Load the Hornady FTX bullet. It is pointy yet intended for 30-30. The 130 Hornady may work also. I would decline using the pointy 150s and use a more specifically suited bullet with the FTX being first choice. The idea is the bullet performs at the longer ranges, which may approach 200 yards with reasonable loading of appropriate bullets.

Keep to standard loadings for this rifle. The deer won’t know the difference.

 

Load the Hornady FTX bullet. It is pointy yet intended for 30-30.

Keep to standard leadings for this rifle. The deer won’t know the difference.

:dito: no need to hot rod. they kill just fine! fun rifle too.

 

considering that you're talking bolt style, magazine fed ... I would think spire point, boat tail ... whatever fits the OAL and bore of the gun would be worth testing. Most of us (me included) automatically think of 30/30 being tube fed. Yep, the whole bolt thing could make it different ...

jd

 

The whole issue is most spritzers etc are designed to work at higher velocities. Trying to find a spritzer that will expand and function at 30-30 velocities is the issue. It is not my gun and am doing a favor. If my gun or he is buying the components the Hornady 160 sounds like the best option. I can load him some target loads but am not comfortable with the performance at 30-30 velocity for hunting, i.e. expansion.

 

I load for a Winchester Model 54 and a Remington 788, both in 30/30 caliber. The magazines on both of these rifles prohibit loading any longer than the standard RN 30/30 rounds. The long ogive on bullets meant for normal magazine lengths (308, 30/06, etc.) means that you have to seat the modern spitzer designs very deep into the case. I imagine that the magazine on the Savage 340 will present the same problem. While I haven't tried it, the Hornady spitzer bullet for the 30/30 is designed with the above in mind.

The idea of the 130 grain spitzer will probably seat up just fine though.

 

I have 2 Savage 340's in 30-30 and even though the allure of stretching it's ballistic parameters are there if I wanted more it would just make sense to go 30-40, 300 Savage, 303 British or just go 308 and be done with it. 30-30 is an easy 125 yd deer rifle and since literally 90% of all mid size game (deer) taken is done within 40 to 60 yards you're trying to fix a problem that isn't there. Just enjoy what is currently inexpensive ammo and stock up while it's still cheap.

 

Speer makes a good 130 gr. flat nose that when loaded up flattens trajectory enough so 250 yard shots are not hard. It's also meant as a deer/antelope bullet at the 30 WCF velocity level. You could also try the Winchester .30 calibre power point bullets meant for the 308 Win. I use these out of my scout rifle, 20" barrel, and I'm guessing maybe hitting 2700 fps, BUT they expand all the way past 400 yards on actual game, and at that distance, it's probably less than the 30 WCF would be doing at 200 yards. OAL will be a factor with the magazine and throat on the 340 Savage, your just not gonna be able to seat them way out.

 

The ability of a cartridge case to withstand pressure is carefully calculated by the manufacturer. If they're making a run of a million cases, they don't want to spend a penny more per case than they have to, because the cost adds up quick, times one million. So when they work harden, re-draw, anneal, and harden again, the process is carefully regulated so the case fits its intended pressure range. They make the metal grain in the case head only strong enough to fit the intended application, with a margin of safety. Trying to hotrod a 30 WCF case designed for 37,000 PSI just isn't smart. While the rifle action will hold, the brass is the limiting factor. Stick to standard data. Better safe than not safe.

 

:dito: yrs ago I saw the effects of hot rodding. it was terrible. we found most of his fingers. never heard a man scream like that.

 

the 340 [and the older 325] will feed and chamber a longer round than a model 94 will.
they are a pretty strong action but the extractors on them are not, pushing up the pressures too much will cause you grief.
a 130 at 2600 is doable, but 2400 is more in line with a 150.
I can't reliably hit anything in the field far enough away with the pointy bullets [and open sights] for them to make much difference for me, so after a few those look cool rounds I just went back to loading for all [but the 325] of my 30-30's with the RN bullets and using the crimp groove.
the 325 is getting a diet of pointed cast bullets at above jacketed speeds, so I won't go into that load here.

 

I also have a 340 and a 325 savage and they are fun to shoot. And they are accurate. I keep the cases separated from my lever gun cases and just neck size them when I reload. I shoot the 160 FTX and th 150 RN at about 2300 fp. I plink with 110 RN that tops out at about 2400fps being more accurate. I have only about a 100 of them left and Hornaday doesn't make them any more. Just keep it safe, start soft and work up to what is most accurate.

 

I have never loaded for a bolt action 30-30 though I have had great results with Speers 130gr hot cor bullets with heavy loads of Lvr powder. My 20" 336 is shooting these loads is at just under 2600fps with out any primer or extraction problems. Speer also makes a pointy 130gr hot cor bullet. Have fun but experiment safely.

