30-30 140 gr GMX - Who has used it?

[JohndeFresno]

Levergunners,

I see that Midway is now selling the component Hornady 140 grain GMX .30-30 bullets - the polymer tipped non-lead bullets that are safe to shoot in a tubular magazine and legal to use for California Condor Zone hunting. It is about the same price as the Barnes 130 and 150 grain offerings: Midway $34.99/50 (not counting tx, shipp) 9-25-2012.

Hornady .30-30 bullets have (according to Midway) a pretty impressive SD 0.211 and BC 0.277, thanks mainly to the polymer tip. The bullet is 5% tin and 95% copper, whereas Barnes bullets are 100% copper.

Hornady claims that their alloy composition cuts fouling that is reportedly seen with Barnes bullets. Given the price of Hornady GMX bullets compared across the board with Barnes bullets of the same bullet weight, it might be that Hornady's are slightly less expensive and maybe a bit better than their pioneer competitors in this business. And I like the compromise of the 140 grainer.

I believe that this bullet has been available (somewhere) to handloaders since mid-2011. Who has actually handloaded this new levergun round? What was your most accurate velocity? And have you noticed any fouling?

[earlmck]

I wish I could help you out with tales of great accuracy and high velocity, John. But this old Scotsman couldn't stand to feed his 30/30 on ammo where the bullet alone costs $.70. Yikes! what if it really liked that stuff?

Sure glad we don't have any condors around these parts...

[JohndeFresno]

...and ya know, it's just as easy to shoot a condor with a lead bullet as with a copper one!

[1894c]

I wish I could help you out with tales of great accuracy and high velocity, John. But this old Scotsman couldn't stand to feed his 30/30 on ammo where the bullet alone costs $.70. Yikes! what if it really liked that stuff?

Sure glad we don't have any condors around these parts...

i'm with earlmck...i just loaded the ancient designed 170gr Remington Core-Loc's to use this hunting season...so far they have been shooting very well in my REM-Marlin 336BL, this has been a great rifle no matter it's spotty heritage. i hope you find the Hornady's GMX's to be accurate and effective...enjoy the journey... :)

[Newtmaker]

I have shot perhaps 30 rounds out of 100 and they show promise. However, if you read the loading instructions carefully in the latest Hornady manual the cases need to be trimmed several thousands shorter so that the cartridges will work when loaded in the magazine. Otherwise they are too long and won't chamber with the lever. I have loaded some like that but haven't shot them yet.

Walt

[JohndeFresno]

I have shot perhaps 30 rounds out of 100 and they show promise. However, if you read the loading instructions carefully in the latest Hornady manual the cases need to be trimmed several thousands shorter so that the cartridges will work when loaded in the magazine. Otherwise they are too long and won't chamber with the lever. I have loaded some like that but haven't shot them yet.

Walt

Please help me out...
I'm looking at my "Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading," 8th Edition, Pages 459-463. There is no 9th Edition shown available on the Internet. There is no mention of the new GMX bullet in the 30-30 Winchester section of my book, nor any mention of trimming bullets in the introductory text. The top of the first page shows Max Case Length of 2.039", Case Trim Length 2.029" - for all 30-30 Hornady bullets.

"Barnes Reloading Manual" Nr. 4, Pages 233-234 similarly does not mention any extra trimming of cases for their .30-30 offerings.

I find nothing about trimming any .30-30 bullet currently sold, and in fact nothing in any printed manual that I have that even mentions GMX bullet loads.

Are you thinking of the .45 Colt 225 grain Hornady #45218 FTX bullet? That needs special case trimming (as marked in large red letters), per Hornady's manual on Pg. 1008.

Or do you have some other source? If so, please let us all know. Thanks!