.30-30 Powders

[PaulG]

I got started in lever rifle silhouette about a year ago, after shooting various forms of silhouette since 1976. It has been an interesting if somewhat bumpy journey, mainly because of the difficulty finding suitable rifles these days, but I now have three. I have a nice 39A, and as I posted earlier, I have my .357 up and running.

I don't dare to add up the cost of the components I've run through my Marlin 336 .30-30, and I still haven't found a load that I want to stay with. As with the rifles, it's the availability gremlin, meaning the sketchy supply of suitable flat point bullets, not to mention the cost. I have a bunch of different powders on hand, and I'd like to find one or maybe a couple that I could use across the course with the .30-30. I've had fair results with Varget, but no experience with the current crop with the catchy names. It would be a plus if I could find a powder that isn't at the top end of the price range, and that meters easily.

Anyhow, is there a particular powder that has been shown to be a consistent performer with the .30-30, meaning sufficient accuracy and knockdown power for silhouette?

Paul

[TXCharlie]

Varget is, and has been, my option.....

[Steve Tapp]

Hey Paul, My best groups came from IMR 4064 & Win 748 with 170gr Hornadys. I have been told, IMR 3031 is good. Steve

[PaulG]

Thanks for the replies, gents.

Charlie, Varget is certainly my fallback, as it has worked OK so far. Thing is, I'm about out of it and I'd like to use up powders I have on hand as far as possible before buying more.

Steve, I recall I had decent results with IMR4064 in some of my early efforts with this rifle. I just checked, and I have a couple of pounds on hand, so I'll be revisiting it.

I also have a couple of pounds of 2460 which might work too.

The downside of 4064 and Varget is that they don't meter well, and they are at the higher end of the cost scale. However, if they produce notably better accuracy, that would be the overriding priority.

Paul

[jnyork]

3031 for me.

Also, 4198 and Lasercast bullets for shooting beer cans and 1/2 scale silhouettes.

[boats]

170 FN Ram load, Varget for me too, although in the days when I loaded 30/30 for hunting always used 3031, RL 7 has always been a 30/30 powder too

CPT I am shooting a 125 gr Varmit bullet with mild charges of 4227

Boats

[PaulG]

Thanks a lot.

All of this is very helpful in pointing me in promising directions so as not to waste any more time and components than necessary.

I'm not inclined to buy any new powders to try at this time, but I have 4064, RL7, 4227, and 2460 on hand, and a few others. No 4198, 748, or 3031 on hand at this time. In my experience, 4064 and 3031 are pretty similar, so that will be my main focus.

I met one experienced .30-30 silhouette shooter who swears by H4895. I have tried H322 and TAC without any noteworthy results one way or another.

If I find that nothing beats Varget, I'll just buy more and go with it.

Paul

[Jason]

Like others here, my "go to" powder for 30-30 for centerfire lever action has been Varget. I noticed that Hodgdon has load data all the way up to 170gr bullets with the CFE223 powder. It's a new powder, so I'm guessing that it's probably not one of the ones that you have lying around already. After the 10/13 match that I already have a bunch of loads with Varget ready for, I'm going to experiment with the CFE223. It's a ball powder that is supposed to meter very well and cuts down on copper fouling as a bonus, as well as being a little cheaper than Varget. I'm hoping to use Trail Boss with a 110gr Carbine FMJ bullet for chickens, and the CFE223 powder with 130gr Speers for pigs/turkeys and 150gr Speers for rams. The CFE223 won't be as cheap to use as some of the shotgun/pistol powders that guys use <15gr of with cast bullets, of course.

[44 mag]

I know you said you didnt want to buy more powder,but IMR SR4759 works real well out to turkeys with very low recoil. Alot of us guys/girls here in Pa use it. But as said in eariler posts Varget for rams is the top of the heap.

[PaulG]

Thanks again. I may have some IMR4759 in my stash, and I know I have 5744 which is quite similar.

Of course the inescapable reality is that, to test powder, you also have to spend a bullet.

No free lunch in this buffet.

Paul

[boats]

We shoot a lot of single shots, cartridges on the 38/55 case which 30/30 was formed from. 4227 or 4759 either one is the standard for low preassure accucary loads. 4759 bit better for the 38/55 4227 for the 32/40 and it measures better. More matches won with those two than anything else.

Not many 30/30 loads shown in modern manuals for those powders, 30/30 loads almost all current manuals for hunting full power. Want to move slower with light bullets 4227 can't be beat.

Boats

[PaulG]

That's true about what you find in loading manuals It's the same with light loads for the .357 Magnum. There isn't much listed between .38 Special, and full power magnum loads. My best lever silhouette loads have been in the "gap" area between the two, about 1100 fps.

Paul

[boats]

Old cartridges I like to use the old manuals not written by powder company's Mattens "Handloading Ammuniton" Sharpes "Complete guide to handloading" Lots of loads that are real usefull. Both show 4227 loads for the 30/30

Boats

[Another Dang 9]

H322 or Win 748 are best. IMR4227 gives poor results. I would not use it. No load books even list it other than lymans. If you shoot over a crono you will see very erratic velocities. Also you don't state if you are shooting cast or jacketed. My info is for jacketed bullets.

[PaulG]

Jacketed - for now. Maybe cast down the road.

Paul