 

I have a Savage 340 in .30-30 and have had very good results on deer loading either the 125-grain Sierra spitzer, or the 130-grain Speers with either 28 grains of IMR4198 or 30 grains of RL7. While intended as "varmint" bullets for .308 Win and .30-'06 class rifles, when loaded down to about 2400 fps at .30-30 velocities they perform like game bullets and are good for our smaller Eastern whitetails. I find them a much better choice than trying to take the heavier constructed 150-grain pointed soft-points designed for .308 Win. and .30-'06 velocities, because those, when loaded down, just punch through without expanding, as if you were shooting military ball ammo.

For crippled old folks who are recoil sensitive, or starting young hunters without having them flinch from the recoil, these light bullet loads are just the ticket! Shorter ogive has no problems with OAL fitting into the magazine. Accurate too!

 

To my mind the Speeer 150gr Softpoint boat tail is very soft, expansion is said to be insured down thru 1800fps, it also has a very high BC, this is where I would look.

 

Sierra makes a 125gr hollow point bullet specifically for the 30-30, they advise speeds and distances which would fall right in line with what I'd say anyway.

 

Nosler 125 ballistic tip or 125 accubond.


The 125 ballistic tip holds up to the 308 velocity so a 30-30 will be fine.



If you you want a 150 I’d load the Nosler 150 ballistic tip.

 

Load the Hornady FTX bullet. It is pointy yet intended for 30-30. The 130 Hornady may work also. I would decline using the pointy 150s and use a more specifically suited bullet with the FTX being first choice. The idea is the bullet performs at the longer ranges, which may approach 200 yards with reasonable loading of appropriate bullets. Keep to standard loadings for this rifle. The deer won’t know the difference.

The FTX bullets are pretty good in tubular magazines of lever guns but in the Savage 340 it is not necessary and I believe them to be stronger actions than the leverguns. The FTX tip is a soft polymer-type bullet required for the levers and I would expect many regular pointed bullets could do better in performance.

 

From an older posting, so maybe the question has been answered by experience. But for 'the record'.... I have 2 340's and load "pointy" bullets sometimes. Don't exceed published data for similar bullet weights. Overall length will be longer than standard .30-30 C.O.A.L. - so single-loading is necessary (I fill the magazine with regular round or flat nosed cartridges when hunting). If a shot isn't taken, getting the unfired round out takes some finesse (and cussing with cold fingers ). The last deer taken was with a 150 gr. 'Ballistic Silvertip" (from Combined Technologies - an old Nosler/Winchester collaboration that I don't think is still in production) over IMR 3031. Never ever had a blood trail like that.... Never recovered the bullet, in & out. So they work; but so do "old fashioned" blunt bullets. Spitzers won't make it some faster, higher-powered rifle than it is - it's just a bullet choice for a particular reason. The other 340 I use strictly for working up .30-30 cast bullet loads. And the same precautions hold true for longer, heavy-for-caliber bullets, even at reduced velocities. Your mileage may vary, but keep it safe.

 

Never loaded them for a bolt action, but I have loaded both for a single shot. Load them to standard velocities. They will work just fine.

 

And that is another way to do it. Haven't tried it in my 94 yet.

 

The original post is from 2019, 4 years ago.

That being said, the 30-30 in a bolt action can be loaded with any bullets with none of the restrictions of a tubular magazine.

Pointy bullets will fly just fine and their advantages of the higher ballistic coefficient can be seen. However, if the target is game (hunting) the pointy bullets intended for higher velocity 30 calibers—the magnums and even the 30-06 may not expand optimally at 30-30 velocities. Usually the heavier bullets for a caliber are the ones designed tougher for deeper penetration.

Check the bullet manufacturer’s websites to see the velocities your bullet is intended for. There can be a big difference in bullet performance at 2200 fps compared to 3000 fps if you’re hunting. Of course, if you’re punching paper or knocking down silhouettes, any bullet can be used.

 

I own a 340. It has a single lug bolt.

This is why you don’t load it hot.

 

I own a 340. It has a single lug bolt.

This is why you don’t load it hot.

I'm with 35Remington. I find that mine doesn't take a lot to where extraction becomes problematic.

 

The Savage 340 is not appreciably stronger than the Winchester 94 or Marlin 336 and should not be loaded above standard pressure. The Winchester 54 and Remington 788 are stronger rifles more suited for "adventurous experimentation."

 

I have bit of experience with rhe 300 Savage and have seen many Der shot with them. I definitely would not want to drive Spitzer bullets any slower. The 30 30 is limited by its case. The 300 has striking velocities. Higher than 30 30 at the muzzle.
Best loads would be the Hornady LEs.

DEP

 

I just got a .30-30 H&R Topper model 158, and it's a break action. I'm looking into using spitzer style [all copper bullets from Maker Bullets] at the usual .30-30 lower velocities. These expand down to 1400fps.

The other issue, is what's the twist rate on that gun?
[edit: measured it, and this one happens to be a 1:12]

Random reading on the internet, looks to be that there are different twist rates in .30-30's as 1:10 and 1:12. That might also impact which bullets being selected.