I got some 180 gr hornadys that I dont need and was wonderin if anybody would know what powders I can use and how much. Just gonna use em for shooting.

When I first read this, I thought what someone is reloading and doesn't have a manual? Then I thought, what manual would not have 30-30 data. Then I looked in my manuals and all of mine only go to 170 grain. Hornady does make a 180 round nose, but they don't list 30-30 data for it. Now I'm wondering is the 180 too long or is it just not a good combination in a 30-30?

A round nose is as bad as a pointed bullet and possibly worse in a tube magazine.Both styles will allow the primer of the cartridge ahead of it in the tube to rest on the bullet nose behind it.
No one I`m aware of makes a 180gr flat nose bullet today and that is likely why data is so hard to find. I`d call the powder maker of your favorite 30-30 powder and see what they recommend. i`d sure they can offer something to get you started

Ol Joe--Not to flame with you, Hornady lists round nose for 30-30 in 100 grain, 110 grain, 150 grain and their 170 grain is a flat nose. They do make a 180 grain round nose but they give no data in it for 30-30. Possibly THE most popular Lyman Cast Bullet mold for .30 cal is #311291 (169 grain) which is a round nose and it is listed for 30-30. Google 30-30 round nosed ammunition and you'll find almost all ammo makers have offerings.

Kennedy,

Here's some data please start low. I wouldn't worry about the round nose because as carpetman pointed out there has been/is round nose ammo loaded for the 30-30. If you wish you can flatten those noses

180 grain JRN (Speer Jacketed Round Nose))
IMR 4895 30.5 gr. 1,900 FPS
IMR 3031 31.0 gr. 1,925
( 180 gr. Not normally used in 30/30, but you can.

Notice that the 180 used here is a Speer and it may have more or less bearing surface then the Hornady so start lower as I said and work up. Pay attention to your recoil as compared to say 170 grain factory loads, your primer, the case web/head expansion, and the amount of effort required to open the bolt with the lever.

Lead round nose bullets are just fine in a tubular magazine. In fact, other than .30-30, there is more ammunition loaded with RNs for tubular magazines than FNs (think .25, .30, .32, and .35 Remington; some .25-35 Win; 7-30 Waters; and some .25-20). Besides, take a Hornady .30/180 RN, put a primed .30-30 case in a vise head-up, and see how long it takes you to make the primer go off using just the bullet for a striker and a hammer of any size you wish.

One caution with the 180 RN in the .30-30: As has been pointed out, your velocity is going to be only around 2,000 fps at best. The 180 RN is made for .30-06 speeds of about 2600 fps, so its expansion will be somewhat modest compared to when fired at higher speeds.

Speaking of round nose, there is a rumor that persists as to how well they do in brush. I don't recall which one, but a major bullet maker did extensive testing and spire points do much better in brush. The round nose actually did poorly. Certainly not saying use spire points in a 30-30.

quote:

Originally posted by carpetman1:
Ol Joe--Not to flame with you, Hornady lists round nose for 30-30 in 100 grain, 110 grain, 150 grain and their 170 grain is a flat nose. They do make a 180 grain round nose but they give no data in it for 30-30. Possibly THE most popular Lyman Cast Bullet mold for .30 cal is #311291 (169 grain) which is a round nose and it is listed for 30-30. Google 30-30 round nosed ammunition and you'll find almost all ammo makers have offerings.

here was an article called "Skepticism." in Handloader magazine about 3-4 year ago by Dave Scovill testing various shaped bullets in a tube magazine lever rifle. I believe it was a marlin 45-70. The general idea was the heavy weight of 5-6 cartridges plus the spring tension on them when combined with recoil can set off the other cartridges in the magazine if the primer of one sat on the tip of the bullet below it.

The conclusion, upon observing what turned out to be a non-event, was the notion that a pointed bullet would set off a chain reaction in the magazine and blow up the gun was pretty unlikely.
In the one case he managed to get a cartridge to set off in, - he worked at it a while to get it to happen- he found the tube vented pressure out the loading gate and ruptured a small piece of the tube. Only the one cartridge blew and the rifle could be back in operation with a new mag installed.

Scovill tested spitzers, round nose, flat nosed, and IRRC HPs and found the tips often rested off center due to the way the rimmed cartridges rested in the magazine. The pointed spitzers could contact the primers but surprisingly the round nosed bullets due to their geometry actually contacted the primer in front with as sharp a bearing surface as the spitzers. He also expresses that the possibility of an LBT style flatnose hardcast bullet's meplat edge contacting the primer of the forward round is also reason for concern, especially in straight walled heavy cartridges like the .450 Marlin. Therefore, the old addage about making sure primers are seated below the top of the primer pocket when reloading is good advice.

He concluded flat points or hollow points the best choice, round nose as bad as spire points, and that it wasn`t as easy to set off a round as rumor lead one to believe. I`d think the lighter weight pistol bullets, along with their more blunt shapes and wider metplat would make it even more unlikely you`d have a problem.

I believe it was a marlin 45-70. The general idea was the heavy weight of 5-6 cartridges plus the spring tension on them when combined with recoil can set off the other cartridges in the magazine if the primer of one sat on the tip of the bullet below it. [/QUOTE]
Is there any evidence that this has happened with PSPs or RNs? roger

Bartsche--You have me quoted as saying something I didn't say.

It's been a long time since I had a thutty-thutty but IIRC, winchester had the silvertip bullets which had a flat tip on the end of the bullet and Remington's offer was a simple round nosed bullet with a lot of lead exposed.
Why not go to a load book and see what sort of performance (energy) you get from the 180 fired from a 30-06 when it gets out to 400-500 yards and the velocity has dropped down to 1800-2000fps. I know folks have claimed to have cleanly killed stuff at that range and further.

quote:

Originally posted by carpetman1:
Bartsche--You have me quoted as saying something I didn't say.

Sorry didn't mean to cast an aspersion. Just looking for good info. Changed posting. roger