Was that a boar hog, or a boar bear? I'd look into the partition bullets, but haven't used them yet. I did have a 170 Speer blow up on a quartering toward buck that I never recovered. I got one bone chip, followed him over four hills, and a neighbor shot him after I lost him.

 

Sorry for not being clear it was a boar hog . We have plenty of those but they seldom top 300lb. Broad side shots are preferred but more than once I have had to deal with deer facing me and blood trails are essential in the palmetto thickets and that is my motivation for more penetration

 

Cor loks might be to thin of a jacket. Designed more for whitetail. There are a lot of other bullets that would be better suited for large boars, the Partition being one that comes to mind. 30 cal bullets are very popular so you should not have any problem loading up something fast and solid.

 

It isn't always easy to find out what a particular bullet is designed for (designed to do). It may require visits to the maker's website, or even a phone call. Generally the heavier bullets are made to expand more slowly and penetrate deeper. But as you have seen, it may not always be the case. Fortunately there are many makers of good premium bullets.

This can be taken too far, also, in not having enough expansion and the bullet acting essentially as a full metal jacket bullet, just going right on through the animal.

Look for bullets that are intended to expand to the degree you want, at the velocities you will be driving them. If you're shooting a 180 gr bullet intended for 300 Weatherby Mag velocities of 3100-3200 fps, you may only see minimal expansion when you push them to 2100 fps from your 30-30. It's not the bullet's fault.

If you reload, you can control for these variables. And you may want to test your ammo for terminal performance.

Good luck.

 

Leadfeather - thanks for this inquiry.

I've thought about the 170 Nosler Partition for my 30-30, but have never tried it.

I do have quite a bit of experience with Nosler Partitions, going back to the 1970's. Normally what I've found is that they're surprisingly accurate, and that they work well on game.

The front portion is designed to be rather "soft" to promote rapid expansion. Can even just come apart. The rear core hangs together and usually (not always) penetrates right through game. In fact, the only Nosler Partition I've recovered from game was a 200 gr Partition started at 2600 fps from my 30-06 rifle, which hit a grizzly at about 25 - 30 yards. The bullet was recovered while we were skinning the bear.

As you can see, the front end is pretty much gone. I hit him with two more shots, and those bullets were not recovered. Fair sized bear for an arctic grizzly:

I remain a big fan of the Partition, after all these years. Normally that front end expands rapidly, and the back part of the bullet continues driving forward into the vitals, and often exiting the animal. A 175 gr 7mm Partition punched right through a big bull elk for me nearly 20 years ago. He only managed a few faltering steps after being hit:

And years before that there was a 140 pound wild hog that took a 180 gr Nosler Partition from a 300 Win Mag at about 40 yards. One and done, bullet exit. However muzzle velocity on that one was likely around 3,000 fps, something the 30-30 isn't known for.

Not the same bullet or cartridge you're asking about, but I thought I'd throw in a bit of Nosler Partition experience I've acquired over the past 40+ years. I'd think you should try the 170 Nosler Partition on a few more animals. Check to see if it's producing the terminal results you want, then make a decision.

Regards, Guy

 

I have used Partitions on a successful elk hunt 2 years ago with a 200 gr from a 300 win mag with a 2900 mv. and achieved a pass through shot . My real concern was weather they would reliably open at 30-30 velocities. After referencing the nosler website I found that the 30-30 version is optimized to expand on game out to 200yds at normal 30-30 velocity's.

 

https://www.marlinowners.com/forum/...m/ammunition-test-results/150046-bullet-tests-focus-30-cal-190-hawk-35-rem.html

This is part of ongoing test that get done before I chose any bullet to hunt with, note some 30-30 bullets tested. Anyway, in this test and others the Winchester 170gr Power Point has always been the best by far for penetration of the common 170gr 30-30 loads/bullets. Having said do use the 170 partition but that is in a 308 BLR at 2500 fps.

 

bullet tests focus on 30 cal 190 hawk and 35 Rem.

