30-30 loaded for fur?

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PAfurhunter

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I'm planning on purchasing a model 94 trapper 30-30 and attaching some fiber optic sights for night hunting. What would be some fur-friendly loads (reloaded, not factory) for 30-30 winchester?
 
Shooting a 30 caliber what do you think, the smallest bullet you can get is aroung 110 grains, A 30 cal. will make a hole going in and a bigger one going out. You can slow a 110 down but it still is a 30 cal. Mauser
 
Well, the problem with a 30-30 is that in a tubular magazine you have to use flat nose bullets due to the primer of one bullet resting against the nose of the next. The problem with flat nose bullets is that most of them are soft points and are designed to expend on deer sized animals at 30-30 velocities. This isn't good for saving fur. The venerable 30-30 will get the job done, but there's definately better choices out there for predators. I'd go with as light a bullet as possible, which looks to be a 110 gr. Hope this helps.
 
Check out Hornady's soft Spitzer bullets for tube mag. But I dont know if i would use a 30-30 for yot like scramerjet said it not agood idea for saving fur but sounds like fun anyway. And if your going to buy a 30-30 I would look at a marlin insted of a winchester I looked at both and went for the marlin it felt more solded then the winchester, but that is just what I think.
 
If you have the ability to cast bullets, buy a 110gr mold and cast them useing magnum chilled bird shot and lead free solder (5lbs:1/4lbs ratio or 20:1).

Cast them hot and drop them from the mold to a FULL 5 gal pail of water.

Important:size and gas check them to 311 not 309 you get a better seal and no blow by.

If you use this method just load the same as jaketed bullets, the alloy is plenty hard enough not to lead.

I push the same bullet out of my 94 at about 2700fps with a 1 1/4 group at 100 yards.

this hard bullet will go in caliber size and out about a dime , even on shoulder.

NOTE: This will not work in a microgrove barrel,and you mite want to break your barrel in first with jaketed bullets(at least 100 round)Then clean out the copper fouling and you should be good to go.

It sounds much more complicated then it is and is very cheap to shoot.Get a larger mold and the same is good for deer.

If you are interested in making soft nose hard body for deer just PM me for the imfo.
 
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Maybe some of the cast bullets loads would cause a little less damage. Not sure but I bet they would be fun to shoot.
Or you could get a M94 Trails End Hunter in .25-35.

Tim
 
Personally, I'd take a different approach. Isn't the Trapper a 16" barrel? Instead of going light in bullet weight, I'd do the opposite. Go heavy. I'd load a tough 170 grain bullet that wouldn't expand on a coyote at the low velocities given that short barrel. The goal would be to punch a .30 caliber hole in, and, a .30 caliber hole out. No expansion, just the larger diameter of the .30-30 (as opposed to a more normal .22/24 caliber varmint rifle) and flat point bullet to transmit some shock and disruption inside without tearing up things on the outside.

I think a 110 grain bullet is still going to exit. However, given the light construction you'll most likely get a pretty big tear in the hide. The only downside to the rig you're thinking of is trajectory and the solution is to call them close! Good luck, let us know what you decide.
 
I've thought about it some more and I think I've changed my mind as far as the buying the 30-30. I like the gun and I think I could load some fur-friendly bullets if I bought it, but it would be too loud for shooting in my backyard. I may still buy it at some point but for now it's not what I need. A .223 would be also be too loud, and I already have a 22-250 anyway. I don't really trust 22 LR or 17 HMR on raccoons and especially foxes. I think a rifle in 22 WMR might be what I'm looking for. If I would buy one, what would be some good fox/raccoon loads for it?
 
Hi i would use the 40gr Win JHP ammo. But keep the shoots under 100 yds or less maybe 80 or less. To get a good clean kill on a fox. But the 22mag is going to be loud too. VM
 
Thanks. I doubt I'll have any shots past 60 yards. It'll be a little loud but it should be quiet enough not to disturb the neighbors. Unless something else comes along to change my mind I'm going to buy a Marlin 925MC. It's cheap, but it should get the job done.
 
I love the .22 Mag, and I shoot my Marlin 882SS alot...but it sounds ike you might also consider the .22 Hornet...really not much louder than the .22 Mag, and relaodable, and double the power...

Please hear me, I would never steer anyone away from the .22 Mag...just though maybe you might have overlooked the Hornet...

Good luck with your decision. The only thing better than someone you know getting a new gun, is getting one yourself...
 
GC

I Have acually tested the 110's and they always exit but the hole is minamal.

