30-30?

W

William Suter

Well-known member
I have a little T/C Contender with a carbine barrel. What's a good bullet/powder combo? I've tried mainly 150 grain bullets but I'm not pleased with the results. I tried CFE223,Tac and Varget powders and the accuracy just isn't there. I just hate going through the gambit of powder and bullets if there may be a proven load that works for others. I have some 170 grain Hornady's to try thinking maybe it will like a heavier bullet. Haven't tried them as of yet.
 
Tons of handgunners use and report great on the 125gr nosler bt. I’ve seen a few report well on the 125gr Sierra spitzer. This being over many years.
Bobby tomek over on the specialty handgun forum could give you a good bit of bullet info. I know he had luck with cfe223. But you havnt…..so there’s that lol. But maybe a bullet change?? There is a carbine section there as well.

My personal 14” 30-30AI load uses a 130gr hornady ssp with imr 4198. But that doesn’t help. Bullet no longer made, and would be too soft in carbine length I think.
 
Range trip today with the T/C. I had 12 rounds, different loads of 130 Barnes TSX and BLc-2. Also a box of Herter's 170 grain factory stuff. The Barnes produced one decent group but still had a moderate flyer about a 1" group. Very usable load. I shot 4 of the Herters before shooting the Barnes and the group was acceptable so after the Barnes, I went back to the Herters. First shot was high and left. I adjusted the elevation first and fired another shot. Elevation is spot on but 2" left. I gave it 8 clicky's to the right and fired another shot. Now I'm 2" right. WTH!!! This time I only gave it 4 clicky's left and fired a shot. It moved about an inch and I'm still an inch right. Four more clicky's left and I should be zero'ed........wrong!! Now its back 2" left again. I think I'm fighting a bad scope. Normally I do my windage and elevation at the same time and usually get really close but I did it this way just to take my time and hopefully get it zeroed. The scope was a new Vortex Diamondback but as luck would have it, it died on me. Called Vortex and they said send it in. So we wait.
 
It was a new scope. I hate to think it won't hold up to a 30-30. Granted it was cheap but I thought it would be OK for the little 30-30. At least long enough to work up a load. LOL!!
 
I've never messed with a 30-30 going to 300 Sav and 308 in lever guns, I wish you luck when you get a working scope on yours.

I have a poor track record with Vortex, I bought a Crossfire for varmint right, my first 50mm, the thing was a beast ànd worked about like yours and I sent it back. I have a pair of Viper 6.5-20s that have the worst glass in them but they track well and hold zero.
 
My experiences with diamondbacks(new) has been poor turrent tracking(adjustments) but they did hold a zero if turrents were not moved. Since I dial when shooting quite a bit(especially windage) I gave up on the Vortex.
 
I have a Contender with the Super 14" barrel. I found the Speer 130gr good for deer and smaller hogs. I tried the Leverevolution but 8208 was a close choice for it. RE7 worked good for me also. Nosler 120BT to be good for coyotes. I did shoot a spike buck with one and the bullet exploded in the shoulder of that deer. Pretty much ruined that shoulder for eating. But it dropped right there. If I remember correctly I used Varget on that particular load. I had been using those BTs in my 308 for coyotes whenever the wind was up a little higher. 3031 is a good powder for the 30-30, but I feel it's place is better served with heavier bullets. Such as 150gr or above. What I don't like about it is the flash. Speer makes some 110gr that are good to practice or play with, and I have used cast both 115 & 180gr The 30-30 never has to be boring.
 
I now have 4 30-30's, all levers though so I shoot tube safe bullets. I'm thinking those 130 tsx might be meant for faster rounds but I could be wrong. Also sometimes they like to start with a perfectly clean barrel.

I really like the 160 ftx with lever. My new rifle is the 16" 336 Trapper with threaded barrel, and shoots those very well suppressed.

For a fun cheap load, the 150 Xtreme or Berry's plated bullets over about 11.2 grains Unique gives 1550 fps and great accuracy out to 100 and is steel safe up close. I need to find some Trail boss and make some subs.

My first year deer hunting was with a 30-30, one of the ones I have now, because it was the only high power rifle we had. I quickly grew past it, but now I have a strange illogical affinity for the round. It's just fun.
 
Accuracy with this rifle hasn't been stellar to say the least. Now I don't know if it's just a crappy barrel or the scope was my issue....or it just doesn't like the loads I have been trying. I haven't given up yet and the Vortex Diamondback is on it's way back to Vortex. I had a 4x Tasco that I put on it for now but haven't shot it yet. Pretty sure it's a functioning scope but doubt it will stay on the little rifle very long.
 
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