This is part of ongoing test that get done before I chose any bullet to hunt with, note some 30-30 bullets tested. Anyway, in this test and others the Winchester 170gr Power Point has always been the best by far for penetration of the common 170gr 30-30 loads/bullets. Having said do use the 170 partition but that is in a 308 BLR at 2500 fps.

170gr Winchester PP my go to for Black Bear & hawgs … tuff bullet

 

From what I hear the boar has a thick, bone like cartilage plate high on the shoulder. I would think the Nosler Partition would be just the ticket. Like M700 I have used them in other calibers with great results and thought about loading some for my 307 Winchester.

 

For the bigger tougher stuff Buffalo Bore makes a load with the 190 grain Hawk bullet. They have a video on youTube of a bull moose taken with that load. Lots of 30-30 bullets are designed for deer. Winchester used to make the silver tips that were supposed to be more controlled expansion and then there is the Federal Fusion. For deer, most of the offerings are pretty good, for something like a large heavy-boned hog I think the 190gr Hawks might be the best.

DEP

 

For the bigger tougher stuff Buffalo Bore makes a laod with the 190 grain Hawk bullet. They have a video on you Tube of a bull moose taken with that load. Lots of 30-30 bullets are designed for deer. winchester used ot maek teh silver tips that were supposed to be more controlled epansion adn then there is the Federal Fusion. For deer most of the offerings are pretty good, for something like a large heavy boned hog I think the 190 Hawks might be the best.

DEP

My father still quite a few 30.30 and 32 spl silver tips.

 

use the Nosler's - you'll never have to try anyhing else.....I shoot the 170gr partition mostly but also shoot 163gr hcgc ....either way - big boar is done....when you see what the partitions do you'll start believing the ol 30-30 is a grizzly gun - elk, moose, - you just have to get within range and put the bullet where it goes

 

The partition would certainly be a great choice. Another one for great penetration would be the Barnes Vortex 150 tsx 30-30 ammo.

 

I would agree that considering the critters you're hunting, that the Federal Vital Shok 170 NP is a good choice, and have adopted it as my primary hunting round.

 

Leadfeather, I do not use the Federals, but I do use my 30-30 extensively here in Africa and some of the antelope and hogs I hunt are rather big and tough. Way more than the 125kg you mention your limit could be. Many years ago I settled on Winchester Silvertips and when they became unavailable I moved on to Winchester Power Points. I only use 170gr'ers and I use only these as they give me excellent results in accuracy, reliability and terminal ballistics. I truly cannot fault them and as we have limited supplies here, I buy all that I can find. These Winchesters have bagged me hundreds of antelope & hogs of all sizes.

My next best option are from eastern Europe - Prvi Partizan 170gr. I do not know whether you can get these , but I am sure you can get some Winchesters. I have not hunted as many animals with these, but so far they also look promising. I cannot however unequivocally say that they are on par with the Winchesters.

Just my two cents worth, but if the Federals work for you stick with them. I won't change for as long as I can procure Winchesters.
:elefant::top::elefant:

 

The Partition bullet in 30-30 would be a very good choice as would the Barnes bullet (both proven bullets) but it is not uncommon to shoot a hog more than one time, There is no bullet that kills them dead all the time. I have shot lots of hogs and some fall dead and some require a second shot. I like the Winchester PowerMax bonded 150 gr bullet when I shoot the 30-30 but if I was to shoot a real big hog I would be fully expecting to maybe have to shoot it twice.

 

there's a guy on Marlin Owners that lives and hunts in South Africa.
his call sign is Sambane.
all he uses is a Marlin 336 30-30 and 170gr Winchester Power-Point factory loads.
you won't believe the game he has collected with that ammo!
whoops... he already replied! my bad.

 

It looks like im just going to have to try out some win. power points

 

https://www.marlinowners.com/forum/factory-ammunition/64332-170-gr-30-30-ammo-test.html


Here is a test of the 170 corelokt and 170 power point.

