.30-30 Plinking Loads -- I just don't get it

[Modoc ED]

So as not to intrude on "SJPrice's" thread, I thought I'd start a new thread.

What with the availability of factory .30-30 ammunition still pretty easy to get and what with .30-30 reloading components getting easier to get, I don't see why plinking loads for the .30-30 are necessary.

I shoot 170gr bullets in my .30-30 ammo (both factory and handloads) but do have 150gr bullets available for handloading should I ever want to shoot them.

I shoot full bore (my words) ammo in my .30-30s so as to keep my eye in shape (so-to-speak) for hunting hogs, coyotes, deer, elk, rabbits etc.. At this time, I have factory iron sights on my .30-30s and use the ammo that I hunt with to keep myself on target when hunting. I shoot cans, rocks, trees, ground squirrels, racoons, tennis balls, and whatever else presents itself all with the same ammo I hunt with.

In other words I use the same ammo I hunt with to plink with.

Oh, it's been my experience that a .30-30 round using 170gr bullets does not destroy small game (i.e. rabbits). There is still plenty of edible meat on a rabbit when it has been shot with a .30-30. Many times the bullet doesn't expand on such a light target and simply makes a through-and-through hole with little on no meat damage.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings.

[Don McDowell]

Nothing wrong with your approach at all. But by following it so strictly , surely misses out on a lot of fun. 110 gr plinkers are a hoot, and if you want a kid to get a ton of jolleys hand them a 30-30 with a magazine full of low velocity cast loads built with accuracy in mind and watch them perforate coffee cans as fast as they can shuck the lever.

[SJPrice]

another reason is that lower power, lower velocity, lower noise rounds are sometimes more neighbor friendly when you are spending an afternoon shooting in the "back yard"

[Nath]

Variety is the spice of life

Nath.

[L_Kilkenny]

I'll go with SJ's response and add a couple reasons myself.

I wanted to work up a load for coon and squirrel hunting and shooting full power loads "up" may not be the most responsible thing to do in my area. I also wanted the load to have a little more omph than a .22M so it was better on coyotes as the opportunity arised.

But more than likely the biggest factor was.............................BECAUSE I CAN! My gun came with a few hundred .30 carbine bullets and a buddy received a large selection of bullets he had no use for including half jackets, speer 110gr varminteers, and some 110gr spire points. I also have some BlueDot, H4895 and bought some SR4759. I also have 1000 large pistol primers I can no longer use. Free bullets, 1/2 the powder, primers on the shelf without a need, what more reason do I need? Basically, I don't think you need a reason.

LK

[J Miller]

I do the same thing Ed does. One load all the time. Once sighted in that's what I shoot. It's far easier to stock one set of components per cartridge than a myriad of different things. Also when I pack up to go shoot I don't have to stand around trying to figure out what load I'm gonna shoot today.
As far as what the neighbors think, I've never been anywhere that you could shoot at home. Always had to go out in the desert or to a range. So that doesn't matter to me.

Besides, if I want to shoot something quieter or lighter or smaller, I got my .22s.

Joe

[JerryB]

Well Ed, I reckon it's for the same reason you shoot what you like in your rifle, BECAUSE you want to. Some folks obviously enjoy different things in life as long as it's legal they can even if you don't agree.

[Paladin]

The one load for all works for being practical in areas that you can and makes for a better understanding the ballistics.
But the knowledge learned buy loading different bullets and testing different components when I was much younger I would not have passed up if I could. I loaded everything from 168 HPBT in 30-30 to primer fired lead balls my buddy (who owned the marlin) and I became very good shots with all the practice.

[Sixgun]

Ed,
The above boys said it all. I lean towards the "neighbor" thing. If I keep them under the speed of sound I can shoot all day through my backyard "silencer". My wife in the house can't even hear them. Then there's the silhouette game where cast bullets @ 1800 are the right ticket. I also use this load when busting rocks, steel, etc as its cheap and near as powerful as factory.

Funny thing, I seldom, if ever shoot full power factory out of the 30-30. Jacketed bullets eat into my "Winchester money" --------Sixgun

[Hobie]

I use the same ammo to "plink" or informally practice as I do to hunt. I do have a "small game" load for most of my deer rifles. It is fun to experiment and shoot and a good confidence builder for some shooters.

This goes back to my post about "blasting ammo" which is basically the same thing. Cheap ammo for just blasting away at whatever. I've seen people at the range empty rifles so fast they can't possibly be aiming. They then check their "targets" to find a pattern (rather than a group) of most of their shots (hopefully). It is an interesting concept.

I must be a bit odd in that even when I'm "plinking" at cow pies I fire a shot and analyze what I did right or wrong base on whether it was a hit or a miss. I do do "speed" shooting but the real point is to learn to align the sights quickly not to manipulate the trigger at light speed.

That said a lot of people can actually do very well on the hunt with cast bullet "plinking" ammo.

[J35]

So as not to intrude on "SJPrice's" thread, I thought I'd start a new thread.

What with the availability of factory .30-30 ammunition still pretty easy to get and what with .30-30 reloading components getting easier to get, I don't see why plinking loads for the .30-30 are necessary.

I shoot 170gr bullets in my .30-30 ammo (both factory and handloads) but do have 150gr bullets available for handloading should I ever want to shoot them.

