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Posted By: Magnum_Bob 303 savage - 10/25/22
Wondering if any with the experience of using the 303 with factory 190 gr silvertips could give a comparison to 170 gr 30-30 win...mb
Posted By: Longbeardking Re: 303 savage - 10/25/22
If you are using 190 gr ST's in a ,303, and 170 gr. ST's in a 30-30 and you put the bullet where it belongs, the end result will be the same. The .303 will have a little more energy as long as the velocity is what it should be.
Posted By: Calhoun Re: 303 savage - 10/25/22
When I hunted with a 303 Savage, I used 150gr flatnose. Bit more velocity, better max range.

It killed them dead - very well. I agree that a 190gr would work wonderfully if you put the shot in the right place.
Posted By: wyo1895 Re: 303 savage - 10/25/22
shot an elk in the neck just behind the head with a 303, 150 grain flatnose, 29 g 3031, at a little over 100 yards. BANG! FLOP!
Posted By: oldotter Re: 303 savage - 10/25/22
The bottom line is location, location, location. Bullet grain is irrelevant if you don't achieve first objective.
Posted By: 1899sav Re: 303 savage - 10/26/22
I USE HAWK BULLETS 190 GRAIN RND NOSE .GREAT BULLETS.
tHEY DON'T LIST 190 GRAINERS BUT THEY MAKE THEM FOR ME. ASK FOR ANDREW
Posted By: 1899sav Re: 303 savage - 10/26/22
Hawk Inc.

849 Hawks Bridge Road
Salem, NJ 08079

Tel: (856) 299-2800
Fax: (856) 299-2700
General Info
For general inquires, you can email us at:
[email protected]
Posted By: Dave_Spn Re: 303 savage - 10/26/22
Originally Posted by 1899sav
I USE HAWK BULLETS 190 GRAIN RND NOSE .GREAT BULLETS.
tHEY DON'T LIST 190 GRAINERS BUT THEY MAKE THEM FOR ME. ASK FOR ANDREW


The list the FN, which is a better way to roll in my opinion.


https://hawkbullets.com/bullet-selection.html
Posted By: Dave_Spn Re: 303 savage - 10/26/22
[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
Posted By: gnoahhh Re: 303 savage - 10/26/22
When I shoot a .303 (and .30-30 for that matter) I load a soft cast 190 grain flat nose gas checked lead bullet. The beauty of it is I can load that bullet at factory velocity for factory performance at about 1/10 the cost of a factory round, and as accurately as a jacketed bullet. 28gr. 3031 propels it at an even 2000fps out of a 24" barrel, same speed out of a .30-30 too.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
Posted By: Dave_Spn Re: 303 savage - 10/26/22
Originally Posted by gnoahhh
When I shoot a .303 (and .30-30 for that matter) I load a soft cast 190 grain flat nose gas checked lead bullet. The beauty of it is I can load that bullet at factory velocity for factory performance at about 1/10 the cost of a factory round, and as accurately as a jacketed bullet. 28gr. 3031 propels it at an even 2000fps out of a 24" barrel, same speed out of a .30-30 too.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


That looks perfect.
Posted By: 1899sav Re: 303 savage - 10/27/22
Originally Posted by Dave_Spn
Originally Posted by 1899sav
I USE HAWK BULLETS 190 GRAIN RND NOSE .GREAT BULLETS.
tHEY DON'T LIST 190 GRAINERS BUT THEY MAKE THEM FOR ME. ASK FOR ANDREW


The list the FN, which is a better way to roll in my opinion.


https://hawkbullets.com/bullet-selection.html



DAVE ,
THEY ARE GREAT TO WORK WITH THEY DON'T LIST THE 190 GRAINERS IN RND NOSE, BUT THEY MAKE THEM FOR ME AND THEY DO IT IN .310 DIA FOR SOME OF THE OLDER 303 SAVAGE'S LIKED A .310-.311 DIA. BEEN USING THEM NOW FOR 10 YEARS, GREAT TO WORK WITH
STEVE
Posted By: Magnum_Bob Re: 303 savage - 10/27/22
Interesting about that hawk bullet. The 190 st from ww was allways bragged up as significantly better than the 170 in the 3030. That's why I asked. Seems like the 30-30 has slightly more case capacity so that 190 might work well in the 30 30. Mb
Posted By: sqweeler Re: 303 savage - 10/27/22
Use Hawk's in 303,30-30,444 and 45/70 over 30yrs. [Linked Image from i.postimg.cc] [Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
Posted By: gnoahhh Re: 303 savage - 10/27/22
Ok, I'll bite. What makes them so special as to warrant $90/100? Inquiring minds want to know!
Posted By: zcm82 Re: 303 savage - 10/27/22
Originally Posted by gnoahhh
Ok, I'll bite. What makes them so special as to warrant $90/100? Inquiring minds want to know!

Smaller batch, higher price. Botique bullets are usually pretty salty. The little 86gr Hammers I use in my 327 are $88/100.

Bullets in general ain't getting any cheaper, either 😭
Posted By: Dave_Spn Re: 303 savage - 10/28/22
Originally Posted by gnoahhh
Ok, I'll bite. What makes them so special as to warrant $90/100? Inquiring minds want to know!