 

Thanks B'cat, never seen this post from M700 before. Cool and thanks Guy! :elefant::top::elefant:

Guy, I have nearly 1200 recovered 30-30 (170) gr bullets from various animals - over approx 40 years of using the 30-30. (Winchester 94 & Marlin 336 and about 10 off with a TC)
My latest calculations show my weight retention for the Winchester PP's lies between 79% - 88% with very few at the 3σ extremes of the curve and few above this percentage - my statistical curve is one unnaturally tall hump! Unfortunately I do not have the Silvertips that I used in the 80's and 90's separately, nor the data on the Winchester / Marlin / TC.
The odds and sods at the ends incorporates bullets recovered from Zebra, Blue wildebeest and a few bigger and "flatter" game, where I have struck large bones and pieces of the bullets might have broken off and of course not been collected. Large majority of animals were one shot kills too - hardly any head shots. The worst bullet break up was on the shoulder of a Black Wildebeest (White Tailed Gnu). My shooting ranges are varied but in general further than what I read about here on MO. The majority of my bullets were through-through and were not recovered.

The largest animals I shot (and it was purely out of necessity) with a 170 gr PP was a 845 kg Eland bull and a female Giraffe (?kg) - single shot on the Eland (it had already two very badly placed 30-06 shots - no vitals) , two on the Giraffe (the second wasn't really necessary, but I wanted to make sure / she was sickly and in bad condition).

I do not usually share this info and I would like to stress that I am not a champion for any manufacturer or marketing group. Just a lonely soul with itchy feet and trigger "fanger"!
:elefant::beer::elefant:

 

Been wanting to pick Sambane's brain for some time on his experiences with a 30-30. Kind of reinforced my thinking on the cartridge. Winchester replaced the silver tips with their Power Bonds and charge more. Thing is it uses bullets specifically designed for the cartridge and has been around for some time. The Buffalo Bore load using a Hawk bullet sells at a price that kind of makes ones system pucker. Over $60 a box. Barnes sells their 190 grain bullets for reloading at by the 50's instead of 100. Privi Partison sells for $14 a box on Midway and has a 4.6 rating (out of 5 for a high). Probably so cheap that hunters don't take them seriously, yet Sambane thinks they may have potential.

Normally I an get 30-30 cartridges so cheap I do not reload them, but I am starting to just because I have so much stuff to do so. I even have the bullet molds to cast for one. I had very good results with a heavy cast bullet weighing in at 188 grains with my alloy. Dropped a deer so fast I had to roll it on its side to gut it. Shot it at 140 paces from my tree. Started using one again as I just like "deer" cartridges.

DEP

 

I reload 30-30 with 170 grain partitions. All I can say is every deer and hog we have shot dropped in its tracks and never need a follow up shot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Hmm, I sure like the 30-30, maybe next time that I find those 170's on sale, I'll pick up some Noslers.

Guy

 

northmn, I am a rather hopeless reloader, but I have had success with Speer and Hornady 170gr'ers, local propellants and CCI primers. I cannot get "rolling my own" as to what I can get with the Power Points.

Unfortunately I cannot get 190 gr'ers - Buffalo Bore is unavailable here / or "gold", but I feel that it would make the ideal bushveld load. My Marlin loves 170 gr'ers though , so I do not know whether it would toss a 190 accurately. I'd love to try them.

I am just hoping my Marlin still has some life in it, it has worked hard!
I don't want to retire it, but I have purchased a 6.5x55 Swede just in case.
:elefant::hmmmm::elefant:

 

I have no idea what is available and at what prices reloading components are in Africa. While some cartridges gain a lot from reloading I do not get too excited about reloading the 30-30. I think you can reload and get more consistency as the powder is weighed and bullets can be sorted out a bit. Bullet selection can be a bit better and one can load for accuracy as a bullet that may not shoot in the factory version may with a good reload. Saying that I very often like to shoot factories. The Hornady 140 grain lead free is a good bullet and is very tough.


As one who spends his winters reading stories about African hunting I find it interesting that you use the 30-30. Most hunt impala with a 375 H&H in the books. Yet there must be a lot of game that don't quite require that much rifle. Patterson killed a lot of game with a 303 around 1900 including lions. I had a 6.5 Swede and now have a Creedmoor which is a modern high pressure version of the Swede. The Swede is a good rifle especially with some of the heavy bullets. I like rifle in that category as I like to eat what I shoot and don't like to get kicked.

