30/30 reloading

[nightjunio]

i bought a marlin last year for hunting and have saved my brass. i have around 150 brass pieces and am trying to figure out if its worth reloading. ive been looking inot starting to reload my .308 and even my .357 mag. any ideas please let me know

 

[lrdudley]

Check with Leadeye on reloading 30/30. I just sent what I had to him because reloading is not in my plans and I didn't want to leave the brass for the range to sell.

 

[Broom_jm]

i bought a marlin last year for hunting and have saved my brass. i have around 150 brass pieces and am trying to figure out if its worth reloading. ive been looking inot starting to reload my .308 and even my .357 mag. any ideas please let me know

It is ABSOLUTELY worth the effort to reload a 30/30, on at least a couple of different levels!

You can buy 160gr FTX bullets and LVR powder to make loads that are not only good to 250 yards, they are typically measurably more accurate than factory flat-nosed stuff.

Going an entirely different direction, you can load 30/30 for a very low cost with cast lead bullets and mild powder charges. Shoot more, spend less!

Plus, lever action rifles are inherently "cooler" than all other action types...but I may be a little biased.

 

[Mgderf]

It is ABSOLUTELY worth the effort to reload a 30/30, on at least a couple of different levels!

You can buy 160gr FTX bullets and LVR powder to make loads that are not only good to 250 yards, they are typically measurably more accurate than factory flat-nosed stuff.

Going an entirely different direction, you can load 30/30 for a very low cost with cast lead bullets and mild powder charges. Shoot more, spend less!

Plus, lever action rifles are inherently "cooler" than all other action types...but I may be a little biased.

I bought a new Marlington 336 in .35Remington just a couple of months ago when I found a good sale price and a rebate available.
I've been reloading for about a year, but only straight-wall pistol cases, until the .35.
I loaded my first 10 rounds of bottleneck cartridges just a couple of weeks ago using Sierra Pro Hunter 200gr JSP and 40grs of LeverEvolution powder.

I did have 3 out of the 10 that I think I may have messed up on the crimp because they wouldn't fully seat.
The other seven rounds printed a better group than any factory ammo I'd shot to date.

I put 7 rounds in a 1-1/2" spot about 1" off bullseye shooting offhand at 25 yards.
Since my longest shot on deer generally runs about 40 yards due to foliage and terrain, I feel very confident with the new Marlington.

My point is, even as a novice handloader, I'm still able to produce more accurate ammo than I can buy.

 

[laf]

I've bought the Hornady FTX 160's and loaded it over the CFE223 powder. I'm not that great a shot but 2" groups at 100 yards aren't difficult. And it is nice to have the option to load a very mild load to get others interested in shooting without the full kick of the 170's I normally use.

 

[Mgderf]

I've bought the Hornady FTX 160's and loaded it over the CFE223 powder. I'm not that great a shot but 2" groups at 100 yards aren't difficult. And it is nice to have the option to load a very mild load to get others interested in shooting without the full kick of the 170's I normally use.

I can't recall the boolit weight, but I was reading over on cast boolits that there are some old-timers loading the .30-30 down to use for squirrel hunting.
The .30-30 is probably one of the most versatile rounds commercially available.

 

[Leadeye]

30-30 is a great cartridge to reload, I shoot mostly cast lead. I also use the cases to make 32-40 and 32WS and many thanks to lrdudley for the brass.

 

[billybob44]

i bought a marlin last year for hunting and have saved my brass. i have around 150 brass pieces and am trying to figure out if its worth reloading. ive been looking inot starting to reload my .308 and even my .357 mag. any ideas please let me know

Congrats are in order here..If you want the Lee mold # that I use for cast bullets, send me a PM with your Cell #, and I will send you a pic. of the mold box..This gas checked bullet works well after I powder coated it..Bill.

 

[npwinder]

I love reloading 30-30. With Factory ammo you pretty much get 150 grain or 170 grain bullets. Buffalo bore has some higher dollar ones that I think go upto 190 grains. There may also be a manufacturer that does an occasional run of 125 grain if I recall.

I typically stick with the Hornady 170 grain using imr 3031 or w748. I have some of the leverevolution powder, I find it kicks harder then they other two though.

My other favorite load is using the Hornady 86 grain mauser bullets and 9 grains of trailboss. very little recoil and accurate to 50ish yards. I've had my dad and my wife shoot those and the three of us have ended up grinning the entire time.

With the 160 grain ftx bullets, the ogive is tapered more, On my LEE dies, they don't seat 100% to the cannelure. I have yet to work up a load use them.

Marlinowners.com is a great resource for reloading with the 30-30. They also have a 60+ page thread on lighter loads in the 30-30.