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Speer's Hot Cor 150 grain flat nose with IMR 3031 seated to an OAL of 2.520" has work real well for me in my 303 Savages.

That's the combo I use mostly. Sometimes go with 4895.

I'm a 190 grain man. Pushed by 28 gr. 3031.

The newest Hodgdon Reloading Manual, 2020, has a descent article on loading for the 303 Savage. Lists 7 or 8 different powders. Lever evolution seems to be the authors favorite.
In the same article is something interesting. Have seen this discussion here on at least a couple occasions.” According to Nesbit, the early 30 Savage rifles were, in fact, 303 Savages, and all 30-30s made by Savage are always correctly marked. He indicates that no 30-30 was ever marked 30 Savage.

Eric

For the first 5 or 6 months they were offered, they were stamped 30 SAV. He's mistaken.

Is there evidence that any 30 SAV marked gun was a .303?

Why would they mark 1895's 303 then switch to calling the 1899's Sav 30?

Nope, though some people resist believing it.

Throughout the appearance of the 30 SAV stamped guns were also guns stamped 303. I've got a really rough 1899B with 28" barrel in that range that's stamped 303.


Even worse.. under Nesbitt's take:
1) 1895's were called 303's
2) the first 1899's were called 303's
3) then 1899's were called both 303's and 30 SAV simultaneously for half a year
4) then the 30 SAV nomenclature for 303's stopped at exactly the time that 30-30's were introduced

Now his idea is fine.. it's good for us not to take things as gospel and to keep an open mind. But this one I think we've laid to rest.

So, who's on first?

The SAV 30 rifles had a barrel address saying "CAL. 30". The 303's have a barrel address saying "CAL. 303"

Here is SN 18.738 in 303. Roy just bought a SAV 30 off of gunbroker that's 16.6xx and shows the CAL. 30 stamp beautifully, but I can't link it from here.

I have a very beat up SRC, ser # 20.8xx marked “Cal. 30” in the barrel address, not Sav. 30 or 30-30. Am I correct in assuming this is a 30-30?

Sorry, I didn’t mean to hijack the OPs thread.

Thanks,
Eric

Nothing stamped in front of the receiver?

I type to slow. Thanks Calhoun.

Eric

No, nothing.

That one's a good question. The 30-30's always had something extra stamped in front of the barrel, so I would tend to guess it's a 303 Savage.

But 303's were stamped CAL. 303.

So, did they just miss putting the extra stamp in front of the receiver? Or did they use the wrong stamp on the barrel address?

Here's 31.xxx, which is what I would expect yours to look like if it was 30-30 because yours falls just barely higher than the first 30-30 stamps we see. But.. I think you'd need to do a barrel cast to be sure. Unless somebody else knows something I don't?

Here are pics of the markings on 15.002

You can still see the original listing here: https://www.gunsamerica.com/977518314/SAVAGE-MODEL-1899B-30-30-MADE-IN-1900.htm

Yep, but his rifle is 400 serial numbers higher than the first 30-30 stamps.

But, always have to remember that guns weren't finished in serial number order either. His gun might have been finished before SN 20.409.

So... a 30-30 without a SAV 30 or 30-30 stamp, or a mis-stamped 303 Savage?

Just loaded 2 photos in the image gallery of the barrel.

Eric

It is a 30-30. 303 Savage is about a half inch from chambering.

Eric