30-30 range report

[42769vette]

i worked up a load today for my marlin 30aw. i used h4895 and shot the hornady leverrevelution 160 gr ftx bullets. with factory leverrevelution i was getting 2 inch groups at 100yds today when i shot. i tried 5 groups of powder wieghts (26-26.5-27-27.5-28) i shot 3 shot groups with each. with 28 gr i was shooting 1.75 groups, but with 26 i was shooting 1.1 inch groups. but here is the great news, with 26.5 my first group was .69 center to center. so i loaded a few more of those just to make sure it wasn't a fluke and shot a .6 group. i am absolutly amazed with those groups from a 30-30. i used cci primers and unfired winchester brass with a light crimp.

now im debating on trying 26.6 and 26.4 but ill probably leave good enough alone since this isn't made to be a precision rifle.

hornady lists the min charge at 25.8 and max at 28.9 so im on the low end of that scale

[fireball168]

Originally Posted by 42769vette

......since this isn't made to be a precision rifle.

To me, that's the best thing about them.

Amazing what many of them will do with a little attention.

[42769vette]

Originally Posted by fireball168

To me, that's the best thing about them.

Amazing what many of them will do with a little attention.

amazing isn't the word for it. i would have been jumping for joy with 1.5 groups.

[jtmarine1911]

H4895 is a wonderful powder for the 30-30Win. I use the same powder, about a 30gr charge, with Speer 150gr Hot-Cor, Win Large Rifle Primers, and Winchester brass and with iron sights on my 336W I maintain 1- 1.5" groups. I had began to notice a tighter group when I started using a little heavier crimp with my Lee Factory Crimp Die.

[42769vette]

Originally Posted by jtmarine1911

I started using a little heavier crimp with my Lee Factory Crimp Die.

do you think this is due to the seating depth changing in the tube due to recoil? im only asking because im new to crimping period and really took some time to decide weather or not to crimp at all. i read arguments each way so i decided to try a light crimp at first and i guess i picked right.

either way 1-1.5 groups iron sights is impressive. i have a 3-9-40 cabelas scope that was made to the ballistics of the factory lever revolution round. of cource thats changed now but o well ill figure out what range those extra lines are good at

[jtmarine1911]

Originally Posted by 42769vette

do you think this is due to the seating depth changing in the tube due to recoil? im only asking because im new to crimping period and really took some time to decide weather or not to crimp at all. i read arguments each way so i decided to try a light crimp at first and i guess i picked right.

either way 1-1.5 groups iron sights is impressive. i have a 3-9-40 cabelas scope that was made to the ballistics of the factory lever revolution round. of cource thats changed now but o well ill figure out what range those extra lines are good at

I have found that a 30-30 is one of those must crimp cases. Most sizer dies just don't squeeze the case neck enough to maintain enough neck tension to keep the bullet at the length you want it, especially in a tubular magazine. This is one of the few rounds I do crimp. 30-30, and 223 and 308 that will be shot from my AR's and M1A get crimped as well, all with Lee Factory Crimp dies. I have found that the collet style die works much better at getting a good firm crimp with out worrying about every case length being perfect and damaging case on those that are not with a standard seat/crimp die.

This is an ongoing debate on whether or not to crimp, but in the case of 30-30 it is almost a must.