I shoot full bore (my words) ammo in my .30-30s so as to keep my eye in shape (so-to-speak) for hunting hogs, coyotes, deer, elk, rabbits etc.. At this time, I have factory iron sights on my .30-30s and use the ammo that I hunt with to keep myself on target when hunting. I shoot cans, rocks, trees, ground squirrels, racoons, tennis balls, and whatever else presents itself all with the same ammo I hunt with.

In other words I use the same ammo I hunt with to plink with.

Oh, it's been my experience that a .30-30 round using 170gr bullets does not destroy small game (i.e. rabbits). There is still plenty of edible meat on a rabbit when it has been shot with a .30-30. Many times the bullet doesn't expand on such a light target and simply makes a through-and-through hole with little on no meat damage.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings.

For a casual shooter your reasoning is sound.

If you live to shoot your reasoning is unsound.

Have fun

[76/444]

Modoc Ed,... you're a "plinker shooter" ,.... you're just a "full bore plinker", that's all!!

I do both, some calibers I like to play with, I load'em down. But, my main GO TO business only weapons, no way will I load 'em down!

I,... like you,... like my eye trained for certain calibers and certain jobs.

Sometimes I think some guys take the ,..."reloading is so I can shoot cheap",.... a little bit too far. Bottom line for me,... different strokes, for different folks!!

Just Enjoy!!

[El Chivo]

because lead bullets are 10 cents each and jacketed bullets are 30 cents each. If you go too fast with the lead you'll get leading, as you know. So, plinking load and 10 cent bullets.

[Old Savage]

It all makes sense to me.

[jackruff]

because lead bullets are 10 cents each and jacketed bullets are 30 cents each. If you go too fast with the lead you'll get leading, as you know. So, plinking load and 10 cent bullets.

I bought 500 158 grain cast bullets for five cents each recently! They are round nose bullets. Should be great in my GP 100. The guy who cast them said he and CAS shooters regularly shot them in their Marlins with no problems.

[Hobie]

you're just a "full bore plinker", that's all!!

That's it in a nutshell!

[Sarge]

I've used roundball loads in the old 30 WCF for nuisance critters and occasionally, to ease women and kids into the centerfire rifle. These I single-loaded.

Otherwise, I shoot full-power loads in the old girl; to stay sharp with my hunting loads more than any other reason.

[Modoc ED]

Otherwise, I shoot full-power loads in the old girl; to stay sharp with my hunting loads more than any other reason.

Yep, that's my point. I shoot one load for everything. Keeps my eye trained for everything and once a rifles iron sights are set, there is no more fiddling with the sights for different loads -- just pick up the rifle and shoot. Even goes for receiver sighted rifles too.

[Sarge]

I hate to fiddle with sights, Ed. I am obsessive about precise, dead-nuts zero for a single load with every gun I own.

http://sargesrollcall.blogspot.com/2009 ... it-on.html

I go to great lengths to accomplish that and I consider ALL sights 'fixed' once they're zeroed. I have even been known to Loctite dovetails. From then on, it's 100% up to me to make the shot and all alibis and excuses go out the window. If other loads are wanted for a particular gun, I adjust that load to shoot where the sights are zeroed- not the other way around.

This has worked real well for me...I've got several diverse loads that work for both my Vaquero & the Puma Trapper, several for our pair of Glock 23's and a couple for my 580 Mini. I'd like to tell you how to do it but each gun is a law unto itself and the process takes some experimentation.

FWIW the roundball 30-30 loads shot close enough to the rifle's zero, with 150 grain hunting loads, that little or no hold-off was needed to ding small game or pests inside 25 paces.

[Modoc ED]

Yep, I rarely pick up and take a .30-30 rifle with me just for plinking. My .30-30s are for hunting but should I be out with a .30-30 and my hunting luck isn't holding, I'll do some plinking. Of course that pretty much ruins it for hunting in that area but that's ok too.

One of my .30-30s is pretty much zeroed for 50-yards. The other two at 100-yards. All are Winchester 94s -- two pre-64 and one AE.

If I go out plinking for plinking's sake, I'll take a .22LR and of course I have/take a 12ga pump shotgun with me in my truck with good selection of 12ga ammo 24/7/365.

[Boreman]

Plinking loads= Fun,inexpensive,Fun,experiment,Fun,easy on the rifle,Fun,
easy on the shooter,Fun,change of pace,Fun,neighbor hood,Fun............

[Chuck 100 yd]

Hay Boreman , Besides that they are just plain FUN !!!

[2X22]

I am another that borders on obsession when it comes to the load my rifle is sighted in for. When I want another load, I buy another gun! For instance, I use 4 different .44 mag rifle loads. So I have 4 different rifles to shoot them in

Funny thing is, my 20" peep sighted Marlin CB that is sighted in for 7 1/2grs of Unique with a 255gr cast is shot the most, by FAR! On the other end of the spectrum, my 24" Marlin CB with a scope that uses a heavy charge of W296 and a 260gr cast is shot the least as it is used for deer, bear and elk hunting only.

I have three 30-30's because I use 3 different loads

2x22

[Buck Elliott]

Shucks --- I always figgered the ol' .30-30 levergun was the IDEAL plinkin' gun & load...