Your opinion of the 30-30 ? ?

[Bret4207]

30-30, 303 Savage, 30-40 Krag. All share a more or less common body design, although the Krag is obviously larger, and that lovely, graceful long neck. I don't know why those long necked rounds seem to be so cast friendly, but they do seem it to me. My personal favorite would be the 303 Savage, but I have a Model 1899/99 fetish, so it's understandable. The day I realized I could make 303 brass out of 220 Swift with just standard dies was a very happy one for me. I just wish my particular 99x303 had the rifle butt stock instead of the crescent buttplate. Love the look, hate the fact it doesn't fit me good. But IMO there are no flies on the 30-30 or 303 and certainly not on the 30-40. I maintain that if our deer hunters were limited to guns in that class we'd have a lot less fat coyotes and more real hunters as opposed to "Hail Mary" shooters!

 

[uncle jimbo]

Not sure any more, but the 30-30 win has taken more game since it's inception than any other cartridge made.

 

[Ian]

@Bret4207 , my 1908 model 1899 buttstock is up for grabs if you're serious about wanting to change yours. The original Bakelite (sp?) butt plate is split and broken but I bought two nice repros from Numrich and IIRC still have the original screws. It's a little beat up and someone varnished over all the dings, also one of the slab sides is cracking down by the top tang and will need to be spread and injected with glue but it isn't too oil soaked and would be quite serviceable with a little TLC. I'll be happy to re-home it if you will fix it up and use it.

 

[Bill]

Ben, long been a fan of this one. My first is a 788 that I bought in 1972 for 65 dollars, I still have it and have since added one very old 94 carbine and a modern buffalo bill 94 rifle along with a couple of Marlins, t/c carbine, pump action savage, rolling block pedersoli, Turk Mauser with Remington barrel. My friend said he thinks I have cast and shot more 30-30 rounds than anyone in Ok, from all the repurposed gas check boxes around here he might be right

Bill

 

[Bret4207]

A generous offer Ian, thanks! Let me do some pondering and I'll PM you.

 

[wquiles]

Nice thread about a true, classic cartridge. I don't own nor have ever shot a 30-30, but I am grateful to have found this forum and that I discovered the .358 Winchester - I love them 35 caliber cast bullets. Maybe 30-30 or 35-30 or 35 Remington in the future for me

 

[Brad]

What you need Will is a 375-30 also known as a 375 Win.
Just realize that a 275 gr bullet at 1600 plus generates some recoil in a 94 Win!
I got a mould from Tom based on his suggestion. It runs 235 gr and shoots very well with 5744. I need to find a nice load with some other powder for it because I ain’t paying 35-40 bucks a pound to feed it

 

[Bill]

Every cartridge developed after 1911 has just been marketing and more noise, but we sure had fun

Bill

 

[fiver]

put some of that 1680, you got, in there Brad.
easy on it too.

 

[wquiles]

What you need Will is a 375-30 also known as a 375 Win.
Just realize that a 275 gr bullet at 1600 plus generates some recoil in a 94 Win!
I got a mould from Tom based on his suggestion. It runs 235 gr and shoots very well with 5744. I need to find a nice load with some other powder for it because I ain’t paying 35-40 bucks a pound to feed it

Yes, I have read a little about it - a rifle in 375Win would be really cool to shoot, specially with the "milder" loads

 

[Brad]

put some of that 1680, you got, in there Brad.
easy on it too.

Ran some 1680 with the Lyman 275449 clone from NOE. In the 1600 FPS range it was not at all enjoyable off the bench.

I found the 1680 to be a bit position sensitive as velocities were all over the place. My concern is how it would do with a lighter Bullet?

