Well, I haven't pulled the trigger on anything for a long while, but the recent acquisition of a 24" 6.5x30-30AI seems to have been a good luck charm.

Late this evening, I glanced outside through my 8x42 Meopta binos to see the deer acting very skittish and even running towards the house. So I grabbed a the 6.5x30-30 AI, on which I had placed the very best glass I own (Zeiss Diavari Victory 2.5-10x50/#4reticle)

Under virtually dark conditions, I put a 120 grain Ballistic Tip, which has a starting velocity of around 2575 fps, through the front edge of the boar's massive shoulder as he faced me with a strong quartering presentation from app. 175 yards.

The impact was quite audible in the rain-cooled air, and I felt good about the shot. But I grabbed a Dan Wesson .357 Mag revolver loaded with 140 grain Barnes before driving down there just in case.

The sidearm was not needed. The hog had gone less than 35 yards before folding.

And for those who still think the BTs are fragile varmint bullets, consider this: that 120 grain Nosler had busted through heavy hide, significant bone, destroyed the top half of the lungs and ripped up part of the liver before continuing onward. At this point, it has not been recovered but may later tonight. If so, I will post a picture.

I must admit I had been missing the performance of my former 6.5x30-30 AI (6.5mm Bullberry IMP). But this new-to-me "replacement" sure made me smile tonight.

Another excellent post!

Great story Bobby. I have never found the 120 BT lacking in my guns. It is almost all I run in my 6.5-06AI. At 3000fps, I have shot deer from 50 feet to 500 yards with them and never recovered one at any shot angle.

Again, great pig.

Another kill for one of your many 6.5 whatchamacallits :-)

Bobby what is the parent cartridge for the 6.5x30-30 AI?
DO you have a picture of one standing next to a standard 30-30 or 6.5?

The parent case is the 30-30 WCF. Here is a picture with the 6.5x30-30 AI flanked by a 30-30 and a .308 WCF. In the photo, I have it labeled 6.5 Bullberry IMP. They are actually the same cartridge save for an insignificant amount of neck length.

Nice looking cartridge Bobby.
George

Bobby...Good to see that you managed to get a little trigger time!

Z

Another "moose" hog and the new rifle bloodied!

Congrats Bobby!!

Good dark Boar, congrats Bobby. Those 6,5s grow on ya, time after time they simply keep performing.

They really do. The biggest boar I have ever taken (back in 2002 or thereabouts) was killed with an Encore in 6.5x55 and a 140 grain Hornady Spire Point.

I've used everything from the little 6.5 TCU in a 10" Contender through a customized Mauser in 6.5-06. Not once have they ever let me down...

Good shooting Bobby!!!!

I love the newer Ballistic Tips. Most have 50%+ of their weight in the jacket and solid base. Even with core separation, the solid base and jacket have a good chance of exiting.

Nice Bobby!

I like that .30-30 improved case. I ended up with a "regular" .30-30 AI a while back. You pointed me in the direction of 125 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips and 4198. I loaded some up and haven't looked back. A number of deer, antelope, and even some hogs have fallen to that little gun. So far only a hog has stopped the little B-tip. Your recommendation has worked out so perfectly that, as much as I'd like to have a smaller bore version on the improved .30-30 case, I just can't justify it!

The 30-30 AI is indeed a great and overlooked round.

In my rifle-length barrels, I mainly used 150 grain Nosler BTs and C-T BST since the primary shooting around here is for hogs. But for a while, from a 26" MGM barrel, I also used the 125 grainer with terrific results.





This hog was taken with the 125 grain BT. The angle on the moving sow was tough, and the impact was definitely a hard one. The bullet entered about 3" behind the last rib, drove through a grain-filled stomach, demolished the liver and took out one lung before breaking 2 ribs and lodging under the hide near the opposite shoulder. The recovered bullet only weighed 77 grains, but, all things considered, it did a heck of a job and put the hog on the ground in a hurry. After impact, the hog made less than 30 yards before tipping over.

Now you've gone and made me miss my 30-30 AIs. I'm going to have to shoot something with the 6.5x30-30AI soon to ease my pain.

Nicely done, Bobby!

quote:

Originally posted by Bobby Tomek:
Now you've gone and made me miss my 30-30 AIs. I'm going to have to shoot something with the 6.5x30-30AI soon to ease my pain.

You're welcome.

I forgot to mention that my .30-30 Ackely is a 13" Contender barrel from MGM. I may have to try some 150 someday, but I have a pretty good stock of 125s now, so it may be a while.

The way the 125s are performing for you, I think you are all set.

From the speeds your 13" barrel is giving you, you're definitely getting premium-bullet performance out of that Nosler Ballistic Tip.

I used a 140 grain Combined Technologies Ballistic Silvertip from a 24" 7-30 Waters to shoot completely though a big sow last night. I'll be posting that shortly.