30-30 Powder

I have with 150's. It is good for target shooting. I use w748 for my deer hunting rounds. There is nothing wrong with 4895 in 3030
 
If you look at Hodgdon's data, comparing IMR 3031 and IMR 4895 you will see they get about the same velocities, but it takes about 10% more IMR 4895 to get there. So it's less efficient, will likely leave more fouling residue behind, will increase recoil and may produce more velocity spread, not to mention costing more per shot. If you want higher performance, take a look at H4895. It is known to work better at lower pressures than the IMR version, and Hodgdon's site shows it getting higher velocity so at least you get something out of the added recoil.
 
I forgot to point out I'm shooting a 125 grain Sierra Sptz. Pro-Hunter. Bullet number #2120. I'm shooting 32 grains of Surplus 4895. I began at 30 grains & worked up .5 at a time. Here's Wednesday's target. 9 shots, 2 different powder charge weights & one sight change. That's a 4" bull. I'm sitting on a bunch of this powder so thus trying to use it.
 
Now tell us what you are shooting it in . . .

If you have a lever gun that is the WRONG bullet and you should only be using the Sierra #2020 Flat point HP. The #2120 is a pointed bullet that could set-off the rounds in front of it in the tubular magazine. Sierra does not list that bullet for 30-30 for that reason. They only give data for the #2020
From Sierra's 30-30 article in their manual:
"Most lever-actions (the most common action type for the 30-30 cartridge) use a tubular magazine. When loaded, the nose of one cartridge rests against the primer of the cartridge ahead of it in the magazine. This creates a situation where, under recoil, the nose of the rear cartridge can act as a firing pin against the primer of the cartridge ahead of it. This type of detonation will destroy the rifle and seriously injure the shooter. For this reason, cartridges to be used in tubular magazines must be loaded with flatnosed bullets. Sierra has three bullets designed specifically for the 30-30 Winchester that eliminate this possibility."

They used IMR 4895 in their 30-30 data for the #2020 bullet, and rate it up to maximum speed for the caliber.
 
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Good point Marco. This subject has been gone over many times but guess it doesn't hurt to bring it up again. Personally I doubt those soft lead points are able to set a primer off but in my levergun if using the #2120 I put one in the mag & one in the chamber to be sure.

BTW the rifle I'm using this load in is a single shot.
 
Nope >AA 2230 for jacketed 170 gr. Military surplus WC-860 when shooting paper patched cast thru my old winny. I can't even recall if I've ever bought a can of IMR 4895? But its a darn good powder no doubt about that _if you found a use for.
 
IMR-4895 is one of the really good powders for 30-30 Winchester, as well as many other calibers. It's really quite versatile. While others may prefer something else, having a bunch of 4895 and a 30-30 is a problem with happy solutions.
 
I shoot the pointed stuff in my 30-30 lever gun BUT when I do it becomes a two shot, one in the chamber, one in the tube mag

I use 748 for my jacketed lever gun loads and IMR 4227 for cast.

In my 30-30 bolt gun its RL15 all the way
 
This subject has been gone over many times but guess it doesn't hurt to bring it up again.
Click to expand...
Some readers here have not known about it, or don't realize that 30 cal bullets come with or without flat points for a reason, and that the flat points are soft and expand at slower 30-30 velocity.
Until you added 'single shot rifle', I think lever tube gun is a logical inference when discussing 30-30.
 
Perhaps off topic but I've found that the new (well I guess it's actually over a decade old) Hodgdon/hornady Leverevolution powder actually lives up to its claims. I can handload to an honest chronograph confirmed 2450 fps with a 160 grain pill in a marlin 336. It's a compressed load, and it's a ball powder, so some may be averse to that. Even in such a tiny case I use a magnum primer just to avoid needless trouble when using compressed charges of ball powder in what is quite possibly going to be -30 hunting. No other powder i know of can realize this level of performance, at least not without pressure issues.
Lea
 
For hunting rounds, another vote for LeverEvolution (LVR) powder at the charge listed on the cannister and the Hogdgon website to push the Hornady FTX 160 grain projectile. Potent load for 30-30 and accurate, too.
 
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