 

[popper]

30/30 was first rifle I ever bought. 336 from Dick's for 300$, with (crap chicom scope & see thru rings). goes bang an hits target every time. long necked rounds seem to be so cast friendly IMHO it's to contain the grease lube previously used and get heavy bullets in a levergun so the nose stays short. Barring the idiots in DC, should be around for another 100 yrs.
IMHO, anything under 30cal with cast defeats the reality of casting (pressure handling ability of bare Pb).
Will - friend & I discussing this during breaks, 06 prob goes the way of krag, along with x39 & bunch of others. 308W probably stay the heavy for a while (NATO). 223 stays for a while (NATO). BO (or one of the variants) up and coming. 357sig is gone, 10mm may make a comeback in carbine. 9mm stays as it costs so little. 40SW will overtake 45acp (sorry guys). 45/70 (and the other big bores) is a funny one, see so many used new ones on the rack - deer/elk are armored? Yup, more pellets in a 12 vs a 20. IMHO, rank the TARGET and decide what works all the time.
My 308W must go down the road as my back/legs won't take it anymore but it is a GREAT cast gun. Pretty close to the end of the tinker road with BO, next would be a martini type action in some 30/40 cal - just for total tinker fun. Getting old sucks, running out of time and energy to do stuff.

 

[Brad]

40 SW overtakes 45 ACP?
Maybe for Joe Blammer but for serious reloaders and casters? Not in my house!

 

[Maven]

"30-30Win. used to be quite common in CBA Matches back in the 1980's (Rem. #788's with a modified trigger). It is still an excellent CB cartridge."

Let me expand on what I wrote in May '18. Although I lusted after a bolt action .30-30 Win., I never found one and "settled" for a Marlin Microgroove #336 (and was I ever glad I did!). In spite of a factory installed rough spot ahead of the throat, it was a superbly accurate CB shooter with a particular taste for either the Lyman #311466 or the Saeco #315 as long as they were sized to .310". The rifle was so predictably accurate that I got bored with it and sold it, which I now regret. Btw, accuracy was nothing to write home about with the "traditional" .30-30 CB's, namely Ly. 311291 or #31141 also sized to .310".

 

[fiver]

the 40 is in decline as we speak, it's even fell off the popular die list.

I dunno about the lighter bullets and 1680, I only have the heavier stuff. [270-300gr.]
a 220-240 gr mold is on my short list [especially for the revolver] I just ain't got round tuit yet..
probably take a cue from the 45-70 and go with 2400 or 4100 when i do, and probably back the Winchester down to 38-55 speeds with some unique.

 

[popper]

Brad - rank the TARGET and decide what works all the time.
Who buys 45acp/shoots? Younger guys? Yea,'shoot a jap in the arm and it's gone!' as I heard as a kid. Most 45acp in the Pacific went into RATS! It had it's time and place - I have nothing against it, just don't really see a reality purpose. Nothing against 9mm either, most people can handle it, most CAN'T 10mm hot nor FBI load. Euro LE used 380 for years - but had NO real well armed enemy - except the Carbinarie that had a 50 in the back of the truck. US LE went 38, 45, 40, 9, sig and now what? Bean counters say everybody can shoot 9mm! Sory, just my rant and I will never let go of the 336! Something 35 would be of interest.

 

[Brad]

My 336 will also be with me forever. The 30-30 is a fine cartridge and with cast it is one of the finest. The 30-30 and 45-70 just scream to be fed a fine lead projectile.

 

[Ian]

Brad, try RX-7 in that 375.

A 336 saddle ring Texan was my first center-fire rifle, gifted to my by grandfather at about age 10. He bought it new and put less than a box through it in 20 years. I was hooked from the start and in love after learning how to cast bullets for it and load 10 grains of Unique so my shoulder didn't hurt shooting it. I liked it so much I bought another JM 336 a few years ago just to satisfy my "compulsive-excessive" personality. The Micro-Groove Marlins are superb cast bullet shooters in my experience if you use a bullet that fits properly.

 

[JWFilips]

Single Shot ....Long 29" barrel .30WCF will still be my retirement rifle! Accurate caliber for low node shooting and far too many bullet choices!
What else can an old guy want!

 

[Gary]

Ben; I notice you neck turn a lot of your brass; what tool you use?