Levergun loads .30-30 Winchester: Taffin shares a host of good loads for one of our most-used, but least-praised rifle cartridges

Guns Magazine, Jan, 2003 by John Taffin

Reloaders have many excellent powders to choose from for the .30-30. I have pretty much settled on Hodgdon's H4895, H335, and H322, and Alliant's Reloder 7.

Neither the .30-30 cartridge nor the lever-guns chambered for it have a reputation for accuracy. They both should. In fact, with either factory loads or handloads, the Marlin 336 Cowboy, when scoped, will make it tough for many a bolt-action rifle to stay in the race.

Great bullets abound for the .30-30. When I have time to cast my own, I prefer the RCBS No. 30-180 FN, however, now that Oregon Trail is offering a 170-grain FNGC (Flat-Nosed Gas Check), I don't find it as necessary to heat up the melting pot. Casting time becomes shooting time.

And very pleasant shooting time it is, when using the 180 grain Oregon Trail Gas Check bullet over 15.0 grains of H4227 for a mild shooting 1,557 fps and a 3/4-inch group for three shots at 50 yards. Makes a great rabbit load and should work equally well on turkeys where rifles are legal for use on big gobblers.

A Few Favorites

The chart will show you a wealth of great loads for the .30-30, but let me share a few favorites. With 150-grain bullets, the .30-30 Marlin Cowboy seems to especially thrive on loads in the 2,100 to 2,200 fps category. The Hornady 150 grain RN over 29.0 grains of H322 develops 2,181 fps, and three-shot 50-yard groups ran 3/4 inches. The same bullet and 31.0 grains of H335 develops 2,178 and shows 1/2 inch groups.

The 150-grain bullets will handle just about anything I want to accomplish with a .30-30 levergun. If more weight is desired, it is hard to beat the Hornady 170 grain FP over 28.0 grains of H322 for 2,204 fps and a group of 3/4 inch. Just to prove how accurate the .30-30 can be, a 4x scope was added to the 336 Cowboy with result being a 3/8-inch, three-shot 50 yard group using Speer's-170 FP over 30.0 grains H322 for 2,203 fps.

The .30-30 probably will not make many lists of Most Favored Cartridges. It doesn't seem to mind. It simply stays its intended course and does it without fanfare. Given its performance to date, I wouldn't be surprised if the little .30 has another 100 years ahead of it.

LEVERGUN LOADS: .30-30 WINSCHESTER

(For use only in modern .30-30 rifles in excellent condition)

Test Rifle: Marlin 336 Cowboy 24 inch Barrel

CAST BULLET LOADS

Bullet                                Load         Velocity  Group

Oregon Trail 170 gr. FNGC        15.0 gr. H4227     1,557     3/4"
Oregon Trail 170 gr. FNGC        17.0 gr. #2400     1,862      1"
Oregon Trail 170 gr. FNGC       26.0 gr. IMR3031    2,028    1 3/4"
Oregon Trail 170 gr. FNGC       13.0 gr. XMP5744    1,287    1 1/4"
Oregon Trail 170 gr. FNGC       20.0 gr. XMP5744    1,798    1 1/2"
RCBS #30-180FN                  13.0 gr. XMP5744    1,241    1 1/2"
RCBS #30-180FN                  18.0 gr. XMP5744    1,654     7/8"

JACKETED BULLET LOADS

Bullet                                Load         Velocity  Group

Sierra 125 gr. FPHP              33.0 gr. H4895     2,202    1 3/8"
Sierra 125 gr. FPHP              35.0 gr. H4895     2,356    1 1/8"
Sierra 125 gr. FPHP              31.0 gr. H322      2,376    1 3/8"
Sierra 125 gr. FPHP              33.0 gr. H322      2,613      1"
Sierra 125 gr. FPHP              33.0 gr. H335      2,421      1"
Sierra 125 gr. FPHP              35.0 gr. H335      2,546    1 3/8"
Hornady 150 gr. RN               31.0 gr. H4895     2,080    1 5/8"
Hornady 150 gr. RN               33.0 gr. H4895     2,094    1 1/2"
Hornady 150 gr. RN               29.0 gr. H322      2,181     3/4"
Hornady 150 gr. RN               31.0 gr. H335      2,178     1/2"
Speer 150 gr. FN               27.0 gr. Reloder 7   2,208     3/4"
Speer 150 gr. FN               29.0 gr. Reloder 7   2,330    1 1/8"
Speer 150 gr. FN                 29.0 gr. H322      2,194    1 1/4"
Speer 150 gr. FN                 31.0 gr. H322      2,335    1 3/8"
Winchester 150 gr. Silver Tip    31.0 gr. H4895     2,094    1 3/4"
Winchester 150 gr. Silvr Tip     33.0 gr. H4895     2,215      1"
Winchester 150 gr. Silver Tip    29.0 gr. H322      2,180    1 1/3"
Winchester 150 gr. Silver Tip    31.0 gr. H335      2,162     7/8"
Winchester 150 gr. Silver Tip    33.0 gr. H335      2,282    1 1/2"
Hornady 170 gr. FP             27.0 gr. Reloder 7   2,085     5/8"
Hornady 170 gr. FP               28.0 gr. H322      2,204     3/4"
Hornady 170 gr. FP               28.0 gr. H335      2,029    1 5/8"
Hornady 170 gr. FP               30.0 gr. H335      2,135    1 3/4"
Hornady 170 gr. FP               28.0 gr. H4895     1,912    1 3/8"
Hornady 170 gr. FP               30.0 gr. H4895     2,017    1 5/8"
Sierra 170 gr. FP                26.0 gr. H322      1,855    1 1/4"
Sierra 170 gr. FP                28.0 gr. H322      2,090     7/8"
Sierra 170 gr. FP                30.0 gr. H335      2,105    1 1/2"
Sierra 170 gr. FP              25.0 gr. Reloder 7   1,939      1"
Sierra 170 gr. FP              27.0 gr. Reloder 7   2,025      1"

MARLIN 336 COWBOY MOUNTED WITH
 4X SCOPE:

Bullet                                Load         Velocity  Group

Federal 170 gr. Hi-Shok             Factory         2,030     7/8"
Hornady 150 gr. RN                  Factory         2,350     5/8"
Hornady 170 gr. FP                  Factory         2,220     3/4"
Remington 170 gr. Core-Lokt         Factory         2,199     3/8"
Speer Nitrex 150 gr. FP             Factory         2,310     3/4"
Speer 170 gr. FP                 30.0 gr. H322      2,203     3/8"