I'm just starting to reload .30-30 win. is varget a good powder? can anybody suggest a good powder or recipe? Thanks....
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I'm just starting to reload .30-30 win. is varget a good powder? can anybody suggest a good powder or recipe? Thanks....
Varget is indeed a good powder, quite versatile.
I don't reload 30-30 but from what I know about Varget I think I can say that it's got the potential to be a good candidate for that cartridge. It seems to be a good all around powder for most intermediate size cartridges.
I've used it in .222, .223, .243, .260 and 6.5X55 with very satisfactory results in all of them. Not necessarily the best results, but certainly not disappointing either. Any powder that will give results as good as I got with 5 cartridges spanning that range is worth having on hand. I have an unopened 8# can on reserve as well as a few one pounders.
It won't be long until someone who does load 30-30 will come along and give you an opinion more specific to your question.
I use 29.5 gr. Varget with Rem. 170 Cor-locs for both my marlins and my winchester. It's the listed starting charge but it is very accurate in all my rifles and should yield just under 2000 fps with a lower pressure so my brass lasts a long time. Not bad for a starting charge. For cast bullets I use H4198 and Unique depending on the application.
http://www.reloadersnest.com/detail....et&LoadID=5181
This site has some excellent info.
In my Win 94, I got best results for years with IMR3031, Sierra 170JFN. YMMV, but 3031 haws been historically one of the best for that caliber.
Varget may well be the new 3031, but I haven't tried it as I gave that Winchester to my grandson.
Flash
I use a medium crimp at the canular with a Lee Factory Crimp die. Just enough to prevent recoil setback in the tube.
Thnaks for all your help Lar5. i forgot to ask what primers you use? i'm leaning towards CCI because i use them in my pistols.
Chris,
What kind of .30-30 rifle do you have? If it isn't a lever action there may be other possibilities for loading. For instance I have a Savage 340 Bolt action and an H&R 158 single shot and I load for them differently than my 336 and 94. If it isn't a lever then you can use spitzer style bullets.
I normally use CCI but also sometimes use Remington.