Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading 30 Herrett

Growing up I always read anything I could find written by Bob Milek. Well, low and behold I stumbled across a 14” contender barrel at the gun show. I’ve done a bit of on line research but haven’t found much info as far as load data. Anyone have any experience with the round?
I’m planning on 125BT’s or accubonds for deer hunting and I think Sierra and Speer made some 125-130 30/30 bullets I’ll also try if I can find any bullets. Thank you in advance.

Ben

It's listed in my 10th Edition Cartridges of the World. If I could. I'd photo the listing and post it. My pics are too big on here.

It shows a 125gr sp loaded with IMR4227 23.0grs for 2205fps.

2400, and Norma 200 are the other powders listed. Bullet weights from 100 to 150grs.

72' & 73' appear to be the year of initial use. Should be reputable verifiable data in the archives somewhere.

Thanks early. I dug around and found my T/C volume one loading book but it stops at 7-30 waters… I also found some info in a Sierra and hornady load manual.

I’m also going to see if I can find the velocity threshold for expansion on 110&130 tsx/TTSX bullets. They might really shine in the old Herrett case.

This cartridge is not a speedster. Think bullets on the softer side.

My father used to use Sierra and Hornady bullets that were deliberately made to expand easily for this application. Unfortunately, those have been discontinued.

I shoot the discontinued Hornady 130 Gr. SSP (single shot pistol) bullet from my Contender with a 10" barrel.
I have a loading manual with data just for Contenders. PM me your cell # and I'll send you pics of the data from that manual.

Don't know about the later editions, but Hodgdons 2017 manual has data.

Accurate, Hornady and Lee Manuals also have info.

My 10" barrel had ridiculously oversized neck that I quit shooting it to save brass.

14 inch stepped up the ante significantly.

This is the only printed data I have on the cartridge.
Hodgdon #25

Hornady #3

This was the very first cartridge I ever reloaded some 40 years ago. Mine was very accurate and accounted for some of my most impressive distance handgun shots. It was good with the TC as well since it was a rimmed cartridge. However, I remember it had some blast and noise that made me always want to shoot it with muffs. I loaded IMR 4227 load with 110 grain bullets. I have long since gotten rid of the TC barrel that I used for this cartridge but I still have the first loaded cartridge from long ago in my old garage. I also thought the 357 Herrett made a little more sense but never got around to owning one.

My good friend couldn't live without my 30 Herrett so I let him have it. He doesn't reload and has since moved onto a 223 barrel. I have both the full length die set and the Form Set. If you're interested give me a PM.

Thanks everyone. I did find load data in a few old manuals I’ve got. I loaded some ammo with imr4198 and some 150 RN hornady bullets. First group was not encouraging. I’d guess it to have been in the 5-6” range for 5 shots. I got a bunch of brass with the barrel. I set the seating die and noticed the second round the cannelour was in a drastically different place in relationship to the case mouth. I measured the rest of the brass and OAL was all over the place and very short. I’ll try to trim some up to uniform length and start messing with seating depth. Most of the stringing in the group was vertical so hopefully I can get the old barrel to shoot.

I also called barnes bullets and got their numbers for min. velocity for expansion of 150tsx FN which was 1500fps and 130ttsx which was 1800…. If I get the barrel to settle down I might have to see if they shoot well. I think they’d be awfully good deer medicine.

Used to carry a 30 herrett in the high country in Se Alaskan would hunt with a friend, one would carry a big bore rifle the other a 14 inch TC. Killed a lot of deer with that pistol. Very accurate. I still have about 140 or so primed brass if you interested .It was never fire formed, I made them out of 30 30 and 32 special s as brass and traded the pistol in AK. I won’t be home for a week and a half I’ll look for loads but it’s been 35 years. It was a lot of fun you’ll like it

Load the 125 Ballistic Tips and don’t look back

Barnes TAC-TX 110 grain. Designed for 300 Blackout so it expands a 30 Herrett velocities. Sierra used to sell SSP (single shot pistol) bullets but out of production for awhile.

Hornady CX 110 is recommended by bobbytomex. Search his posts on Contender hunting.

130gr Speer HP and Reloder 7 from a 10" barrel is all that i need for deer.