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Posted: 11/6/2008 10:26:19 AM EDT
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When I need bullets for my 30-30 I enter an online vendors 30 cal site address, filter through many 308 selections, and from time-to-time stumble across one that's tagged as specfic 30-30 bullets. My question is:
Why can't I use any 308 bullet to reload my 30-30 cases? |
| .308 bullets are longer than .30-30 bullets so to meet your COL requirements you will have to seat some of these bullets deeper in the case and thus raise pressures as a result. Also, if you are feeding from a tubular magazine like in a lever action the spitzer type profiles of the .308 bullets would be more prone to setting off a primer from recoil. For .30-30 your best bet would be 125 or 150gr JFN type bullets crimped in place, especially if loading for a lever action rifle. Now if you are loading for a bolt or single shot .30-30 you can get away with using a longer bullet, but you will have to ensure the bullet is not contacting the lands of the rifling when you chamber the round. This will increase pressure as well, so you need to watch for these things when you develop your loads. Your COL is 2.550" |
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Pointed bullets in a tubular magazine could equal disaster. If you are loading pointed bullets, you can only have two in the gun at a time (one in the chamber, and one in the magazine). Most bullets that are advertised as ".30-30 bullets" are flat nose, due to the fact that 98.7% of rifles chambered in that caliber are lever actions with a tubular mag.
Think about the pointed bullets, under spring pressure, resting on each other's primers and you get the picture. |
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.308 bullets aren't necessarily longer than 30-30 bullets. For all practical purposes, weight for weight, they are the same. The identification of "for 30-30" bullets indicates that the nose of the bullet is profiled for use in tubular magazines found on most lever action rifles/carbines. Some lever action shooters that I know prefer to use spitzer bullets in their hunting carbines, but it is a "one up the spout, one in the magazine" proposition, due to the possibility of a possible discharge in the tube magazine caused by recoil upon firing. Bullets designed for use in a tubular magazine can normally be distinguished by the designation "FP" or "RN" in their description.
Some leverguns, such as the Browning BLR and Savage 99 have no problem utilizing a spitzer (pointed) shaped bullet as they employ magazines other than the tubular design. |
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I've never seen a .308 pointed bullet (except for the new lever revolution) of 150gr or over that could be loaded short enough to cycle in a .30-30 lever action. You'd have to seat past the ogive, which is of course not possible (or at least really stupid).
I bet the 110gr V-max could, but who the hell wants a 110 gr varmint bullet for an .30-30? I'd stick with the 170 gr flat nose Sierra Pro-hunters. They make things dead at 2200 fps. - AG |
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One thing not mention above is that the blunt .30-30 bullets are designed to expand properly at the rather low .30-30 carbine velocities for optimum performance on game, whereas the pointy .308 dia. bullets are engineered to expand properly at the higher velocities of the .30-06/.308 Win. to .300 Magnum range.
I see no great advantage in playing with pointy bullets in a .30-30 (other than the LeveRevoluton bullets). Trajectory and POI changes when using spitzer, then FP bullets in follow-up make things complicated. If a spitzer is wanted, get a caliber and rifle that uses them. Stick with what the gun is intended for, like the excellent 170 Pro-Hunter that Aggie_Gunner mentioned above and enjoy the .30-30 carbine for the excellent and nostalgic woods rifle it is. |
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