The authority on pistol and rifle loading data since 1996.

Reloading The .30/30 Rifle

Reloading The .30-06 Rifle
Reloading The .30-06 Rifle

Left to right:–170 gr. FN — 180 gr. RN — 220 gr. RN — 30/30 with 170 gr.
FN — 30/30 with 180 gr. RN — 180 gr. SP — 150 gr. SP – Plus 2 lead 155 gr &
165 gr RNFP for plinking

(FN=Flat Nose, SP= Spire Point, HP= Hollow Point, RN= Round Nose) JHP=
Jacketed Hollow Point, FMJ=Full Metal Jacket)

Loads for .30/30 Rifle:

(Note: These are near maximum loads, you should use 10% less to start.)

(See note on Powders below or read all about variousa
Powders.)

Bullet is .308″ diameter. Due to different barrel lengths, type of bullet,
seating depth, primer type and other factors, you may not get near the FPS
charted. It is just a guide and the reason you should start under these
charges and work up.

100 grain Plinker (Cup Jacket with lead nose)
IMR 4895 39.0 gr. 2,730 FPS
IMR 3031 38.0 gr. 2,866
Reloader 7 33.0 gr. 2,659
2400 31.0 gr. 2,825
125 grain JFP (Sierra Jacketed Flat Point)
IMR 4895 38.0 gr. 2,400 FPS
H4895 38.0 gr. 2,400
IMR 3031 34.0 gr. 2,450
Reloader 7 30.0 gr. 2,630
Reloader 12 37.0 gr. 2,555
150 grain JFP (Speer Jacketed Flat Point)
IMR 4895 35.5 gr. 2,315 FPS
IMR 3031 35.5* gr. 2,370
H4895 34.0 gr. 2,409
Reloader 7 27.5 gr. 2,190
Reloader 12 33.5 gr. 2,320
Reloader 15 36.0 gr. 2,450
H380 38.0 gr. 2,304
A2700 37.0 gr. 2,265
A2460 32.5 gr. 2,290
748 34.5 gr. 2,310
760 35.9 gr. 2,090

* compressed load

152-155 grain lead (RNGC) or RNFP
AA 5744 22.5 gr. 2,112 fps MAX
AA 5744 20.0 gr. 1,813 (actual in 30-30 carbine) Hi=1862 Lo=1780 ES=82.9 fps
AA 5744 18.0 gr. 1,696 (actual in 30-30 carbine) Hi=1728 Lo=1661 ES=67.0 fps
AA 5744 16.5 gr. 1,536 (good Cowboy load) Hi=1571 Lo=1523 ES=47.1 fps
AA 2015BR 25.5 gr. 1,866 MAX
AA 2495BR 28.5 gr. 1,677 MAX
AA 2700 34.0 gr. 1,916 MAX
158-160 grain lead RNFP or RN (COWBOY LOAD)
H4895 17.5 gr. 1,351 fps Start
H4895 21.0 gr. 1,562 MAX
H4198 15.0 gr. 1,420 start
H4198 17.0 gr. 1,616 Max
160 grain lead FP Cowboy (use same for 155 gr to 165 gr lead with Trail Boss)
Trail Boss 6.5 gr. 997 FPS minimum
Trail Boss 9.0 gr. 1195 FPS MAXIMUM
170 grain JFP (Hornady Jacketed Flat Point)
IMR 4895 31.5 gr. 2,045 FPS
IMR 3031 32.0 gr. 2,120
H4895 32.0 gr. 2,212
Reloader 7 24.0 gr. 1,910
Reloader 12 32.0 gr. 2,160
Reloader 15 34.1 gr. 2,330
H380 36.0 gr. 2,182
A2700 35.0 gr. 2,098
A2460 30.2 gr. 2,118
748 32.0 gr. 2,145
760 33.6 gr. 1,975
173 grain lead
AA 5744 22.0 gr. 2,035 fps MAX
AA 2015BR 26.0 gr. 1,866 MAX
AA 2495BR 27.5 gr. 1,651 MAX
AA 2700 33.0 gr. 1,859 MAX
180 grain JRN (Speer Jacketed Round Nose))
IMR 4895 30.5 gr. 1,900 FPS
IMR 3031 31.0 gr. 1,925

( 180 gr. Not normally used in 30/30, but you can.

Recommended Article: Best Reloading Press for Every Budget

Discussion: 3031 is a faster burning powder than 4895, so you use less of it
for the same volocities. 30/30 Cases will stretch, especially with hot loads,
and you definitely need to check each in a case length guage and trim off
excess brass. Of course, discard any cases that show a split anywhere on the
case.

For hunting at longer distances, you probably should choose the 150 gr. round
nose (or flat nose) for higher speeds and less drop. If you are not shooting
in a tubular magazine gun, you would choose a spire pointed bullet.

For hunting at shorter ranges in brush, as is common in the woods of Alabama,
you should choose a round or flat nose bullet. They are less easily deflected
and/or deformed by brush that you may be shooting through. Also, the heavier
bullets of 170-180 grains travel better in bush. The flat nose bullet is used
especially in tubular fed magazines to prevent pressure on the primer in the
cartridge above it. You must put a good crimp on these rounds.

Reloading The .30-06 Rifle

Actually ALL 30 cal. bullets are .308 in diameter.

* 2400, Reloader 7, 12, and 15 are products of Alliant (formerly Hercules)
Powders. Clays, Universal, HP38, HS6 and H4895 are products of Hodgdon
Powders. IMR 3031 and IMR 4895 are products of IMR (formerly DuPont) Powder
Company. A2700, A2460, #2230, and #2460 are products of Accurate Arms Company
WMR, WSF, WSL, 760, 748, 231 and 540 are products of Winchester, Components
Div

References: Accurate Arms Co. 1996 Reloading booklet – – Alliant Powder Co.
Reloaders’ Guide (1995) – – Hodgdon’s Basic Reloaders Manual (1996) – – Speer
Reloading Manual, #12 – – Winchester Reloading Components Manual, 14th edition
– – Lyman Piston & Revolver Reloading Handbook, 2nd edition. – – VihtaVuori Oy
Company, reloading booklet (1995) – – Numerous magazine articles on reloading
special calibers and personal loads where noted.

MD Smith

MD Smith

MD Smith has had a storied career from his family broadcasting AM radio business, to his 36 year career in TV broadcasting. He is a published fiction and non-fiction writer, earned his pilots license in 1965, and is the original founder of Reload Ammo in 1996. His loads have been successfully tested and used by others for more than 25 years.

One Response

  1. Your .30-06 page links to the 30/30 page.

    Assuming you just linked the wrong page I substituted 30-06 and got a 404 error.

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