I have been messing around with the new to me Mod 94 Winchester getting used to my first lever action rifle and I must say I am enjoying quite a bit. Now that I have some practice in with it, its time to develop some hunting loads. Considering that it is a close range tool even though I did upgrade the sights from the original ones to some Williams peep sights ( just like them better and am used to them ) So all things considering, what bullet weight do y'all use for this old classic cartridge. When I drive back down to Hilton Head on the 16 for a week of work, I'll swing by a bass pro or sportsman warehouse on the way and will pick up some components. I am leaning towards something in 170 grain. I am sorted for Powder etc. Just not 100 % settled on the bullet yet


ATB

Michael

New or Used? 20 or 24 inch Barrel? Mine has the 24 inch Barrel. First time out, I got 3/4 inch groups at 50 yards with Winchester 150 grain Power Point ammo. That is with an old Redfield 4x Riflescope.

170 grain work too. i dont think there is 10 cents difference in them honestly. These have a nice cannelure ring for crimping. That tube magazine the last bullet you shoot will be seated pretty deep from recoil if you dont crimp. These expand good and stay together good at 30-30 velocity's. I like H335. It throws very consistently out of my powder measure. After I get it adjusted i just check the weight on every 3rd or 4th cartridge.

Never cared much for the 94 besides memorabilia. To skinny of a forearm, that's why I like Marlins so much.

Danny,those are what I have at the moment . I got them because they were cheap and I needed something to practice with. So I guess I may just stick with them then

The rifle was made in 1954 and has a 20 inch barrel

I have a 1948 sweetheart 94.....run the 170 core lock

170 , when you can't go fast go heavy.

Yep x2 on 150 grain although in Illinois the 30-30 is at best a coyote gun only we cannot hunt deer with a center fire rifle

I like 150 Gr. Have some 150 Gr Cast Hollow points that work real well. My older 94 in 30 WCF likes them

that bullet danny is holding will be danged hard to beat.

The corelokt 150's are good and cheap, I found the 150's "killed" a little faster, usually within sight with a heart lung shot, with 170's deer usually run farther with the same heart lung, and need some tracking.

just wait 2 minutes after you shoot before you walk up the line of fire, failure to do so may result in the bullet striking you in the back of the head!
RR

I killed lots of deer with a 30-30 as a young hunter. I don't hunt with a rifle much anymore but I find myself leaving my model 700 BDL .270 in the safe and carrying the old 30-30 again more often now.

There are a number of good bullets (150 & 170 gr) for the 30-30. Hornady offers excellent 30-30 cartridges, the Leverevolution and the Hornady Whitetail Interlock.

Inherited my uncles 30-30 marlin. I have never hunted with it but my Dad and my son both have killed a pile of deer with it. My dad came up with a dandy load using 125 gr bullet. Never saw the need to go heavy. Funny how some talk about shooting deer with a 22 caliber round and 50 -60 gr bullet but then swear by 150 -180 gr in a 25 cal or above ???????

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1001649728?pid=277034

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1001675965?pid=927609

Here are some factory loads. The 125 grain is faster. Plus more energy at the muzzle. So why go heavier. The diameter of the entry is the same. That 125 gr will take down any deer the same as the 170 put in the same spot. BUT with that said it all depends and how your rifle shoots each bullet .

you are correct in that light and fast puts more energy at the muzzle , but because you are dealing with a round or flat nose projectile the 170 has the same energy a 150 yards that the 150 has at 125 yards.

also there is less effect on a heavier bullet when it strikes small brush between you and the target

I have been testing bullet deflection a 150gr fired from a 308 at a target on a half inch sheet of plywood at 25 yards the group opened more than twice that of the group of 180s fired through the same plywood and both caught on cardboard at 50 yards.

if both produce exit at close distances with similar wound channel then both exit with left over energy and having more energy is not really needed.

but if the heavier bullet carries more energy to the farther ranges adding 17% greater range with he same energy it is a potentially useful gain should you find yourself shooting at deer at a little more distance.

if a heavier pullet produces less deflection should there be brush in your way another advantage.

clearly they all work to take deer withing their own parameters and most deer will be shot well within the overlapping range but if your pushing the envelope one can have a benefit over the other.

then enters the question are you a Bone Breaker or a Heart taker ?

I am a bone breaker if given the option I don't like deer that run and that is how I have found to make it work for me.

all good answers to different questions I guess you could say.

Scuba1: try a box of the Hornady LEVERevolution! That's a 160 grain FTX bullet.

It will wake up those old Model 94's. I use that ammo in my .32 Win.Spl.-Model 94. Its a 1959 version.

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/30-30-win-160-gr-ftx-leverevolution#!/

according to the chart in my nosler manual a 150 grain solid base flat point bullet with a muzzle velocity of 2300 fps has 908 foot pounds of energy at 200 yards.


a 170 grain solid base flat point bullet with a muzzle velocity of 2100 fps has 924 foot pounds of energy.


like i said there aint 10 cents difference. they both kill just fine. i never tried a 125 but i suspect that if i can put the bullet where i want to it will make deer meat too.