Time
Posted By: 1899sav Re: 303 savage - 10/28/22
Originally Posted by sqweeler
Use Hawk's in 303,30-30,444 and 45/70 over 30yrs. [Linked Image from i.postimg.cc] [Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

NICE
Posted By: Barkoff Re: 303 savage - 10/28/22
Originally Posted by Dave_Spn
Originally Posted by 1899sav
I USE HAWK BULLETS 190 GRAIN RND NOSE .GREAT BULLETS.
tHEY DON'T LIST 190 GRAINERS BUT THEY MAKE THEM FOR ME. ASK FOR ANDREW


The list the FN, which is a better way to roll in my opinion.


https://hawkbullets.com/bullet-selection.html

Keep in mind my limited experience, some who have rifles that can shoot both round nose and spitzer bullets still opt for round nose in some instances..why is that? What does the round nose or flat nose offer over the spitzer?

Thank you.
Posted By: zcm82 Re: 303 savage - 10/28/22
Originally Posted by Barkoff
Originally Posted by Dave_Spn
Originally Posted by 1899sav
I USE HAWK BULLETS 190 GRAIN RND NOSE .GREAT BULLETS.
tHEY DON'T LIST 190 GRAINERS BUT THEY MAKE THEM FOR ME. ASK FOR ANDREW


The list the FN, which is a better way to roll in my opinion.


https://hawkbullets.com/bullet-selection.html

Keep in mind my limited experience, some who have rifles that can shoot both round nose and spitzer bullets still opt for round nose in some instances..why is that? What does the round nose offer over the spitzer?

Thank you.

You can only use short/light spitzers in them. Longer ones won't fit the magazine without falling down in the neck. 130 grainers are the heaviest I've been able to find that will work, and there's only a few that heavy that fit the bill. The ogive is wrong for most of them.
Posted By: zcm82 Re: 303 savage - 10/28/22
Also, most 30 cal spitzers aren't really designed with modest 303 Savage level velocity in mind. I shoot a lot of 110gr Sierra Varminters from mine. They're only doing around 2150fps and expansion is erratic.
Posted By: gnoahhh Re: 303 savage - 10/29/22
And a spitzer only comes into its own at distances way beyond the distance these cartridges are commonly used at.
Posted By: Angus1895 Re: 303 savage - 10/29/22
I plan on reloading the Hornaday FTX 160 grain someday.
For the 303 savage
Posted By: zcm82 Re: 303 savage - 10/29/22
Originally Posted by Angus1895
I plan on reloading the Hornaday FTX 160 grain someday.
For the 303 savage

They shoot well from mine, but my 303 doesn't seem real picky on bullets in general as far as accuracy goes.

Mine is very finicky on powder charges, though. I get a real narrow accuracy band with any bullet/powder combo that it goes to pot from real quickly as you get above or below it.
Posted By: cra1948 Re: 303 savage - 10/29/22
I reload .303 Savage with about any 180 grain RN bullet for fun, but when I'm going to hunt with it, I dip into my stash of several boxes of Winchester factory loaded 190 grain Silvertips. I like to think they work better than the .30-30 but I certainly have no evidence of it. They do work very well however on deer. We've also killed a few caribou with mine. My brother killed a really good caribou bull with one shot at about 125 yards with it a few years ago.

I should see about getting some of those Hawk bullets.
Posted By: zcm82 Re: 303 savage - 10/30/22
Originally Posted by gnoahhh
And a spitzer only comes into its own at distances way beyond the distance these cartridges are commonly used at.

But they're so dang sexy... also just a lot easier to find than light for caliber fn/rn 🤣

Just got done loading a few test batches of the 110 Sierras with N130 to see if they'll equal my pet A4064 load. I recently got a bunch of the Vihtavuori so I've just been playing with it in all the applicable cartridges I have. I'm a load fiddler, I can't help myself, despite my dwindling LR primer supply. 🙄

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
Posted By: Lightfoot Re: 303 savage - 10/30/22
Originally Posted by gnoahhh
And a spitzer only comes into its own at distances way beyond the distance these cartridges are commonly used at.


I thought that was a characteristic of the boat tail bullet. does the spitzer share that as well?
Posted By: Sherwood Re: 303 savage - 10/31/22
50 years ago, I was a teen living within a very rural part of western Pennsylvania and hunted with some older men from our church. We hunted deer and bear by organized drives. I recall that 30-30 carbines were immensely popular, but one guy hunted with his 303 Savage. He told me it was better for hunting bear than anything he had ever tried. Never needed a second shot I was told. He kept it clean and oiled; he took very good care of it. I have no idea what became of that rifle after he died in 1979. - Sherwood
Posted By: Slinky_Pickle Re: 303 savage - 12/04/22
I love the Hornady 180gr Interlock RN in my .303s. I've had great success on paper and on bear. I would certainly recommend them as an option.
Posted By: JoeMartin Re: 303 savage - 12/04/22
I don't have a comparison, but I do have 10 boxes of 190 ST's. One shot, 1926 F 303. That's the entrance wound just below the receiver.
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
Posted By: Calhoun Re: 303 savage - 12/04/22
Nicely done!
Posted By: 99guy Re: 303 savage - 12/04/22
Originally Posted by JoeMartin
I don't have a comparison, but I do have 10 boxes of 190 ST's. One shot, 1926 F 303. That's the entrance wound just below the receiver.
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

One shot? Are you only counting the one shot that hit him? grin
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