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I recently tested some new loads in my Model 64 30-30 with the Barnes 130TTSX and LeveRevolution powder. The standard 30-30 throat is rather abrupt since it is cut at a 15 degree angle. I got very uniform velocities with 38.5 gr. LVR and the 130 TTSX but accuracy was lousy with the standard throat. I recut the throat with a 1-1/2 degree throating reamer and adjusted the seating depth to suit. I first worked up the load to 38.5 gr. LVR and got promising accuracy but wide velocity swings. The rifle:
Last week I tried bumping the charge up to try to get more consistent velocities. First load was 39 gr. LVR which put three rounds into .6" at 100 yards. It still had wide variations in the velocities. The group was left of center so I adjusted the Leupold Scout scope and fired three rounds with 39.5 gr. LVR. The first round went a bit wide-maybe because the adjustment hadn't settled in but the group was still respectable at 1.2". Velocities were high but still variable so I don't quite have the combo yet. Velocities are noted on the target. Primers are still protruding from the cases so pressures are still acceptable.
It looks like the LVR powder needs a little more resistance at ignition to deliver consistent velocities. The old abrupt throat gave the powder the resistance it needed. The new gentle throat just doesn't give enough resistance but the accuracy improvement is outstanding. I have been using a set of RCBS dies that barely size the neck. In some cases the expander ball doesn't even drag coming out of the sized neck. I use a Lee FCD to crimp the cases. Next time I am going to try a different die set to get more neck tension and also try seating the bullets closer to the lands to see if that will get more consistent velocities.
I am also playing with a 30-30 carbine with barrel cut to 16-1/2". I just started with that but that is another story! It's deer season now so projects go to the back burner.
You really reduced the throat angle to 1.5º? That seems rather drastic. Your SD & ES numbers are a bit high, but still workable. Not far off what I get if I'm dropping charges instead of measuring each load into matched weight and water volume cases.
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession! AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
Marc some powders dont come to their milk till you get to max loads with consistent tight neck tension and a good crimp which will help velocity spreads, one rule I use is to take the powder up till I start to see pressure signs then back off 100 fps generally you have good accuracy then I play with how far out I seat the bullet. Your one group of .6 looks good I wouldnt worry to much about velocity spreads if you can keep a group like that with that rifle and cartridge as you arent having to shoot at 1000 yds. Nice rifle. Good luck. danny
Griff, I am just modernizing the old cartridge. If it were designed today it would have a 1-1/2 degree throat. The throater is the standard 30 caliber throater sold by Midway. I think it is 1-1/2 degree. The improvement in accuracy made it well worth it. The rifle just kind of scattered them around with the original throat. Velocities improved too. The rifle is delivering 300 Savage ballistics with these loads. It is a lighter bullet but since it is a copper bullet that keeps its weight on impact it is very close to the 300 Savage 150 grain load.
The lever powder gives very low ES's when it is working at its best. I have had ES=9 fps for three shots when it was where it wants to be. I just read that the cheaper chronographs with close screen spacing are not reliable for measuring ES. They apparently do fine for average velocity. You also need more than three rounds to reliably measure ES. I have a Chrony. I am a little suspicious of the velocity readings anyway. I shot these loads early in the morning when the sun was low. The Chrony doesn't seem to do as well with a low sun angle. I think the real test would be to shoot the load at longer range. I am thinking about taking it out to 300 yards. I usually test my bolt guns at 300 anyway.
Barnes, the California condor, Gov. Jerry Brown, and The Anaconda Corporation want to thank you for using copper slugs! See how many people you are makin' happy? (Just funnin' ya, but nice to see some serious experimentation w/copper bullets since so many of us Golden Staters HAVE to use them....)
I'm currently trying to decide which caliber barrel to buy next for my G2 carbine, and your post makes me start to consider a .30-30!
I am glad somebody got something out of my experimenting. The 30-30 is a capable little cartridge. If it fit in an AR the shooting world would think it is the cat's meow.
I have a 14" 7-30 Waters barrel for my Contender. When I bought it Bob Milek thought it was the best hunting cartridge available for the TC and I took his word for it. That was a few years ago! I have thought about rebarreling one of my 30-30"s to 7-30 but when I look at the 30 caliber bullets available today and the ballistics we can get with the newer powders I lose interest. I just can't see any advantage the 7-30 has over the 30-30.
I am tempted to make a 30-30 AI but the LVR powder would have to work in the AI to make it worth while. LVR only has an advantage in a narrow range of case capacity versus bullet weight. When its working where it wants to be nothing else will equal it.
