Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General 170 grain .30-30 ammo test

For the heck of it I decided to run three types of 170 gr .30-30 ammo that I had on hand through a little informal test at the rifle range this morning.

Temperature was 40 degrees, overcast, and with a slight north wind. The bullet launcher was my trusty iron-sighted 336 Marlin with the standard 20" microgroove barrel. The chronograph was 12' from the muzzle. The target was a row of one-gallon plastic jugs filled with water, at 25 yards.

Remington Core Lokt: Recovered from 6th jug. 132 gr, .552" dia. Muzzle velocity was 2118 fps.


Winchester Silvertip: Recovered from 6th jug. 125.6 gr, .584" dia. Muzzle velocity was 2167 fps.


Winchester Power Point: Recovered from 6th jug. 138.5 gr, .606" dia. Muzzle velocity was 2141 fps.


Unless one of these types of ammo shoots remarkably better from your rifle (and they all shot with about the same good accuracy from my Marlin), I don't know that I could recommend one of these over the other. They all have similar muzzle velocity, penetration, expansion and weight retention. The modest muzzle velocity of the .30-30, coupled with a large soft point seems to make for very good bullet performance.

I'd also note that at this same velocity level, some 300 grain .45/70 bullets I've tested were destroyed, and produced less penetration... Worth a thought.

Regards, Guy

Looking at what you've got there, it would be a matter of picking the most accurate load, terminal performance seems to be pretty uniform.

That is one of the benefits of using a .30-30, the bullets have been well-engineered for the velocity. They are very dependable.

I went through the same thing with the .45-70, finally settling on the 300 grain Unicor.

Yep, that little 30-30 is still one heck of a deer slayer in the hardwoods. The 170 grain bullet is best for penetration and you can count on it doing the job proper.

I've got a fair stock of 30-30 ammo. I seldom fool with 150 grainers, generally preferring the traditional 170's.

That rifling looks strong for a microgroove barrel. I wonder why I have heard some say to avoid it? Any ideas? How many rounds do you have through that Marlin please?
-=tpr=-

It's a 1970's Marlin I picked up used a couple of years ago. Really have no idea how many rounds have been through it. It looks like it was used hard, but that may or may not mean it had a lot of rounds through it. Did have to replace the extractor, and the action is pretty doggone smooth, so I believe it's likely been shot quite a bit.



Nothing special, but a pretty good little rifle. I put the sights on it because I like shooting with peep sights.

Guy

Very nice. I don't have a Marlin yet. In my .3030 I have tried experimenting lately with bullet weight. After fussing around with no real differences in accuracy, I picked up some light 130gr Speer FNHC. You might not believe this but at 100 yards three of them clover-leafed several times... (bench rested of course) this with iron sights and a peep drilled through my shooting glasses. (I lined the right lens with black electricians tape and drilled .075 through it in just the right place).

-=tpr=-

Good test. I know some folks who will only shoot Core-Lockt 170's because they are completely convinced in their superiority. Looks like I'll be referring them to this test.
I've shot Marlin carbines over the years, and one in particular was capable of excellent accuracy. While the straight stock is probably the better in terms of all around use, the pistol grip is very steady, and has a slightly shorter throw.
I'm hoping to liberate an old Sears carbine from its current owner, who never shoots it. Made by Marlin, its essentially a 336. Having had serious honest use, it makes the model pictured here look right fine, but for some odd reason, I'm really attracted to the little gun.

GuyM;

No 170 grain Core-Lokt HPs?

Sorry, didn't have any. Nor could I find them at the local shops. If I get some HP's, I'd like to see how they perform.

I knew I liked the 170's in the little 30/30 for some reason, I load the 170 NP's and have yet to recover one on deer or piggies.
Nice report GuyM, Thanks

Gunner

Thanks for posting your test results, GuyM.

The Remington Core-Lokt is the most accurate factory 170 grain ammo in my Win '94.

Mine too but the silvertips are decidedly better in my 336 and they don't get beat up as bad loading and unloading through the course of a season. I've never been able to keep either in a deer except with lengthwise shots and the few I've recovered from deer looked pretty much like the ones pictured.

Sounds like a candidate for my other favorite factory load; the Hornady LeverEvolution 160 gr flex tip spitzers.

while the subject is on the reporting of 170 grain 30-30 ammo, i have had a bad experience with 150 grain Win hollow-points.

the one time i shot a deer with it, the copper shell split off at point of entry, and only the lead core penetrated.

required another shot, same thing, and then a drag back across a creek. the second shot caught him crossing the far side of the creek.

the copper jacket was recovered in the entry side of the skin. the lead interior was inside the deer.

not to get us too far off-subject, but my uncles always used the win. silverttips. mostly, i was a core-lokt fan before giving up and moving on to an '06.

GuyM,

Great photos of recovered bullets. After many decades (100 plus years!) of loading the 30-30, ammo companies have it right. I also think many shooters like 170gr over the 150gr.

Thanks for posting this. I shot some older (but age unknown) Winchester 170 gr Silvertips a few years ago though a chronograph and got about 2050 fps (Marlin 336, 20" barrel). Seemed a little low to me.

I'm happy to see that all of your tests resulted in velocities over 2100 fps with 170s-- that's about what I would expect from factory loads. Newer Remington 170s go around 2160 fps in my rifle. I can handload to that level using RL15, but I can't do better. Although I don't use them a lot, factory loads in .30-30 seem to wring about as much as you can get out of that old cartridge.

Thanks again!

I have used only the Speer 170 grain FP for years. With IMR 4320, and using my 336Y, I am getting very good accuracy, with 2150 FPS velocity.

"After many decades (100 plus years!) of loading the 30-30, ammo companies have it right."

Agree - long term familiarity with the cartridge, coupled with modest muzzle velocity, seems to lead to some really nice performance. My other favorite .30's are the .308 Win & .30-06, they too benefit from much cartridge & bullet development work.

Mentioned to my son last night that bear season opens again in a bit over three months, and he got all excited! Maybe the .30-30 will tag along with one of us while we're hunting...

Regards, Guy