleberry in the .30wcf

No sir, RL-15 is clean kill accuracy with 170 gr Hornady and Nosler Partitions in all three of my '94 Winchesters.

I've used 748 with great results in my .30-30, but get slightly better accuracy with IMR-3031, especially with the 170 grain Hornady FP.

I haven't tried RL-15.

I also have generally used W748(with the Speer 170 gr. bullet), but during the last Obama scare I couldn't get either. I loaded several hundred rounds of Varget and the 170 gr. Remington bullet, and was just as pleased.

Had to check my notes, but I run H4895 in my 30-30, not IMR. FWIW, 30 grains of Hodgdon's powder gets me around 1/2" at 50 yards. Just recently started playing with 100 yard targets (my front sight is too short for my Skinner peep sight), but I've shot 1 1/2" at that distance. A scope might help, but I'll most likely stick with irons on this one. I get a tad over 2,100fps with a 170gr. Sierra.

RE 15 with both 150 and 170 has worked perfectly for a long time.

IMR 3031 has been the most accurate for me with IMR 4064 close behind.

You bet Vic, slower burning than the old standby powders for the 30-30, get that 2200 fps with 170's at lower pressures, nicer to the old steel to boot.

I forgot to point out I'm shooting a 125 grain Sierra Sptz. Pro-Hunter. Bullet number #2120. I'm shooting 32 grains of Surplus 4895. I began at 30 grains & worked up .5 at a time. Here's Wednesday's target. 9 shots, 2 different powder charge weights & one sight change. That's a 4" bull.

Another vote for IMR-3031. It just works.

Ed

Anyone use TAC for their .30-30?

TAC works well, especially with 150's.

I tried a bunch of new powders in the .30-30 this past year, after mostly relying on IMR4895 and RL-15 for quite a while. Not surprisingly, since there are so many powders in the IMR4895/RL-15 burn-rate range, a bunch of powders worked very well. Among the stars were:

Speer 100-grain Plinker: 35.0 RL-7 @ 3000 fps

Prvi Partisan 110 RN: 34.0 RL-7 @ 2900 fps

Sierra 125 FNHP: 35.0 LT-32 @ 2700 fps
(2nd most accurate load)

Hornady 150 RN: 32.0 IMR4895 @ 2150 fps (3rd most accurate load)
38.5 Leverevolution @ 2450 fps (average accuracy but top velocity 150's)
33.0 TAC @ 2350 fps (better accuracy than Leverevolution, but not quite as fast)

Hornady 160 FTX: 37.0 Leverevolution @ 2470 fps

Nosler 170 Partition: 32.5 Varget @ 2200 fps

Speer 170 FN: 36.0 Leverevolution @ 2400 fps
32.0 grains Norma 201 @ 2300 fps (most accurate load of any tried)

These were shot in a 24-inch barrel (Winchester Model 64).

Good info, thanks John.

I have everything I need to load for my 30/30. But it really shoots the Federal blue box 150s so good I just keep picking a couple boxes up at WM several times a year.

Yes good info.

I got excellent results with LVR and 170g Noslers. High velocity and good accuracy. CFE 223 did almost as well.

I use Varget in my carbine and Hornady bullets,

35.5g for 150's = 2230fps and 34g for 170's = 2120 fps

Excellent accuracy in three different carbines

I have a 2400 fps load with the 170 Noslers in a modern 26" octagon barreled 94 Winchester, accurate 200 yard gong hits with the Lyman receiver peep are a piece of cake, I can't stress how surprised I was at the level of penetration of that bullet, it is a plow.

You guys are great & while I guess this should have been under the single shot forum all have been gracious in sharing loads. Again thank you.

gunner,

Yeah, the 170 Partition penetrates pretty well! I know of a few Montana elk that have been .30-30'd with it. While I haven't shot vast numbers of them into deer, haven't recovered one, even on severely angling shots.

I also knew a guy who really liked them as a "woods" bullet in the .308 Winchester. He said they really whacked whitetails, but I haven't tried it--yet.

Surprised only one plug for Lever Evolution. I have been disappointed in how little data has been offered. Has been stated that this powder is not suitable for many calibers yet where it works it really works & 30 -30 is one place where it works. I am not a 30 30 guy here.

Lever truly gives me best velocities by a surprising margin, in another cartridge with fine accuracy. Sorry to say no factory data w LVR in my favorite cartridge, that I and many others have been using this propellant.

I've found IMR 3031 to be very accurate in my guns, and I've recently gone to Leverevolution for the same gun due to the extra 150-200 fps and cleaner bore, with equal accuracy. I tried H4895, and it was just OK in the 2 or 3 .30-30's I've tried it in. accuracy close to 3031, but slightly slower.

Old70

Great to hear ALL that MD, I've yet to recover one in deer or pigs, it's a great bullet, and very glad to hear it'll dispatch elk, have often though of carrying it if I ever get to go on a black bear hunt.

15 or so years ago I tried then available powders in search of the perfect medium-capacity bottleneck rifle powder; with emphasis on the 30-30 Winchester. In my case it turned out to be H4895 and examples of its goodness are listed here: http://www.thesixgunjournal.net/in-defense-of-the-30-30-winchester/

Turns out it is just as good in my other 'everything gun' the 30-06 Springfield. I am a pretty boring reloader because these days, H4895 is the only rifle powder I buy.

Edited to add: Dang Creeker, I just figured out it was you! Hope you are well; blessings to you and the family.

Lever Evolution is clearly the best powder for my Model 94 32 Special with 165gr FTX bullets. Accurate 2495 is also a good powder.

I have used 4895, it works if that is what you have on hand. 3031 and 4064 both work well on all the midsized 30 caliber cartridges. I keep them both around as general use powders.

My go to for a 170 gr hunting load is 3031. Though, there is little difference when using 4064.in this cartridge.

I shoot a lot of trail boss in it these days. TB and a 170 gr lead RNFP make a good economical plinking leaver.

Just piced up a old Glenfield 30 in 30/30 with the 1/2 mag, going to work up some of these

I compared the Lever powder to h 4895 in the 300 savage. ( using model 99 actions)

I don't have the data in front of me but my conclusion was the Lever powder got more bullet speed than h 4895 out of the shorter carbine barreled 300 savage cartridge. As the barrels got longer the difference became less.

Old school here.I started using 3031 back it he 70's and never had reason to switch.Fellow can waste lot of time trying every new powder that hits the market

This. I quit trying other powders after using W 748 in the 30/30.

I use the age old 30 grains of imr30-31...

I use what ever is handy.. It is not a benchrest rifle..

748 and 3031 are my two favorites. I used to use AA 2520 as well with pretty darned decent results. I used it because it was a pretty versatile powder that worked in several other cartridges I loaded...(IIRC .308, .30-06, .303, .30-30, .32 Win Spl, etc).

I've been playing with AR-Comp and Sierra & Speer 170s. It seems to be as accurate as I can possibly be with iron sights.

IMR-3031 or 748 and 170 gr. cast bullets. Never tried anything that killed or shot any better.

Ran some 4895 loads years ago along with a few other powders including Leverevolution but eventually settled on IMR-3031 for 170 grs. and BL-C2 for 150 gr. stuff.