Wrong weapon for that purpose, a 12 gauge pump with 1oz fine shot is the best in that scenario. Just the sound of that pump gun racking a shell in it generally makes most intruders get out of Dodge. If intent on using the 30-30 a very light wgt varmit bullet such as the half jacket exposed lead I believe speer sells. Unique would likely be a good reduced powder to start with.

 

I realize that it is not an ideal weapon for that purpose. But I am a man of limited means and its what I have :wink: . Its the 30/30 or my 10/22 target rifle :shock:

 

If you need it, shooting through walls is going to be the least of your worries.

I don't know if they still make them, but the Remington Accellerator round would probably be the best solution to you. The very light varmint bullet at high velocity has very limited pentration.

 

Given your parameters,
The 110 1/2 jacket Swany mentions, but I might would try driving it at high velocity. At low speed, it will penetrate the best it can. At top speeds, it will dis-integrate the fastest it can! If you want to avoid penetration, speed things up a bit. While load testing, you might include some penetration tests including two thicknesses of 3/8 sheet rock and a single 2x4. This is what most residential walls are made of, and aren't really that hard to push a projectile through. If you miss the stud, and just go through the rock, most any rifle round capable of inflicting damage to a critter or bad guy will go through, and keep on trucking.

.22 might be sounding better!

Just the ramblings of a construction worker.

 

The Speer Plinker 100gr bullet has a lot of exposed lead. A stout load behind it should make it disintergrate. It also has explosive expansion on flesh. I once shot a huge cottonmouth with that bullet from a 30-06 and meat flew 10 feet(almost hit me)

 

Thanks for the great insight's. Sounds like I will have some fun experimenting with some light bullets and heavy powder in the pistol bays.

 

The 110gr round nose soft point made for the 30carbine can be loaded to 2600-2700fps in the 30-30 and at that speed it might still exit a body or a sheet rock wall, but only as a cloud of fragments...

The other bullet is the Speer 110gr "Varminter" Hollow point which is built like a handgun bullet, those blow all to pieces at 2700fps...

34grains of Reloader7 will get it moving....

the big difference between the 110gr bullets and the speer 100gr half-jacket is that the 110's will usually feed from the magazine
The 100gr half-jacket is short enough to jam up in some rifles.

the 110gr speer varminters also has a cannelure for crimping,
better for a tubular magazine.

AD

 

A. If you really need to shoot in self-defense, over penetration becomes a situational hazard any way you slice it with 30-30 class rifle or greater.

B. The light bullets mentioned above should all have effective terminal performance.

C. Absolute, 100% feeding reliability is a must. Be sure to thoroughly test your loads for functional reliability.

D. A Lee Factory Crimp Die will be very helpful in getting a solid crimp on these small bullets. They have a tendency to get set back into the neck of the cartridge from recoil or simply from spring pressure in the magazine if not crimped snugly.

Finally, I hope you never have to employ your 30-30 in this manner.

 

Amen to that Wyo. And thanks all for the great info.

 

What we use for CQB is the .223 55GR sierra gameking BTHP (Federal T223E). It stops in dry wall and is DEVASTATING to humans. Penetrates MUCH less than anything besides 12 GA birdshot.

 

I wouldnt think you get to extream of over penetration with 150 corelocks. Ive seldom had them exit a deer.

 

What we use for CQB is the .223 55GR sierra gameking BTHP (Federal T223E). It stops in dry wall and is DEVASTATING to humans. Penetrates MUCH less than anything besides 12 GA birdshot.

That would be very close to the .30-30 Acelerator cartridge I mentioned. Remington used a plastic sabot and a .224 varmint bullet to get .223 ballistics from .30-30s. The round had some accuracy problems, but those would be of no concern at self defense ranges.

Here's a source for the sabots for handloading:
http://www.eabco.com/reload02.html[/code]

 

The Remington Accelerators are probably the best factory load you'll find for home defense, and I believe they're still being produced. If you can't find those, I'd try a light hollow-point made for the 32 HR Mag, or 32ACP. Driven at high velocity, it should be plenty frangible in flesh, but any hard surface should tear it up.

Hey wait...........Doesn't Glazer Safety Slug still make a 30-30? Now THAT would be the ultimate Home Defense load!

PJ

 

Are frangables made for 30 calibre yet? But I would agree with Swany 12 ga would be your best bet the sound of a pump being operated when your on the wrong side of will make most bad guys empty their bowels.

 

What we use for CQB is the .223 55GR sierra gameking BTHP (Federal T223E). It stops in dry wall and is DEVASTATING to humans. Penetrates MUCH less than anything besides 12 GA birdshot.

