I'm supposed to pick up my .30-30 Handi-Rifle next weekend and I'm doing research on pointed bullets in that caliber. Not surprisingly, most manuals tell me that I shouldn't use pointed bullets in that caliber because it's dangerous to load pointed bullets into a tubular magazine. With the point of a bullet resting on the primer of the next cartridge, recoil might set off a cartridge. That would be disastrous.
I understand all that and only use flat tipped bullets in my Winchesters. The Handi doesn't have a magazine. I can bend the rules a little bit in perfect safety.
I pulled down a Nosler reloading guide that someone gave me several years ago. In the .30-30 section, it told me that I should only use the Nosler 170 grain Partition. It's a round-nosed bullet designed for tubular magazines. Then, in a footnote, it told me that for more choices, I should reference the .30-30 data in the handgun section. Handgun section?
Darn right. There's three pages of data on the .30-30 with pointed bullets, referenced with a view toward using those bullets in the Thompson Center Contender. What amazed me was the powder selections they listed. The usual suspects where there too, stuff like Reloder 7 and IMR 3031, along with Varget and several others. A wealth of data on pointed bullets in the .30-30, from 125 grains to 170 grains.
But, the most accurate powder tested? IMR 4895. I happen to have an eight pound jug of that on the powder shelf.
This is going to be fun.
4 comments:
When I bought my Contender circa 1976 it had a Super 14 7mmTCU barrel and a 10" octagon 30-30 barrel. I foolishly sold the 30-30 barrel. It would have worked fine as a barrel for my recent "Thicket Pistol" project. Hindsight is always 20-20.
PS: the Contender pistol with two barrels, one with a scope, a hard case and loading dies cost $400.
I picked up a Stevens 325 awhile back with the idea of working up a good 100 yard target load with pointy bullets. It is a 30-30 and uses a 4-round magazine and has a very graceful "butter knife" bolt.
I anxiously await your results so I don't have to re-invent the wheel.
Have you thought about useing a Savage Mod 99. The new ones,the clip came out. Have barrel reworked. It has a rotary Mag.. You can load the pointed bullet with no problem. I had a Hitch with some Unicke Orange. I used some and capped the can. Let it set for a month. Next time I used it, it flashed. Look bad, sounded bad, bullet did'nt go know where. A lot of preasure. I have used IMR 4831 good power for 7 MAG. Like Mom Bell
reach and talk long distance.
Looking forward to read more.
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