You have shot a lot of game including a lot of variety that we just don't have in the states. As such you know more about the 30-30 than most anyone I have conversed with.

DEP

 

When I don't reload for the 30 30 I just buy and use Rem core lokts or Win power points. My understanding is that 30 30 bullets are soft with a thin jacket, which promotes expansion due to the lower velocity of the 30 30 at longer distances. Whether that's true or not, I don't know. As with any caliber, shot placement is key to a good kill. Yo

ur bullet seems like it didn't do its job, not because of the caliber or bullet type. ​

I think it failed to immobilize the pig because it apparently didn't break the spine and did not hit any vital organs. That is just my opinion. I have shot a lot of deer with a 30 06 and most have dropped on the spot. But I have had some that don't, even when shot with the 30 06 in what seems to be the right spot, but probably wasn't. I think the partition would be a good choice, with better penetration than you would get from a core lokt or power point. Good luck.

 

Sambane that is a nice looking critter.

Funny thing about the discussions on 150 vs 170 in the 30-30. There's an individual that I went to school with that has shot more deer than probably 3 of us and he swore by the Federal 150 grain load. Federals because they were the cheapest. Kept count and claimed 26 straight one shot kills with the that load. He also used a Winchester 94 and no other rifle was worthy. My daughter started her hunting career using 150 grain and got maybe 5 deer with them. I got a couple also based on the recommendation from the individual I talked about. Usually used a receiver sight and never really checked them for precision. Now that I use a scope more, I have one rifle that prefers 170 grain to an extent that I would not use 150's in it.

Kevin Robertson was a veternarian as well as an African PH. He has written books on shot placement and made videos. Written a humorous book on his guiding experiences and other African experienes. When he discussed the big rifles where bullets have to maintain integrity for hunting the big stuff, he felt that 2100-2300 was probably as good of a velocity range as one could get. Bullets stayed together and did not veer so much. He hated Weatherby's with their recoil and muzzle blast. Also some claim they may have been too much of a good thing. In my 50 years or so of hunting, I have learned that handloads or factory loads center around the bullet not the ballistics. The Remington Core Lok made the 35 Remington's reputation. Winchester has its name on the 30-30 and the Power Points also have been developed over 120 years of use. The Hornady monoliths so far have impressed me. They are lead free and you can literally eat up to the hole. No lead splatter at all and no bullet splatter either. But being lead free they are also a little lighter weight at 140 grains.

I am not a real fan of the Nosler partitions. They use a soft lead in the front part that tend to fragment. Had fragments all over the shoulder of a deer I shot with one in a 243. They now have bonded bullets that seem to fragment less and stay together. Winchester has the Power Max and Federal the Fusion. I think at the 30-30 170 grain velocities these might be as good as the partition. They are not as expensive either.

 

.... I am very familiar with Dr Roberson's work and history. :top:

 

.... I am very familiar with Dr Roberson's work and history. :top:[/QUOTE

All I can do is sit in my easy chair with snow over my knee caps outside and read and dream about some of the hunting you Africans can enjoy. Too broke to participate and getting a bit old to take the physical requirements. I have still hunted deer and agree for that type of hunting the lever carbines are about as good as one can get. I even enjoy reading about some American hunts. Still, I can enjoy my 100 acres and another 100 acres that my kids now own and deer hunt. Good times yet. I also enjoy the venison afterwards. Hope you can truly enjoy your time also.

DEP

 

Sambane, do you have an example of a hunt where the .30-30 didn't perform as desired or intended?
One in which you wished you had used a .30-06 class cartridge?




Vooch

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

 

Of course, it also happens to me when riding the BMW F650 and not the Ducati Monster .... and sometimes the other way round.

I have a few where I was tracking wounded game and I had to take a "daring" or rather an optimistic shot and sometimes two or three where a flat shooter would have been better. On follow ups or so , or when I am guiding myself I mostly carry my .375Ruger or a 416 Rigby, which covers me for most situations.

