I have a Couple of questions for those who use these cartridges in the Contender.
I know a loading manual could give some info but I am more interested in finding out what this cartridge actually does in the field and on your chronographs even though it will vary from barrel to barrel to some degree.
What would be the typical muzzle velocity for 14 inch 30-30 or 30-30AI with a 150 bullet?
For deer what would you consider to be a maximum range under ideal conditions for one or both of these cartridges? Thanks for helping satisfy my curiosity
xphunter

Ernie

Can't help with the difference in velocity, but my brother, my dad and I all started out with contenders in 30-30. We all used the same load of 30 grains of IMR4198 with a 130 grain Hornady SSP bullet. The farthest deer kill so far was right at 200 yards. I think the 30-30 is often under rated as a handgun cartridge.......

A fellow named Steve Dyess did a comparison of the .30-30 and .30-30 AI in the same carbine, i.e. 21", barrel. First he evaluated various loads in the barrel as a standard .30-30 and then rechambered it as a .30-30 AI and re-ran the tests.

As I remember it, he got about 2350 fps for the 150 in the .30-30 and about 2500 fps in the AI.

I believe that in a 14" barrel, the relative difference would be very close.

[ 03-10-2003, 19:00: Message edited by: Hobie ]

XPHunter

Not sure if I can answer your question, yet anyway. I am just about to start fireforming loads for a Super 14 .30-30AI Barrel. This one started out life as a Super 14 .30 Herrett and was rechambered by SSK Industries (this .30 Herrett / .30-30AI is an older one with a 6 Land & Groove, 1 in 14" Twist Rifling).

However I have shot several standard factory Super 14 .30-30 Winchesters. The load I have always used is a commercial reload from a local dealer. It consists of a 125gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet loaded with AA 2230. Velocities from Super 14 Factory Barrels avergaged from 2350 FPS (the slowest barrel tested) to 2399 FPS from a couple different barrels. All in all I have chronographed this load for my local dealer out of 4 or 5 different Barrels.

I have a bunch of chronograph data from a fellow handgunner on the net that goes by the name of Shortgun. He has worked with both a Bullberry 15" .30-30AI, and a Factory T/C Super 14 .30-30AI. Shortgun is achieving 2625FPS with the same 125gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip Bullet out of his Factory Super 14 Barrel, and velocities in the 2400FPS neighborhood with 150gr. Bullets.

If you would like his load data and velocity stats, shoot me an e-mail.

Hopefully the weather will settle down up here so I can get out and get some brass fireformed for my .30-30AI Barrel in the not too distant future. It is -5 degrees again this morning.

Larry