30-30 ammo question
I have a Winchester 30-30 with a 20" barrel. What would be the effective range with a 150 grain power point round.
Also, what is the difference between the 150 grain power point and a boat tail ballistic tip bullet? There is a big price difference between the two and I was wondering is 1 round was that much better than another.
Thanks.
Also, what is the difference between the 150 grain power point and a boat tail ballistic tip bullet? There is a big price difference between the two and I was wondering is 1 round was that much better than another.
Thanks.
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You don't say what kind of sights you have on the gun. A scope would extend the range to about 150 yards, if you are familiar with the firearm and know where it hits and can shoot it to its potential.
Open sights only, maybe 100 yards, but more than likely 75 or 80 with a good rest and the animal is standing still and broadside.
As for the ammo, normally you don't shoot a pointed bullet in a tubular magazine, else the pointed bullet sets off the primer in the cartridge ahead of it. Now with the advent of Hornadys Lever Evolution that is a different story. If that is the ammo you are referring too then the range is opened up about fifty yards,
(200 yards), with a scope.
Bode
P.S. I hunted with a 30-30 for years. In the right hands and in the right terrain they are deadly. I now use a .243 almost exclusively but have been known to carry a shotgun into the woods.0 -
Effective range is always shooter-dependent.
Also, you didn't specify what exactly you are trying to shoot. Is it whitetail deer?
Its *possible* to kill game from quite far with a 30/30. . .but that doesn't mean its appropriate to try. For example, the "lever revolution" ammo retains 1000 foot pounds of energy at 300 yards. That's certainly enough to kill a deer if you connect appropriately. Can you?
I can't (or at least, I can't do so with enough confidence that I would risk wounding an animal at that range with a bad hit).
200 yards is probably a reasonable practical maximum, assuming you are highly skilled with the gun, have appropriate sights and ammo, and have the judgment NOT to take shots you shouldn't.
100 yards is probably a reasonable maximum for an average shooter on deer sized game with iron sights.
Also, in practice, the distance-limiting factor in hunting is often not the terminal ballistics of the round, or even the skill of the shooter, but rather the amount of ground cover/visibility.
Its nice to have a round that can thump something at 400 yards, but in practice, its likely moot. . .for many kinds of hunting you're probably not going to be able to see nor get a clear shot at game at that kind of range anyway.0 -
I second the comment about the effective range being dependent upon the shooter. I grew up shooting Win 94 30-30 & was around 30-30 shooters a lot. With open sights a few were very competent to 300 yds on deer sized animals. Most of us were pushing it when we took a shot at more than 200 yds.
The round is very capable of making a clean kill IF it is put into the right place at 300 yds. I have witnessed it on numerous occasions. The important part of the above statement is the "put into the right place." Hitting a deer at 300 yds is not the same as putting it into the right place. However, for anyone who will take the time to practice and develop adequate skill with it, 200 yards is easily within the reach of the old 30-30.
Good hunting.0 -
+1 on not using a spire point bullet, unless it is the Hornady for lever guns. I use Remington 150 gn. Core-Lokts. 0 -
hello, the 30-30 is a meat mawling machine. and is beleived to be a 100 yard gun. bull! think about it. a modern black powder gun can go 200 yards. ive hunted with a 30-30 all my life. take your time, put it on his ass, and 250 yards is not a problem. 0 -
Years ago a survey was done on "one shot kills" on deer. It turned out that the 30-30 with the 150 GRAIN...NOT the 170 Gr...was high on the list! 0 -
quote:Originally posted by wtroper
I second the comment about the effective range being dependent upon the shooter. I grew up shooting Win 94 30-30 & was around 30-30 shooters a lot. With open sights a few were very competent to 300 yds on deer sized animals. Most of us were pushing it when we took a shot at more than 200 yds.
The round is very capable of making a clean kill IF it is put into the right place at 300 yds. I have witnessed it on numerous occasions. The important part of the above statement is the "put into the right place." Hitting a deer at 300 yds is not the same as putting it into the right place. However, for anyone who will take the time to practice and develop adequate skill with it, 200 yards is easily within the reach of the old 30-30.
Good hunting.
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I killed 2 deer last year with the 165 gr Hornady Leverevelution (sic). I believe that was the 6th or seventh deer taken with my Savage 340 30-30. The ranges have been from 40 yards to 178 yards. All one shot kills. The Savage 340 with a 3x9 Redfield scope shoots about 1 1/2" groups from the bench at 100 yards.
I use Remington 170 gr Core Lokts for practice now...the Hornady round is the best 30-30 factory load available and really makes the 30-30 shine.0 -
The Ballistic tips are out of the question unless you load only one in the magazine, rendering your rifle a two shot. But one well placed shot is all you need, and the maximum range depends on you the shooter, and how ethical you are.
That being said your maximum range for deer hunting should be the distance at which you can put one in an 8 inch circle(about the diameter of the vital zone), each and every shot. In the right hands, a good scoped 30-30 is a 200 yard gun max. I disagree with the 300 yard stuff , even though I am sure it has been done. To flatten your trajectory a bit, if you are going to use the 2 shot rifle method, I would load a 125 grain Ballistic Tip, and take no shots other than BEHIND the shoulder.
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