I myself, while hunting for myself had screwed up, like most hunters often do, where another caliber would have maybe been better. I recall four Blesbuck hunts of which one I would most certainly like to forget. I never recovered that doe! But, then I have also shot two Kudu bulls, unintentionally with a single shot on two occasions with the 30-30, except on the second there was a third bull too who committed suicide. A bonus.

On culling operations there have been times when I wished I had another rifle and there have also been times when I would have preferred my lever action, especially when a number of antelope race past and a few shots are needed in quick succession. O yes, I remember an optimistic shot on a Springbok during a culling operation that was a poor attempt and also not something I can be proud of. As far as I know this buck was also never recovered. A 270 Win would have been ideal.

When I hunt with the 30-30 I do so for mostly myself or the family and for the pot. Make no mistake if a trophy situation comes along I wont hesitate. But for harvesting for use, the 30-30 is a good caliber. Patience is needed and it does requires a different style of hunting from when using a "long ranger".

However, I doubt whether caliber will make a bad shot or bad judgement good. I have guided hunts where hunters mess up with NE doubles and a tracker with a 7x57 solves the problem. I shot my first Kudu with a Hornet (I was 8 , nearly 9), the shot was good, that's all.

Good Lord I am rambling ... yup, there have been times, but also the other way round.... just don't take the shot unless you are sure. If things then go haywire, well , these things happen out there. Would something "meaner" have changed the outcome? Making a mistake in our hunting field also costs you money, big money if your hunting big so being careful is sound advice.

Also, if hunting for the meat, some of the rifles out there, and I include the 30-06, .243W, 300 WinMag and many others really do cause excessive damage to good usable protein. Other requirements for hunting is often neglected and attempts are made to cover it up with more "powerful" calibers. To name a few, practice with your rifle, fitness, know your terrain and quarry & practise patience...... :hmmmm:

Good grief, we should share a bottle over this matter sometime! :elefant:

 

They sell a lot of rifles due to the "If only I would have had a _____." I am as guilty as anyone. AT this time I jsut don't care to use a 243 due to a loss I had with one. Mostly my fault but still "Iff only I would have had a". I think it was you who had a posting where you shot an antelope and talked about setting over a campfire drinking beer and eating steaks. Life don't get better than that. Wish I could have been there. I rarely drink anymore for a variety of reasons, but enjoy an occasional beer. Think I will have one so we can share a bottle in spirit if not in presence.

DEP

 

Bullet performance is important. I have read a lot on this subject and experienced a lot too. Losing game is part of hunting, I hate it but it happens. I think the OP said he shot that boar high shoulder and wasn't happy that the bullet didn't exit. A boar of the size mentioned is built like a tank. A high shoulder shot would have to penetrate a lot of bone and probably 3 inches of armor/cartilage. That's a lot. Will a better bullet do the trick, maybe. However, as others have said, knowing your rifle can also make the difference. In Maryland I don't get a chance to go to the range the way I would like. I should do ballistic tables for every rifle and caliber I shoot, do I, no. Would like too.

I have found, after getting into air rifles, that bullet construction only gets one so far and that bullet placement is the key. A 30-30 is a fantastic weapon and can kill just about everything on the planet with proper bullet placement. So knowing your gun, practicing, and being able to do so under stress is the only way to be sure and even then, crap happens.

I think Nosler Partitions are excellent bullets and bet they would be great out of the 30-30. Only way to know if try them out. If you like them learn how they shoot and practice, practice, practice and learn the rifle.

Thanks for all the stories on this thread, great reading here.
V

 

I wouldn't have the intestinal fortitude to shoot a 250 lb. hog with a 30-30. Fortunately, we don't have any Hog problems where I live. If we did, I would bring a cannon like my 300 Winchester Mag, and not go out lightly armed under any circumstances. As others have stated, hogs are tough critters to kill. If after two hours that Hog was alive and pissed, I would retire my 30-30 to the Gun Safe. :shot:


Mike T.