Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire .30 cal RN solids

Good bud is looking for some old fashioned .30 cal RN solids. He's thinking 180's, 200's, 220's. He wants to shoot them slow on small critters to not tear them up.

I remember seeing those kinda bullets years ago, nothing recent. I think Barnes may have made some back in the day.

If anyone has any or knows where some are, please chime in.

BTW, he's a long time hunter, reloader and goes to Africa. I've about convinced him to join us here. Don't know what his handle will be.

Thanks,

DF

pretty sure I have a sleeve of 220's somewhere

He would do better with cast bullets. Do you know what cartridges?

That is exactly what I was thinking. If, as you stated he is wanting to shoot them slow, as to not tear critters up, then shooting a good hardcast makes a lot of sense.

FMJ spitzers should work too

I can't attest to the 30 cal but I always carried some Barnes solids for my 7mm mag when I went to Africa. They were great for things like Oribi and Steenbok. Dont know about the availability of them now but they were good.

Maybe he’ll register and chime in.

DF

Tell your buddy that loading jacketed bullets for low velocities is a good way to destroy a gun.

Barnes has recently made some pointed solids in 30 cal. I have some in 168gr. Not sure if they are still cataloged.

Barnes made some 250 grainers.

My friend in South Africa used to shoot some 220g round nose fmjs. He used them in an old 2 groove 1903 and said they were great for braining hips.

If going lower speed I'd go cast and powder coated. I cast some 200g flat nose .358 bullets that I'm going to use in my blr 358. I'll run then about 2000fps.

Bb

I have to ask. Why would it destroy a gun and at what velocity does this occur?

Run them slow enough and they stick in the barrel. It's shooting another round after that's happened that does the damage.

A cast is the way to go. A lot more profiles and a lot more predictable.

.30 caliber 180 grain gas checked hard cast.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/176192734730?

Load them to around 2K FPS and drop them from the mold into icewater. Lube and size to .001" over bore diameter. Use an alloy of 19 LBS. of wheel weights and 1 LB. of 50/50 lead/tin bar solder. They will be as hard as woodpecker lips and drill nice round holes with no expansion. I've killed a truckload of deer using a similar load in a small ring 7.62 Spanish Mauser, but with a 130 grain GCHC. Close range head/neck shots- - - -no bloodshot meat, and DRT.

I think this is from P.O.Ackley's Volume 1...

" P.O. Ackerly discusses the subject of reduced loads. In definition, reduced loads means reducing powder amounts to less than starting loads. Disturbingly, the purpose of placing that discussion near the very front of the book is that under some situations, reduced loads can cause the gun being fired to detonate, blow up, or become severely damaged, often with the additional risk of damage to the shooter."

new Remington Core-Lokt ammo on the shelves in 30-06 with the 180 gr & 220 gr RN bullets along with the lighter weight spitzer bullets, got a box of each that I'm gonna run through the Garmin Xero chrono this weekend in my Rem700 mt rifle and an ADL

Cool.

Dad and his friends used to like the 220 load for elk hunting.

Just notice the word "solid" in the OP

CEB make 180 & 210 gr copper solid bullets

Cutting Edge Bullets Safari Solid

I tested Remington's 220-grain RN load in three rifles a few years back. I got 2,269 fps in a 20.5" Husqvarna 1640, 2,367 fps in a 22" Model 700 Remington, and 2,359 fps in a 23.625" Model 70 Classic. Ammo from the same box did 2,353 fps in the Model 70 when I later had it rebarreled with a 22" McGowen barrel.

I also tested the 180 RN load in the Model 70. I don't have the exact figures but I remember it doing almost exactly 2,700 fps in the old barrel.


Okie John