That would be very close to the .30-30 Acelerator cartridge I mentioned. Remington used a plastic sabot and a .224 varmint bullet to get .223 ballistics from .30-30s. The round had some accuracy problems, but those would be of no concern at self defense ranges.

Here's a source for the sabots for handloading:
http://www.eabco.com/reload02.html[/code]

Judging by what those say that have tried to use these rounds afield I'd think home defense could be a good use for them. It's worth a try if the 30-30 is the only choice with power.

The 10-22 shouldnt be put off in this dialogue either. Most of us have one and can vouch for the quick 10rds available. I would think that an assailant hit with one shot of .22lr would leave the home quicker than they came in.

 

Good grief fellas! 125gr, 150 gr or 170 gr factory loads will defend the homestead! Have you ever seen what these do to a deer? Now imagine a druged up scum bag eating one of these soft nosed pills. It will work and work well.

If you are worried to death of over penetration, go with a .223 semi auto rifle with WW 64gr soft nosed bullets or a good shot gun with buck shot.

Handguns are good tools for fighting your way to a long gun!

What ever you choose, practice with it until it becomes an extension of your body.

Stay safe

 

Home defense encompasses much more than that. Of course all those loads will kill the intruder, and your kids in the next room, and the neighbors in the next house, and the livestock on the other side of the neighbors house. THAT is why SO much R&D goes into CQB and / or home defense rounds.

And you are right, a RIFLE is your primary weapon, Pistols are used to fight your way BACK to a rifle.

Those 64 gr WW are some deep penetrators also. NOT a CQB round brother.

 

Just curious about the alternatives for home defense other than those already stated. I am surprised, but not going to argue about them, at using high pressure/velocity and small bullets. Wouldn't big bullets and slow speeds/low powder charges also be good? I am reminded of what my CCW trainer said about using .45ACP 230gr rounds with hollow points. They are like slow bowling balls.

I worked up some loads this weekend with that philosophy in mind. My wife keeps my old 1894C on her side of the bed. So I am relegated to keeping my 336C .30-30 on my side. I took some used Win brass and primers, stuffed a mid-range load of Trail Boss (I think it was 8gr) over some 165gr RNFP cas bullets.

I haven't tried them at the range since the intended purpose is shooting at 5 to 50 yards max. Further away than that and the intruder can't be considered a threat. Granted we are out in the country where the houses are on three or more acres, but I thought that would be a load with a low risk of ever penetration. IMR says that load should be good for no more than about 1,000fps at the muzzle. Granted, that is slightly heavier than the 158gr rounds she has in her 1894C but it is about 350fps less than the .357 rounds.

Am I on the wrong track?

 

The Speer 110 grain HP Varminter on top of 10.0 grains of Unique is an explosive combination that has limited penetration. Hit a large horseapple with this load and it splattered the apple and only made a dent in the ground under it, bullet in pieces. Very accurate and light recoiling. Velocity is around 1800 fps.

 

Let me know what your tests come up with BFPGW I am interested in the difference as well.

 

Heavy slow bullets can be some fearsome penetrators. As I well know from having to rebuild my target frame periodically, a .45 ACP will shoot right through half inch plywood and the 4x4 post holding it. So will .30 cal cast plinking loads. Lord only knows how many sheetrock walls they will go through.

Over penetration may not be a concern for many of us, but for those living in townhouses or apartments it is. Stopping power should concern us all, and reduced loads are going to reduce stopping power. If limited to a rifle, full power loads with a projectile that will fragment on impact are the way to go. I'd have to do some shooting to have a firm opinion on which of ways to do that is the best, but Corbon, Accelerators, and the Varminters or Plinkers driven as fast as you can drive them all look feasible to me.

 

to really be sure it's easy enough to test

I actually went to the effort several years ago to cut a sheet of sheetrock into 2ft squares and spaced pairs of them with 2foot lengths of 2x4 along two edges.

I didn't want to have to depend on hitting a stud....

as a "check" you actually want to build have a second pair of spaced
pieces of sheetrock about 18" from the doubled piece

Basically if there are any "round holes" in the third sheet you have
a problem and if ANYTHING penetrates the fourth....

AD

 

Yes, big slow bullets REALLY penetrate!! We have shot HUNDREDS of rounds into different media. There is a BIG diference. Also, the imroved accuracy even at 3-7 yards with a rifle over a handgun is undeniable. THAT is also a battle we had to fight for a while but now have won through undisputable proof. Another one of those instances where I don't argue when I know I am right.

People absorb shots like crazy. Google the case of a rapist in Tallahassee Florida that was shot with the .357 and finished the rape and murder. He should have been shot, but hareder and more obviously. We shot a man a little over a year ago that had a .357 (older lead .38 round) lodged by his heart from about 30 years ago (estimated by the ME). People don't just bang flop very often. Even with shotguns.