[M700]

Way down below, in our Product Review section is a test of three types of standard 170 gr .30-30 ammo. What's so impressive is that this over-the-counter, boringly normal ammo, performed so well and so consistently. This speaks highly to the basic design of the .30-30 cartridge and how well it's been refined.

A few photos:

And a link to the test:
http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/index.php/topic,87564.msg836466.html#new

Perhaps most noteworthy to me is how well the bullets all expanded, yet stayed intact, and penetrated deeper than some .375 H&H and .45/70 hunting loads I've tested!

Regards, Guy

 

[Halwg]

That was a good report on the standard factory ammo. I have always been partial to 170 gr bullets in the 30-30. My handloads duplicate the factory ammo almost exactly, averaging 2135 fps from my 20" Glenfield 30A. The last deer I shot with the 30-30 was shot with the 170 gr Core-Lokt at that velocity. The shot was 70 yards, the deer dropped where it stood, and the blood letting was tremendous. You certainly can't argue with the results.

I also have 170 gr Speer FN, and 170 gr Silvertips. They all shoot exceedingly well.

 

[Brian in FL]

I was always partial to the 150's when I was using a Winchester 94, but I've recently gotten a bunch of 170's to try out in my Marlins. Everybody speaks so highly of them that I thought I'd give them a try.

 

[white fox]

Looks like what I have seen for results too.

 

[dch]

Have tried a few different 170s in factory loads wins feds and rem mine seems to like the most deadliest mushroom in the woods. ;D

 

[LT]

Any advantage to using Silver tips other than they're purty?

 

[pisgah]

It supports very well what I have been saying for years -- the ammo companies have been loading the stuff for so long that the .30-30 in factory form is as close to perfected as factory ammo can be! You might equal it with a handload, but you'd be hard-put to better it.

 

[ceadersavage]

All an all the factory ammo for the 30-30 is hard to beet and they are deadly as can get

 

[hub]

Long live the 30:30; Those mushrooms look perfect. Now we need the same test for the 170 sierra flat nose. Those pics pretty much indicate factory velocity is all ya need.

 

[dpe.ahoy]

Anyone run the same test with the 150's? My Glenfield loves the Fed. 150's that are just under $12 at WalMart. I don't even try to load for that one. DP

 

[MattPair]

Great write up Guy. The 30-30 just plain works, has been for years. You know, around here you show up with a 336 in most deer camps and get laughed at. Seems you need the lastest magnum with at least a 4x14x50mm scope to shoot deer at about 100 yards on a long shot!

 

[Pat/Rick]

Alot of my friends thought I was nuts a few years ago when i decided to switch to .30-30's full time and started selling some of my other guns. For me, the choice has proven itself a few times. Absolutely like the 170 grain bullets. While I have found both silvertips and cor lokts to be good bullets, I prefer the remmie green box. I think it gives better performance. .30-30's, oh yeah!

 

[Centaur 1]

I talked to a few different bullet reps at the shot show a couple of years ago, and they all told me the same thing. Bullets that are designed for the 30-30 are caliber specific, and it's easier to make a bullet work properly when you know what the velocity is going to be. Any of their other .30 caliber bullets has to be tough enough to withstand hitting an animal at close range doing over 3500 fps from some newfangled 300 ultra super duper mag, but still expand at 400 yards from a .300 Savage. They love the 30-30 and the 35 Rem, because any recovered bullets look so good, that it makes the designers look good.

 

[MontanaMan]

I fully agree, 30-30 factory ammo especially from the big 3 is about as perfected as it can get. I've been using the Federal blue box 150 grainers and they've been so good I haven't even tried the 170 grain Federal and Remingtons that I keep on hand. I guess I should do that after seeing the excellent results Guy is getting.

MM

 

[CalvinMD]

My guns all shoot the blue box 170 Feds well...be cool to see how they compare but honestly I already think I know

 

[Halwg]

I talked to a few different bullet reps at the shot show a couple of years ago, and they all told me the same thing. Bullets that are designed for the 30-30 are caliber specific, and it's easier to make a bullet work properly when you know what the velocity is going to be. Any of their other .30 caliber bullets has to be tough enough to withstand hitting an animal at close range doing over 3500 fps from some newfangled 300 ultra super duper mag, but still expand at 400 yards from a .300 Savage. They love the 30-30 and the 35 Rem, because any recovered bullets look so good, that it makes the designers look good.

This makes perfect sense.

 

[45l]

I've got some honady 170's to try in my Texan and been wondering which powder to try first,H-322,RE-7,3031,or H-4895.They're all good with my BRP cast 173GC's.I been putting it off,might get the new lever powder.

 

[hub]

H-4895, about 30 grains gets me right at 2130 with 170,s in a 20" barrel.

 

[Halwg]

H-4895, about 30 grains gets me right at 2130 with 170,s in a 20" barrel.

I use the same powder, but .5 to 1 gr more. But you should start below 30 grains and work up.

 

[Mannlicher]

H-4895, about 30 grains gets me right at 2130 with 170,s in a 20" barrel.

this morning, I was getting an average of 2206 with the Speer 170 grain FP over 34.5 grains of 4320.