In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
30-30 AI - handgun
wtroper
Member Posts: 736 ✭✭
I am looking for a reasonable load (middle of the road 2400 fps or so) for the 30-30 AI in a 14" contender bbl. I have been using a load with 4198. The load is good, but that powcer is a "pain" through my measure. I also have worked up loads with Ball-C2, but I think that it is probably a little slow for the 14" bbl (big boom and plenty of flash). I am interested in a powder that will flow through a powder measure accurately and would be appropriate for this caliber in a short bbl.
Would appreciate any of your experiences. Thanks.
Would appreciate any of your experiences. Thanks.
Comments
Barrel length has nothing to do with powder choice (please search for the several threads on that). Good powders with low flash for the 30-30 include Reloder 15, followed in decreasing effectiveness by 4895, Varget, 3031, 4320 and Benchmark. All but 3031 are short-kernel and measure very well. Most but not all spherical powders will produce more flash than extrudeds (for reasons too lengthy to delve into here) but you might want to try W748 and Ramshot TAC. Spherical powders with HUGE flash include A2520, H335, H380 and your BLC-2. But their flash is a powder factor, not barrel length.
However, I beg to differ with you on the velocity issue. I have been shooting "hunting handguns" for more than 15 yrs. 2400 fps is pretty easy to get out of a 14" contender with the right load (125-130 gr bullets for the AI). Both my 4198 load & the Ball-C loads do well over that over my chronograph.
In fact, the 7-30 is close to a 30-30AI because the shoulder is blown forward and the walls a bit straighter. Just necked down a bit.
In your 30-cal, the 125 BT may be the best hunting bullet available. The generic Remington 125 PSP is surprisingly good, and cheaper. It makes an excellent practice and paper target bullet. I haven't smacked anything larger than a prairie dog with them, and that's hardly conclusive - but the Rems ought to be at least acceptable as a deer bullet if you can't find Noslers.
Don't forget to try a few of my Universal 30 loads: the 100-gr Speer or Hornady half-jacket Plinker over 10 grains of Unique. Oh my!
I have plenty of the Nosler's BT & the SSP's in 30 cal. I also have a 7-30, two 6.5 JDJs, etc. I have not used the single shots much in the last few years as my focus has changed to revolvers. However, this year (in about 10 days) a group of us will be going to South Texas on a handgun hunt & I am furnishing hunting handguns to some newer handgunners. Thus, my interest in getting the old contenders back in working order & hitting correctly was renewed.
Thanks again for your thoughts.