NFOA MEMBERS FORUM
Ammunition & Hand Loading => General Ammunition Discussion => Topic started by: UPCrawfish on November 29, 2012, 08:08:50 PM
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I recently acquired a NIB Marlin 336A in 30-30 caliber, mounted with a 3x9 scope. As this was a 'marriage dissolution sale', I got it well below the going rates I've seen lately at the box stores (this one had Dick's tags on the box).
I've never had a lever action before, much less a 30-30, so here we go...
It appears that there are basically 2 bullet weights to choose from, 170 and 150. And, 2 principle sources, Winchester and Remington. I do see a brand at Cabela's (HSM ?) that has received some good reviews.
Can our ballistic experts recommend one over the other? These do not appear to be 'cheap' rounds and I would like to be a bit frugal getting started.
Hunting would be in heavy woods and targets likely within 100-150 yards.
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The 150gr any brand flat tip bullet will do you just fine in the deer woods. My brother bought some of the lever evolution hornady a few years back. They worked well on deer but not worth the money, they performed on deer just as well as the standard stuff.
I found a rebate last year or the year before from Federal and got boxes for like $9 if I remember right. Even without the rebate .30-30 is relatively one of the cheapest rifle rounds to shoot.
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AWE! the ol .30 WCF. putting meat on the table since 1895!
There is much to be learned at marlinowners.com - Go Team .30-30!!
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I had an 100th anniversary edition Winchester 94 that was my all-time favorite deer rifle for short range hunting. I gave it to my nephew for his 12th birthday. I had serious mixed emotions - loved the gun, loved passing it down to the next generation too. The best part was he shot a nice little 8 point his very first deer hunt. Anywho ...
I dialed mine in with Winchester silver box RNL in 170gr. You will find that it is not a flat shooter but they are very accurate once you have your distances figured out. Mine was great out to about 170 yds. The LeverEvolution rounds are more about distance shooting versus what it can do to a deer. I tested a box and found it to be very accurate out to about 230 yards. You will lose a little of the brush busting power that the original ammo is famed for though. My advice would be to decide what your optimal distance will be then buy a 150gr and a 170gr box of Winchester. Set up targets at your optimal distance then PATTERN the rounds. Don't try to dial it in right away, just get it on paper and then see what your groupings are. Once you decide which load gave you the best groups you can dial it in. The places I hunt now provide opportunities for shots in the 300 - 700yd range so that rifle rarely went on hunting trips. In the eastern part of the state where your shots are rarely longer than 150 yds that is an excellent choice.
Spend some time with it - figure out what it likes and you will have a great deer rifle!
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Another FYI about the Hornady Leverevolution is that it uses a 'slower burning' powder, thus accelerating throughout the length of the barrel (as compared to one big bang). Thus I noticed with my 20" Texan they shot considerably lower than comparable Winchester/ Federal rounds. It is my understanding that they work wonderfully in the XLR series Marlin Leverguns whose barrel length (24") utilizes the slower burning powder to it's full potential. (also it is rumored that the XLR series was the 'target' gun for this ammo, especially since the .338 Marlin (XLR) is a proprietary group effort between Marlin and Hornady) Federal also makes a decent round for target (not sure of knockdown capability) and Privi has come out with some to that I have been tempted to try out as I am impressed with some of their other rounds for the price.
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I think all of you are missing the point of the good ole .30-30!!! Go to a store, pick up a box of ammo and go shoot it. It is meant to be simple!
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Sounds like an excuse to start handloading, if you're not already.
Oooh..and cast bullets. If the Marlin has conventional rifling instead of Micro-groove you can shoot cast and do it CHEAP.
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Sounds like an excuse to start handloading, if you're not already.
Oooh..and cast bullets. If the Marlin has conventional rifling instead of Micro-groove you can shoot cast and do it CHEAP.
I still need to start loading 30-30 myself. Really curious how it turns out on my Hornady LNL AP.
And you just had to mention cast bullets :(.
Need a lubrisizer....
$180-260 for a 10ga reloading press
$100 for a cast iron single stage press for swaging
$20-40 for a 30 caliber mold
$150-170 lubrisizer
$25 lubrisizer die
$30 gas checks (or the tool to make them on an arbor press)
Looks like my current to do list on reloading is another $600. *BLEEEEEEP* :(
edit: bleeped :P
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You could just use tumble lube bullets.
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I tend to cast soft lead, would wanna seat gas checks for sure.
edit:
OR GET THE INFERNAL COPPER PLATING TO WORK%!)@(&*!)(@%*)(!@*%)(!*@% heheheh
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I think all of you are missing the point of the good ole .30-30!!! Go to a store, pick up a box of ammo and go shoot it. It is meant to be simple!
Isn't that what I said? ;)
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Isn't that what I said? ;)
Ditto!
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Isn't that what I said? ;)
Yeah pretty much! Just saying the thudy thudy is a simple and fun gun. Not much thought has to be put into the ammo for them. Pick up a box of ammo from a big box store, a hardware store, a country gas station or an extra box your buddy had laying around in the basement and it will be just fine to put some backstraps on the grill!
As for reloading the .30-30 it is probably one of the best beginning rifle rounds to reload for.
Actually UPCrawfish if your going to be in the Elkhorn area let me know. I have several hundred rounds of .30-30 and I can spare a box for you to try out! Its Federal factory load, not reload but just save the brass for me and get it back to me whenever.
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What? you mean to tell me you don't need a $1100 .30-06 / .308 with a $500 scope and super precision $5 a round ammo to feed your family? You really to explain that to some folks at work.
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Yeah, but you guys are forgetting that deer are WAY tougher these days. That's why we need all these super magnums and range finding scopes. I wouldn't go out in the field with anything less than a 300 Win Mag. You might not make it back.
:)
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Back on a serious note, I dont know if you're close to Lincoln but the Ikes range is starting up a lever action silhouette match next year. Should be a lot of fun, I'm on the lookout for a lever gun myself. I'm thinking .357 mag though.
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Don't get me wrong NeBull, i'm all about those wiz bang calibers but I know a good caliber like the 30-30 doesn't need any improvement!
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Gentlemen,
Thank you all for the information. I'll watch the sales and gather up some rounds in 150 and 170 weights from primary manufacturers and go burn some powder.
maanbr, thank you for the offer. I can bring you the brass that I collect from my experiments as I do not reload.
I also picked up a new BSA Bore Scope with 15 arbors with the rifle for an additional $15 so that should cut down on the 'where did that round go?' questions.
Great forum with knowledgable members.....
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UPCrawfish,
If you need someone to teach you how to shoot that thing, I happen to be certified to do so. ;) 8)
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Remington 150 grain Core-Lokt has worked especially well for me from the deer woods of New England to the wild hogs in Oklahoma. I have not been given any reason to shoot anything else in the thirty-thirty. It can be bought anywhere. Remington also sells those bullets for handloading. I have the dies, but because We only shoot a box or two a year and the Rem CL ammo is so cheap ...... well one of these days .....
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Sounds like an excuse to start handloading, if you're not already.
Anybody that does not have more than enough money AND is not satified with shooting what the ammo companies are shoving out there should be handloading.
I like a 150 gr Hornady RN Interlock over 33 grain so H335, in a WIN case, WLR primer as fodder for Eldest's Marlin 30A.....