As to the 170 hard bullets, that does seem like a much simpler solusion but I had never tested them on a small animal so did not want to suggest a unproven method.

I also love to cast, so it is my go to.lol.
 
There is another way of approaching this, but would require you to either go with a bolt action 30/30 or single load the lever action as pointed bullets could detonate the shells in front.

There is a company called J&D components. They are located in Orem, UTAH, here is the link. I have been using them for 15 years to load up 30-06, .308 and 30-30.

http://jdcomponents.com/

The address is :
J&D Components
75 East 350 North
Orem, UT 84057

Here is some data from thier site for the 30/30, and must be followed exactly:

*Please keep in mind that the data is for reference only

*case capacity calculations*
----------------------------------
*Caution*
Cartridge case capacity may vary 5-10% between brands.
Cartridge type - .30-30 Winchester
Bullet Type - .22/sabot
Bullet Weight - 55
Bullet Diameter (IN) - .308
Overall Cartridge Length (IN) - 2.5
Case Length (IN) - 2.03
Full Case Capacity (GR WATER) - 45
Bullet Length (IN) - .72
Barrel Length (IN) - 18
Bullet Seating Depth (IN) - .25
Displaced Water (GR) - 4.701
Effective Water Capacity Of Case (GR) - 40.299
Effective Barrel Length (IN) - 16.22

**lfd1 Cartridge Load Development** 04-26-93
----------------------------------------------------------
Cartridge Data - .30-30 Winchester
Caliber - .308 IN
Bullet Weight - 55 GR
Barrel Length - 16.22 in
Case Capacity - 40.299 GR Of Water (CALC)
Bullet Diameter- .308 in
Sectional Density - .083
Volume Ratio - 8.4
Cartridge Temperature - 70 Degrees F.
Powder Class - FAST POWDERS
Powder Type - IMR-4198/RX7/S-4197 *Check Manual*
Charge/Bullet Weight - 0.585
Calc. Powder Charge - 32.2 GR
Load den - 79.9%
Est. Muzzle Velocity - 3500 FT/SEC
Est. Peak Pressure - 40300 PSI
Alt Powder type: -
Powder Class - Alternate powder selection not available.
***For starting loads reduce Calc. powder charge by at least 10%***
**Alternate load information** 04-26-93
---------------------------------------
Cartridge Data -
Powder Type - IMR-4198/RX7/S-4197 *Check Manual*
Load Density Charge Weight Velocity Pressure
% GR FPS PSI
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
75 30.2 3300 35500
80 32.2 3500 40300 MAX LOAD
85 34.3 3700 45700
90 36.3 3900 51200 *
95 38.3 4200 57000 *
100 40.3 4400 63100 *

* Warning -- HIGH PRESSURE - REFERENCE ONLY !


Hope this helps, as you can make your own "Accelerator" rounds if any one can remember those that Remington made...JOHN /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
 
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My dad does most of the hand-loading, and he loaded up some accelerators once. A shotgun would be more accurate at 100 yards than those things were. I don't know what was wrong with them but they were pretty worthless.
 
trickster,
I was speaking of a 110 grain jacketed hollowpoint. That is a bullet that will tear up hide and still exit causing a problem. Your suggestion of a 110 grain cast bullet was excellent. The hard cast won't expand and you can keep velocity high enough to flatten the trajectory some over the heavier weights. Though the poster now mentions that shots won't be over 60 yards, so that is a moot point. My suggestion of a heavy jacketed bullet from the short barrel would be an easy way to achieve cast bullet performance/lack of expansion with a readily available off the shelf bullet. I used to cast bullets but when some of the companies such as BullX (now out of business), Oregon Trail, and LBT offered such quality products so cheaply - it just doesn't seem worth the time anymore.

For the poster that mentioned spitzers and single loading, actually you can load one in the chamber and another in the magazine for two shots. That is if the spitzer loading is short enough to feed from the tube magazine. Hornady's lever ammo with the gummy plastic tip will negate the need for this in the future. However, I doubt any of these would be fur friendly. Now that he's pointing a different direction, this has been all for naught.
 
I wouldn't say it was all for naught. I like the bullet casting idea and my father and I might try that out sometime. As it turns out, he used to cast hundreds of bullets years ago! We would need to buy new molds, but that shouldn't be a problem. I already have a 30-30 to test the bullets, but it's not technically mine so I might buy my own in the future if I'm pleased with the bullets. You guys had some great ideas but for now I'll just go with the 22 WMR.
 


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