30-30 on FUR

[348win]

Anybody use a 30-30 w a fur friendly load?


If you were gonna take one gun, for everything

Grouse, Rabbit, Deer, Bear, Porcupine, Coyote

Would it be a 30-30 doall for in/out the truck, walking, and stalking.
Small game loads one pocket, Big game the other???

That's my thought lately.

Took the kid walking and talking today, had him carry a few different models for feel. Get him hooked on the "nothing carries like a lever"

Sure a scope is handy, top heavy though! And a bolt action, sticks the bolt into your wrist when you holding the rifle under your arm as a shotgunner does.

Kind of need a scope to coyote hunt, but maybe not if you want it to be interesting stay inside 200yds w a flat shooting cartridge. Me thinks the 30-30 would shoot darn flat w 100gr or so bullet in it.

A 22-250 Stainless Scope gun or 243win is prolly the answer.... But in my experience not as many smiles per miles as walking along w a lever gun.

[yooper2]

The most fur friendly load would probably be a 100-110gr RN designed for the 30 Carbine. If preserving fur with a 30 caliber rifle is your goal I would rule out high velocity and load it like a BP 32-20.

Eric

[348win]

Agreed

I had a couple yotes hit w 30 cal low velocity bullets that did not exit, couldn't find the entry hole without pelting them out.

That was some inspiring test data

[OldWin]

As mentioned above, the 30 carbine bullets in either cast, fmj, or HP, work great over 8-10gr. of Unique as a small game getter. Obviously, the HP versions are best as a varmint load. A hard cast or fmj would probably serve well at limiting damage.
Another option (although one I haven't tried) is a 32 caliber round ball over a few grains of Unique. This has always intrigued me, and I'll have to give it a try at some point.
This is one of the reasons I prefer the top eject Winchesters to the Marlins. I find it much easier to manipulate a single cartridge into or out of the action, even when a full magazine lies beneath it.

[Sarge]

As mentioned above, the 30 carbine bullets in either cast, fmj, or HP, work great over 8-10gr. of Unique as a small game getter. Obviously, the HP versions are best as a varmint load. A hard cast or fmj would probably serve well at limiting damage.
Another option (although one I haven't tried) is a 32 caliber round ball over a few grains of Unique. This has always intrigued me, and I'll have to give it a try at some point.
This is one of the reasons I prefer the top eject Winchesters to the Marlins. I find it much easier to manipulate a single cartridge into or out of the action, even when a full magazine lies beneath it.

So do I.

[yooper2]

As mentioned above, the 30 carbine bullets in either cast, fmj, or HP, work great over 8-10gr. of Unique as a small game getter. Obviously, the HP versions are best as a varmint load. A hard cast or fmj would probably serve well at limiting damage.
Another option (although one I haven't tried) is a 32 caliber round ball over a few grains of Unique. This has always intrigued me, and I'll have to give it a try at some point.
This is one of the reasons I prefer the top eject Winchesters to the Marlins. I find it much easier to manipulate a single cartridge into or out of the action, even when a full magazine lies beneath it.

I've heard people have had success with round balls but I haven't. Spent a couple of weeks trying different things with the 30 WCF and then a couple more trying it in my 30 Herrett thinking I just had too much case capacity. My best results were with the ball rolled in Lee lube and a tiny charge of Red Dot and they were about 3" groups at 20 yards, not terribly useful. Perhaps I should revisit it with trailboss which wasn't available then.
If someone has made these work I'd be very interested to hear how they are going about it.

Eric

[Paladin]

Yes, 110 Round nose metal case on Fox when they were selling $120 for Reds, and $80 for Greys in the early 80s. Also used an Anchutze .308 with a Night scope, 110 grain MC Spre points. Made enough in a year to pay for the Staron Night scope.

[GunnyMack]

The problem with a RB is the twist rate. My T/C Cherokee .32 is 1:48, they are spinning too fast for great accuracy.

[OldWin]

Thanks for the info, guys.
Yes Gunny! I forgot about the twist rate.

[LeverGunner]

I hadn't thought about twist rate either. I've been thinking of working up a round ball load, or a light bullet load, with Bullseye. The Lee 311-93-1R looks like it'd be a winner for a light 30-30 load. My buddy uses the bullet in 32 acp. I got held up with not having a correct top punch when I messed with it before.

[ikocher]

Maybe look to see if anyone had duplicated the old Short Range loads that used the 117 grain lead bullets. I'm pretty sure that's what those loads were for. I'm thinking some Trail Boss might be in order if you happen to have any. Hunter's Supply seems to make some 115 grain cast though they seem to be pretty hard at 15 BHN.

[Nath]

I use my 3030 across the board.

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With any bullet I can get. If the ogive is to long I load them backwards or just single feed.

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16gn of a2400 is a good performer and of course Unique around 7gn.

[slimster]

i always had good luck with the old Lee "Soup Can" bullet out of water quenched ww's...

[Nath]

Today with Speer 100gn plinkers.
Just supersonic.

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[ywaltzucanrknrl]

I kind of take a different approach to using light loads. I just use whatever load is in the ball park to factory loads velocity wise and shoot accurately. I use 150's or 170's and even some heavier. They are typically not very destructive on a lung shot on a coyote or bobcat if you want to save the fur, and on grouse or rabbits, I shoot for the head. I use the same loads for elk and deer as I do for anything else.

I quit packing different loads as I'm prone to having the small game load in the rifle when I run onto a deer----just makes things simple.