Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 30-30 AI, Leverevolution and 150 gr. Speer FN

Well all I accomplished here was to shoot two rounds each at 37.0, 38.0, 39.0, 40.0 and 41.0 grains of LVR under the 150 gr. Speer flat nose through my Contender carbine on a hot day in Texas. All two shot groups were under an inch. The last two using the 41.0 grain load were touching. My contender action on this rifle is a pretty old one in the serial number range in the 4000 area so not an easy open. The rifle functioned smoothly with all loads with no problem opening or extracting the cases. The primers even with the top load did not re seat flush with the case head so it appears the AI case design does reduce case head thrust. Barrel length is 21 inches. The top load shown with this powder for the 30-30 gives 2550 fps. I expect I am at least getting that. Recoil is a bit buckish in the very light carbine topped with a 2x7 leupold. Further testing to come shooting more groups with the 40 an 41 grain loading.

That will be a game getter for sure. My reduced 308 loads shot at about the same velocity and the bullets performed more consistently than most other cup & core combos I have used.

Hey Rick- the Speer 170FN Hot Cor is a thumper too in that 30-30 AI! Look over on Ammoguide.com at some listed loads for the 30-30 AI. You can get/neck down/fireform Starline .375 Winchester brass now and never have to worry about a case separation! Can probably get more speed too!

I have some of the 170 Hot Cors and Hornady's 170 as well. But I have 400 of the 150 gr. Hot Cors and I am going to thoroughly test them this year.

Thanks for posting this. I'm planning on giving the 125 ballistic tip a try in a 30-30AI sometime this summer. Have you done anything with 125-130 grain bullets?

I have shot paper and water jugs with the 130 gr. Speer hollow points. Made it into the third jug mostly in pieces but shot really well.

Rick...i recovered a speer 130 HP from a whitetail around 2 years ago, will weigh that and try to get some pix.....it wiped out 1 shoulder & lodged under the hide on the off-side. that was the only one i've ever got back; all the rest plowed on through.

have shot a few deer & hogs with that bullet; it has been a pretty good option for accuracy in my 20" MGM 30/30 carbine & 22" 30/30ackley carbine barrels.

last couple of years i was using the 130's with CFE223 @ about 2400fps or thereabouts in the 20" barrel...last year i bought a second 30/30 carbine here in the classifieds, had planned on seeing how that barrel did with LVR.

In my 30/30ackley, 150gr SST's were at about 2575 with 41.0gr LVR; 42.0gr yielded 2620fps, but was that combo was on the too-warmish side (frame unlatched,so no more tests with that combo..i called 41gr max).

will follow this to see how your load testing goes....

also, if you do try some more lightweight bullets, IMR8208XBR seemed to do well with lighter bullet weights in my Ackley barreled carbine...but i didnt (yet) clock 'em for speeds.

last kill with the speer 130HP:

Thanks for the velocity as I had no idea where I was at with it. In my rifle 41.0 grains seems mild. COAL in my rifle with the 150 gr. SST is 2.825 so I have some extra throat length. I have to burn up 400 150 gr. bullets before I buy any lightweights though I have some of the 130 gr. Speer HP's on hand.

Picked up a Magnetospeed chrony and wanted to see what my speed is with the 41.0 grain load. Fired two shots that went 2593 fps and 2597 fps. In my opinion this is pretty fast. Temps today are in the high 90's, no problems with extraction.

Dang - that is moving right along. I think a spitzer bullet, like the Speer 150 Hot-Cor, would really shine at that speed.

rick,

That is some good data! Live in S Tx myself and good to see some info especially with the heat down here!

I also loaded up some Hornady SST 150 grain boat tails on top of the same charge just didn't chrony them.The vast majority of my shooting at hogs and deer is under 100 yards with the very occasional long shot of 250 yards. The flat nose Speers hopefully will do a good job at the higher than average 30-30 velocities.