Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Contender 30 Herrett bullet choice?

Been playing with another barrel, a 10" 30H, what weight bullet has worked for you guys? I'm getting 1.5-2" @ 100, I'd like to see if it will do any better. Using a 7X Burris, I think the optics are covered.

My .30 Herrett wears a 2x Burris, so I don't quite get the groups you are getting, but it does really well with a 125 grain Ballistic Tip. I haven't killed a deer with it yet as I haven't had it too long, but I hope to fix that this season.

SPS has 125gr Accubonds now, I believe.

Edit: Yep. Accubond overruns $17.95. BT blems $14.45 for 50.

Weasel: The challenge with the 30 Herrett is finding a .308 caliber bullet that will expand at 2250 fps that the Herrett cartridge and 125 grain bullets develop in a 10" barrel. That is why Sierra and Hornady had the Single Shot Pistol bullets that have been discontinued for quite awhile. The 125 Ballistic Tip and Accubond will work but are a little too stoutly constructed to expand as the target range increases and bullet velocity drops off. The Barnes 120 grain TAC TX works pretty well since it is optimized for 300 Blackout velocities.
Regarding accuracy make sure you have your sizing die adjusted so cartridges headspace properly in the Contender action. Go to www.bellmtcs.com where Mike has a very detailed discussion of this topic. To preserve my stash of the Hornady 125 grain SSP bullets I have been shooting the Hornady 125 grain flat base bullet for sighting in and practicing. It is interchangeable with the SSP bullet except for jacket thickness. On a good day I get less than an inch group at 100 yards with a 2 3/4 power Leupold pistol scope.

I've got a 10" Herrett and I used Hornady 125 SSP single shot pistol bullets back when I was still using and loading for it . . Be sure you are sizing the brass correctly . If you are you will get VERY good accuracy.
Soup

My 14" Herrett liked the 135 Sierra SSP bullet and IMR-4198

Thanks guys, I'm not too worried about expansion yet, probably will use it mainly for bangin steel. Some impressive recoil!

Bet she's loud too!

I've killed my share of whitetails and varmints with my 12" 30 herrett using the speer 130 hp, ranging from 35 to 150 yards. these were all out in the open shots, I don't think I would use this bullet in the "woods".

Yep, Nobody wants to shoot within 2 benches of me @ the range.

I had good luck with the Hdy 110 conical softpoint. Don't know if they still make it. I think it was Speer who made a 110 JHP varmint bullet that acted like a big game expander at Herrett speeds. IMO the Herrett topped out at about 125-130 grains in the balance between speed and expansion. 30-cal "varmint" bullets work very well at 2300-2400 fps. If you can find some 110-gr roundnose bullets made for the 30 Carbine, snap them up. Very reliable expansion at Herrett speeds.

Not real aerodynamic, but Sierra makes a 125 grain flat hollowpoint speer has a 130 grain flat softpoint for .30-30 use. Might be worth a try.

Tom