Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire 30-30 at MV 3,000fps

Energy is exaggerated by 200 lbs. too.

I looked at Hodgdon loading data and the best velocity they got with a 140 gr. bullet was with LVR at 2436 fps. Pressure was 39700 PSI.

Doc

Energy is irrelevant as any true hunter knows

Rocky: I'm kind of with you.

There's a part of me reading Paco's articles and thinking "This can work. I know it can."

There's another part of me that says: "Dummy, why don't you just use your 30-06 and be done with it?"

Underwood's been around a bit, their stuff is top shelf, as advertised. You won't find it at Walmart though.

Precision is more important. Some guys could consistently kill elk with a 22-250, while others would play hell killing a jackrabbit with a 458 Win Mag.

i ordered some loaded ammo from underwood over a week ago, hasn't showed up yet.
a shipping label was created, but nothing after that.
last night i emailed underwood to find out if it was shipped, it was, ups screwed up the shipping.
suppose to be here today. They were fast to answer my inquiry.
i have ordered their projectiles, and loaded ammo for three or four calibers.
at this point, i love them.
as to paco,i would want to be behind a couple of inches of steel plate.

Paco Kelly's top end loads make me a little nervous. With most centerfire rifle loads I dial them down a bit below listed maximums. But the 30-30 cartridge is very old and the industry standard pressures for it was established back when rifles were made of much weaker steel than is currently used. I've found that there's improvements to be had with some judicious handloading of the old chambering in modern lever rifles.

I've been known to tweak 30-30 loads just a bit. I don't get too carried away, but I've had good results with the Speer 130 grain FP and Ramshot X-Terminator propellant.

With the 150 and 170 grain bullets I'd recommend a slower propellant than X-Terminator. I've had good results with good old H4895 with the heavier bullets but I've done much less than an exhaustive study on the subject. I'm sure there's other propellants that would give good service in the 30-30.

Let the tightness of your butthole be your guide when you tweak handloads, of course. And if you don't have a fair understanding of the burning properties of propellants, don't try it at all.

I spoke briefly with their spirits a few moments ago to inquire about this. They were both of the firm opinion that they could not get any deader from a new tech .30-30 ammo.



Likewise, they had a very negative opinion about 150 gr Corelokt and Hornady 170 gr bullets and the .30-30. Would probably support a gun ban too....

I've read some of his stuff in 35 cal lever guns. I'm sure the guns would take it for a while but I would think at some point I wouldnt want to be behind the trigger. Seems he is more optimistic than i am. But hey it doesn't hurt to dream does it. 😉

I'm pretty sure I agree with your consultants in this case.

All I want to know is did they speak English or Spanish! 😆

I've got two 30-30's...

That's all I have!

One for each hand...

ee & rockinbbar now I have to go see how many I have

Yep

And I’ve sent a ton of hogs to meet their maker with a 150 gr Corelokt. Last I checked, they were still dead. 🤠

Up

They sounded a lot like Georgia Crackers.

I've got a basket full of 30-30's most Savages. Love em.

The longer .30-30 barrels may surprise some shooters. They will generate higher velocities than some think.
The 26” barrel Model 94 will push the factory 170-grain JRN Remington load 2,330 fps.

If you are old enough you will remember published load data using 31.0 grains of IMR 3031 under the 170 grain bullets. Today 29.0 to 29.5 grain is considered a maximum load.
Back in the 1960’s we loaded and shot these loads without difficulty and never thought much of it. 30.0 grains of IMR 3031 was our standard load for the 170 grain bullets. At the time this was considered The Deer load. Later when we got chronographs we found the 30.0 grain load of IMR 3031would push the bulk Remington 170 grain round nose bullets a little over 2,100 fps in the 26” barrel rifles. The same load in the 20” barrel carbines got 2,050 fps or a little better.

In the 26” barrel rifle you can push the 130 grain Speer bullet over 2,700 fps every day with 37.0 grains of Hodgdon Varget. 36.0 grains of Varget is a maximum load in my 20” barrel carbine and this will deliver 2,200 fps without fuss.

I have shot the .30-30AI quite a lot with 20” barrel carbines. The 130 grain Speer bullet can break 2,800 fps from the carbine with good case life. 2,700 fps is my preferred velocity in the 20” carbine with the 130 grain bullet and any one of several powders will achieve this velocity with excellent case life.

Today we never say never but I would like to see the chronograph screen when shooting this 140 grain load in a 20” barrel carbine.

Sounds like the 308 marlin express or 307 Winchester.