Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General Over the counter 30-30 ammo

I've read many recomendations on this forum about 30-30 ammo and for some reason the Federal line is considered inferior to Remington or Winchester when it comes to the big three ammo makers. I'm not talking about their premium lines of ammo, is there some reason that no one reccomends the Federal bullets in this caliber? I was just wondering because I've used Federal ammo in shotgun shells and in 22LR and in .243 and never had any problems with their performance. Thanks

FWIW, I used to prefer Federal ammo for hunting loads during the several years when I was between my reloading phases. I never had a problem with them in .308 or .243. I believe I also used them in .30-30 and .32 WSPCL.

Try several brands and see what your rifle likes. I did that with my model 94 and found that it truly loves Winchester 170 Silvertips. I can't even reload anything it shoots better.

When I shot mostly factory stuff in the 30-30's my rifles preferred the Hornady factory loads. The suggestion to run several different brands and see which your rifle likes best is a good one.
Then maybe try reloading some and see just what your rifle is capable of.

My Marlin 336 hates Winchester and Remington but loves the Federal 170 gr jacketed factory load. Its just like in reloading, sometimes the smallest change in your recipe can change the results of your groups. Like they said above, try them until you get something that works in your rifle. Escpecially with a lever gun because the harmonics of the barrel can be drastically hindered by the magazine tube and the forearm hanging off the barrel so they can be more touchy about the load. But once you find the right load many will shoot MOA or better. Good luck, Ryan

Ryan there are alot of shooters who talk of the accuracy of Remington ammo and the performance on game but you didn't say if you got good performance on game with the Federal ammo. Have you had any success on game with the plain Jane over the counter Federal 30-30 ammo and how did it do? Even if it's accurate in my gun I'd like to know how it performs. Thanks

I've killed deer, Muleys and Whitetail, with my Win. 94 and my Marlin 336, using 170 grains bullets in factory Rem., Win., and Federal cartridges. I've had complete satisfaction with all three, so long as I shot accuratey. I've been using them since about 1955. It kinda depended on what was on sale at the gun shops as to which brand I'd buy. (I didn't, and don't, reload for .30-30.)

Once, I gut shot a deer and had to track him about 500 yards. That was my fault, not the fault of the caliber or cartridge.

A friend of mine uses the various .30-30 factory cartridges in 150 grains, and he does just fine on deer and hogs, with those.

Just my experiences.

L.W.

It's hard to go wrong on .30/30 ammo for deer hunting. It's all darn good. Some of the best groups my rifle has ever fired came with Federal 150 grain loads. The cartridge doesn't tend to stress bullets due to it's velocity range, and it's been tested to death in the field and labs. If your rifle shoots regular Federal ammo accurately don't hesitate to use it for hunting. It'll do what it should.AW

I've been loading up on factory stuff for my 336 just for the fun of it, and haven't seen any Federal. I better get some to see what it does!!

Regards, sse

30/30 is the only round I don't reload for even though I have the dies.
When the stuff goes on sale you almost can't reload for the price.
I've seen it here for $7.99 a box when one of the companies dumps it on the market just before deer season.
I shoot it through a Model 94, just about anything will group around 3" at 100yds and most shots are well inside that distance.
Sometimes I wonder why I even keep a 4X scope on it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

jb - I gotta work on my groups. They kept gettin lower and lower 'til I figgered I was movin the rear sight in the wrong direction!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Dunno where you are in Mich, but if you ever go near Fenton, you know that the cheapest guns and ammo in the state can be found at a certain shop located there.

Regards, sse

I only ever shot two critters with Federal ammo in the .30WCF cartridge.One was a nice blacktail four point non-typical. An easy lung shot at about fifty yards. The deer went right to his knees. But the recovered bullet was in three pieces. The other was a dog that had been making trouble around my place. The bullet hit low in the jaw. Dog facing me. Bullet exploded. There was blood and hair and spit every where. Dog ran into brush and striaght home. Causing me a multitude of problems later. I like winchester silvertips in 170gr variety now.

This is the one caliber where I have some experience with factory ammunition. My Model 94 likes 170 Silvertips and I can't reload anything it likes better. Other rifles will have different likes and you will just have to experiment a bit to find what yours prefers.

As far as bulet performance is concerned I don't think brand matters much. The bullet makers have had a long time to get it right with the 30-30 and any of them will do their job if placed correctly.

I have three 30-30 winchesters (all pre-64's). I personally prefer the 150's grian over the 170 as I think they open up faster. The deer I have seen shot with 150's didn't go to far.

However, my farther in-laws rifle is a winchester 94, five digit pre 64. He inherited it from his father and has hunted with the gun all his life. Years ago he told me his father advised him always use the 170 grain as it is the only grain bullet the gun will shoot acurately. He advised him never to shoot the 150's as the gun doesn't like them.
I poo pood this when he had told me. Well, this year I took my father in-law hunting and shot the old girl at the range. Quit bizarre! Using 150's the gun would not group at all! Bullet pattern horribly erratic. However with the 170's gun gave consistant 2 inch groups.
I couldn't take it. Packed the gun and my father in-law off to a gunsmith who checked it out. His diagnoses was that the end of the barrel was shot out. He believed using the 170 grain bullets stabalized the projectile enough to get the 2 inch groupings.
I guess that's as good a guess as any. Weird hah?

If you check out my last post under "scope mounting problem" you can see I have good luck with 170's. But best groups were with 150 PMC Starfires. They shot just about 1 1/2" to the right of where the Rem and Win hit. I also tried Fed. 170 gr. Speer (not Grand Slam) and they were hitting two inches higher than Rems or Wins; but still good groups.
Anybody here kill anything with Starfires or know of someone who did? I'm interested in how they work on game and can't seem to find anyone who knows.

Qtip
Soli Deo Gloria!
To God Alone Be The Glory!

Well I guess I answered my own questions. I went to the other range I use yesterday and tried the PMC Starfires at 100 yds. My previous shooting was at 60 at a different range that I talked about in my "scope mounting" post. Anyway 170 gr. Silvertips shot pretty good considering the strongs winds. The Starfires shot about 4-6" LOWER and the spread covered approximately a 10" area! They are 150 gr and I can't imagine them shooting that much lower at 100 yds. So I definitely will not use Starfires.

Qtip
Soli Deo Gloria!
To God Alone Be The Glory!

i have a savage 99 in 30/30 that loves remington 170s. consistent groups 1 1/2" to 2 1/2" all day.
just got a winchester 64A. rems group about 3" but federals and hornadys group 1" to 1 1/2" if i do my job, but it was cold, drizzley and misty at the range. temperature just around freezing - no wind tho.
the 99 dispises 150s - 4-6" groups which is still minute of deer accurate but i've always found 170s to be more accurate.
i also like the 170s cuz we got a few critters around here with teeth and claws in the area i hunt (foothills- bears and cougars). once i find a good factory load for my 30/30s i try to reload but haven't yet found a load as accurate as the factory load of choice.

Except for my reloads Federal is normally my choice for most of my rifles .Remington is very reliable but most of my rifles don't shoot it accuratly except my 1895 in 45-70 cal.which shoots factory 405's very well,Remington brass is the cat's meow however.Shooterj2003

Used to be, that KMART would put their .30-30 ammo on sale after the season. In my area they put huge amounts of Federal on the endcap displays.