30-30 Ammo Preference

It is hard to go wrong since plain old cup and core bullets work well at 30-30 velocities and these rifles are usually used at relatively close range. I usually stick with 150's but either will work if you put it in the right place.
 
One of my favorite "old time" gun writers, Henry M. Stebbins, in his book Rifles, A Modern Encyclopedia, had this to say concerning the merits (or lack of) between the 150 grain bullet vs the 170 grain bullet when used for hunting deer with the 30-30 cartridge: "...As a deer load the 150 grain bullet can be dismissed, I think. It was an attempt to make the 30-30 a long-range rifle...For varmint shooting the 150-grain is probably safer from ricochets than the 170-grain soft point at lower velocity..."

It's apparent that Mr. Stebbins' opinion flies in the face of those expressed by some posters in this thread and, though his take on the "controversy" does not necessarily reflect my own in its entirety, I am also an advocate of using the 170-grain bullet in the 30-30 for deer hunting. But I wouldn't go so far as to argue that the use of the 150-grain bullet for whitetails should be "dismissed" out of hand.

We are all held somewhat hostage to our own individual experiences in the field.
 
170's all the way for me. All my .30-30's shot them to the same place, so for range use, any of them work. I am partial to WW silvertip as I believe they are a bit tougher than average, but any will do. Some day I will spring for the partitions. I am not interested in leverevolution except maybe in a gmx or bonded bullet.
 
Winchester Power Point ammo is TOPS for accurasy and performance!!

Jack

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I'm a huge fan of LeverEvolution even though I use my 30-30 for pretty close hunting. My 336 loves it, zeroed in at 25yds it's within an inch or so of zero out to 100, and is pretty devastating when it hits.
 
Speaking of Winchester lever actions,I have one my Great uncle handed down to me.....It is an Winchester Model 1894
.32 Special made in 1923.....Any idea what this rifle might be worth ???
 
I used to shoot groundhogs with the 150 grs. soft points. Deer season was 170 gr. Silvertips.
I still like the Winchester, even after one froze up during a particularly frosty
Pennsylvania opening day. Here in NM your better off with a .270 or 30-'06.
 
When I was 10, I had a lever action 30-30. Dad bought a box of Remingtons for it. I shot my first deer with that gun, around 300 yards. But it kicked extremely hard. We looked at the bullets, and with over half of the box the bullets weren't fully seated. And my guess is they had too much powder also. Its been a few years ago, but I bet that gun kicked as bad as a 45-70. Now my 30-30 is a Savage 24V and I shoot Winchester and Federal through it. I don't buy Remington.
 
Back in the late 60's we used Win 170grn Silver Tip for white tail and mule deer. They never went more than 60 yrd after being shot, if they ran at all. Farthest shot my dad ever tried was 224 yrds. He fired and the deer turned around and walk off. He went to see if he could find where the bullet hit and found a blood trail. The deer went 60 ft and fell over dead. The heart was in two pieces! Tough critters!!!!!
 
standard win super x is great. to be honest it really feelslike the hottest laod on the market.
i love hornady, but that lever evolution isnt that great for accuracy.

reminton core lokt 150 or 170 is good. but i like the 150s for more consistency in ballistics.
 
Anyone have experience with the accuracy and penetration of the following 30-30 Ammo: BUFFALO BORE 150 and 190 grain; Barnes 150 grain Vor Tx; and the new Federal 150 grain premium copper? Thanks
 
I really like the Remington 170gr hp or Winchester's 150 gr hp. Both are pretty tough bullets with no exposed lead on the tip. They also don't deform the tip due to repeated cycling, I actually found a box of the Winchester 150gr hp at WalMart for $17.00 today.
 
I like 170 grain bullets, both cast and jacketed. I reload with Hornady, Sierra, Speer, etc. 170 grain is the heaviest of the traditional bullet weights and will generally provide the most power for large game.
Now, for purely nostalgic reasons, for a 40's vintage Winchester '94, I prefer vintage 170 grain Silvertip ammo. I will even buy old Silvertip ammo in bad condition that is no longer safe and dismantle it for the bullets alone and rebuild with period correct components. I examine and weigh the powder charges that come out to get a feel for what may have been original. Sometimes I run into 50 year old ammo that has been so well kept, I get this feeling that it's still as good as the day it was made, maybe even better than what they make today. You gotta have Silvertips, you know?
 
Pathfinder,

I have about 6 very well kept box's my brother-in -laws dad gave me! Something very special about that old Silvertip ammo. Not sure what I'm saving it for though:confused:
 
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