30-30 loads with 125 grain bullet and Leverevolution powder?

[JB]

Anyone try the Leverevolution powder with 125 grain bullets? I've read someplace that the Leverevolution powder doesn't perform that well with lighter bullets, but was curious what others had found.

[JimT]

Anyone try the Leverevolution powder with 125 grain bullets? I've read someplace that the Leverevolution powder doesn't perform that well with lighter bullets, but was curious what others had found.

It works well if you load it correctly.

130 Speer w LVR.jpg

This is one of repeatable targets fired with a custom-built Marlin 336 by Mic MicPherson. This load does 2750 fps from the 22 inch barrel of the rifle. Mic says pressures are within SAAMI specs.

I ran a bunch of LVR with the 130 gr. Speer in my Winchester 94 Trapper

Chronograph of .30-30 loads
Winchester Model 94 Trapper
16" barrel
12 feet from muzzle to first screen

38 gr. LVR
(CCI#350 magnum pistol primers)
Winchester cases
2444 fps average

38.5 gr. LVR
(CCI#350 magnum pistol primers)
R-P cases
2443 fps average

39 gr. LVR
(CCI#350 magnum pistol primers)
Winchester cases
2434 fps average

39.5 gr. LVR
(CCI#350 magnum pistol primers)
FC cases
2448 fps average

40 gr. LVR
(CCI#350 magnum pistol primers)
FC cases
2422 fps average

- for this test I fired 15 shots .. the High was 2472 fps ... the Low was 2330 fps and the SD was 47.7
I had previously fired 5 for an average velocity of 2420 fps .... the barrel was really hot by this time and I stopped and let it cool off, then fired the remaining 15

2400 fps + seems to be the limit of velocity with the short barrel ... With LeverEvolution powder, increasing the powder charge by 2 gr. did not increase the velocity. All recorded velocities from 38 gr. to 40 gr. are within the normal variances of any charge.

[Bill in Oregon]

Jim, that is an astonishing 150-yard target. Do you know what barrel Mic used in that 336 custom?

[JimT]

No I don't. Sorry. But he tells me the guy he built it for has shot targets like this enough times to prove it wasn't a fluke. If you've never seen what Mic did to the Marlin's to make them accurate, it's quite a study. From the mounting of the stock through every piece and part of the rifle.

[Rockrat]

Loaded some 130 Speer FP for a friends Savage 24. It shot tiny groups @100yds also. Only drawback is that the loads seem louder than factory stuff so I guess muzzle pressure might be a bit higher. Probably would work better in a 24" barreled rifle

[Griff]

I have only ever used 4 powders in .30-30: RL-7, IMR 4320, IMR-3031, & BL(c)-2 with either a 125 HP, 150 FP (jacketed or cast) or 170 FP. The fastest I've ever driven the 125 was ~2,450fps. I can see by JimT's post, I should get some LVR!

[Ray]

Deleted.

[JimT]

Ray .. I load Prvi Partizan 150 gr. .311" Spitzers for my .30-30 ... use them single shot as they won't feed through the magazine plus having the pointy nose. They work just fine. I size all my cast bullets to .311" and always have.

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