Reloading The .30/30 Rifle

photos © MDS - 2010
Left to right:--170 gr. FN -- 180 gr. RN -- 220 gr. RN -- 30/30 with 170 gr. FN
-- 30/30 with 180 gr. RN -- 180 gr. SP -- 150 gr. SP - Plus 2 lead 155 gr & 165 gr RNFP for plinking

(FN=Flat Nose, SP= Spire Point,
HP= Hollow Point, RN= Round Nose)
JHP= Jacketed Hollow Point, FMJ=Full Metal Jacket)

Loads for .30/30 Rifle:

(Note: These are near maximum loads, you should use 10% less to start.)
(See note on Powders below or read all about various Powders.)
Bullet is .308" diameter. Due to different barrel lengths, type of bullet, seating depth, primer type and other factors, you may not get near the FPS charted. It is just a guide and the reason you should start under these charges and work up.

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100 grain Plinker (Cup Jacket with lead nose)
    IMR 4895     39.0 gr.   2,730 FPS
    IMR 3031     38.0 gr.   2,866
    Reloader 7   33.0 gr.   2,659
    2400         31.0 gr.   2,825
-----------------------------------------
125 grain JFP (Sierra Jacketed Flat Point)
    IMR 4895     38.0 gr.   2,400 FPS
    H4895        38.0 gr.   2,400
    IMR 3031     34.0 gr.   2,450
    Reloader 7   30.0 gr.   2,630
    Reloader 12  37.0 gr.   2,555
-----------------------------------------
150 grain JFP (Speer Jacketed Flat Point)
    IMR 4895     35.5 gr.   2,315 FPS
    IMR 3031     35.5* gr.  2,370
    H4895        34.0 gr.   2,409
    Reloader 7   27.5 gr.   2,190
    Reloader 12  33.5 gr.   2,320
    Reloader 15  36.0 gr.   2,450
    H380         38.0 gr.   2,304
    A2700        37.0 gr.   2,265
    A2460        32.5 gr.   2,290
    748          34.5 gr.   2,310
    760          35.9 gr.   2,090
* compressed load
-----------------------------------------
152-155 grain lead (RNGC) or RNFP
    AA 5744      22.5 gr.   2,112 fps  MAX
    AA 5744      20.0 gr.   1,813 (actual in 30-30 carbine)
        Hi=1862  Lo=1780   ES=82.9 fps
    AA 5744      18.0 gr.   1,696 (actual in 30-30 carbine)
        Hi=1728  Lo=1661   ES=67.0 fps
    AA 5744      16.5 gr.   1,536 (good Cowboy load)
        Hi=1571  Lo=1523   ES=47.1 fps
    AA 2015BR    25.5 gr.   1,866  MAX
    AA 2495BR    28.5 gr.   1,677  MAX
    AA 2700      34.0 gr.   1,916  MAX
-----------------------------------------
158-160 grain lead RNFP or RN (COWBOY LOAD)
    H4895        17.5 gr.   1,351 fps Start
    H4895        21.0 gr.   1,562 MAX
    H4198        15.0 gr.   1,420 start
    H4198        17.0 gr.   1,616 Max
-----------------------------------------
160 grain lead FP  Cowboy (use same for 155 gr to 165 gr lead with Trail Boss)
    Trail Boss   6.5 gr.  997 FPS minimum
    Trail Boss   9.0 gr.  1195 FPS MAXIMUM
-----------------------------------------
170 grain JFP (Hornady Jacketed Flat Point)
    IMR 4895     31.5 gr.   2,045 FPS
    IMR 3031     32.0 gr.   2,120
    H4895        32.0 gr.   2,212
    Reloader 7   24.0 gr.   1,910
    Reloader 12  32.0 gr.   2,160
    Reloader 15  34.1 gr.   2,330
    H380         36.0 gr.   2,182
    A2700        35.0 gr.   2,098
    A2460        30.2 gr.   2,118
    748          32.0 gr.   2,145
    760          33.6 gr.   1,975
-----------------------------------------
173 grain lead
    AA 5744      22.0 gr.   2,035 fps  MAX
    AA 2015BR    26.0 gr.   1,866 MAX
    AA 2495BR    27.5 gr.   1,651 MAX
    AA 2700      33.0 gr.   1,859 MAX
-----------------------------------------
180 grain JRN (Speer Jacketed Round Nose))
    IMR 4895     30.5 gr.   1,900 FPS
    IMR 3031     31.0 gr.   1,925
( 180 gr. Not normally used in 30/30, but you can.
-----------------------------------------

Discussion: 3031 is a faster burning powder than 4895, so you use less of it for the same volocities. 30/30 Cases will stretch, especially with hot loads, and you definitely need to check each in a case length guage and trim off excess brass. Of course, discard any cases that show a split anywhere on the case.
For hunting at longer distances, you probably should choose the 150 gr. round nose (or flat nose) for higher speeds and less drop. If you are not shooting in a tubular magazine gun, you would choose a spire pointed bullet.
For hunting at shorter ranges in brush, as is common in the woods of Alabama, you should choose a round or flat nose bullet. They are less easily deflected and/or deformed by brush that you may be shooting through. Also, the heavier bullets of 170-180 grains travel better in bush. The flat nose bullet is used especially in tubular fed magazines to prevent pressure on the primer in the cartridge above it. You must put a good crimp on these rounds.

Actually ALL 30 cal. bullets are .308 in diameter.

*
2400, Reloader 7, 12, and 15 are products of Alliant (formerly Hercules) Powders.
Clays, Universal, HP38, HS6 and H4895 are products of Hodgdon Powders.
IMR 3031 and IMR 4895 are products of IMR (formerly DuPont) Powder Company.
A2700, A2460, #2230, and #2460 are products of Accurate Arms Company
WMR, WSF, WSL, 760, 748, 231 and 540 are products of Winchester, Components Div.

References: Accurate Arms Co. 1996 Reloading booklet - - Alliant Powder Co. Reloaders' Guide (1995) - - Hodgdon's Basic Reloaders Manual (1996) - - Speer Reloading Manual, #12 - - Winchester Reloading Components Manual, 14th edition - - Lyman Piston & Revolver Reloading Handbook, 2nd edition. - - VihtaVuori Oy Company, reloading booklet (1995) - - Numerous magazine articles on reloading special calibers and personal loads where noted.

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